Saturday, Saturday - Trophy Time.....and more help needed

We had to say goodbye to all our friends at the Eagles Club convention at the Embassy Suites Airport on Saturday. Those folks were quite friendly at breakfast and in the elevator, ya'll. We picked up Jud and Kara and headed out late that morning - Kara had an appointment for a brewery tour with her girlfriends. Jud, Paul and I were on a mission to eat some barbecue.

While we were en route to West Port to drop Kara off, we received a call from Paul's sister Jean. I was shocked and sad to hear that Jean's husband Dave had taken a fall during his walk on the beautiful trail where they live in Webster City. He'd been alone and wasn't found right away - so no one is quite sure what happened. He has a head injury and was life flighted to Mercy here in DSM. I was glad to hear that Jean's daughter Annette from Minnesota and Paul's sis Carol were both with them. Dave was not yet conscious at that time but I'm glad to report he is better today (Sunday).

It's likely he'll have some rehab ahead of him though - so again I'm asking for your thoughts and prayers. You did well with my Uncle Bill, so I'm counting on you again dear readers. Thanks. We hope Jean will stay with us during the next week or so as Dave recovers and moves out of ICU and into a regular room. Rumor has it daughter Peg may even head this way next.

So with that in mind (puts everything into perspective of course) back to the KC story...
Oklahoma Joe's already boasted a line out the door by the time we arrived at 11:45 a.m.

Good thing is was a beautiful day! We waited over an hour to eat.

Ugly...but delish

Many Cyclones fans joined us in our barbecue mission. I took a guy's recommendation for the pulled pork sannie with cole slaw on it. "Best sandwich ever" he proclaimed! Paul and Jud had burnt ends.

We headed to the Plaza next - as I'd gotten a text from Paul's brother Kenny. They were in town visiting their daughter and Katie and fam. They were at the Cheesecake Factory. We walked by there and what do you know...of course we saw the whole fam dam. Blinded by the sun when trying to take pics all I got was this crappy one...

Paul with Albert and Baby J. My pic of Kenny and Mary was a video. Argh!

Next we tried to look up my high school homey Candice at J Crew. Alas she didn't seem to be working that afternoon. Next up....pep rally. With like 8,000 of our Clone friends.

Pep Selfie

Paul had picked up a ticket for me the night before - but offered to sit "solo" so I could experience the game with Jud. It was "priceless". First of all - randomly his seat turned out to be right next to his college buddy Paul. #smallworld    I sat next to a woman who was about 10 years older than I who grew up in Exira. #swiowa    Before the game, Jud said, "no matter what, this has been really fun - thanks!" Aww.

He and I are both nervous game watchers. That first 10 minutes weren't pretty. We were happy going into halftime to be only down 5. Okay not happy but it coulda been worse. It wasn't a pretty game. But the last few minutes the shots started dropping. Paul texted. We made free throws. Sweet victory! Jud hugged me. Twice. 

We ran into Stofferahns from Creston right outside the Sprint Center. High fives. Then it started to rain on our parade. Literally. By the time we hit the road it was pouring rain and windy. The temp was dropping. Our plans to drive all the way home were dashed when we heard it was snowing in DSM. We got a room in Cameron. I was asleep in a minute.


I could get used to this championship thing.

Jud was glad to hear we stopped - he was fretting about us driving in bad weather. He and Kara were partying in the Power and Light District (until 3 a.m. - way to represent the Cyclone Nation!). He texted later to say a woman named Julie stopped him to say "hi". Her name is Julie Stroud Kassel, my pal Vic's first college roomie at ISU - Shilling House in Maple. She recognized Jud from pictures in this very blog. That, my friends, is small ISU world. Hello Jules!

It was quite a weekend. I'm exhausted. #worthit

There goes Johnny

Photo thanks to Beth Nielsen - Johnny's statue at Hilton

I'm not sure when Cyclone fever gripped me. But I'm sure Johnny Orr had something to do with this evolution. Sure, I was a Cyclone fan when I was an ISU student. I went to football games, I cheered - I got a cardinal and gold cowboy hat! But I wasn't passionate (bleed cardinal and gold) like I am now.

Johnny passed away today, December 31 at the age of 86. It's like losing a distant uncle that I didn't really know very well. When I heard the news I teared up a bit. It's the end of an era. Paul and I just saw him at the ISU vs. Michigan game in November. He was invited back because he coached both teams at one time - in fact he is the most winning coach at each school. Johnny looked a bit frail at the game, but he came through and was out on the basketball floor pumping his fist to "Here's Johnny" the Tonight Show Theme, just like during his coaching days before the game started.

JO Tribute at the 12/31 basketball game

ISU's present coach, Fred Hoiberg - one of Johnny's former star players - said he wasn't sure Johnny was going to leave the floor before the game. He said, "I asked him if he wanted me to sit in his seat and he could coach." Finally Johnny's daughter collected him, and Fred got to the business of coaching. Johnny got to meet with Dick Vitale at the game, someone he "had words" with years ago.

Johnny Orr, the "National Coach of the Year" Michigan basketball coach, was hired at Iowa State the spring of my senior year. I'd never heard of the guy, though Paul had. I was off to start my new life in Sioux Falls S.D. I didn't know then how important ISU sports would continue to be in my life.

Meanwhile back at the ranch, Johnny slowly brought life back to the basketball program. I believe I went to exactly one men's basketball game during my time at ISU. And that was because my friend Jane Flack's brother gave us tickets. I was only interested because I had danced with 6 foot 10 inch player Dean Uthoff (he was from Cedar Rapids and someone from my dorm floor told him to ask me to dance) at Granddaddy's disco. So I was interested to see his moves on the basketball floor. But our team was pretty lousy and didn't sure generate any excitement, much less magic while I was in school.

When Johnny took over the ISU program, skill-wise - there was a long way to go. Johnny told it best. He said he went home after the first day of practice and told his wife "we aren't very good." He was always very honest. And profane. Ah a man after my own heart. Did he work at a landfill too? He also said something like "This coaching gig would be great, if not for those damn games."

At tonight's ISU basketball game, there was a tribute to Johnny. Link

My memories of Johnny are mostly from the times he came to Creston. There used to be Cyclone Outings where the coaches would come to town and play golf and then arrive at the Elks Club to wine and dine, and then speak about their programs. The great man, Arnie Betts was involved. Johnny was the king of these events. Paul and I would be sure to arrange for a babysitter for the kids because we ate it up!  Rubbing shoulders with coaches and other Cyclones fans - priceless! Most of the media types in town were Hawkeye fans. It was enjoyable to see them squirm a bit when Johnny got in some Hawkeye jabs. But it was all in good fun.

Johnny also got in some jabs - he had some big wins against the Hawks and others, including his former team Michigan. CycloneTV has been showing old games and I've seen the Iowa OT game with Lafester Rhodes, Missouri, Oklahoma State. Some crazy good games. Great players on both sides. Johnny Orr brought magic to Iowa State University basketball. Hilton Coliseum began to fill up and the crowds were loud - helping to defeat teams coming to play there.

I have enjoyed reading the Johnny stories. There are a million of them. He was great for ISU and a great Iowan. I loved that he stayed here after he retired. He was a rock star. There will never be another Johnny Orr. Go with God Johnny!