Iowa State v Iowa

Ginnie and I were lucky enough to score a couple of tickets for the number 16 Iowa State/Iowa football game in Ames. The seats were on the 20 yard line, upper level. There's not a bad seat in Jack Trice Stadium. Thanks to the handicap tag I now possess (for a limited time), we had choice parking. And it's a good thing, for I am now walking with a cane, and taking frequent catch-my-breath breaks as I trudge along, especially going up stadium ramps and steps. They had an elevator for the handicapped. Groovy.

Many people were saying that Iowa State would have its way with Iowa this year. Iowa State was favored, not heavily, by 3.5 points. With an intrastate rivalry like this, you never know what's going to happen. Being an Iowa State Alumnus, you know whom I favor. Iowa has dominated the rivalry over the years, with Iowa State sprinkling in a few wins here and there. Iowa is more of a ground-and-pound team, where Iowa State likes to put the ball in the air and follow with runs. With Iowa State's 3-man defensive line, many armchair quarterbacks were saying Iowa would run all over Iowa State. Others were saying Iowa couldn't defend against Rocco Becht's precision passing. The 3.5 point line was probably accurate, which was really saying the game was a toss-up.

It was great getting back to my old stomping grounds. I showed Ginnie where my car caught on fire on Lincoln Way when a cigarette I tossed out got sucked into the back window. The campus fire department asked if I'd been drinking. I said, “Well, shoot no,” and they let me off. Things were different back then. I showed Ginnie the cockroach infested apartments I lived in above a pizza joint (Pizza Pi Alpha), once again on Lincoln Way, across the street from campus. I also showed her the Campanile, and the swans, Lancelot and Elaine, on Lake LaVerne (we called it Lake Latrine).

The game didn't have the razzle-dazzle I, and most of the Iowa State fans were hoping for, although Iowa State never trailed Iowa. Both teams scored a touchdown and two field goals to tie the game at 13. Then late in the fourth quarter, Iowa State's Kyle Konrardy kicked a 54-yard field goal to win the game 16 to 13. He did the same thing last year to defeat the Hawkeyes in Iowa City. Konrardy also holds the Iowa State record for the longest field goal at 63 yards. He did that last week against South Dakota. Iowa State is now 3-0.

No one wants to say it out loud, for fear of jinxing, but there's quiet talk of Iowa State winning the Big 12 Championship. Kansas State was the preseason pick to win the Big 12, but Iowa State has already beaten them in Ireland, by a Konrardy field goal. Matt Campbell may be the best football coach Iowa State has ever had, and there's been some good ones: Johnny Majors, Dan McCarney and Earl-the-Pearl Bruce.

The Cy-Hawk trophy stays in Ames for the second year in a row. Their next game is at Arizona State, who beat Iowa State in the Big 12 Championship last year. Grrr. Ginnie and I went to that game in Arlington, Texas, at the AT&T stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys. Strange as it may seem, last year, which was Arizona State's first year in the Big 12 (so many changes in all conferences), they were a preseason pick to finish last, and they finished first. The first shall be last and the last shall be first.

It's a great day in Iowa whenever any of the four major universities play each other in any sport: Drake, UNI, ISU and Iowa. I must say, I have never been in such a mob of friendly people as were at the ISU/Iowa game. Where we sat in the stadium there were many Iowa fans, and we all treated each other with respect, as we should. No tush-push.

Have a good story? Call or text Curt Swarm in Mt. Pleasant at 319-217-0526 or email him at curtswarm@yahoo.com. Curt is available for public speaking.