Half of me agrees completly, the other half has Fred so built up I want to and maybe choose to believe the BS.
I was a diehard Cyclone basketball fan through 2005 then my career changed and became very busy. 05' brought a couple of unexpected family deaths, I got married and in in 06' had a 10 week premature son that made me a NICU regular for 2 months during time I would have watched the Cyclones. By the time my second son came during the 07-08 season I had mostly trimmed the Cubs and Cyclone basketball out of my life catching the occasional game if I came across it was pretty much just football for me. By 2009-10 I couldn't name a player.
When they hired Fred I was instantly engaged again. Fred was my favorite player when I was in Jr. High and High School. I even watched a lot of his early NBA career. Hence, I watched every game in 2010-11 and went to most of them with my then 4 year old son buying one of the ticket packs they used to offer. He is 8 now and hasn't missed a Cyclone Basketball game (except the big Monday ones he fell asleep for
it is kind of our thing. When he was 5 he got really sick, underwent chemo and couldn't go to games or really leave the house because he was so immune suppressed but never missed one. He isn't a big football fan (doesn't really get it) but he refused to be one of Kirk's kid captains because they wouldn't let him wear an ISU jersey at the game (he went to U of I hospitals for treatment), he is a diehard and loyal Cyclone because of Fred. When he finished his treatment and got the all clear and we went to Dayton for the tourney he chose this over Disney World. The 2 years he was getting treatment Cyclone basketball, Royce White, Chris Babb, Fred and company gave him something to look forward to, hope, distraction and enjoyment. It gave us something we could share too. For that I will be eternally grateful.
He told me last week his dream was to be a scientist and play basketball for the Cyclones and asked how he could do what Fred did (be a ball boy etc.) because he wanted to be like Fred. Given all this and how much Cyclone basketball has meant to us. I was bracing on how to tell him Fred was likely leaving because I knew he would be crushed, it has really been a special ride for us. Hell at age 6 he used Fred's loyalty to convince me not to move to Michigan.
Anyway, I told him last night and to my suprise he was fine with it. He said "I know, Caleb told me at school yesterday. He is going to the Bulls, now we will have two teams to cheer for!" I smiled and said "I guess we will".
Sorry for the long winded diatribe but as he often does he gave me a little perspective. Fred is a guy that has his own kids and own dreams and wants what's best for them the same way I do. He has given us a lot and I will forever be grateful despite the emotions I may feel. So for me and my son Fred is still our guy and always will be and now I get to spend more time with my son watching another team. At the end of the day that is really what it is all about.
