Did ya ever notice...?

hawkdrummer1

Well-Known Member
Thought I'd give this it's own thread, rather than contaminate the one on the free throw record.

Did ya ever notice...that the big magical, feel good and moving stories seem to come out of Iowa City. The ones that transcend Ws and Ls. Nile Kinnick, Chris Street, The 2004 season with all it's ups and downs ending with Tate-to-Holloway, The Wave, the JBo/Street free throw story... Not a lot of that kinda thing emanates from Story county.

Before some of you chime in with "what about the rhabdo incident and Pierce..." those kind of things do happen over there and other places. But the bigger than life feel good ones that end up in the National spotlight... seem to come out of Iowa City.

It's great to be a Hawkeye!
 
Iowa is typical Americana. Hot Dogs and apple pie. Iowa is “Field of Dreams.” Iowa is “the wave.” When outsiders think of Iowa, they imagine a Norman Rockwell painting.
I was once at a gas station outside Plainview, Texas (between Amarillo and Lubbock) on I-27. Another customer noticed the Iowa plates of the car we were travelling in. He said, in a Texas or Oklahoma drawl "Is I-O-Way as flat as they say it is?" I asked how far we were from Plainview? He said e-le-ven mahls. I pointed out that we could clearly see their grain elevators from where we were standing.
 
I love how people presume Iowa is flat as it is not. Actually, it's the 13th flattest state. Freaking Illinois is 3rd, Minny is 5th. Ironically, Nebby is ranked at 20.

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I love how people presume Iowa is flat as it is not. Actually, it's the 13th flattest state. Freaking Illinois is 3rd, Minny is 5th. Ironically, Nebby is ranked at 20.

lead_720_405.png
Florida and Louisiana are basically composed of silt and sediment. The Western half of Nebraska gets hilly in a hurry but I-80 follows the Platte river valley so you don't notice it until you get west of Kearney. The flattest parts of Iowa are north and west of Fort Dodge.

I would have guessed West Virginia as the hilliest so I wasn't far off.
 
Thought I'd give this it's own thread, rather than contaminate the one on the free throw record.

Did ya ever notice...that the big magical, feel good and moving stories seem to come out of Iowa City. The ones that transcend Ws and Ls. Nile Kinnick, Chris Street, The 2004 season with all it's ups and downs ending with Tate-to-Holloway, The Wave, the JBo/Street free throw story... Not a lot of that kinda thing emanates from Story county.

Before some of you chime in with "what about the rhabdo incident and Pierce..." those kind of things do happen over there and other places. But the bigger than life feel good ones that end up in the National spotlight... seem to come out of Iowa City.

It's great to be a Hawkeye!

I don't know what you are getting at? Iowa State need a player to get killed in a car accident? Need to have a Children's Hospital with no medical college? The wave is a lot of good circumstances coming together to make a wonderful moment. I would have much rather have seen Chris Street live and see what would have happened on the court. Kinnnick could have had a political future. Tate-Holloway was absolute luck that lives in Hawkeye-lore. Ha ha take that Cyclone Nation....weird.
 
I love how people presume Iowa is flat as it is not. Actually, it's the 13th flattest state. Freaking Illinois is 3rd, Minny is 5th. Ironically, Nebby is ranked at 20.

lead_720_405.png

Interesting...I'm pretty sure I went skiing in Illinois when I was at Iowa. Galena? Is that right? I spent my first two years at Iowa drunk and stoned, but I'm pretty sure I went skiing in Illinois during that time. 3rd flattest state in America? Hmmm...seemed pretty steep considering the elevated awareness I was inducing.
 
At Jack Trice, you get to hear a tornado warning...which is interesting because it's usually a gentle breeze taking place. So they have that.
 
Interesting...I'm pretty sure I went skiing in Illinois when I was at Iowa. Galena? Is that right? I spent my first two years at Iowa drunk and stoned, but I'm pretty sure I went skiing in Illinois during that time. 3rd flattest state in America? Hmmm...seemed pretty steep considering the elevated awareness I was inducing.

"One hill in the state does not make the said state mountainous." -- famous quote
 
I don't know what you are getting at? Iowa State need a player to get killed in a car accident? Need to have a Children's Hospital with no medical college? The wave is a lot of good circumstances coming together to make a wonderful moment. I would have much rather have seen Chris Street live and see what would have happened on the court. Kinnnick could have had a political future. Tate-Holloway was absolute luck that lives in Hawkeye-lore. Ha ha take that Cyclone Nation....weird.

I didn't say they were all happy endings...but they are stories about exceptional people and events.

Street's loss was tragic, but the way he's remembered...and JBo's salute to him..is special.

Kinnick's loss was also tragic, who knows what heights he may have reached. But what he accomplished in a short life and the lasting imprint he made was exceptional.

The 2004 season was about more than just Tate-to-Holloway If you recall, the team and coaches fought through a lot of adversity that Fall. The miracle play itself was a testament to perseverance...as Holloway battled injuries throughout his career only to get the ultimate reward on his final play. Rudy-like stuff.

The Wave...what needs to be added? But it is worth mentioning that Iowa football had a special relationship with Children's hospital (including the Kid Captains) long before the new building went up.

Play buzz kill antagonist if you wish...I maintain Iowa City is a special place.
 
Nile Kinnick = Fought for his country
Jack Trice = Died playing the Minnesota Gophers.

No comparison.

I'm sure Jack Trice must have been pretty courageous to play as a black guy with and against all white teams in and era where racism was still strong and in which he was victimized by continuous racism, leading to his death on the field as a victim of racism. Kinda more to the story than that he just "Died playing the Minnesota Gophers".
 
Interesting...I'm pretty sure I went skiing in Illinois when I was at Iowa. Galena? Is that right? I spent my first two years at Iowa drunk and stoned, but I'm pretty sure I went skiing in Illinois during that time. 3rd flattest state in America? Hmmm...seemed pretty steep considering the elevated awareness I was inducing.
Anyone who can get to Chestnut Mountain (Galena's ski resort) deserves honorable mention. That road would give Blair Witch motion sickness.

Then combine that with the cheap thrills of East Dubuque at night. Made for many a lost weekend.
 
Interesting...I'm pretty sure I went skiing in Illinois when I was at Iowa. Galena? Is that right? I spent my first two years at Iowa drunk and stoned, but I'm pretty sure I went skiing in Illinois during that time. 3rd flattest state in America? Hmmm...seemed pretty steep considering the elevated awareness I was inducing.


Went skiing there many years ago and we stayed at the Bullfrog Inn and drank Bullfrog Beer. I brought a six pack home with me.....

:cool:
 

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