Influential alum Mike Repole calls St. John’s environment ‘toxic,’ calls for President and Vice President to step down

By ADAM ZAGORIA

Mike Repole, the influential St. John’s alumnus who owns BodyArmour SuperDrink, tore his alma mater’s leadership to pieces during an appearance Wednesday on Mike Francesa’s radio show.

Repole called for University President Bobby Gempesaw and Vice President Joe Oliva to step down, said the University needed to search for a new President and called the current environment at the school “toxic.”

“‘This is not a New York laughingstock anymore,” he said at one point. “We are now a national embarrassment.”

As far as the coaching search, Repole said Bobby Hurley “wanted” to come to St. John’s, but the University low-balled him and that it needs to step up and pay a new coach $3-$4 million annually.

Chris Mullin and the school parted ways April 9, eight days ago, and the school still doesn’t have a coach.

Here’s the full interview and selected quotes:

Mike Francesa with St. John’s booster Mike Repole https://t.co/3BIDUQbb0s @JonRothstein @darrenrovell @mikeson @JamesKratch @NYPost_Brazille @Glenny_balls @jeffborzello @AdamZagoria

— Brian Monzo (@BMonzoRadio) April 17, 2019

‘This is St. John’s. We have Madison Square Garden. Pay $3-4 million and get yourself a coach that’s going to win ‘ – Repole https://t.co/uvhVNzefAM

— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) April 17, 2019

‘This is negligence…99 percent of the people, if they make one of these mistakes they get fired’ – Repole https://t.co/y8xhda3BoI

— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) April 17, 2019

‘This is not a New York laughingstock. We are now a national embarrassment…we’ve gone through 4 ADs in 4 years’. -Repole https://t.co/i5qi84I6L2

— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) April 17, 2019

‘If you thought the Chris Mullin 1-15 year was bad, next year could be 0-16’ https://t.co/AFBVq4OFxt

— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) April 17, 2019

‘I think we need a President’s search first. They need a new President. The culture at St. John’s right now is toxic’ https://t.co/SWxH1RFDkG

— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) April 17, 2019

‘You don’t think Bobby Hurley wants to coach at the Garden? You don’t think he wants to have a game Bobby Vs. Danny every year at the Garden?’ https://t.co/i5qi84qvms

— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) April 17, 2019

‘I think Bobby and Joe decided to get cheap…Bobby Hurley was the right choice’ – Repole on Gempesaw and Oliva. https://t.co/4DzZyZRAWX

— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) April 17, 2019

‘It was a $20 million mistake between the Slice debacle and Mullin’s salary’ – Repole https://t.co/4DzZyZRAWX

— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) April 17, 2019

‘It was a $20 million mistake between the Slice debacle and Mullin’s salary’ – Repole https://t.co/4DzZyZRAWX

— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) April 17, 2019

‘Why can’t this University get this right?’ mike Repole on Francesa

— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) April 17, 2019