In learning from Reuters that the current Cubs "owner" Sam Zell has gone back to a Holding Group led by Mark Utay, from Manhattan, to elicit another competing bid, I dug up an article from Ed Sherman of Crains Chicago Business.
Sherman writes that he was an acquaintance of Utay's from New Trier "West" (there is only one New Trier now) as classmates in a class of over 700, along with Rahm Emanuel, Class of 1977.
"The stories make it seem like Mr. Utay is some sort of outsider. Why we would want a New Yorker to own the Cubs?
I know better. Mr. Utay and I went to high school together, graduating in New Trier West's Class of 1977."
In January, when the "bidding wars" were on, and Mark Cuban still a part of things, Sherman emailed Utay - but he didn't say much. As we are finding out more about the Shark known as Sam Zell, it is interesting to read a little bit about the former New Trier Debate Team member. Since there are thousands of BCB members out there, I was wondering if anyone else has personal experience with Mark Utay they may be willing to share. Or - better - has anyone sat with him at Bernies drinking a cold one? Or - Left Field Bleachers, for that matter?
And, is it possible that this guy could be one of the new owners of our Cubs? Or, is it another one of Zell's "bargaining techniques"?
The article, from 1/09
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/article.pl?page_id=2317&plckController=Blog&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&plckPostId=Blog%3af5555513-c950-4657-a93a-80db16fdf4adPost%3a6d7e2510-4bd7-4bf8-866e-7fcedf419550&sid