Teams
Forum List
Toggle sidebar

Hawk Arrogance in the Chicago Tribune

AIT

AIT

Well-Known Member
May 29, 2008
2,743
101
63
Johnston, IA
Sorry, this is kind of long, but I thought it was funny.

About a month ago, the Chicago Tribune had an op-ed about how great the tailgating atmosphere was before the Iowa-Penn St game:

Big Ten football, Iowa style: I'll take a turkey leg, please -- chicagotribune.com

I didn't see anything noteworthy in that piece besides an alarming amount of alcohol. A couple weeks later the Tribune ran letters from Hawk fans agreeing that Iowa football is great:

Voice of the People -- chicagotribune.com

One of those letters is from the wife of an Iowa professor who lives right next to Kinnick and makes $200-$300 a game charging people to park on their lawn. She ends her letter with:

The state of Iowa does not have a single major-league professional sports team. As a former Chicagoan, I could not imagine such a thing. The Iowans divide their affection between the Bears and the Vikings, the Cubs and the Cardinals, but every sports fan in the state loves the Hawks. When my son decided to study engineering at Iowa State, the neighbors were truly concerned. Whatever will we do? A friend suggested that Scott remain an Iowa fan and I become a Cyclone fan; that way no one would even notice.
Click to expand...

Nice. :no:

Fortunately an ISU fan caught it and wrote a beautiful response:

Voice of the People -- chicagotribune.com

I must point out to the letter writer of "Every sports fan in Iowa loves the Hawks" (Voice of the People, Nov. 29) that such hasty generalizations are factually inaccurate. I understand that she roots for the sports teams associated with her husband's employer. But, to put it in terms that she, as a former Chicagoan might comprehend, there is a Cubs vs. Sox mentality that spans the land between the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers.

Having grown up in Davenport as an Iowa State legacy, deep in the heart of eastern Iowa Hawkeye-dom, I wore my cardinal and gold colors with pride while taking grief from my classmates, friends and total strangers. While attending school in Ames, I savored the victories when they came and accepted the razzing when my Cyclones came up short on the football field, basketball floor or wrestling mat.

Although I've learned from others to confine my contempt for all things Hawkeye only to those days when they play Iowa State, my ambivalence toward the black and gold on the other days of the year is far from the "love" level that the letter writer finds universal through Iowa's 99 counties.

I'm also reasonably certain that alumni of Northern Iowa, Drake and other schools throughout the state would take issue with her blanket statement as well.


—Doug Steffenson, Wilmette
Click to expand...

Brilliant work Mr Steffenson. :notworthy:
 
  • Like
Reactions: ISU_Alum_2000
T

theodore

Member
Sep 24, 2008
144
7
18
AIT said:
Sorry, this is kind of long, but I thought it was funny.

About a month ago, the Chicago Tribune had an op-ed about how great the tailgating atmosphere was before the Iowa-Penn St game:

Big Ten football, Iowa style: I'll take a turkey leg, please -- chicagotribune.com

I didn't see anything noteworthy in that piece besides an alarming amount of alcohol. A couple weeks later the Tribune ran letters from Hawk fans agreeing that Iowa football is great:

Looks like someone needs a hug.:wink:

Voice of the People -- chicagotribune.com

One of those letters is from the wife of an Iowa professor who lives right next to Kinnick and makes $200-$300 a game charging people to park on their lawn. She ends her letter with:



Nice. :no:

Fortunately an ISU fan caught it and wrote a beautiful response:

Voice of the People -- chicagotribune.com



Brilliant work Mr Steffenson. :notworthy:
Click to expand...
 
TarHeelHawk

TarHeelHawk

Well-Known Member
Oct 22, 2008
8,595
190
63
44
W. Des Moines
As a Packers fan, I am also outraged by someone who moved from LA to Iowa City would think that everyone in Iowa cheers for the Vikings or Bears. Outraged!
 
Al_4_State

Al_4_State

Moderator
Staff member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Mar 27, 2006
30,371
23,558
113
38
Driftless Region
Visit site
Iowa City is fun if you know somebody, and they have a good spot. I would have to think if you just came there following your team, and didn't have an "in" at any tailgate spot it would likely suck.
 
twistedredbird

twistedredbird

Well-Known Member
Apr 26, 2008
3,371
85
48
52
Midwest
cycloneworld said:
Tailgating, great, and Iowa City don't belong in the same sentence.
Click to expand...

Too true. I have not so fond memories as a teenager and child freezing in the cold parking garage watching people drink thinking they were cool because they had a roof and a view. And when I'd get in the car and read or play a video game getting yelled at for being rude and unsociable.
 
Cyclone90

Cyclone90

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Jan 29, 2007
1,717
268
83
At least she got the part right about who has the better Engineering school. :yes:
 
  • Like
Reactions: TykeClone
wonkadog

wonkadog

Well-Known Member
Apr 17, 2006
4,835
380
83
Ames, IA
Yes, I was at the Penn St. - Iowa game and let me tell ya, the ambiance of the parking garage was utterly astounding that day. What made it even better was the cops walking around picking out random people to tell to dump out their beer while others walked by with open cans in their hands...I still don't get the rules over there other than you have to like kissing guys on the mouth.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Help Support Us

Become a patron
Top Bottom