Varsity is the free Official Digital Magazine of Wisconsin Athletics, covering Badgers football, basketball, hockey and more each week.
Issue link: http://catalog.e-digitaleditions.com/i/179214
"Of course, he wouldn't tell me bleep about the basketball team other than it's one of the youngest teams he's had," Patterson said. "I think he likes them (the freshmen), but he has his cop-out." Patterson, by his own admission, has some coaching qualities. "I'm a pretty good teacher," he said. "I have a real analytical mind. I motivate fairly well." Born in Newburgh, N.Y., 60 miles north of New York City, Patterson played basketball in high school and during his freshman year at Manhattan College. "I've always loved it, college more than pro, but I'm OK with pro ball," he said. Along with Miami Heat superstar Dwyane Wade, Patterson did a webcast titled One on One, which targeted kids, parents and teachers with a simple message: read to succeed. "A lot of parents can't get it through their heads but it's actually their job to get their kids reading," said Patterson, whose passion on this theme has been well-documented. "People are always coming up to me, 'I can't get my kid to read.' "I really do enjoy the Badgers … " "I go, 'Can you get him to the dinner table?" Patterson said. "Now that thing with Food for thought. Arizona State, well, my wife will go crazy, I'll let her do that." "It's crazy," he said, "and they refuse to lower the boom and say, 'No, you've got to read.' "When our son Jack was 8, he wasn't a big reader. the foundation also endows at Manhattan College, "That summer, Sue and I said, 'You're going to where Patterson received his undergrad degree in read every day.' English, and Vanderbilt, where he earned his mas"He said, 'Do I have to?' ter's. "I said, 'Unless, you want to live in the garage; Contributions like the Pattersons' also help the yeah, you have to." UW athletic department fund student-athletes Patterson is confident that this is a battle that can scholarships, which amount to more than $10.5 milbe won. lion annually. "Global warming, whether you believe it or not, James Patterson, 66, enjoys talking sports; he's there's not much we can do about it, one way or anopinionated and ― what else? ― well-read. other," he said. "Yes, you can buy a Prius, whatever But he has learned to pick his spots. that helps. "Having been with the New York Times last week, "But reading, we can fix that. You can certainly fix I wouldn't have talked sports with them," he said. that in your own house." "But I love sports. I can step away from it and not The Patterson Family Foundation awards scholcare, but I do enjoy it. arships each year to students at more than 20 dif"I really do enjoy the Badgers … ferent colleges and universities around the country. "Now that thing with Arizona State, well, my wife Besides endowing scholarships at Wisconsin, will go crazy, I'll let her do that." 41