[duncan_idaho]

From what I hear, the athletic department is fully aware of the need to play major catchup in the arms race and has been working behind the scenes to make sure there are pushes to get contributions from big donors and also an effort to expand the small donor base.

There are a pair of basketball boosters who live in Columbia (one is a bar owner, the other married into money) who supposedly are very excited about the prospect of playing in the same conference as Mike Anderson again and are ready to donate some big money.

I have a buddy who works in the fundraising office. He keeps hinting that there is "a plan" for Stan Kroenke's big donation (which I would expect to trump the donation of Bill Laurie for the basketball arena). It honestly wouldn't surprise me if that comes in shortly, either.