Shama: U, Not Iowa, Right Choice for Nuness

per Shama:

Nuness planned to attend the University of Iowa. “I had my choice of schools and I chose Iowa,” Nuness told the commencement audience at Iowa Central last month. “That choice started a learning curve that would forever change my life.”

The announcement to be a Hawkeye was to come at a Monday night dinner in Iowa. But Nuness went home the weekend before, and it was then he met Minneapolis businessman and Minnesota alum Harvey Mackay who happened to be in Chicago.

Mackay, who has become a best selling business author, talked with Nuness and his parents. Mackay had a strategy for his conversation with Nuness who is African-American.

“He asked me why I chose the University of Iowa,” Nuness said at the commencement. “I told him it was based on basketball.

“He replied, ‘So, if you don’t play pro basketball, what do you plan on doing?’

“Before I could answer that question he said, ‘Will you be able to live and raise your family in Iowa City?’

“Hey, folks, this was 1967. I don’t think Iowa City was ready for the Nuness family.

“He pulled out a copy of Life Magazine. It listed all the Fortune 500 companies in Minneapolis. He also showed me where Minneapolis was number one in the country for job opportunities for African-Americans. It was also number two in the country for quality of life for African-Americans. That got my parents’ attention.”

http://shamasportsheadliners.com/

Go Gophers!!

Wow.

This is the statement that got my attention.

"Mackay also talked about summer employment in Minneapolis, and said if Nuness became a student-athlete at Minnesota he would become his mentor."

Hmmmm, LOL.

What happened to Harvey Mackay and his connection to the U, anyway? In the 80's he was joined at the hip, but despite all of his business and publishing success, I can't remember hearing his name connected to the U in a long, long time.

WanderingGopher said:

This is the statement that got my attention.

"Mackay also talked about summer employment in Minneapolis, and said if Nuness became a student-athlete at Minnesota he would become his mentor."

Hmmmm, LOL.

What happened to Harvey Mackay and his connection to the U, anyway? In the 80's he was joined at the hip, but despite all of his business and publishing success, I can't remember hearing his name connected to the U in a long, long time.

Click to expand...

These are the "big cigars" Reusse talks about when he refers to the old days up through the early 80's. Musselman and Dutcher brought in a lot of talent, and they had help. After the Madison scandal, the administration wanted to put those practices behind them, so Clem and his successors have not had those types of recruiting advantages. You think of the recruiting shadiness out there in some programs, and it's interesting that Minnesota was once as shady as any of them.