You love the Hawkeyes..but what's your story?

My dad took me to my first Iowa FB game when I was 7 years old, in 1962. I was hooked, right there.

We endured 19 losing seasons before Hayden came along. Just being with Dad at those games was so much fun, the winning and losing didn't matter.

Iowa football (and basketball) is about families getting together and enjoying themselves and the day. IT is special
 
Born and raised in Dubuque. Dad was a professor (and more) at Loras for 40 years. However, he first lived in Iowa City just after he graduated and worked his first teaching job there. For all Hawkeye basketball and football games growing up, the radio was tuned in to WMT 600 with Ron Gonder (Big Shoe). I miss him terribly. Been a Hawk fan since I remember (late 60's).
 
My parents helped run a concession stand at Kinnick for the Hawkeye Speed Skating Club in 71-74. They would give me and my brother a couple of dollars, and we would disappear for the entire game. I remember playing on the field after the games, and spending all game under the bleachers on the south end. We were 5 and 7 years old. Sweet times!! Go Hawks!
 
Funny you ask this because I went to ISU and get asked how I can be a hawk fan still.

Simple. I grew up 15 minutes from IC. Grandpa had season tickets to the games and went religiously as a child. Got to meet a lot of great football players from the Hayden era as well. Everyone in my family loved it. My younger brother did not miss a home game for 10 straight years. I even remember having to stop the tractor in the middle of the field to listen to the game and yell in excitement or disappointment during the games.

I was a hawk fan from birth. No changing that no matter how many years you spend at another university.
 
First, Hawk football on the radio with Dad; 1952, age 7, my first game at Iowa; studied the photo's in the Peach every week; grad student at Iowa starting in '68...season tickets; lived through the very worst. Also watched Ralph Miller's six pack with season BB tickets; loved the "Lute" years! Moved to Wisconsin in 1981; but, have never stopped being a Hawkeye (grew up in Rock Rapids, parents had summer home on Okoboji).
Remember when the announcement came over the radio and we said, "Hayden who?" Now retired for 5 years, with season football tickets, nearly all away games, + season mens' basketball tickets. Many Bowl games.

"Is this Heaven?" "No, its Iowa."
 
Both of my parents went to Iowa and one of my first hawkeye memories is watching Carson palmer beat brad banks in the heisman race. First iowa game i went to was in 2003 when i saw iowa beat michigan in 2003. Went to 9 games and the capital one bowl in 2004 and have been hooked ever since. Going to the great university of iowa right now!
 
I've been a Hawks fan as long as I can remember. Born to parents that were both huge sports and Hawks fans. My parents took me to football and basketball games even when I was a little tyke. I don't remember it, but have been told of my feverish cheering for Ronnie Harmon back in the day - 'Go Ronnie Go!' :) I do remember cheering for BJ and Roy playing hoops and going to games at Carver when Chris Street played. Have football season tickets now with my dad.
 
Grew up in tiny town of Moville, Ia by Sioux City. Born 1976 and a fan since birth. Family of Hawkeye fans. 6 kids, all Hawkeye fans. We all went to various colleges in the Ia/Mn/Ne area but regardless remained loyal to the Hawks !

Dad was a harcore fan and instilled that in all of us. He was an electrician by trade and I will never forget he had this bumper sticker on his electrical van "1985 Rose Bowl...We Shall Return"...even though we haven't...I know we will !

Due to scholarship attended a small state college in NE '94-'99, moved to Omaha in '99...needless to say it was tough to be a Hawkeye fan in fuskerland from '94-'99 but I wore the Black and Gold proudly. Married a husker fan, I still love her anyway....even have got her wearing Hawkeye gear sometimes ! I would give a months pay to win that game on 11/26 !

Go Hawks....till I die...and even after that !
 
Dad graduated from Iowa with a law degree in 1962. Listened with him to Frosty Mitchell (WMT-football) then of coarse Ron Gonder in the 70's & 80's.

I really had no choice in the matter. It was destined.
 
One day I was cruisin round the plains on my horse when I came upon a pack of coyotes attacking a wounded baby buffalo. The rest is history.
 
HawkeyeWalker said:
Grew up in tiny town of Moville, Ia by Sioux City. Born 1976 and a fan since birth. Family of Hawkeye fans. 6 kids, all Hawkeye fans. We all went to various colleges in the Ia/Mn/Ne area but regardless remained loyal to the Hawks !

Dad was a harcore fan and instilled that in all of us. He was an electrician by trade and I will never forget he had this bumper sticker on his electrical van "1985 Rose Bowl...We Shall Return"...even though we haven't...I know we will !

Due to scholarship attended a small state college in NE '94-'99, moved to Omaha in '99...needless to say it was tough to be a Hawkeye fan in fuskerland from '94-'99 but I wore the Black and Gold proudly. Married a husker fan, I still love her anyway....even have got her wearing Hawkeye gear sometimes ! I would give a months pay to win that game on 11/26 !

Go Hawks....till I die...and even after that !
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Cool story, but Iowa played in the 1991 Rose Bowl.
 
First game was in 1973, I've thrown snow balls at Archie Griffin and saw Matt Gatens Dad steal the baseball hat off Woody Hayes' head and out run the Ohio State trainers to the old Iowa Student section. I've yelled at Woody and Bo and Joe and witnessed wins over Nebraska Ohio State, Michigan and UCLA all from the greatest place on earth,Kinnick Statdium on a fall saturday.By my calculations I've been to over 200 home games at Kinnick.
 
I don't know about the other Iowa counties, but in Clinton County everyone is a Hawkeye fan by default. Non-Hawkeyes are rarer than non-whites, and that's saying something. My parents don't like watching sports at all, but yet watch the Hawkeyes. I really had no choice in the matter.

In addition to that, I am also an alumnus. So I'm better than all of you unwashed non-alumni. :p
 
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Listened to the Hawks on the radio in the early '60's and attended HS in Atlantic from fall of '64 when Eddie P first went to Iowa as a quarterback. If I remember correctly, he made a pretty successful switch to running back.
 
Grandpa and my dad are both big hawk fans. I've been a fan since before I can remember. Proof being a picture my dad has of him tailgating with me in one arm and a beer in his other. Once a hawkeye, always a hawkeye. Been going to every home game since before I could walk. I know more about Iowa football than I ever thought possible.
 
Junior in High School 1977 went to a friends house to watch Iowa and Iowa State renew some long lost rivalry. Everyone there except my best friend and I was rooting for ISU. Hawks win 12 - 10. He and I both went to Iowa after we graduated HS and then they hired this crazy Texan who was bigger than life. It was an easy walk to Kinnick and the Field House from the first floor of Slater. Wasn't too difficult to get hooked after that. Crazy thing was there was this silver haired guy coaching the basketball team that everyone loved which made it a great place to go to school. Lived in IC for 8 years after graduation and loved every minute of it. I was lucky enough to know and hang out with a ton of football and bb players back in those days.

Now my kids have to hear all those stories when we head over to football and bb games. I'm sure I'll be lucky enough that at least one of my three will go to school there.
 
One day when I was a kid and not paying attention to what was on TV, my dad, who wasn't the overly emotional type, seemed to jump 10 feet off the couch, almost hitting his head on the ceiling - overjoyed. I later found out, that was Lute Olson's Iowa team and the shot against Georgetown. Watching Hawkeye basketball on TV became a ritual after that.

And, years later, I got to see "the kick" in person. Seeing that football sail through the uprights right in front of me is an image that's burned in my brain forever. (!!!!!!!!)
 
ColoradoHAWKEYE said:
I grew up in a cyclone family. went to every home game growing up, iowa was not doing so well and was never a thought. I was in college at U of south dakota playing ball myself, but injuries forced me to rethink after two years.

sooo...the life changing event was going to the 1981 Rose Bowl. 50000+ passionate Iowa fans. I transfered that fall based on that experience and the iowa curriculum, having never been to IC, ever. Fell immediately in love with IC and Hawkeyes and have never looked back.

My brother growing up in the same clone family, followed me to Iowa, even in spite of our grandfather willing to help pay his education to anywhere else but there. He still came and we were both pretty much disowned from that side of family for a few years. We both bleed black and gold.

The large Hawkeye fan base in Colorado after graduation only instilled that loyalty. our dad now watches hawk games with passion as well, but he is still isu fan first.
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Grew up in Chicago area, son of NW alums. One of my sisters was a pom-pom girl at NW, and my little brother and I spent our youth playing one-on-one football int he front yard. I was always Northwestern. He was "all-star team". Lived/breathed NW until age 12, when I saw UNDERDOG Iowa, Qb-ed by Butch Caldwell, "upset" NW. IOWA, for some reason, became "second favorite team".

Junior year of high school went on Midwest college tour with parents. Knew after 15 minutes I wanted to go to IOWA.

Fast-forward to junior year at IOWA where, living around the corner from me, was ColoradoHawkeye! Roomed with ColoradoHawkeye and The Beast at the Dog House that following summer. Did some crazy stuff (we have both settled down, of course!). I attended his wedding, he attended mine.

We now text-and-call every Saturday in the fall, as well as intermittently throughout the rest of the year. We got mildly giddy before and after The Catch, agonized over Stanzi's injury in 2009 and b*tched and moaned through the second half of last season.
 
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