I understand completely your point about the need for "rogue IT" to get things done. It was a bit touch and go with formal IT. I needed access to their data so I learned early on to suck it up, turn on the charm and beg!
In the end we both had a lot of respect for the other. One of the highest compliments I received came from one of the mainframers whom I had only the greatest respect. It made my day, week and month. 
