Agree, it was an awesome comeback that couldn't have happened to a better fanbase.
What game or event made you a Cyclone for life?
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Watching the 23-3 CyHawk beatdown in 2005. We got there "late" (i.e. we got there an hour before kickoff and quickly realized our error) and ended up being in the last row of the student section. But man, even in the last row that was an incredible atmosphere to be a part of.
I suppose it was the 1992 OSU comeback game. I was there and when I got home I found that my mom had taped the last 7 or so minutes of regulation and overtime. I watched that video so much that 20 or 25 years later when they replayed it in on Cyclones.tv, I sill pretty much had the broadcast memorized and knew exactly the voice inflection of the TV announcers.
I'm not sure that I could say that game cemented my fandom because I was already there, but it was probably the first defining moment of it.
I'm not sure that I could say that game cemented my fandom because I was already there, but it was probably the first defining moment of it.
I really had no other choice, as a third generation Cyclone. I attended my first football game in 1979, a 38-10 win over Bowling Green. If I had to point to one event that turned me into a rabid, insane fan, it would be the 1981 win over Iowa. Crutchfield almost took his first carry to the house and the Cyclones dominated from start to finish. The fans tore down the goal posts before the game was over and Iowa was forced to go for two on their late, meaningless scores. Little did I know there would be one more year of bliss before 15 years of complete and utter futility.
I always "liked" Iowa State as my dad taught me to do, but when I attended my first game when I was 6 in 2001, I was sold. Seneca's junior year, smacked Baylor 41-0. I was just obsessed with the entire thing from the game, the stadium, to the tailgating.
Young Cyclone fans have it so good nowadays. I remember only getting to watch the Cyclones on TV a couple times a year.
FB was super rare and you always hoped we would get one of the Phillips games on Saturdays.
I think if you lived in Ames about 2 blocks from campus football was on TV. Half kidding.
Basketball seemed to be on much more. KCRG out of Cedar Rapids carried their games and then ESPN had quite a few of their games on during the weeks.
I’ve been a lifelong Cyclone fan. The game that turned me into a rabid basketball fan was 1980 game in Ames against UNI. Friend of my dad’s was a donor and had seats fifth row behind the ISU bench. Getting to see and hear coach Orr in action definitely did it. His lack of a filter was exceptionally entertaining and impressive. He had the refs laughing several times.
I’m still pretty disappointed that was all they did. At least a patch on the Jersey or something.
Final Big 8 championship game. That was the moment I was fully hooked.
Sounds like your son was blessed, and not screwed. He has been witness to the golden age of Cyclone athletics.
In Eastern Iowa we averaged one TV game a year, and it was usually Iowa. My dad put a giant antenna on our roof so we could get WOI all the way in CR. We could see the occasional WOI-produced basketball game and 10pm sports through some snow on our little TV.
Now I live 700 miles away and get every game. Even WBB, which was unheard of 30 years ago.
It was the first Iowa State game my dad took me to against UNI at the dome in 1992. I think we all know who was on the roster at the time.
I was born into it in 1986 as my father (RIP 2023) had a Construction Engineering degree from Ames, my Mom went there for a semester before NIAC, and, my eventual Stepmom had a teaching degree from Ames.
I was a basketball JUNKIE since age 3 but didn't really follow ISU basketball closely. I was an NBA kid (Go Magic!!!). Seriously, I was such a junkie until 1998, I should have been checked into "Basketball Rehab" if that was such a thing.
The NBA Lockout took me out basketball as I had gone full blown Sailor Moon nerd in 1998 (and eventual Gundam nerd), and went from casual gamer to HARDCORE gamer in late 1997 (still a gamer with over 2700 games in my collection).
Anyway, I disliked football as a kid, but would still watch the Iowa/Iowa State game every year, and watched the 2000 Insight Bowl (my very first game as a kid at Jack Trice was the UNLV game in 2000. My young mind was BLOWN that we had players from outside the state of Iowa. As a kid, I always thought college was like High School. You go to your in-state school, try out for the team, etc). Also became a very casual AZ Cardinals fan in 1998 due to their playoff run (I got them confused for Iowa State in highlights), and a Jaguars fan in 1997 (I liked the colors).
AZ and JAX are still my NFL teams to this day, AZ is #1.
Anyway, what did it for me was the 2002 Florida State game (Seneca was in!). Sophomore High School. I then recorded every game that season (except the KU game in Week 2), as they were all "must watch" just looking at the schedule. The Texas Tech game especially I had marked on my calendar for weeks, and we obviously all remember that one nowadays.
Became a football nut that season, recorded EVERY single televised game until the 2008 season (same with basketball), and now labontefan has/had all my VHS tapes I donated to him to convert to DVD back in 2014.
I really want to go back and watch all of the Stinson/Blalock/Vroman/Sullivan games. Such great times just watching 6 hours of Studio 66 Big XII ball on Saturdays in High School. Whenever I think about those years the first thing that always comes to mind is Dave Armstrong "Sullivan for 3!!!" usually from the Top of The Key, and Hilton goes nuts.
I still remember the 2002, 11-19 season VIVIDLY (Tyray Pearson was the man, and Shane Power was my guy. I actually had a bit of a man crush on him at age 15. I was so heartbroken when he transferred to Mississippi State), as every game we would dominate until the last 5 minutes or so, and then just run out of gas, and then the other team wins.
I've since gone back to my basketball junkie days these last few years (HUGE FIBA guy now), but 2002 was what solidified my love for ISU athletics, and sports in general (the original NFL/NBA 2K games certainly helped on Dreamcast, though I actually prefer NBA Live and NFL GameDay now).
I apologize for yet another Essay, and I have a tendency to go on and on, but thanks for reading.
I was a basketball JUNKIE since age 3 but didn't really follow ISU basketball closely. I was an NBA kid (Go Magic!!!). Seriously, I was such a junkie until 1998, I should have been checked into "Basketball Rehab" if that was such a thing.
The NBA Lockout took me out basketball as I had gone full blown Sailor Moon nerd in 1998 (and eventual Gundam nerd), and went from casual gamer to HARDCORE gamer in late 1997 (still a gamer with over 2700 games in my collection).
Anyway, I disliked football as a kid, but would still watch the Iowa/Iowa State game every year, and watched the 2000 Insight Bowl (my very first game as a kid at Jack Trice was the UNLV game in 2000. My young mind was BLOWN that we had players from outside the state of Iowa. As a kid, I always thought college was like High School. You go to your in-state school, try out for the team, etc). Also became a very casual AZ Cardinals fan in 1998 due to their playoff run (I got them confused for Iowa State in highlights), and a Jaguars fan in 1997 (I liked the colors).
AZ and JAX are still my NFL teams to this day, AZ is #1.
Anyway, what did it for me was the 2002 Florida State game (Seneca was in!). Sophomore High School. I then recorded every game that season (except the KU game in Week 2), as they were all "must watch" just looking at the schedule. The Texas Tech game especially I had marked on my calendar for weeks, and we obviously all remember that one nowadays.
Became a football nut that season, recorded EVERY single televised game until the 2008 season (same with basketball), and now labontefan has/had all my VHS tapes I donated to him to convert to DVD back in 2014.
I really want to go back and watch all of the Stinson/Blalock/Vroman/Sullivan games. Such great times just watching 6 hours of Studio 66 Big XII ball on Saturdays in High School. Whenever I think about those years the first thing that always comes to mind is Dave Armstrong "Sullivan for 3!!!" usually from the Top of The Key, and Hilton goes nuts.
I still remember the 2002, 11-19 season VIVIDLY (Tyray Pearson was the man, and Shane Power was my guy. I actually had a bit of a man crush on him at age 15. I was so heartbroken when he transferred to Mississippi State), as every game we would dominate until the last 5 minutes or so, and then just run out of gas, and then the other team wins.
I've since gone back to my basketball junkie days these last few years (HUGE FIBA guy now), but 2002 was what solidified my love for ISU athletics, and sports in general (the original NFL/NBA 2K games certainly helped on Dreamcast, though I actually prefer NBA Live and NFL GameDay now).
I apologize for yet another Essay, and I have a tendency to go on and on, but thanks for reading.
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