Teague hints that big fundraising gifts are coming, on track for August

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BleedGopher

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per Joe:

In an interview with Justin Gaard and Mike Grimm, Teague said the amount of money raised is still about $70 million, but the AD gave strong hints that some big gifts are being finalized.

"We’ve got to get some gifts committed and finish some things up before the June board of regents meeting," Teague said. "We can take another step there, but everything’s proceeded to break ground in August.

"We [have] no major problems right now. ... We’ve got kind of two groups out there right now, in addition to the $70 million we have committed. We have a good group of pending gifts, those that we’ve asked. And when you ask for a large gift, it takes a while for people to say yes because of either estate planning or lawyers or insurance or whatever it may be.

"So we have that group, and we have some others that we’re getting ready to go to who obviously know that we’re coming. And some of those are larger-in-esque, as we would say. So I feel very good about it."

http://www.startribune.com/sports/blogs/301262881.html

Go Gophers!!
 


Here is the full length podcast. He also talks a little bit about his strategy when talking to prospective boosters, saying many don't like hearing that we are building this because everybody else is and we are falling behind but rather because of how much of a help it would be to student athletes.

<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 

Advice to Woody: when you have an actual big gift to announce, I'd love to hear about it. I'm just tired of hearing that "big gifts are on the way." It's starting to feel like the Boy Who Cried Wolf.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
Advice to Woody: when you have an actual big gift to announce, I'd love to hear about it. I'm just tired of hearing that "big gifts are on the way." It's starting to feel like the Boy Who Cried Wolf.
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Would probably be easier if every Tom, Dick and Harry quit asking him.

When's the last time you heard that line?:cool02:
 


station19 said:
When's the last time you heard that line?:cool02:
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My brother-in-law's father was in the POW camp depicted in "The Great Escape", and yes they did dig 3 tunnels, but they were not named Tom, Dick and Harry, however I can't recall what the names were off the top of my head. I'll hit up my B-I-L to get the answer if you're interested.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
Advice to Woody: when you have an actual big gift to announce, I'd love to hear about it. I'm just tired of hearing that "big gifts are on the way." It's starting to feel like the Boy Who Cried Wolf.
Click to expand...

I also have some advice. Let's just leave this to someone who actually knows what he is doing and has done this stuff before......you know someone like Norwood Teague. That is unless you are in fact one of those who plans on donating a sizable gift towards the facilities project?

Don't understand the way you seem to wring your hands so much over Teague and this and the process. It seems to be particularly annoying to you how he approaches the whole thing.
 







Listen carefully to what N.T. said, that they need to get a package done by the June Regent's board meeting, nothing will be announced until the gifts are finalized. You don't get major gifts offered and finalized, in under 7 weeks, which is what we have with the meeting on June 11th and 12th. They have to already have the verbal commitments in hand.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
Advice to Woody: when you have an actual big gift to announce, I'd love to hear about it. I'm just tired of hearing that "big gifts are on the way." It's starting to feel like the Boy Who Cried Wolf.
Click to expand...

And we are getting sick and tired of you grandstanding about something you are totally clueless about. Getting donations takes time and if you don't have the patience to heard that then go back in your basement and play another game of Electric Football.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 



It seems pretty clear to me they don't have the commitments as of this time but they are hopeful for them to formally happen prior to June so the wheels can keep turning. Teague has hope but that's all it is at this point. I wouldn't read any more into it than that. I think Jerry and the boys on the team need to get involved. Think about buying girl scout cookies. Is it easier to say no to the mom/dad or to the little girl? Go get 'em Jerry. Be that little girl.

Maybe Norwood is a busy guy (but has time for a podcast), but I've hearing about this group he's planning go to for awhile now. Maybe it's hard to get time for the pitch, but I'd say it's past time if the commitments from group A are not solid. It's hard to figure why they aren't casting a wider net with their self-imposed August deadline rapidly approaching.
 

supadupafly said:
I also have some advice. Let's just leave this to someone who actually knows what he is doing and has done this stuff before......you know someone like Norwood Teague.
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When you say he has done "this stuff" before, what do you mean? Any sizable projects you can point to?
 


Considering VCU went to the Final Four immediately prior to the 10 and 4 million dollar gifts mentioned in the article I'm not overly impressed. It's nice, but lets not go overboard with high praise. There are coaches, ADs, admins, CEOs all over this country that were in the right place at the right time and cashed in as a result. Time will tell if Woody can get it done on a big boy scale.

If the gophers made it to the football playoff I'd be disappointed if we struggled to raise 10 million for a practice facility.
 

BilldGopher said:
From the Strib:

http://www.startribune.com/sports/blogs/149673945.html
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You believe newspapers? smh

The "$10 million" basketball practice facility got exactly nowhere with Teague. The board was surprised when he introduced the idea without prior discussion at a meeting. Nothing happened with his "plans."

The arena additions were nice, but funded by a folks who were going to benefit from a private club at the arena.. wasn't for public use, wasn't for student-athletes.. just a pretty place people with $ wanted so they paid for it.

But, I remain hopeful that he'll continue to change course and the rules will continue to change so that some* things can get done... although when the key board meeting is in ~6 weeks and you're talking about "a group that we haven't gone to but they know we're coming"... I'm still a bit concerned.
 

Gopher Warrior said:
You believe newspapers? smh

The "$10 million" basketball practice facility got exactly nowhere with Teague. The board was surprised when he introduced the idea without prior discussion at a meeting. Nothing happened with his "plans."

The arena additions were nice, but funded by a folks who were going to benefit from a private club at the arena.. wasn't for public use, wasn't for student-athletes.. just a pretty place people with $ wanted so they paid for it.

But, I remain hopeful that he'll continue to change course and the rules will continue to change so that some* things can get done... although when the key board meeting is in ~6 weeks and you're talking about "a group that we haven't gone to but they know we're coming"... I'm still a bit concerned.
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Your "concern" may be warranted but I don't read this as the group they haven't gone to has anything to do with the June meeting.

I could be wrong but my take is the gifts committed need to be finalized for the June meeting not the group they haven't reached yet.
 


okay

Pompous Elitist said:
It seems pretty clear to me they don't have the commitments as of this time but they are hopeful for them to formally happen prior to June so the wheels can keep turning. Teague has hope but that's all it is at this point. I wouldn't read any more into it than that. I think Jerry and the boys on the team need to get involved. Think about buying girl scout cookies. Is it easier to say no to the mom/dad or to the little girl? Go get 'em Jerry. Be that little girl.

Maybe Norwood is a busy guy (but has time for a podcast), but I've hearing about this group he's planning go to for awhile now. Maybe it's hard to get time for the pitch, but I'd say it's past time if the commitments from group A are not solid. It's hard to figure why they aren't casting a wider net with their self-imposed August deadline rapidly approaching.
Click to expand...

I have bashed Norwood on a number of occasions for talking a lot and saying nothing. Also, bashed him for secrecy he seems to cherish in talking about the project at all to the public. But, I listened to this whole thing.
I do believe after listening they have committments in the pipeline to get to the $120 million mark they need to break ground. He did say they are planning on breaking ground in August. I think it is more than hope. The commitments are verbal and the checks are not in hand but the deals are agreed to is my take but also being politically correct he doesn't want to be presumptious speaking for the donors....walking the tight rope but confident it's all good.
Whether he has done it before or not, I do think it is getting done. I know Lou Nanne can close sales, I know Harvey MacKay can close sales, how much those two guys are responsible for getting this to the finish line I'm not sure.
But, I think they are all afraid of Jerry and it is happening in August because of Jerry saying it has to.
And yes, Jerry may well be the guy to get the final pledge to stay on schedule.
 

Gopher Warrior said:
You believe newspapers? smh

The "$10 million" basketball practice facility got exactly nowhere with Teague. The board was surprised when he introduced the idea without prior discussion at a meeting. Nothing happened with his "plans."

The arena additions were nice, but funded by a folks who were going to benefit from a private club at the arena.. wasn't for public use, wasn't for student-athletes.. just a pretty place people with $ wanted so they paid for it.

But, I remain hopeful that he'll continue to change course and the rules will continue to change so that some* things can get done... although when the key board meeting is in ~6 weeks and you're talking about "a group that we haven't gone to but they know we're coming"... I'm still a bit concerned.
Click to expand...

Hey GW! Just so you know, Chipotle is my burrito of choice but I like Qdoba too.
 

60's Guy said:
I have bashed Norwood on a number of occasions for talking a lot and saying nothing. Also, bashed him for secrecy he seems to cherish in talking about the project at all to the public. But, I listened to this whole thing.
I do believe after listening they have committments in the pipeline to get to the $120 million mark they need to break ground. He did say they are planning on breaking ground in August. I think it is more than hope. The commitments are verbal and the checks are not in hand but the deals are agreed to is my take but also being politically correct he doesn't want to be presumptious speaking for the donors....walking the tight rope but confident it's all good.
Whether he has done it before or not, I do think it is getting done. I know Lou Nanne can close sales, I know Harvey MacKay can close sales, how much those two guys are responsible for getting this to the finish line I'm not sure.
But, I think they are all afraid of Jerry and it is happening in August because of Jerry saying it has to.
And yes, Jerry may well be the guy to get the final pledge to stay on schedule.
Click to expand...

Well said.
 

To me it sounds like big donors have a deadline of end of May/ early June to get things buttoned up for August groundbreaking.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 

[video]https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CC8QtwIwAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D1-mOKMq19zU&ei=B_07VcXjOJC1sQSwgIGYDw&usg=AFQjCNFh4BZQKkoPG5mSBvE-iJQjLHPtNA&sig2=YI7QRDv_T0imtW9HsQi9Mw&bvm=bv.91665533,d.cWc[/video]
 

Listening to the interview, it's baffling to me that the fact that we are way behind our B1G peers and most notably our most hated rival in Wisconsin in terms of facilities isn't one of "the top 3" most persuasive arguments to big $$$ boosters. That had to be quite a shock to Teague when initially making his pitch.
 

Well, it looks like " The Fly" has to be the voice of reason. Clue: April 15? I can certainly expand on the conversation if need be.
 

Gopher Warrior said:
When you say he has done "this stuff" before, what do you mean? Any sizable projects you can point to?
Click to expand...

70 million dollars raised in approximately a year for facilities the public will likely never step foot in. Does that count?
 

I don't believe Gopher Warrior has any inside knowledge or knows anything the rest of don't. This is a very ambitious project and he is banking on being correct based upon the history of Gopher football and their state of facilities (it's not a bad bet mind you...but if Teague gets this done, he has effectively changed the entire trajectory of our sports programs). If we break ground in August, do we get an apology?
 

GopherHomer said:
I don't believe Gopher Warrior has any inside knowledge or knows anything the rest of don't. This is a very ambitious project and he is banking on being correct based upon the history of Gopher football and their state of facilities (it's not a bad bet mind you...but if Teague gets this done, he has effectively changed the entire trajectory of our sports programs). If we break ground in August, do we get an apology?
Click to expand...

To me it sounds like a personal vendetta.

Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but GW's constant degrading of the project is beyond informative.
 

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