OLEAN STAR – Eric M. Firkel
December 28, 2025 was the last time that Adrian Wojnarowski spoke to Mark Schmidt. Following a dispute, where Woj interjected himself into practices, Woj just stopped talking to the Coach. The next time they spoke was almost 60 days and the entire A-10 schedule later, when Woj and Athletic Director Robert Beretta told Schmidt he would be relieved of his duties at the end of the season.
The price to assuage Woj’s brittle ego was $1,000,000.00. He paid SBU one million dollars to fire Schmidt. According to Bona fan, local bullion expert and unabashed ‘Bartlett Boy’ Martin Maynard, St. Bonaventure University sold out its winningest coach for 11,765 pieces of silver (1oz). The question is: who is Judas Iscariot?
Multiple SBU Trustees were blindsided by the move to oust Schmidt. Some actually believed Schmidt retired on his own terms. So who made the final decision to take the Woj Million and fire Schmidt? Who lied to trustees that Schmidt wanted to retire? Was it Beretta, President Gingerich, or both?
WOJ is his own worst Enemy
We broke the story of Schmidt’s termination about 9:00 am last Saturday morning. Within 45 minutes Pete Thamel of ESPN reported according to “Sources” that Mark Schmidt is expected to retire.” The New York Times, Buffalo News and Times Herald all ran with this false narrative.
For years, I’ve found it obnoxious when Trump derides journalists over “fake news.” It took Adrian Wojnarwoski to convince me Trump is not all wrong. Woj is his own worst enemy. His fingerprints were all over the leak of Mark’s firing to ESPN. Pushing this false narrative is an affront to St. Bonaventure’s Franciscan values.
Worse, Woj has a low opinion of us in Olean. He (and Beretta and Gingerich) think we are all stupid if they thought we’d fall for their planned “media roll out” of Mark’s planned retirement. Then Woj spent Saturday’s game hiding in his office at the Reilly Center with security posted at the door.
It’s only basketball. Don’t take yourself so seriously. Yes, there are a lot of Republicans in Olean, but we’re not a ravenous band of gun-toting hicks. We’re good people with jobs and families that choose to spend our money and time attending St. Bonaventure basketball games. Many of us are even Bruce Springsteen fans.
Is a dream a lie if don’t come true or is it something worse?
It did not have to be this way. Back in September 2024, we had the winningest coach in school history. Woj said Mark was the best coach in the country. We had one of our most famous alumni, someone that Mark Schmidt said was the most influential person in the NBA. Woj knew everyone. He had all the connections. He could get any player. The years of Mark Schmidt developing and coaching up smart and dedicated, but not the most naturally gifted players was over. Woj was going to find the next Bob Lanier, we were going back to Final 4. We were going to win it all.
It did not work out that way. Woj was heavy handed with the roster. He brought in players that did not fit Schmidt’s system. He brought in talented, but inexperienced players that were not quite ready for A10 play. Then he complained when “his players” did not get enough minutes. Woj tried to micro-manage practices, Schmidt pushed back and Woj reacted like a petulant child.
Even aside from the basketball, we in Olean wanted to get to know Woj. He could have been part of the community. Mark ingrained himself in Olean. He and Anita gave their time to local charities. They are kind and decent and personable. In Olean and at St. Bonaventure that still matters. There is no better example of St. Bonaventure’s Franciscan values than the Schmidt family, and yet, the University sold Mark out for Woj’s One Million dollars.
I am not an expert on basketball, but I can do math. Next year Bonas still has to pay Mark Schmidt as close to $2,000,000.00 it makes no difference, and it will have to pay the new Coach on top of that. Even if Woj identifies one of those coaches he believes are ‘interchangeable’ for $500,000 per year, that’s still $1,500,000.00 in coaching salary over and above the Woj Million.
Gingerich and Beretta should consult the math department before selling out their next coach.
This is a town full of losers, we’re pulling out of here to win.
In 2018, Pope Francis said “where there are lies, there can be no love.” Until the SBU Administration tells the truth and apologizes for their mishandling of the Schmidt firing, it’s going to be hard to love the Woj-Beretta-Gingerich Bonnies.
Blake Tarana said it well. His first year at SBU was Mark’s first year in 2007. Tarana isn’t 40 years old, but he’s already donated more to SBU than most regular donors give in a lifetime. He doesn’t care if Bonnies win 20 games next year. He said, “[t]he university should be ashamed for how they handled this situation. Mark earned the right to leave on his own terms, and his abrupt “retirement” is the most disgraceful thing I have seen this University do in years.”
That being said, we are where we are. There are long odds, but I hope Mark coaches angry, and I hope the players play angry. With the exception of two, possibly three SBU administrators, there is nothing SBU fans and alum want more than for Mark’s Bonnies to run the table and win the A10 tournament.
But win or lose, I thank Mark for saving our program back in 2007. I thank him for 19 years of great St. Bonaventure Basketball, and I thank him for living what St. Bonaventure University is supposed to be.
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One last question for the SBU Board of Trustees: If Woj’s check cleared, any chance we could pay Steve Watson to come back and find the next Mark Schmidt? hey, just looking for a Reason to Believe.
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All Rights Reserved. Star News LLC. Eric M. Firkel.
