Ray Wooldridge donates $1 Million to City

[say-what-x]

Way to go Ray!


Co-owner of the Hornets donates $1 million to New Orleans
05/24/2002
Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS -- Ray Wooldridge, co-owner of the New Orleans Hornets, has donated $1 million to be used for educational and recreational programs for youngsters in the city.

The money, from the Wooldridge Family Foundation, will be paid over a 10-year period, Mayor Ray Nagin said on Friday.

Wooldridge and George Shinn are moving the NBA team from Charlotte, N.C., to New Orleans.

"If you're going to live in a city, you have to be a part of what makes it better," Wooldridge said. "And there's no better way to truly make a difference than through our children."

[GrandAdmiral-x]

Ray:

You the man!!!

:iparty:

[STD]

he is poisoning the market already

[Pirate1974]

Very nice gesture, Ray.

That's called "making a connection with your fan base." Glad you finally learned how that works.

[Harvey Hornet-x]

What does this coullion think he is doing? Showing up the fans already. Here I was prepared to announce my donation of (the infamous quarter) .25 cents. Thats right. More than 8 times the wealth of the city, and he steals my THUNDER with this million dollar pledge. I'll see it when I believe it. I have been warned. Every time Ray talks, I know he is lying. These organizations should consider the source and realize they will never see the money. I am sure the article about Silas buying a house is Ray propoganda as well. Everyone knows he will fire Silas and hire Fratello. I have been warned. I know these things. Finally, I will not count on watching Baron play. I am sure Ray will trade him for the rights to Manute Bol should he decide to quit his celeberty boxing career and make another run with the NBA. I know these things. This very caring group of people came here just for my benefit and spent months trying to prepare me for this kind of stuff from Ray. Thank goodness they did. If they hadn't taken the time to warn and worry about me, they may have figured out how to keep the team.

[say-what-x]

Maybe there are a few more people like this that Charlotte wants to run out of town.

[CC_Hornet-x]

Keep on sending these "evil" millionaires our way Charlotte. Thanks Ray, what a stand up guy.

[Ellis Hugh]

Good move Ray.

[Pirate1974]

He's a stand-up guy, for sure.

Does anybody still doubt that he never had any intention of trying to keep the Hornets in Charlotte?

[say-what-x]

Originally posted by Pirate1974
Does anybody still doubt that he never had any intention of trying to keep the Hornets in Charlotte?

Who cares anymore. Obviously you people in Charlotte are still obsessed about this nonsense. It's time to let go, the Hornets left, they reside in New Orleans now. Thanks Charlotte.

[Pirate1974]

You guys are a hoot.

I keep saying I'm not going to waste any more time with this board, but it's so damn funny I can't stay away.

[West Coast Hornet]

Originally posted by Pirate1974
You guys are a hoot.

I keep saying I'm not going to waste any more time with this board, but it's so damn funny I can't stay away.

Nah, most if not all of your posts have been pretty cool here, but if you want to make sure you stay away from this board, just get yourself banned.

[BUCKO]

The one thing nobody in Charlotte can say is that the team never did anything to help the community. I am suprised that Woolridge did this and not Shinn. I don't recall Woolridge ever donating anything in Charlotte, so if you get him in the act and Shinn keeps up what he's done here in the past...you guys should make out like bandits.

[alon504]

That's pretty cool that Wooldridge did that. It really says alot. I wonder if Tom Benson will follow through with anything like that???? lol!!!

[Haybud]

Woohoo, go Wooly!

Estimated to make $3mill in the next year and donating $100,000!! Way to go Ray, you da man!

no sour grapes, just would be more impressive if it was $1mill in 1 year. But, I guess spreading it over 10 years almost guarantees the team will stay for a long while.

[NYKF Hornet]

What does this coullion think he is doing? Showing up the fans already. Here I was prepared to announce my donation of (the infamous quarter) .25 cents. Thats right. More than 8 times the wealth of the city, and he steals my THUNDER with this million dollar pledge. I'll see it when I believe it. I have been warned. Every time Ray talks, I know he is lying. These organizations should consider the source and realize they will never see the money. I am sure the article about Silas buying a house is Ray propoganda as well. Everyone knows he will fire Silas and hire Fratello. I have been warned. I know these things. Finally, I will not count on watching Baron play. I am sure Ray will trade him for the rights to Manute Bol should he decide to quit his celeberty boxing career and make another run with the NBA. I know these things. This very caring group of people came here just for my benefit and spent months trying to prepare me for this kind of stuff from Ray. Thank goodness they did. If they hadn't taken the time to warn and worry about me, they may have figured out how to keep the team.

When I first read the article I thought the same thing . . .Harvery that is one hell of a post. I'm getting worried, everything that has happened since the move has been positive. Talk of resigning BD, Silas buying a house, and Ray donating money has made me wonder, when are they going to tell us to bend over and take it. Hasn't happened yet; nor do I think it ever will. Whatever anyone says, everything that has happened so far with Hornets has been positive.

[Bad Andy]

Thank you Ray. Very nice commitment.

[Southpaw]

Originally posted by alon504
That's pretty cool that Wooldridge did that. It really says alot. I wonder if Tom Benson will follow through with anything like that???? lol!!!

Hey I know Benson isn't the most popular guy right now. And I think he made a huge blunder by firing Mueller. But he's been very philanthropic in the New Orleans area...since long before he bought the Saints. I know that's hard to believe...and a lot of folks just flat out don't want to believe it because it's hard to demonize someone when they do something good.

But Benson's donations are usually done very low key. But he has given NORD a lot of money over the years. He also has given Brother Martin High School and Loyola University a lot of money. He has a charitable foundation that gives out quite a bit of money every year to various charities and organizations in the New Orleans area (Bridge House, Covenant House, Children's Hospital).

Though he is often painted as being a miser (and it's obvious that he can be a penny-pinching, hard-nosed businessman), he is quite generous when it comes to community activities and charities. He just doesn't seek the spotlight when he does make donations.

I'm not trying to minimize what Wooldridge has done. He, too, could well be a very generous man. And this million dollar gift is very generous and is much needed. But he's got a long way to go to equal Tom Benson's record of giving in the New Orleans community. It's just unfair to Benson (despite his reputation for doing things on the cheap with the Saints) to praise one gift by Wooldridge and then act as if Benson has never done anything similar for this area. Nothing could be further from the truth.

He just doesn't issue press releases when he does it.

[say-what-x]

Originally posted by Haybud
Woohoo, go Wooly!

Estimated to make $3mill in the next year and donating $100,000!! Way to go Ray, you da man!

no sour grapes, just would be more impressive if it was $1mill in 1 year. But, I guess spreading it over 10 years almost guarantees the team will stay for a long while.

Haybud, that's one donation made to one group. Everyone knows based on the Hornets past charity record in Charlotte that the team and its owners spread many donations throughout the community.

I know you're still upset the NBA left Charlotte, but give the freakin' negativity a break.

[say-what-x]

More on the donation from the T-P

Hornets owner gives $1 million to N.O.
Schools, recreation programs to benefit
05/25/02
By John Pope
Staff writer/The Times-Picayune

Surrounded by squealing, clapping schoolchildren, Hornets co-owner Ray Wooldridge announced Friday he will give New Orleans $1 million for education and recreation programs throughout the city.

The Wooldridge family's foundation will parcel out the money over the next 10 years. No decision has been made on who the first recipients will be, how much they will get or when that information will be disclosed, Wooldridge said after the outdoor presentation at Mary D. Coghill Elementary School.

Calling the gift "a very substantial and very generous donation to the city of New Orleans" Mayor Ray Nagin said, "We are happy that the Hornets' owner has stepped forward and established himself in the community and hit the ground running."

Representatives of education and recreation showed up for the afternoon event, including Orleans Parish School Board members Gail Glapion and Jimmy Fahrenholtz, as well as Nancy D. Broadhurst, executive director of Friends of NORD, a private organization supporting the New Orleans Recreation Department's playgrounds and programs.

They were outnumbered by dozens of Coghill's pupils and teachers, who not only shook hands with their guests and sought autographs but also served punch and cookies and put a basketball atop the rostrum.

"We are excited and delighted in your interest in all young people in the city of New Orleans," sixth-grader Raven Deaton said in welcoming Nagin and Wooldridge.

Wooldridge, who has coached children's teams and plans to hold basketball camps for local youngsters, stressed the importance of community involvement during brief remarks on a warm afternoon.

"The biggest benefit is making you become part of your city," he said, "and you'll have an opportunity to give back."

[Pirate1974]

What's so frustrating about this whole situation is that Ray Wooldridge never made any attemt to make any connection with the people of Charlotte. He would fly into town for a few games, not very many, or to meet with the city council and then fly out again. He would issue statements that sounded like direct quotes from "Winning Through Intimidation" but never gave interviews that might give some idea of who he was.

He certainly didn't need to give money to anybody but it would have been nice if he had showed up somewhere for something other than a meeting. The Hornets did a lot of things for the community, but Ray Wooldridge never participated in them. How can he complain that people in Charlotte didn't like him if he never gave them a chance to know him? He's coached children's teams? Who knew? Basketball camps for local youngsters? What a great idea.

Obviously, it doesn't matter any more. but he could have become "part of the city" in Charlotte if he had wanted to. He never cared about it because he had no intention of trying to keep the Hornets there. And if you make no effort to connect with your fan base in any meaningful way, don't try to say "we did everything we could to keep the Hornets in Charlotte." It just makes you look foolish.

[stpm33]

It's a great move and very generous. I think he's pretty alright by me.

[Primetime]

Look at the bright side Pirate...if you get your expansion team, you'll have a basketball camp with freakin Larry Bird

[Westbank Hornet]

Originally posted by Primetime
Look at the bright side Pirate...if you get your expansion team, you'll have a basketball camp with freakin Larry Bird

As much as I hate to admit it, the man has a point. Who taught you that shot? Larry Bird.

[NYKF Hornet]

Basketball camp for kids hosted by Larry Bird would be awsome, I was all excited as a kid when I went to UNO baseball camp hosted by that guy from La who played with the Twins (can't remember his name to save my life, I think he was a DH the year they were in the World series).