Wow. Sometimes your judgements about people reflect your view that you understand their motives and behaviors. Good luck with that Assumption. I know or am actually related to a significant number of wealthy individuals. For the most part, they are everyday people living their lives and frequently doing a lot of good with their wealth. Has it occurred to you that many of these boosters are simply enjoying helping others?
I work with a lot of wealthy people. They are just like anyone else for the
most part. No more or no less benevolent than the next. Statistically, they give less as a percentage than the poor though. As a group though they seem to not be as sensitive as "normal" people as to what others think.
Many of them inherited some degree of wealth and invested in real estate or some business that did very well.
The ones I know that donate to U IL sports generally are a lot like Fry described. I hated going to fundraisers with my job as I just didn't care for the attitudes of the sports booster types. Generally polite, a bit snobish, and quite wanting to be in the know/rubbing shoulders. I have no clue about Iowa donors.
At one meeting, Wayne Laravie was the guest spe but attendees were so wanting to be around coaches, no one approached Wayne and he was eating by himself. I approached him and smiled. He invited me to sit and we had a nice conversation. Talked family. Seemed a bit shy away from the microphone.
Laravie actually did some Iowa games in the late 70s.... poor guy before Fry I think.
Both you and Fry are a bit off in your analysis. Donors get their returns from being important to some degree. They are a bit different. So are coaches.
Coaches are the same way...again a lot like normal people but some nice some not so nice.
I used to run a youth BB camp. Lou Henson would come and watch his grand child. Never did I see hm waiver from showing himself a real gentleman. I coached in soccer one of Ron Turner's kids. That family was so down to earth and anyone would feel comfortable. They'd cheer, get nervous and so on with the parent thing. Btw, their kid wasn't very good. Great family. Greg Landry would sit with parents at HS basketball games and get into like anyone else. Groce I got to meet a number of times and really made me feel welcome... he was a bit insecure in his demeanor. Became friends with an Asst IL BB coach who became my assistant. Favorite coach ever behind Lute and Fry. I have also had a work related lunch with a close relative of Lute. Just like Lute. Looked like him and very personable. Personally know John Beilein's family pretty well and he acknowledged
my writing that included his WW2 hero uncle. He didn't have to do that given it was Final 4 week.
I did try and get several Illini basketball players to visit a dying teenager that I was assisting the family with. They kid loved the Illini and would replay games all night long. I would think he was asleep and turn it off and he'd perk right up. The players were excited about it. The end was near and it was Big Tourney week. Weber said they couldn't come to fill the kid's wishes. Right after the tourney a former player assistant coach called me to say they could come and was arranging things. The boy passed several hours before the call.
Coaches and donors are humans just like the rest of us.
