Cyclone Tailgate Tour - Ottumwa

**mustangcy** · 06-10-2009, 08:16 AM

For all the fellow SE Iowan's out there today is the day! I am making it a personal mission to thank Jaime Pollard for including Ottumwa in this years tour. I've always said SE Iowa is a sleeping giant for ISU fans because there are 10X more ISU fans in this area now than we I was growing up. On highway 63 going north from Bloomfield to Ottumwa there are 3 Cyclone flags flying in yards...very cool to see since there are zero flags of the other school.

On a side note - can anyone tell me if the merch table and food tents take credit card or am I gonna have to get cash?

Thanks!

**BigDISU1** · 06-10-2009, 08:22 AM

I might try to make it down if I can get out of work in time.

I too am surprised at the amount of Cyclone fans in the area. When I moved here from Ames I thought there would hardly be any, but I constantly see flags, license plates, etc. It's nice to see.

**zumbro clones** · 06-10-2009, 08:35 AM

Please add any local media links (newspaper or TV) so we can see the local reaction.

**cyson** · 06-10-2009, 08:52 AM

I'll be there drinking the kool aide. Usually a pretty good turnout.Go Clones.

**mustangcy** · 06-10-2009, 11:11 AM

Originally Posted by cyson

I'll be there drinking the kool aide. Usually a pretty good turnout.Go Clones.

Yeah, I'll be shooting it in my veins in the parking lot!

**mustangcy** · 06-11-2009, 10:04 AM

The Ottumwa tour stop was a big hit! I was very happy with the turn out. I was dissapointed coach Rhoads couldn't make it but yesterday was the day all the freshman got orientated so everyone understood.

John Walters - had the pleasure to talk with John a while and what can I say? He is one of the warmest, most sincere guys around. Just a real sweet guy and we as Cyclones fans should thank the Lord everyday he is our "voice". John has a real passion for ISU. We shared our stories of when we both heard Brackins was coming back and you can really tell he's just a huge ISU fan that wants us to win just as badley as all of us. That comes across on the radio of course but its nice to see when it was just me and him talking alone.

Gmac - I'd met him once before but again a very nice guy and was really sweet with my son (recruiting class of 2025!). You can tell he is excited about the season!

**zumbro clones** · 06-11-2009, 10:13 AM

Any links from local media?

**isuno1fan** · 06-11-2009, 10:25 AM

I have seen alot of ISU gear in SE Iowa lately during my travels through there which is fantastic.

That said it's still SE Iowa. (joking...sort of)

**BigDISU1** · 06-11-2009, 11:41 AM

Originally Posted by isuno1fan

I have seen alot of ISU gear in SE Iowa lately during my travels through there which is fantastic.

That said it's still SE Iowa. (joking...sort of)

i was wondering how long it would take to rip on SE iowa, i guess 10 posts, i was wrong

**mustangcy** · 06-11-2009, 12:07 PM

Originally Posted by zumbro clones

Any links from local media?

The Ottumwa Courier - Cyclones pump up Ottumwa crowd

Not much groundbreaking stuff here but one thing I guess I didn't know was that Kevin Jackson had the Brand brothers as assistants or something.

Sidenote - Darius Darks and Jesse Smith were both there and they were both really great. Darks really suprised me. For one I was expecting him to be bigger and the other was (and I realize I have a bias towards WR's because they have a reputation for being pre-madonna's) that he just about the sweetest athlete I've ever met. Just smiled ear to ear all night. Smith was great as well, just a good old Iowa boy but Darks is my new favorite Cyclone on this team hands down.

We asked both guys what they thought of PR and the new staff and they both gave a look like "dude, its night and day better". I asked about Herman and Smith goes "he's a genius...no really, a genius". Obviously, Darks couldn't say enough about Herman as well.

**cyson** · 06-11-2009, 12:19 PM

I spoke with Pollard for awhile. Very pleasant and straight forward guy, were fortunate to have him at the helm. Pollard stated season tickets sales were down slightly, almost exclusively in the end zone. Visited briefly with Dark's and Jessie Smith, great kid's who really went out of their way to show their appreciation for the fan's supporting the program. Smith could have been arrested for the gun's he was packing, big boy. He spoke briefly about the arrival of a couple of juco D-lineman on campus that he thought could help out this year. I was so impressed I doubled my Cyclone Club contribution from last year. A pleasant evening.

**LeSchmick** · 06-11-2009, 01:08 PM

Originally Posted by mustangcy

The Ottumwa Courier - Cyclones pump up Ottumwa crowd

Not much groundbreaking stuff here but one thing I guess I didn't know was that Kevin Jackson had the Brand brothers as assistants or something.

Sidenote - Darius Darks and Jesse Smith were both there and they were both really great. Darks really suprised me. For one I was expecting him to be bigger and the other was (and I realize I have a bias towards WR's because they have a reputation for being pre-madonna's) that he just about the sweetest athlete I've ever met. Just smiled ear to ear all night. Smith was great as well, just a good old Iowa boy but Darks is my new favorite Cyclone on this team hands down.

We asked both guys what they thought of PR and the new staff and they both gave a look like "dude, its night and day better". I asked about Herman and Smith goes "he's a genius...no really, a genius". Obviously, Darks couldn't say enough about Herman as well.

You must have forgot about that stunt he pulled when he made two videos and one where he donned a michigan state jersey, said he was going to transfer, and trashed ISU.

**CrossCyed** · 06-11-2009, 01:13 PM

D's a nice guy, he just kind of got caught up in everything.

**josh777** · 06-11-2009, 01:13 PM

Originally Posted by mustangcy

The Ottumwa Courier - Cyclones pump up Ottumwa crowd

Not much groundbreaking stuff here but one thing I guess I didn't know was that Kevin Jackson had the Brand brothers as assistants or something.

Sidenote - Darius Darks and Jesse Smith were both there and they were both really great. Darks really suprised me. For one I was expecting him to be bigger and the other was (and I realize I have a bias towards WR's because they have a reputation for being pre-madonna's) that he just about the sweetest athlete I've ever met. Just smiled ear to ear all night. Smith was great as well, just a good old Iowa boy but Darks is my new favorite Cyclone on this team hands down.

We asked both guys what they thought of PR and the new staff and they both gave a look like "dude, its night and day better". I asked about Herman and Smith goes "he's a genius...no really, a genius". Obviously, Darks couldn't say enough about Herman as well.

The sweetest?

**isuno1fan** · 06-11-2009, 01:15 PM

Originally Posted by LeSchmick

You must have forgot about that stunt he pulled when he made two videos and one where he donned a michigan state jersey, said he was going to transfer, and trashed ISU.

I might have a short memory, but I don't remember him trashing ISU. I remember him trashing Gene Chizik, but not ISU directly.

Pretty understanding given the circumstances either way though. I have no hard feelings towards DD.