Grounds For Divorce

I’m filing for divorce.

There, I said it.

I need time away to see if I want to continue this relationship as a Hawkeye fan.

Why am I doing this? Easy. There is a faction (a certain group) of Iowa fans and media that has made it hard for me to remain a fan.

The last three weeks should have been something to  smile and cheer about. The Hawkeyes men’s basketball team ended up playing for the NIT championship game on Thursday night. They finished with 25 wins, the first time the Hawks finished with 20 or more wins since 2006.  Fans have started to rally around this team and coach Fran McCaffrey.

But, most of that took a back seat to something that should have went away after a few days, but it continues to have legs.

An individual, who left this state in the spring of 2007 became the hot topic for Hawkeyes fans. I’m not going to say his name. I’m tired of hearing it. I’m not going to list all of the things that took place during that era, because most of you are well-versed in.

I never had an opinion of him either way. Nor do I care. It was time for a clean slate.

However, a certain group of fans, some members of the media, and others can’t seem to cut loose an albatross around their necks. A few days of it is okay, but like many topics, they go away, and a new topic comes up.

But, they are still talking about him and won’t shut up about it. We’ve wasted our time and are burned out.  It’s time to drop it, once and for all.

The more you talk about this individual, you downplay the efforts of what Fran McCaffrey has done to revive this program. The more you talk about “that guy”, the more you prove Dan Dakich’s point that we live in the past and can’t move forward.  The more you keep bringing up “that guy’s” name, you drive away loyal and sensible Hawkeyes fans with this drivel. 

Those fans have moved on from that era, but you won’t let them.

It’s time for the rest of you to do the same.

If you can’t, then that’s a “you” problem. You should appreciate how far this Iowa men’s basketball program have come from that sordid, tense, and acrimonious era. and the period after that.

As fans, we’ve seen the bottom of the barrel. We’re finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Sadly, some choose to keep lurking in the dark, obsessed over one guy. How dare you let your obsession of this individual take the fun away from the rest of us.

Herky has no time to live in the past. He should know. He’s seen the days of losing football and basketball before. He likes what he sees in Fran and the boys.

You make it hard to be a Hawkeye fan, especially when you can’t appreciate what you got now.

Jay Whannel, fellow Wartburg College alum, put it best:

“He’s not here anymore. It’s over. Move on.”

But, most of you refuse to do so, and it’s pissing me off.

I don’ t need to read Pat Harty’s column, watch Keith Murphy rant, listen to Ken Miller, and read Dan Bernstein’s troll tweets about this individual. Enough already about “that guy”. Yet, you keep poking us with a stick to get us to react to your opinion about him.

Three weeks of this crap is enough. I don’t care if you support him or hate him. It’s time to bury the damn coffin and walk away.

Which is why I want a divorce.

This time, it’s not about me. It’s about you. You won’t let it die, and it’s killing us.

It’s not your problem anymore. It’s UCLA’s deal now.

It’s a sad state of affairs when a fan base spend more time talking about a polarizing individual than Eric May, Devyn Marble, and a group of kids busting their asses on the floor. We’re still picking at the healed scab, screaming to the rooftops to anyone about how much that scab hurts.

I’m fed up with it.

This guy and his team would prefer that you stop standing under that black cloud that you’re holding over yourself. It’s a new day in Iowa City. Take advantage, man, take advantage.

Fran McCaffrey and the Iowa program doesn’t need a black cloud hanging over them, but you keep pulling the cloud back over the program so you can continue to bitch about “that guy”.

Company loves misery.

I’m not down with that. A few others are with me on this.

So to the group of fans and media that’s still picking that scab known as “that guy”, I’ll see you this fall.

I’m willing to reconcile and get back together. I believe in the adage that time heals wounds and rebuilding trust.

But for now, get your shit together, get some counseling, or whatever you need, and stop talking about “that guy”.

You’re better than that.

Twenty Years

(Courtesy: KCRG)

Today marks an anniversary many of us wished it would have never happened, nevertheless we observe, but in celebration of life, not in death.

This evening, the Iowa Hawkeyes will take the floor at Carver-Hawkeye Arena to take on Wisconsin.  The 7 pm tip-off will also mark the 20th anniversary of the tragic death of Hawkeyes Basketball stand out Chris Street.

I decided to re-post and update an entry I did in 2008 for Juice, but rather than put it on this main page, it is under a special section, you will see in the banner headline:  “Rediscovering Chris Street:  Twenty Years Later”.

I hope you have a chance to read my recollection of Street, as well as everyone else who were impacted by this anniversary.

A Little Help In Remembering a Dark Week in Iowa Sports

This week marks an anniversary Iowans have not forgotten without sadness: the tragic death of Chris Street.

The start of the new year has been quiet and busy, but 2013 will mark some important events in history…particularly here in Iowa.

Last week was the 30th anniversaries of the spectacular Simpson’s Furniture fire in Cedar Falls and the slaying of Black Hawk County public defender Alvin Davidson in front of the Brown Bottle restaurant in Waterloo.  Both incidents happen on the same day (January 10th).  Later this summer, July 20th, will be the 30th anniversary of Steven Hadley walking out of the John Deere (now Veridian) Community Credit Union and disappearing with $1.3 million in cash.  The Hadley embezzlement case was the biggest white-collar crime in the Cedar Valley before last year’s Russell Wasendorf’s PFG collapse.

But this week will mark a sad anniversary in Iowa sports history, and this is where I will need some help from my fellow alumni from East High in Waterloo.

January 19th will mark the 20th anniversary of the tragic death of Iowa Hawkeyes standout Chris Street in a car/snowplow accident outside Coralville.

Twenty years.

Fellow Wartburg grad and friend Jesse Gavin is the sports director at KCNZ radio (1650 “The Fan”) in Cedar Falls.  He is trying to locate former members of the 1990 East High boys hoops championship team to talk about their Class 3A semifinal game versus Street and his Indianola Indians as part of a story he is doing about local Cedar Valley sports ties to Street.

A good number of you know most or all of the players on that memorable Trojans championship team (Mike Davis, Cortez McGhee, Mike Roby, Brian Ross, Rodney Wallican, etc.) and probably still stay in contact with them.

If it’s not too much to ask from my fellow East High friends and classmates, could you help Jesse out by reaching out and asking some of the guys from the ’90 team to contact KCNZ and talk to Jesse about the semifinal game and the buildup to that highly anticipated matchup against Indianola and Chris Street?  It would be a great way for him to not only know what it was like to play against Street but also know about that great championship season for the Orange and Black.

Thanks in advance everyone for helping if you can with this story!

Info: 

Jesse Gavin, sports director, KCNZ The Fan 1650

Email: Jesse@1650thefan.com

Local Dialing Area: (319) 277-1918
Toll Free Phone: (800) 913-9479

Biking for a Cause

 

The last time I rode a bike was in high school.  A buddy of mine, Matt Fischer, and I rode our bikes from our neighborhood in Highland Park (the one in Waterloo, not Des Moines’) to East High to do our off-season workouts for football.

Matt did the smart thing by taking his bike inside the weight room with him.  I chose to lock my bike up outside.  After we finished working out, I had no bike.  That was $90 down the drain.  Someone stole it.

I brought up that story as a lead-in to this post and what’s going to take place this upcoming weekend.  The American Diabetes Association of Iowa is hosting the inaugural Central Iowa Tour de Cure bicycle ride on Saturday, June 11th.  The bike ride will start inside Water Works Park at the south shelter.  The riders will travel down the Great Western Trail through Martensdale, St. Charles, and back.  Of course, there will be a stop at the world-famous Cumming Tap! 

Who in their right mind is going to bypass Cumming Tap?

We’re excited about starting this new event, but I have to be honest, publicizing Tour de Cure has been a challenge.  The bicycle community is inundated with a lot of events all over the area.  In fact, this weekend is the Tour the Raccoon ride along the Raccoon River, the Gravel Ride to the Sauk Trail, and the BRAMCO ride in Madison County. 

Central Iowa has a strong active bicycle community.  They do a lot of rides, for fun and for charity.  For us at American Diabetes, we’re the new kids on the block.  Over in Eastern Iowa, the Corridor Classic Tour de Cure will have their 4th annual ride in two weeks (June 25th).  It’s one of the most popular bike rides and events over in that part of the state. 

Plus, it doesn’t hurt to have the support of the Iowa Hawkeyes, namely Kirk Ferentz and Norm Parker.  Parker’s battle with diabetes is well-known.  Norm’s so tough, he’ll be back in the pressbox this season.  The guy has become a personal hero to me as a fellow PWD (person with diabetes). 

We want to be where our colleagues in Eastern Iowa are at, but our main goal is to put together a great event for cyclists to enjoy and tell their friends about doing it in the future.   Rather than ask everyone to raise money this year (the ride is a fundraising event), and since this is our first TdC, we’re opening it up for you to register and ride with us for the day.  Registration is $25 and you can sign up on Saturday morning. 

“Milboy’s Army” Goes for 19 In a Row

Simpson will host the 2011 Iowa Conference Wrestling championships on Friday. Will "Milboy's Army" win their 19th straight title?

Wrestling.

One individual squaring off against another individual.  Your goal is to win your match.  You are not just wrestling for yourself…but for the team as well.

Between the high school wrestling championships and Iowa and ISU battling for the Division I-A championships next month, did you know that a less-publicized conference tournament will take place today?

And that you can watch the championships live on IPTV at 7pm tonight?

Did you know there is a team that has won 150 consecutive conference dual meets and has won 18 straight IIAC championships?

The last time that someone else other than this school has won a conference wrestling tournament title, everyone’s friend Paul Yeager and I were juniors…in high school…in 1992.

If I’m tossing those facts out, then it must be time for the annual Iowa Conference Wrestling Championships.

The quest for 19 in a row will be the goal for the Wartburg Knights starting Friday morning at Simpson College’s Cowles Center.  Coach Jim Miller and his squad (aka “Milboy’s Army”) have dominated the league in a way that is hard to describe.  I don’t think any team will match what they have done since 1993.

Wartburg's Jim Miller knows that the IIAC tournament is no picnic in the park. (Rick Chase/Courier)

Three questions will be answered around 9:30 p.m.  tonight:  

“Will Wartburg win its 19th in a row?”

“How much will they win by?”

“Will the entire team qualify for the national tournament next month?”

If Mother Nature doesn’t put too much of a crimp in the weather, I’ll be at the Cowles today to watch the tournament.  I won’t promise you updates consistently (I don’t want to drain out the battery of my Droid), but I will direct you towards the IIAC website to follow the updates.

I’m sure to see Paul Yeager there.  He’s working the tournament for IPTV today.  I regret to inform you he will not be calling the matches with Dan Gable and Tim Johnson, but if you have a winter hat, keep it on during the tournament.  Paul’s been doing a series of “hat parades” on his blog during this winter season.  You could be profiled in his next post!

What: Iowa Conference Wrestling Championships

Where: Cowles Center at Simpson College, Indianola

Who: teams in the Iowa Conference (Buena Vista, Central, Coe, Cornell, Dubuque, Loras, Luther, Simpson, Wartburg)

Time: 10:30 am; championship round begins at 7:00 pm

At stake: Team championship, and individual champions and runner-ups in each class qualifies for the Division III Wrestling Championships in LaCrosse, Wisconsin.