Some thoughts from a 1974 graduate & 50 year plus follower of the Bonnies. From my home home in south jersey, I've been able to get to 7 games this year. This includes trips to Brooklyn, Springfield, Ma. , Richmond, Olean, Fordham and LaSalle. Lots of miles on the car - many think I'm crazy. I'm lucky to have a girlfriend who comes to the games with me and, while she is not an alum, she embraces Bona basketball. I've seen 3 wins & 4 losses, including impressive wins against St Joe's and at Fordham & the worst loss of the 4 was the recent game against LaSalle. Has the team been inconsistent - absolutely! Is it frustrating - for sure! However, I watch a lot of college basketball - inconsistency is true throughout college basketball this year. In recent weeks in the A10, UMass lost to Lasalle & in the next game beat VCU & Dayton just lost to George Mason. Dayton, one of the top teams in the league, had a game where they scored 15 points in a half & another with 60 points in a half. FAU, a ranked team for most of the year, has beaten Arizona & lost to FGCU, Bryant & Charlotte. This year in college basketball more ranked teams have lost to unranked teams than ever before - I believe that the number is now 85! It may not help, but inconsistency is not just a Bonaventure problem.
As far as Mark Schmidt goes, I am a believer. Like all of us, he's not perfect. However, the fact that we are 17-10, 8-7 in the conference, ranked in the top 20% of the Net & some are calling for thinking about his replacement tells me how far he has brought the program. These posters might be new to Bona basketball or have bad memories but, let me take you back to the seasons from 2003 to 2006 before Mark's arrival. In those 4 seasons, we were 24-88, that's 24 wins & 88 losses! One year we were 2-26 - think about that - 2 wins the entire season. In A10 conference play we were 10-54 - we might have the same number of A10 wins or more this year than we had in those 4 seasons combined!! If Mark hadn't come along & been willing to take on the challenge, I don't believe that we would still be in the A10 & not even sure that we would still be playing Div. 1 basketball. Instead the Schmidt era has been the best stretch of Bona basketball going back to 1970. I was in Atlantic City in 2012 when we beat Xavier for the A10 Championship. I remember talking with happy Bona graduates with tears in their eyes. After being the butt of jokes after the "scandal" it was great to be champions - something that many us weren't sure we would see again for Bona basketball. I know that there are those that say we need to keep moving forward & getting better - I agree with that thought, but realistically know that there is a ceiling to what we can accomplish based on our size & money restraints. Unfortunately, as we move forward it's going to be more difficult for the mid majors - how are we going to compete with NIL money?
I also notice that some think that we should be better based on Mark's salary. If that's case, I'd suggest that you check out the records of the following schools & what their coaches make - Michigan, St. Louis, Louisville, Rutgers & St. John's to name a few. Also, there are some that think that Mark should take more responsibility for the team's play - that's a valid point of view. However, if you haven't already heard it, I suggest you google what the coach, who many continue to worship despite what he has done over the years - Rick Pitino - had to say about his players, who he brought in, after a recent loss. To say that he threw them under the bus would be an understatement!
I'm not saying that Mark might not need to be replaced or will leave at some point. However, if you are going do that, you need to to think about who it is that you are going to bring in & is that person willing to take the job. As much as we who went to Bonas love the school it may not have the same appeal to others. I'd suggest that the odds of us going in the wrong direction are better than moving forward when Mark leaves - just my opinion.
Now for a couple of my pet peeves. I know that it is easy from the comfort of your home and the safety of your keyboard to criticize. I realize that it is the world that we live in & social media. However, I suggest that maybe a thought before posting might make sense. I've had the opportunity to speak with most of the players & I feel that they are well spoken, hard working young men who represent the university, that I love, well. That's something else that I like about Mark - when was the last time that you heard about one of his players being in some type of trouble. To read the board after the Lasalle game & see accusations that they gave up and threw in the towel bothered me. That's an opinion, a serious accusation & I feel not true. It was not one of their better games & results can't always be what you want, but quitters they are not. Take a look at yesterdays game & look how the team & Chad ended the half - not his or the team's best 10 seconds. However, they didn't hang their heads or give up - him & the team came out and played a great second half to get the victory.
Also, to the poster, who some have dubbed 'Mr. Sunshine" , I think that we all get it - you don't like Daryl Banks. However, it's not quite fair when all you do is point out every time he makes a mistake - no mention of his play & 5 assists yesterday. Daryl has needed to make adjustments this year & the results haven't always been great, but just like everyone else on this TEAM who plays, we need Daryl to contribute if we are going to be successful. I can tell you that Daryl was great in the St. Joe's game & has contributed in many other games. He is a hard working young man, who has been good for the basketball program.
I'm sure that my concerns will be dismissed by some. Probably hear statements like - " we are entitled to our opinions", "these players can take it, if not, they should toughen up" , "the coach gets paid plenty of money". etc. That may be true, but are statements like these players are quitters & constant negative reviews really necessary for a team that you are supposedly rooting for? The question I would offer to ask before posting - would I want this posted about my son or grandson if he was on the team.
I apologize for the length of this post - I'm not an every game poster & some of this stuff has built up.
I will continue to root for my beloved Bonnies and look forward to seeing them in Brooklyn in a couple of weeks. Over the 50 plus years, there have been more lows than highs, but the highs can't be matched and keep me coming back
Go Bonas!
