Why I love Cyclone Football

**cyismydog** · 04-22-2009, 08:06 PM

The little kid at the spring game who the players sang to is "Caleb." He has leukemia, and is in pretty bad straits, so Coach Paul Rhoads made him an Honorary Coach and member of the team. The players kind of took him under their wing, and made him feel like he was the most important person there.
Great Story, and I will always be a Cyclone.

**SplitIdentity** · 04-22-2009, 08:12 PM

That really is a great story. I know Iowa had a kid in a similar situation a few years ago, and they did the same thing. I love hearing about this from our in-state teams.

**flynnhicks03** · 04-22-2009, 08:15 PM

Originally Posted by cyismydog

The little kid at the spring game who the players sang to is "Caleb." He has leukemia, and is in pretty bad straits, so Coach Paul Rhoads made him an Honorary Coach and member of the team. The players kind of took him under their wing, and made him feel like he was the most important person there.
Great Story, and I will always be a Cyclone.

I thought his name was Cole, and that he was now cancer-free (hopefully). Either way, sounds like the team went out of their way to make it a special day for him.

**Cyclonepride** · 04-22-2009, 08:15 PM

These types of things help you remember that sports are just sports. There are plenty of real things to get upset about, and a sport isn't one of them.

**everyyard** · 04-22-2009, 08:25 PM

Originally Posted by SouthernHawk

That really is a great story. I know Iowa had a kid in a similar situation a few years ago, and they did the same thing. I love hearing about this from our in-state teams.

yes, I think most teams do things like this. USC has a special needs person that is pretty much part of the team.

**CyCrazy** · 04-22-2009, 08:28 PM

Originally Posted by everyyard

yes, I think most teams do things like this. USC has a special needs person that is pretty much part of the team.

true but who cares what any other school does

But this is a good thing that our program did many kudos to coach and the players for giving this kid a thrill in troubling times for him

**clone2011** · 04-22-2009, 08:39 PM

One of the players told me his name is Cole, and just recently went into remission--hence the face mask to prevent possibly catching an airborne infection. I think they said he is the same Cole from the facebook group "Cole Needs an extreme home make-over!"

In the fall, Chizik brought in a young boy from the Ames area who has been fighting Neuroblastoma since 2007 (a new tumor was recently discovered after a few months of relatively good health--he's in NYC getting treatment now). He was an honorary team member during the Kansas game--got to walk with the players from the bus, hang out in the locker room, stand on the sidelines, watch from the wives suite, attend the Friday practice, etc. Little guy is a huge Cyclone fan. If you are ever around the players who were here in Fall '08, check out the camo-color bracelet (livestrong type) that they are probably wearing...a lot still wear them and are glad to tell the story of meeting Eli.