He obviously really wanted to watch Iowa play

Other than being dumb enough to go to a strip club, I don't see the issue with it. Brennan obviously didn't know this Rossi guy was going to reneg on his money, and $23,000 spent on a trip courting a donor who pledged $3,000,000 seems like fairly smart money to me. If a prospective $3 million Iowa donor wants to go to Indy last minute and our AD buys club level tickets to get it done, I say swipe the card.

I'd bet the deed to my house this happens multiple times a year at every major sports program including Iowa. The difference is having guys smart enough to stay out of strip clubs and not impregnating beer cart girls at a golf tournaments in nebraska ***AHEM***

Much ado about nothing, no public money, and more than likely just a disgruntled employee. WGLT news didn't just find out about it by accident. Someone was pissed at this AD and fed the news station emails and the address of the strip club.
 
Other than being dumb enough to go to a strip club, I don't see the issue with it. Brennan obviously didn't know this Rossi guy was going to reneg on his money, and $23,000 spent on a trip courting a donor who pledged $3,000,000 seems like fairly smart money to me. If a prospective $3 million Iowa donor wants to go to Indy last minute and our AD buys club level tickets to get it done, I say swipe the card.

I'd bet the deed to my house this happens multiple times a year at every major sports program including Iowa. The difference is having guys smart enough to stay out of strip clubs and not impregnating beer cart girls at a golf tournaments in nebraska ***AHEM***

Much ado about nothing, no public money, and more than likely just a disgruntled employee. WGLT news didn't just find out about it by accident. Someone was pissed at this AD and fed the news station emails and the address of the strip club.
I see what you did there...... ;)
 
The strip club was the eye-opener/deal-breaker. Yeah, it happens all over. For sure.
Most aren't sloppy enough to leave a snail, er, paper trail.
 
You tellin my Barta is hittin' the local strip clubs with a fist full of cash?
I'm saying Barta's smart enough not to visit strip clubs.

If he spent $23K on a last minute trip to get a donor and his family/associates tickets to Indy while working on a $3,000,000 gift I'd have no problem with it.

If this Brennan kid would've stayed outta the titty bar he'd probably be ok right now.
 
I've never understood this. What's the thrill?
No idea. Went once with a group of buddies when I was maybe 25 ish. You could almost smell the hepatitis walking into the place.

Paying a chick a bunch of money who's statistically likely to be a hooker with a meth issue and would truthfully rather stab my eyeballs out than be degraded acting like she wants to be friendly with me, isn't my thing.
 
I'm saying Barta's smart enough not to visit strip clubs.

If he spent $23K on a last minute trip to get a donor and his family/associates tickets to Indy while working on a $3,000,000 gift I'd have no problem with it.

If this Brennan kid would've stayed outta the titty bar he'd probably be ok right now.

I would have a problem with it. Dudes who can make $3 million gifts should understand what a code of ethics is. No problem giving the guy primo tickets to my team, but if some dude is like "yeah, hey look I want to donate $3 million but first I'm gonna need wined and dined" I'd suspect I was dealing with a grifter. And if I donated $3 million I'd ask myself "hey if these guys just gave me $23k how idiotic are they gonna be with my $3 million after I give it to them?" Rich people don't just want tickets, they want exclusivity, something no one else can get. Something nice but not overly expensive like supper over at the Machine Shed with GarBar and Kurt. This is why museums and concert halls and crap do events where they close the doors to the riff raff. Can you imagine calling the Met and saying "yeah, hey look I'm totally game to donate $3 million but first I'm gonna need you to get me a round at Augusta the day after the Masters." It's so absurd only a total rube would fall for it.
 
I would have a problem with it. Dudes who can make $3 million gifts should understand what a code of ethics is. No problem giving the guy primo tickets to my team, but if some dude is like "yeah, hey look I want to donate $3 million but first I'm gonna need wined and dined" I'd suspect I was dealing with a grifter. And if I donated $3 million I'd ask myself "hey if these guys just gave me $23k how idiotic are they gonna be with my $3 million after I give it to them?" Rich people don't just want tickets, they want exclusivity, something no one else can get. Something nice but not overly expensive like supper over at the Machine Shed with GarBar and Kurt. This is why museums and concert halls and crap do events where they close the doors to the riff raff. Can you imagine calling the Met and saying "yeah, hey look I'm totally game to donate $3 million but first I'm gonna need you to get me a round at Augusta the day after the Masters." It's so absurd only a total rube would fall for it.
At a Big Ten or SEC school you can be choosy.

This is Illinois friggin' State we're talkin' here, it's Southwest compared to Emirates on the exclusivity chart. You gotta take whoever you can get relative to the dollar amount and once in a while you're gonna have a turd walk through the door.

Hell, even Iowa puts up with douche bag donors. Brent Feller is about half a degree away from John DuPont.
 
At a Big Ten or SEC school you can be choosy.

This is Illinois friggin' State we're talkin' here, it's Southwest compared to Emirates on the exclusivity chart. You gotta take whoever you can get relative to the dollar amount and once in a while you're gonna have a turd walk through the door.

Hell, even Iowa puts up with douche bag donors. Brent Feller is about half a degree away from John DuPont.

I know it's Illinois State, all the more reason not to expend a penny of outlay up front save for maybe a fancy supper in town. If the dude said "hey can I tag along to Arch Madness" or roll along to a NCAA tournament game IN WHICH ILLINOIS STATE IS A PARTICIPANT then yes, of course, totally reasonable. This guy wanted to see other teams. Total rube move by this AD. I'd gladly tell the prospective donor no and explain our code of ethics and institutional integrity to him. "Surely, sir, you wouldn't intend to make a donation, take a tax deduction on it, then get $23k of crap where we go out of pocket? Per chance, good sir, you could just buy the tickets yourself and donate a paltry $2,977,000 to us, right?" It just makes no sense.
 
Other than being dumb enough to go to a strip club, I don't see the issue with it. Brennan obviously didn't know this Rossi guy was going to reneg on his money, and $23,000 spent on a trip courting a donor who pledged $3,000,000 seems like fairly smart money to me. If a prospective $3 million Iowa donor wants to go to Indy last minute and our AD buys club level tickets to get it done, I say swipe the card.

I'd bet the deed to my house this happens multiple times a year at every major sports program including Iowa. The difference is having guys smart enough to stay out of strip clubs and not impregnating beer cart girls at a golf tournaments in nebraska ***AHEM***

Much ado about nothing, no public money, and more than likely just a disgruntled employee. WGLT news didn't just find out about it by accident. Someone was pissed at this AD and fed the news station emails and the address of the strip club.
A Rossi reneg on something? Never! /s
 
My takeaway is....
Damnnit.
Indy has strip clubs.
Iowa has juice bars.

They're pretty much gone here in Missouri. And St. Louis never had any. Sure, I can cross the river into Illinois. But, you know...here in St. Louis, we don't like crossing rivers. We'll drive into downtown St. Louis....25 minute drive. No way are we going to St. Charles, even if it's only 20 minutes. You have to cross a river to get there.

I want my flying car.

And strip clubs.

I miss Big Earl's.
 
No idea. Went once with a group of buddies when I was maybe 25 ish. You could almost smell the hepatitis walking into the place.

Paying a chick a bunch of money who's statistically likely to be a hooker with a meth issue and would truthfully rather stab my eyeballs out than be degraded acting like she wants to be friendly with me, isn't my thing.
If you only went once and this was your experience, I get not going back. Sounds like Porky's in the Everglades. There are better versions out there. Vegas.
 
If you only went once and this was your experience, I get not going back. Sounds like Porky's in the Everglades. There are better versions out there. Vegas.
You're still paying somebody money for you to be the pathetic sucker in the transaction.

Think about it. You're giving a chick (or dude) money to act like they're remotely interested in what they're doing, and the whole time those strippers are just thinking about how much of a skeezball you are and making fun of you in their head while they take your dollar bills. Nah...I'll pass. If you're there just to look at naked dancers, the internet's free.
 
You're still paying somebody money for you to be the pathetic sucker in the transaction.

Think about it. You're giving a chick (or dude) money to act like they're remotely interested in what they're doing, and the whole time those strippers are just thinking about how much of a skeezball you are and making fun of you in their head while they take your dollar bills. Nah...I'll pass. If you're there just to look at naked dancers, the internet's free.
Yeah some break it down to that extent. Some that go also lust over the in their face somewhat touching they can do and all that. They love for having that glitter all over their faces and clothes when they leave all while drinking themselves silly. But yeah the ladies involved are just acting... It's a you know that they know that everyone knows what's going on thing.
 
Yeah some break it down to that extent. Some that go also lust over the in their face somewhat touching they can do and all that. They love for having that glitter all over their faces and clothes when they leave all while drinking themselves silly. But yeah the ladies involved are just acting... It's a you know that they know that everyone knows what's going on thing.
Yeah. Going to the shakers is like being one of those dudes who still think WWE is real.

https://youtu.be/V0EZobdiJ4M
 
I miss Big Earl's.

Big Earl's Goldmine. Tragic that Earl was assassinated. That man was a saint.

I had some buddies who got those Nebraska fake IDs that everyone in Des Moines had back in '94 and '95 who became regulars at Big Earl's during our senior year of high school. One of the kids was the beneficiary of a sizeable trust and had no qualms about dropping a grand in there, so naturally this posse was treated like royalty when they went in. One of them committed a cardinal sin, he began "having feelings" for a stripper. In the champagne room he accidentally mentioned something about getting accepted to Iowa State and moving to Ames the following year and the girl was like "WTF?" and began cross examining him. I wasn't there because I looked so young I would have blown cover, but my buddy said that Earl himself personally banned them for life from the establishment once he found out they were all in high school. And Earl had a communication style that conveyed a sense that there could not be any miscommunication.
 

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