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Microsoft a Dark Horse Move Up Donor?
- Thread starter Grizzoola
- Start date
I live in Whitefish and I assure you they're all here or the Bitterroot. Ask those who live down there and they'll tell you all about Huey Lewis and a lot more. I mentioned only a few of those living in the Flathead - there's also Tom Selleck, Connie Chung and Maury Povich, Bruce Springsteen, Ozzy and Sharon, John Lithgow, Howie Long, and on and on and on. Expand that list to cover east of here and you pick up another big group, including Tom Brokaw.PlayerRep said:
Sound like a name-dropper, but the purpose of mentioning all these people is to show that there's a lot of money around here, and those who have it are not blind to the Griz program.
no1uno said:
I don't care where you live, but what I quoted from your first post is not accurate. For example, Steve Ballmer, the CEO of Microsoft, doesn't have a place in Whitefish.
I suspect that what you just posted is also incorrect, except for Lewis, Chung/Povich, Lithgow, Long and Brokaw. Chung/Povich, Lithgow and Long's places are in the general Flathead lake area.
Grisly Fan
Well-known member
PlayerRep said:
Yes I believe thst "Gordon Moore the retired chairman and CEO of Intel" would indicate that he was once the CEO but is no longer. He has been very involved with Intel, even after his retirement. And despite the huge drop in Intel stock price, he is very wealthy and he is certainly not going to donate to Griz athletics. Write that down!
However, I thnk '82 is on to something with QE2. She does love her football -- though England's performance at the cup was worse than a royal embarrassment.
Most of these comments are facetious, if not serious. Tom Cruise? Brokaw? Jackson, even? These people just SUMMER in MT. Well, Jackson, maybe, but he may be as loyal to MSU as to UM, for whatever reasons. All one could expect from these celebrities, since none of them graduated, far as I can tell, from UM is, maybe, $100K or so, which could help. But, why would they? Howie Long, a former Raider, might go for some. But, why to just UM? These people have no obligation/interest in UM other than they pay property taxes and happen to spend several weeks in the summer in Western MT. Plus, most of them are probably not aware of local desire to move up, & if so, don't care. It could be they'd like to fund a MT winner, just for the hell of it. Are such donations tax deductible?
I don't know what corporate help Idaho got to move up. I'm sure something came from the companies whose businesses are based on the Port of Lewiston. Same for Boise State. Lots of local corporate support. Other than the Washington Group, I don't see local corporate support for a UM move up on the scale that Boise State & Idaho had. I regret it; I'm not glad of it.
Microsoft is the only corporation I can think of in the Pacific Northwest with some ties to UM on the scale that UM needs, because there's no other help between here and Seattle or from here to Minneapolis. Some oil company in CO with producers in eastern MT might be interested, but it'd prefer MT Tech or MSU.
I don't know what corporate help Idaho got to move up. I'm sure something came from the companies whose businesses are based on the Port of Lewiston. Same for Boise State. Lots of local corporate support. Other than the Washington Group, I don't see local corporate support for a UM move up on the scale that Boise State & Idaho had. I regret it; I'm not glad of it.
Microsoft is the only corporation I can think of in the Pacific Northwest with some ties to UM on the scale that UM needs, because there's no other help between here and Seattle or from here to Minneapolis. Some oil company in CO with producers in eastern MT might be interested, but it'd prefer MT Tech or MSU.
TheBud said:
I agree Bud. A man here in Shelby is trying to raise $50-$100k to start building a new track complex here in Shelby. There is a man from Shelby and graduated from here.He is/was high up in Microsoft and the last I heard, when asked, he said "NO"........ :roll:
The microsoft thing is as far-fetched as suggesting Boeing because its planes used to flyover. The only real microsoft tie I know of John Connors or O'Connor, from Miles City, whose dad used to coach at Miles Community College, and John may have been on the Montana Power board, too. Good luck with all that. There are so many misguided statements in this thread that it's hilarious.
Let's start here:
Don't know why not... the CEO's of Google and Microsoft have places in Whitefish -- this has been addressed
as do the CEO's for McDonalds (the widow of Ray Kroc had a daughter and son-in-law up there, but the Mrs. gave it all to the Salvation Army, I think.
and on and on and on.
Plus Gates is building one hell of a place on an island near Rollins (Flathead Lake).
No, he's NOT. That's Bill Abbey, who invests in shopping centers, mostly in Calif, and I think he's on Cedar Island, with his trap-shooting circuit of the island that's driving the residents nuts, as well has his excessive lights...
Don't know much about the Bitterrooters...
Phil Jackson lives about 2 miles from me. He's a grad of U of North Dakota and strongly opposes their mascot the Fighting Sioux. That's the kind of stuff he's interested in.
Then there was the reference to Robert Lee on Cromwell island. The Dayton folks say he's never been to his place, which is for sale. It has a nice underground firing range. And I think it's granite or something from Italy, not Idaho, although they both start with "I."
Lithgow lives closer than Jackson -- we use the same access road. He's more interested in getting his hundreds of acres of forests cleaned out to reduce fuel for fires, and theater.
Tom Brokaw on the other side of the mountains? He's a graduate of U of South Dakota. And he probably would be more inclined to MSU -- a friend's daughter works for Meredith during the summers, and she is going to help her with tuition to study music at UM. That's a long way from FB.
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Further, it wasn't corporate support that pushed Idaho to leave the sky with Boise. It was fear, ego and the need to keep pace with the former JUCO rather than fall behind. What Boise had was multiples in population and a lot of corp support, including HP, and that weird guy who owned Micron plus all the fertilizer and got in early the McD's spuds.
Let's start here:
Don't know why not... the CEO's of Google and Microsoft have places in Whitefish -- this has been addressed
as do the CEO's for McDonalds (the widow of Ray Kroc had a daughter and son-in-law up there, but the Mrs. gave it all to the Salvation Army, I think.
and on and on and on.
Plus Gates is building one hell of a place on an island near Rollins (Flathead Lake).
No, he's NOT. That's Bill Abbey, who invests in shopping centers, mostly in Calif, and I think he's on Cedar Island, with his trap-shooting circuit of the island that's driving the residents nuts, as well has his excessive lights...
Don't know much about the Bitterrooters...
Phil Jackson lives about 2 miles from me. He's a grad of U of North Dakota and strongly opposes their mascot the Fighting Sioux. That's the kind of stuff he's interested in.
Then there was the reference to Robert Lee on Cromwell island. The Dayton folks say he's never been to his place, which is for sale. It has a nice underground firing range. And I think it's granite or something from Italy, not Idaho, although they both start with "I."
Lithgow lives closer than Jackson -- we use the same access road. He's more interested in getting his hundreds of acres of forests cleaned out to reduce fuel for fires, and theater.
Tom Brokaw on the other side of the mountains? He's a graduate of U of South Dakota. And he probably would be more inclined to MSU -- a friend's daughter works for Meredith during the summers, and she is going to help her with tuition to study music at UM. That's a long way from FB.
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Further, it wasn't corporate support that pushed Idaho to leave the sky with Boise. It was fear, ego and the need to keep pace with the former JUCO rather than fall behind. What Boise had was multiples in population and a lot of corp support, including HP, and that weird guy who owned Micron plus all the fertilizer and got in early the McD's spuds.
This really is getting silly... one last effort at the details: Springsteen occasionally eats at the Raven on Woods Bay, Long built on an island close to Polson, I know the Realtor who sold the house to Ozzie, etc. Of more significance is the debate about these people's involvement in the Griz program having not graduated from U of M. Hey, evidence of the Griz (football as well as the wild type) are all over here and you'd have to be blind not to have a pretty good knowledge of the program. Point taken that this doesn't automatically translate into contributing but why not try?
Noches de Passion
Well-known member
It would be nice to be the beneficiary of these huge corporations, but there are so many options closer to home for them that I really don't think we come in close as a priority. Plus, you have to think about the benefits of exposure and advertising in areas like ours. With Microsoft and Boeing putting money into the Mariners, they also get nice billboards and placards right there in the stadium that is view on regional television and to sizeable crowds from all over the country. Missoula, until it becomes bigger, and until it gets a national TV contract, won't compare with any MLB, NBA, NFL, MLS, or Pac-10 team. Me gusto your optimism, David2, but I think we would be kidding ourselves by relying on those corporations. It would be nice, but I don't think it's going to happen.
wbtfg
Well-known member
This is definitely a tough sell. I know a few years ago the MSU athletic dept. tried to reach out to members of the Yellowstone Club (Bill Gates, Oprah, Tiger Woods, and other lesser known billionaires) and I don't believe they were able to get any traction whatsoever.
Additionally, there are a number of billionaires in the Paradise Valley near Livingston. Unfortunately the uber rich don't seem to be terribly interested in college athletics near one of their many vacation homes.
UM and MSU and pretty limited resources/man power when it comes to fundraising, and I guess the question is where is the most efficient place to focus thes efforts.
Additionally, there are a number of billionaires in the Paradise Valley near Livingston. Unfortunately the uber rich don't seem to be terribly interested in college athletics near one of their many vacation homes.
UM and MSU and pretty limited resources/man power when it comes to fundraising, and I guess the question is where is the most efficient place to focus thes efforts.
Grizbeer
Well-known member
John Connors :LakGriz said:
http://www.ignitionpartners.com/people/partners/john_connors.php. He is also a Don Read Society member http://www.montanagrizzlies.com/pages/default.aspx?p=67&m=210
His son was listed as a recruit for Montana last year but I don't see him on the roster for Montana now.
http://www.montanagrizzlies.com/pages/bio.aspx?b=0xlwka551b1lnv45riwikw45242009174930296&m=18
I am pretty confidant O'Day et al. are tuned in to Mr. Connors and there is no reason for any e-grizer to contact him for donations.
The Connors family is fairly large, and I believe several of John's siblings attended UM as well. They're great people. John's mother grew up in Thompson Falls.
I suspect John is already a UM benefactor, but I don't know that for sure. So yeah, hit him up.
I suspect John is already a UM benefactor, but I don't know that for sure. So yeah, hit him up.
This is one of the dumbest threads I've ever read.
