Contributors

When Jeremy Lind started CycloneFanatic.com back in 2005, it was pretty much a one man show.

Today, we're proud to have a handful of sports writers contribute to Cyclone Fanatic on a weekly basis. Below, check out our team and read their work.

As our site grows, so will this list on our journey towards being the No. 1 fan site in America.

Chris Williams

Chris was hired as CycloneFanatic.com’s publisher in the fall of 2009. Along with former Iowa State wide receiver Jack Whitver, he is the Iowa State football postgame show host on the Cyclone Radio Network. Chris represents Cyclone Fanatic in the Des Moines Register and WHO-TV regularly throughout the season as well.
During Iowa State's "offseason," Williams is active covering auto racing in the state of Iowa as a commentator for the Des Moines Register and the host of "Iowa Speedway RaceDay" on Des Moines’ sports talk radio station, 1460 kXno.
Williams, a 2007 graduate of Iowa State’s Greenlee School of Journalism, is the former publisher of the old CycloneNation.com (Scout.com). He’s also served as a columnist for the Ames Tribune, a reporter for CycloneReport.com and is the former sports director at KMA Radio in Shenandoah, Iowa.
If Williams isn’t working, you can usually find him doing something outdoors with his wife Ashley and Golden Retriever Dierks. He enjoys golfing, boating, country music, the Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta Braves and is passionate about any and all motor sports so finding Williams at a local dirt track is very common.
Most Recent Article: A conversation with Jamie Pollard.
Brent Blum

Blum has been a columnist for Cyclone Fanatic since 2009. He is the pre-game/halftime host and on-site producer for the Cyclone Football broadcasts on the Cyclone Radio Network and fill-in voice for Cyclone men's and women's basketball. Blum also does TV play-by-play of regional sporting events for Mediacom Connections.
Since graduating from Iowa State's Greenlee School of Journalism in 2007, he has spent time working for WOI-TV in Des Moines, KMA Radio in Shenandoah and the Orlando Magic of the NBA.
He currently works in the marketing and higher education field in Des Moines.
Blum has proclaimed himself as one of four NBA fans in Iowa and spends the rest of his time on the golf course, over analyzing reality television or admiring Ed Hightower's fro-wig.
Most Recent Article: "Tuesday Musings" The Blum Edition.
Ian Smith

This is Ian’s third year of covering Iowa State football and women’s basketball for Cyclone Fanatic. Smith writes games stories and features after each home football game. His women’s basketball reporting consists of game coverage, features and he is one of the only writers in the market who covers women’s basketball recruiting.
Before working for Cyclone Fanatic, Ian spent time writing for the Vail Daily in Colorado and the Ottumwa Courier. Currently, Ian works at Ames High School where he coaches football and baseball. Ian graduated from the University of Iowa in 2007.
Ian is a fanatical Denver Broncos fan. He is preparing for the upcoming season by trying to alter his orange No. 15 Tebow jersey into a No. 18 Manning. Don’t worry - John Elway will always be No. 1 in his heart.
Most Recent Article: Cyclones play fast in spring game.
Matt Van Winkle

Matt Van Winkle started working for Cyclone Fanatic in the spring of 2012 as a video intern. You may have seen some of his ISU football & basketball "Quick Hit" videos on the site. Matt is a 2009 Ames High School graduate and 2013 graduate of Iowa State University where he studied Journalism & Mass Communication. He was Sports Director at the student-run TV station, ISUtv and currently works for WHO-HD Channel 13 as a photojournalist/video editor.
Matt also worked for KASI Radio (1430 in Ames) as a studio engineer, co-host for the Saturday Sports Showcase and Cyclone Tailgate Show, color commentator for Ames High football, baseball, and basketball. Matt was also an intern with the Iowa Cubs video production team in 2012.
An avid sports fan, Matt's favorite sports are baseball, football, basketball and hockey. Matt was born and raised in San Jose, California. His favorite teams are the San Francisco Giants, San Francisco 49ers, Golden State Warriors and the San Jose Sharks.

In his free time, Matt enjoys frolfing, going to concerts, traveling to new baseball ballparks and hanging out with friends.
Most Recent Article: CFTV: McGee recovering from meniscus tear.
Matthew Rhoades

Written by Matthew Rhoades
As a young lad in high school, I knew that I wanted to be a player in the journalism game. After touring the Iowa State campus and hearing about what their program had to offer, I decided to attend the university and am now going to be a senior at ISU in the Fall of 2013. I got my start on radio with the campus station called KURE 88.5 where I co-hosted a Minnesota sports talk radio show called “The Hot Dish.”
Once I got a feel for radio I decided I wanted to take my talents to the television studio. For my junior year I worked with ISUtv where I was an on-air talent and videographer covering the men’s basketball team and the occasional volleyball or soccer matchup. I am currently interning with the Iowa Cubs video production team for a summer job and also work part time at Tradehome Shoes in Ames. Feel free to stop by if you would like stellar customer service and maybe, JUST MAYBE I will drop some sports knowledge on you.
I was born and raised in Maplewood, Minnesota where I played baseball and golf all my life, while closely following professional football, baseball and hockey. My favorite sports teams are the Minnesota Wild, Minnesota Twins and the Green Bay Packers.
A fun fact about myself is that I absolutely hate cheese. And no I am not lactose intolerant. I just can’t stand the stuff unless it is on pizza. If I’m not pointing a camera at someone then you can find me out on a run, golfing, disc golfing or participating in some shenanigans with my friends.
Kirk Haaland

Kirk Haaland has been a Cyclone Fanatic contributor for nearly three years. It started with a weekly column in the fall of 2009 known as “Outside the Men’s Room” that hit on a variety of Iowa State topics. By early 2011 he had started his own site, www.encyclonepedia.com that takes the analysis of historical and present day ISU football and men’s basketball to a new level. While running his own site he has still been contributing here at Cyclone Fanatic.
Kirk is a 2006 graduate of Iowa State University and a 2002 graduate of Nevada High School. Currently his paying job is as Process Engineer in the world of manufacturing. He lives in Ankeny with his wife and two daughters, ages two and four, as well as their Golden Retriever, Clyde (Williams). Family time, golf, running, and other activities keep him busy when he isn’t chasing down intriguing data.
Bags is his game of tailgating dominance as long as he has the proper balance with a cheap beer in his off hand. Taking down any and all tailgating grub and clone cones is his other specialty. Kirk is a lifelong Cyclone fan and his greatest memories include the 1992 football game with Nebraska and the 2000 NCAA tournament win over UCLA.
On the boards Kirk has been around since 2004 and goes by “khaal53” and you can follow him at @khaal53 on twitter. Look for his unique and fact based opinions on all things Iowa State here at Cyclone Fanatic.
Most Recent Article: enCYCLONEpedia: Deconstructing a Cliche.
Joshua Kagavi

Joshua Kagavi is the owner of an Internet storytelling company named Kagavi, inspired by his grandpa's campfire stories of adventure. Starting in June 2013, Josh joined the Cyclone Fanatic team as an occasional contributor, so he could share Iowa State stories inspired by his research into Cyclone lore. Earlier this year, building on the work of many others, Josh's research was able to confirm Jack Trice's jersey number as 37.
As a native of Ames and 2006 graduate of Iowa State University, Josh grew up watching Cyclone sports and has fond memories of attending many games. Josh and his wife currently live in a small beach town south of Los Angeles where they work together on Kagavi's stories and limited edition products. Their first stories and products are all based around Iowa State sports.
From time to time, Josh pops in on the forums under JoshuaKagavi and you can follow his adventures at www.kagavi.com. Josh can also be found on twitter at @JoshuaKagavi where he often shares upcoming Kagavi products or stories and attempts to give away free stuff. Josh and his wife would love to hear from you!
Most Recent Article: A look back at the 1957 ISU College World Series team.
Austen Arnaud

Austen Arnaud hung up his shoulder pads and joined the CF team in July of 2011 as a salesman.
Arnaud, a three-year starting quarterback at Iowa State, graduated as one of the top statistical quarterbacks that the University has ever seen and now a football analyst for Cyclone Fanatic. Arnaud also contributes to the Monday Evening Quarterback radio segment 1460 KXNO's Miller and Brinson Show in the fall.
In addition to these roles, Arnaud also coaches football at Ames High School, as well as youth AAU basketball in the winter months.
In his free time, Arnaud enjoys spending time with his fiance Natalie and his wolf-hybrid dog named Javi.
Arnaud's favorite sports to watch are football and basketball with heavy emphasis on the pro side, cheering on his Minnesota Vikings and New York Knicks.
Most Recent Article: Arnaud's Five Keys to Victory: Western Illinois.