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Post by skeller6 on Mar 20, 2024 13:22:00 GMT -5
There are a few things at play here that really need to be fixed. Number one is athletic department leadership. How does the head coach come out on Saturday and say, "yep, we'd love to play," and then decide along with the athletics administration on Sunday that they'll pass? The last time we were in the NIT, Mark Schmidt parlayed that run into nearly another job, and ultimately a raise of more than half a million dollars. It's not hard to read between the lines on what pretty clearly happened. As soon as we lost, players started to check out. No one gathered the team and said "hey, guys, we have a chance to actually make the NIT and make a legitimate run." I'm going to speculate - and key word here is speculate - that in addition to those who entered the transfer portal, a few more upperclassman would have preferred not to play. You can guess the two I'm hinting at. And there was never a leader (be it either the AD or the head coach) getting the team in the room and explaining the history of the tournament to the university, the value the tournament can create moving forward even if players are leaving, and the way the fanbase would react should this come out. Number two is we need a director of athletics that understands our university community and doesn't use this position to enhance the resume and try to step out. The scary part is when Mark retires (and many believe that's going to be after next season), what are the odds that the AD who isn't around much doesn't choose a coach who's simply going to use this to step-up. That happens some places. It does not happen here. Number three is there is ZERO public relations coordination in athletics. SBU has long gotten away with the Olean Times Herald being the only game in town, with the occasional check-in from the Buffalo News. This ABSOLUTELY crushed us during the end of the JVBK days, and it rears its ugly head every now and then since. With the landscape of college coverage and media changing, the most impactful person covering SBU right now is @sbunfurled on twitter. That's crazy to say, but it's true. You can see this year how disgusted he's been with the coaching staff (multiple shots at Schmidt) and now the university. How administration doesn't realize his value (right or wrong, it's there) is beyond me. This is really not a good look with the evolution of Team Unfurled. I'd be very upset if I were those guys. |
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Post by Dunga on Mar 20, 2024 13:24:16 GMT -5
To illuminate the obvious, this is what happened.
In player/coach meetings, Barry and 2 others told the coaches they were transferring. It is good for the coaches to have this information as early as possible, before the portal opens. Barry tweeted it out Sunday. In addition, Noel and Chad were visibly hobbled, and it makes sense for their futures not to aggravate their injuries (and Pride may still not be 100%).
So by Sunday morning, the coaches knew they had 7 players, and the two 5 men were hobbled.
So it was the right decision, considering the circumstances.
They also knew that it was still unlikely at the time that they would get an invitation to the NIT, but if the NIT called, they would have to decline the invitation (which is worse).
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Post by skeller6 on Mar 20, 2024 13:24:32 GMT -5
There are a few things at play here that really need to be fixed. Number one is athletic department leadership. How does the head coach come out on Saturday and say, "yep, we'd love to play," and then decide along with the athletics administration on Sunday that they'll pass? The last time we were in the NIT, Mark Schmidt parlayed that run into nearly another job, and ultimately a raise of more than half a million dollars. It's not hard to read between the lines on what pretty clearly happened. As soon as we lost, players started to check out. No one gathered the team and said "hey, guys, we have a chance to actually make the NIT and make a legitimate run." I'm going to speculate - and key word here is speculate - that in addition to those who entered the transfer portal, a few more upperclassman would have preferred not to play. You can guess the two I'm hinting at. And there was never a leader (be it either the AD or the head coach) getting the team in the room and explaining the history of the tournament to the university, the value the tournament can create moving forward even if players are leaving, and the way the fanbase would react should this come out. Number two is we need a director of athletics that understands our university community and doesn't use this position to enhance the resume and try to step out. The scary part is when Mark retires (and many believe that's going to be after next season), what are the odds that the AD who isn't around much doesn't choose a coach who's simply going to use this to step-up. That happens some places. It does not happen here. Number three is there is ZERO public relations coordination in athletics. SBU has long gotten away with the Olean Times Herald being the only game in town, with the occasional check-in from the Buffalo News. This ABSOLUTELY crushed us during the end of the JVBK days, and it rears its ugly head every now and then since. With the landscape of college coverage and media changing, the most impactful person covering SBU right now is @sbunfurled on twitter. That's crazy to say, but it's true. You can see this year how disgusted he's been with the coaching staff (multiple shots at Schmidt) and now the university. How administration doesn't realize his value (right or wrong, it's there) is beyond me. This is really not a good look with the evolution of Team Unfurled. I'd be very upset if I were those guys. Joe Manhertz and Jeff G need to be fired.......our proud program resurrected by Coach Mark Schmidt.....now we see that effort undermined by these two folks.....fire them both....... |
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Post by Pinnum on Mar 20, 2024 13:26:38 GMT -5
Well the cost of traveling isn’t a real issue. Schools get PAID to play in this tournament, so what’s the real issue? Yes, travel is covered. Not sure what the logistics issue is here. |
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Post by rf1 on Mar 20, 2024 13:26:42 GMT -5
Administrators and coaches in the athletic dept should never again be allowed to complain about teams such as Seton Hall, Providence, Villanova, and Boston College refusing to play Bona given it was the Bonnies that appear to have done so this past week.
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Post by Pinnum on Mar 20, 2024 13:29:30 GMT -5
Players in portal issue? I would rather show up with 5 players of walk-one and play.
Keep that NIT slot and show recruits you will play.
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Post by maplehurst on Mar 20, 2024 13:41:21 GMT -5
The Davidson Women's Basketball Team turned down their invitation to play in the A-10 Tournament. Maybe they started a precedence.
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Post by marylandbonnie1 on Mar 20, 2024 13:44:45 GMT -5
To illuminate the obvious, this is what happened. In player/coach meetings, Barry and 2 others told the coaches they were transferring. It is good for the coaches to have this information as early as possible, before the portal opens. Barry tweeted it out Sunday. In addition, Noel and Chad were visibly hobbled, and it makes sense for their futures not to aggravate their injuries (and Pride may still not be 100%). So by Sunday morning, the coaches knew they had 7 players, and the two 5 men were hobbled. So it was the right decision, considering the circumstances. They also knew that it was still unlikely at the time that they would get an invitation to the NIT, but if the NIT called, they would have to decline the invitation (which is worse). I have been thinking about this all night and this morning too. We all would have liked the team to play in the NIT if selected, even with just 7 players. We all want to brag we still made it to the NIT after a 20 win season. However, what Schmidt & CO probably weighed was, if we accept a spot and only bring 7 players, are we cheating another team out of a spot who also deserves a bid? I could have lived with this if just communicated. My problem is the timing. I could have easily accepted this on Sunday before the bids were announced. Finding out from the Bandwagon on Tuesday night screams of worrying more about yourself than trusting your fan base to understand. The coverup is always worse than the actual decision. |
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Post by oldtimer on Mar 20, 2024 14:04:41 GMT -5
I think I recall in the past our coach saying something to the effect that, he first ask the players if they want to play in the NIT. Player Quotes Kyle Lofton, G, Sr. On Bouncing Back from the Saint Louis Loss “It shows how special the group is. Whoever we play, we want to win, no matter if it is in the NIT or the NCAA (Tournament). Whatever game we go into, we want to win that game. It shows how tough we are. (Myself) mentally, from the last game, I needed this game. My teammates knew that. They asked us if we wanted to play and I told them ‘yes’ right away. I needed another game on my belt. We all came together (and said) ‘let's play.’ Now we’re here so we want to win it all.” From Kyle Lofton? Who is considered to be a traitor by many in this group for leaving and signing with the Florida Gators. Two years ago the people on this board wanted a lynch mob for Holmes, Lofton, Osum and Dominic W. I can imagine the furor if a hobbled and undermanned Bona team would have been trounced on the road in "round one" of the NIT. The commentary might have maxed out the internet. This board is consistent....consistently over-reactionary and over-the-top. |
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Post by rf1 on Mar 20, 2024 14:11:49 GMT -5
However, what Schmidt & CO probably weighed was, if we accept a spot and only bring 7 players, are we cheating another team out of a spot who also deserves a bid? I could have lived with this if just communicated. I very much doubt that the decision was made with any consideration given for other teams being left out. |
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Post by Dunga on Mar 20, 2024 14:15:29 GMT -5
To illuminate the obvious, this is what happened. In player/coach meetings, Barry and 2 others told the coaches they were transferring. It is good for the coaches to have this information as early as possible, before the portal opens. Barry tweeted it out Sunday. In addition, Noel and Chad were visibly hobbled, and it makes sense for their futures not to aggravate their injuries (and Pride may still not be 100%). So by Sunday morning, the coaches knew they had 7 players, and the two 5 men were hobbled. So it was the right decision, considering the circumstances. They also knew that it was still unlikely at the time that they would get an invitation to the NIT, but if the NIT called, they would have to decline the invitation (which is worse). I have been thinking about this all night and this morning too. We all would have liked the team to play in the NIT if selected, even with just 7 players. We all want to brag we still made it to the NIT after a 20 win season. However, what Schmidt & CO probably weighed was, if we accept a spot and only bring 7 players, are we cheating another team out of a spot who also deserves a bid? I could have lived with this if just communicated. My problem is the timing. I could have easily accepted this on Sunday before the bids were announced. Finding out from the Bandwagon on Tuesday night screams of worrying more about yourself than trusting your fan base to understand. The coverup is always worse than the actual decision. To announce this on Sunday, they would have had to get out in front of the student athletes entering their names in the portal, which would not have been appropriate. As they hadn't been invited to the NIT, and no bracketologists had them in the NIT, it would also have been strange, and it would have unnecessarily called attention to the fact that 3 student athletes were transferring (not a good look). It was the right decision. |
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Post by kccgold on Mar 20, 2024 14:19:01 GMT -5
I think I recall in the past our coach saying something to the effect that, he first ask the players if they want to play in the NIT. Player Quotes Kyle Lofton, G, Sr. On Bouncing Back from the Saint Louis Loss “It shows how special the group is. Whoever we play, we want to win, no matter if it is in the NIT or the NCAA (Tournament). Whatever game we go into, we want to win that game. It shows how tough we are. (Myself) mentally, from the last game, I needed this game. My teammates knew that. They asked us if we wanted to play and I told them ‘yes’ right away. I needed another game on my belt. We all came together (and said) ‘let's play.’ Now we’re here so we want to win it all.” From Kyle Lofton? Who is considered to be a traitor by many in this group for leaving and signing with the Florida Gators. Two years ago the people on this board wanted a lynch mob for Holmes, Lofton, Osum and Dominic W. I can imagine the furor if a hobbled and undermanned Bona team would have been trounced on the road in "round one" of the NIT. The commentary might have maxed out the internet. This board is consistent....consistently over-reactionary and over-the-top. Lofton is not a quitter though. I have more respect for that group now having seen this group go down in a pitiful "proactive" flame |
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Post by jjjacks17 on Mar 20, 2024 14:22:57 GMT -5
If the goal of this program is going to be a “compete for NCAA tournament bids” only going then we need to get a lot better at it. And we need to consider every season that we don’t get to the tournament a failure. I know a lot of people on this board think that some of us are too critical but if we’re “too good” for the NIT then expectations must be raised by a lot.
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Post by gregmitch70 on Mar 20, 2024 14:27:47 GMT -5
Via Nathan Solomon, who has covered the team, this has now been sent to season tix holders by Manhertz:
“We’ve heard from you and understand your strong feelings. Your passion for St. Bonaventure in good times, and frankly, also in difficult times is what drives our place. We are indeed grateful for that passion. You should have known of our actions and the reasons behind them much sooner, and for that I apologize. We will learn from this and in the future pledge to be more transparent and timely in our communication on issues that matter most to you.”
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Post by eks2002 on Mar 20, 2024 14:42:49 GMT -5
I am struggling to figure out why it seems only couple of us on the board understand what is going on. Even in Manhertz statement, they didn’t say they were above the NIT. Please stop with that narrative. We all, or most of us received our education from Bonas and should be able to read between the lines on the statement they gave. I don’t like it at all because of the timing and a lot could have been avoided. That being said, if you do not think that the school statement is protecting the players you are not paying attention. Coach and Manhertz know we are in a reload mode and the last thing they can do is say the players didn’t want to play.
I know some have reported that the players found out at the same time we did and that could be true. Coach does not seem like the type of guy that would be telling other people about private conversations he is having with the players. They knew the situation we were going to be with the number of players that could/would compete. I think the anger should be directed at the timing and the start of entering the portal.
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