How did you become a Cyclone fan?
- Thread starter CycloneErik
- Start date
I was born a Clone in 1982
my dad was a lifetime hawkeye and when they ran Lute Olsen out of town he couldn't stand the university anymore and became a Cyclone fan and I get my sports bug from him.
my dad was a lifetime hawkeye and when they ran Lute Olsen out of town he couldn't stand the university anymore and became a Cyclone fan and I get my sports bug from him.
I grew up in Ohio, and never really knew much about Iowa State. However, my parents both went to Indiana, so I was familiar with rooting against the Hawkeyes. All my family was from Indiana so I was a Notre Dame FB/Indiana BB fan.
During my senior year of high school, my dad lost his job and found a new one out here in Iowa. I moved out after I graduated and then started deciding on schools. I liked the atmosphere and technology focus at Iowa State and decided that's where I would go.
Been a Cyclone ever since I first step foot on campus.
During my senior year of high school, my dad lost his job and found a new one out here in Iowa. I moved out after I graduated and then started deciding on schools. I liked the atmosphere and technology focus at Iowa State and decided that's where I would go.
Been a Cyclone ever since I first step foot on campus.
Started watch Cyclone basketball (with Barry Stevens) in high school. Followed the bball season, listening to games on the radio. My first game at Hilton was the Lafester Rhodes game. I've been hooked ever since.
My dad's side of the family attended ISU so there was a natural interest when I was young. However, I lived in northern MN until eighth grade so I was somewhat detached except for a game every other year or so in the early 90s.
When I moved to NW Iowa I had a couple ISU shirts but admittedly didn't follow the team religiously. The number of Hawk fans was staggering and wearing ISU gear to my HS guaranteed a few belittling comments each day. That, along with ending the streak at Iowa in '98 and watching TF and LE's teams make tournament runs turned me into a die-hard.
When I moved to NW Iowa I had a couple ISU shirts but admittedly didn't follow the team religiously. The number of Hawk fans was staggering and wearing ISU gear to my HS guaranteed a few belittling comments each day. That, along with ending the streak at Iowa in '98 and watching TF and LE's teams make tournament runs turned me into a die-hard.
Born in Iowa. Have all my teeth, don't live in a trailer park, don't shop for clothes at garage sales and have common sense. So I knew I couldn't be a Hawkeye.
Actually, 3rd generation cyclone. Eating and Breathing Cyclones ever since, I was born. My grandparents always had season football tickets and I would go when it got to cold for my grandma. My family shared season basketball tics with another family so usually went to at least half of the games. Now I'm the one buying the season tickets.
Actually, 3rd generation cyclone. Eating and Breathing Cyclones ever since, I was born. My grandparents always had season football tickets and I would go when it got to cold for my grandma. My family shared season basketball tics with another family so usually went to at least half of the games. Now I'm the one buying the season tickets.
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I was miraculously conceived from a cardinal and a tornado
Seriously, I came to ISU to go to school. Believe it or not, I didn't even know what ISU's team name was- course, I didn't know Iowa's team name either.
Seriously, I came to ISU to go to school. Believe it or not, I didn't even know what ISU's team name was- course, I didn't know Iowa's team name either.
Officially: December 5, 1996 - the day my acceptance letter from Iowa State arrived in the mail. I grew up a gigantic Hawkeye fan, and that's the day that the tables officially turned (and I got a "welcome to the good guys" gift a week later when Iowa State went into CHA and defeated Iowa 81-74 :biggrin
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Unofficially: I had been researching universities for the areas of education that I was interested in - Iowa State offered those areas, Iowa didn't. About that time I knew what was (eventually) going to happen and began working up to "the big switch" by cheering for Iowa State on the side. Watching ISU win the final Big 8 tourney as a newly developing fan was actually a lot of fun :biggrin:
.Unofficially: I had been researching universities for the areas of education that I was interested in - Iowa State offered those areas, Iowa didn't. About that time I knew what was (eventually) going to happen and began working up to "the big switch" by cheering for Iowa State on the side. Watching ISU win the final Big 8 tourney as a newly developing fan was actually a lot of fun :biggrin:
Growing up, I was happy to see Iowa State do well, but wouldn't call myself a big Cyclones fan. I always did enjoy watching Johnny Orr's basketball teams, though, and thought very highly of players like Barry Stevens, Jeff Hornacek, Jeff Grayer, Tom Schafer (Anyone besides me remember him? He had one heckuva senior season!), Lafester Rhodes, and Mark Baugh, among others.
Then I went to college at Iowa State, and absolutely loved the experience. Plus, I got swept up in the excitement of sitting in the student section of Jack Trice (then still known as "Cyclone Stadium-Jack Trice Field") and Hilton Coliseum. I went from being a casual fan to a die-hard fan very quickly, and have been a huge Cyclone fan ever since.
On a tangential note, I find it interesting how many posters here seem to include mentioning their hatred of Iowa as part of their deeply-ingrained identity as a Cyclone fan. Knowing many Iowa fans as I do, I can guarantee you that very few of them would mention Iowa State if a similar thread were posted on one of the Iowa message boards.
By no means am I trying to defend Iowa fans, because I know plenty who would say eye-rollingly stupid and annoying things in response to a question about how they became fans of the Hawkeyes. I just know that few would even mention their hatred of the Cyclones in a discussion about how they came to root for Iowa. This isn't meant to pass judgment in any way, just an observation about the difference in the psychology and culture of the two fan bases.
Then I went to college at Iowa State, and absolutely loved the experience. Plus, I got swept up in the excitement of sitting in the student section of Jack Trice (then still known as "Cyclone Stadium-Jack Trice Field") and Hilton Coliseum. I went from being a casual fan to a die-hard fan very quickly, and have been a huge Cyclone fan ever since.
On a tangential note, I find it interesting how many posters here seem to include mentioning their hatred of Iowa as part of their deeply-ingrained identity as a Cyclone fan. Knowing many Iowa fans as I do, I can guarantee you that very few of them would mention Iowa State if a similar thread were posted on one of the Iowa message boards.
By no means am I trying to defend Iowa fans, because I know plenty who would say eye-rollingly stupid and annoying things in response to a question about how they became fans of the Hawkeyes. I just know that few would even mention their hatred of the Cyclones in a discussion about how they came to root for Iowa. This isn't meant to pass judgment in any way, just an observation about the difference in the psychology and culture of the two fan bases.
same here...I have been a die hard State fan all my life, even attending UNI. I do like UNI, but not even close to ISU.
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Grew up a Hawkeye fan in the Cedar Rapids area in a Hawkeye family. Chose ISU for college as they have a good architectural program. I told my parents that I wanted to go to ISU and they said "that's fine, but we don't have to root for them, do we?" Been a cyclone fan ever since.
Always get crap from family members as my wife and I are the only Cyclones in a sea of Squawks at all family reunions. :no:
Always get crap from family members as my wife and I are the only Cyclones in a sea of Squawks at all family reunions. :no:
The day some school from Ames took a chance on a young man. Got to campus loved everything about it.
I grew up in Ames, raised by a family of Cyclones... parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. I grew up in Hilton, I was one of those little girls in the cheerleading costumes, and we went to Kansas City every year for the tournament.
My parents always told me that they would pay for me to go to college anywhere I wanted, except the University of Iowa. After high school- I wanted to spread my wings and get out of Ames... so I went to Iowa. I was the first person in my family to do so- and I got a lump of coal for Christmas that year.
I only went to Iowa for one semester. When I left, everyone was very supportive of me dropping out of college- or at least Iowa. I ended up finishing my degree in Chicago and moved back to central Iowa... and the first thing I did... got me a MBB season ticket.
My parents always joke that they must have raised me well- I went to Iowa, never attended ISU, but am a diehard Cyclone fan.
My parents always told me that they would pay for me to go to college anywhere I wanted, except the University of Iowa. After high school- I wanted to spread my wings and get out of Ames... so I went to Iowa. I was the first person in my family to do so- and I got a lump of coal for Christmas that year.
I only went to Iowa for one semester. When I left, everyone was very supportive of me dropping out of college- or at least Iowa. I ended up finishing my degree in Chicago and moved back to central Iowa... and the first thing I did... got me a MBB season ticket.
My parents always joke that they must have raised me well- I went to Iowa, never attended ISU, but am a diehard Cyclone fan.
I grew up a Hawk fan until I was 6 or 7....then I realized that the majority of Hawk fans were arrogant and jerks (in the town I lived in) Lol......I switched at that time, became the lone Cyclone fan in my grade and have been loyal ever since that time. One of the best decisions in my life came when I was in first grade.......Thank God!
Aunt went to Iowa State back in the mid 90s and I remember eating pizza with Dedric Willoughby in one of the residence halls while my parents were at a Kiss concert? at Hilton. Still remember listening to games on the radio and pretending to be Dedric on the hoop on my closet door :biglaugh:
Now a sophomore and I bleed cardinal and gold. :yes:
Now a sophomore and I bleed cardinal and gold. :yes:
At 9years old (1979) went to the local sporting goods store with my mom to get a hoodie. I begged for an iron-on decal to go with it. They had something like 1.3 million Hawkeye choices and 1 simple Iowa State Basketball decal. That was the winner. The next day at school, i caught all kinds of grief from everyone. This was back when Lute was building in IC and pre-Orr in Ames. All the crap made me dig in my heels deep.
BTW, never in a million years did I think I would wake up this am and see not one, but two Richard Kottman references on CF
BTW, never in a million years did I think I would wake up this am and see not one, but two Richard Kottman references on CF
I grew up in small-town central Iowa and didn't feel strongly one way or the other about the ISU / EIU rivalry, attending sporting events at both. My final two choices for college were a DIII school (play sports) or nearby ISU (academics). I don't know anybody who's been on the ISU central campus and not come away smitten! As for sports, the Towers had a "window painting" contest on parent's weekend, which happened to be ISU / UI. The runaway winner was 6th or 7th Floor Wallace, with their "Eat Sh!t and Die Hawk B@stards" entry! I don't know what was so galvanizing about that painted window, but it became a rallying cry that hasn't subsided since (and I live in Iowa City)! ISU, behind a yeoman's effort from Duane Crutchfield, won that game and my everlasting support. It also won me $100 from a big-mouth hawk fan in my home town, though he never paid (typical)!
