Losses on the football field can rile donors, as the University of Washington was reminded this past fall. An investigation by The Seattle Times found 100 e-mail messages to university administrators in which football fans threatened to pull or withhold financial support unless the head football coach or the athletics director — or both — were fired.

Washington’s coach, Tyrone Willingham, survived the onslaught of criticism. His boss, William (Todd) Turner, the athletics director, resigned in December.

A message sent in November by Edward D. Hansen, a prominent Washington lawyer, to Mark A. Emmert, the university’s president, pledged two gifts of $100,000 to Washington’s law school in exchange for the firings. He added that “I do not intend to contribute any further funds to the athletic department as long as these two gentlemen are employed by the university.”

Mr. Emmert told the newspaper that he ignores all e-mail that includes financial threats or inducements tied to personnel decisions. He doesn’t remember reading Mr. Hansen’s message, but called such offers “grossly inappropriate.” (Mr. Emmert has also written an opinion piece on college sports.)

For his part, Mr. Hansen said he just wanted to help law students while getting the football team back on track. Asked by a reporter if he would pony up the $100,000 in response to Mr. Turner’s resignation, he said: “I think, as you and I are talking, I will go ahead with the $100,000 I mentioned.” Maybe a development officer at Washington can ask the newspaper for his e-mail address? —Paul Fain