Teams
Forum List
Toggle sidebar

Blog on ISU fandom

3TrueFans said:
It's a silly notion to think you are just a "fan" if you didn't go to Iowa State. Or that being an alum automatically makes people have a deeper connection to the athletics program. There are going to be great fans that never stepped foot in an ISU classroom same as there are going to be people who went here for 4+ years of school and still root for their hometown team, or jump on the bandwagon of whatever is hot at the moment.

Being an alumni is certainly one way that people come to be true supporters of Iowa State, or any school for that matter, but it's hardly the only way.
Click to expand...
Yep, I never went to college and never plan on it because I got a great job right out of high school. I buy season tickets for football and someday basketball. I donate as much as I can to Cyclone Club. I have been a fan through good times and A LOT of the bad times. To hear someone even say that I am only an average fan because I didnt go to ISU is very sad.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: weR138
3TrueFans said:
It's a silly notion to think you are just a "fan" if you didn't go to Iowa State. Or that being an alum automatically makes people have a deeper connection to the athletics program. There are going to be great fans that never stepped foot in an ISU classroom same as there are going to be people who went here for 4+ years of school and still root for their hometown team, or jump on the bandwagon of whatever is hot at the moment.

Being an alumni is certainly one way that people come to be true supporters of Iowa State, or any school for that matter, but it's hardly the only way.
Click to expand...

Did you read the blog? She would agree with all of this. Its not meant to undermine the fanhood of people who never went, but its certainly a different connection. Not better, bigger, worse, whatever, just different. I know damn well that people from the cities of the pro teams I root for are going to have a certain connection to the team that I just can't experience without being from there. It doesn't offend me and I don't feel like less of a fan. I'm a Vikings fan, but I'm not and never will be a Minnesotan.

She isn't saying that non-alums can't be true supporters.
 
Al_4_State said:
Did you read the blog? She would agree with all of this. Its not meant to undermine the fanhood of people who never went, but its certainly a different connection. Not better, bigger, worse, whatever, just different. I know damn well that people from the cities of the pro teams I root for are going to have a certain connection to the team that I just can't experience without being from there. It doesn't offend me and I don't feel like less of a fan. I'm a Vikings fan, but I'm not and never will be a Minnesotan.

She isn't saying that non-alums can't be true supporters.
Click to expand...
Well, that's exactly what she's saying. Non-alums can't be "Cyclones", only "fans". Fans aren't as reputable because they didn't wake up at 8am for some BS class, or go campaniling (sp?).
 
Al_4_State said:
Did you read the blog? She would agree with all of this. Its not meant to undermine the fanhood of people who never went, but its certainly a different connection. Not better, bigger, worse, whatever, just different. I know damn well that people from the cities of the pro teams I root for are going to have a certain connection to the team that I just can't experience without being from there. It doesn't offend me and I don't feel like less of a fan. I'm a Vikings fan, but I'm not and never will be a Minnesotan.

She isn't saying that non-alums can't be true supporters.
Click to expand...
I haven't read the whole thing yet but i did start to read it and it seems to be disrespectful to "fans". Here is a paragraph from it that made me mad!!!!


Being a “fanâ€￾ shouldn’t be convenient or based off a winning percentage. It should be tried & true love – which is why there is a difference between being a “fanâ€￾ & being a (insert school’s mascot here). As a __________, you are tied to that university. You can’t jump ship ever; it helps that you have the school loans to prove it.
 
Ry4Cy said:
Yep, I never went to college and never plan on it because I got a great job right out of high school. I buy season tickets for football and someday basketball. I donate as much as I can to Cyclone Club. I have been a fan through good times and A LOT of the bad times. To here someone even say that I am only an average fan because I didnt go to ISU is very sad.
Click to expand...

Thanks for doing this and thanks for being a fan.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ry4Cy
3TrueFans said:
Well, that's exactly what she's saying. Non-alums can't be "Cyclones", only "fans". Fans aren't as reputable because they didn't wake up at 8am for some BS class, or go campaniling (sp?).
Click to expand...

My interpretation was along this line as well. I didn't get the impression she was saying just different.

It was still a nice piece, even though I don't see the point in distinguishing between "Cyclones" and "fans." I value the "fandom" of anyone who didn't attend ISU just as much as someone who did, all else being equal. If we're on here, we pretty much have one thing in common...we cheer for I-S-U!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ry4Cy
Ry4Cy said:
I haven't read the whole thing yet but i did start to read it and it seems to be disrespectful to "fans". Here is a paragraph from it that made me mad!!!!


Being a “fanâ€￾ shouldn’t be convenient or based off a winning percentage. It should be tried & true love – which is why there is a difference between being a “fanâ€￾ & being a (insert school’s mascot here). As a __________, you are tied to that university. You can’t jump ship ever; it helps that you have the school loans to prove it.
Click to expand...

I think Al's right with how that was meant to be interpreted. If she would have just wrote "if" instead of "that" in the last sentence it would have been a lot clearer. You don't have to attend the university to be a true Cyclone, but it probably is the most obvious way to form that kind of deep emotional bond.
 
  • Like
Reactions: VeloClone
MNCyGuy said:
I think Al's right with how that was meant to be interpreted. If she would have just wrote "if" instead of "that" in the last sentence it would have been a lot clearer. You don't have to attend the university to be a true Cyclone, but it probably is the most obvious way to form that kind of deep emotional bond.
Click to expand...
Another comment she made....

In the hierarchy of collegiate athletic love, a “fan” is automatically less reputable.


I wonder if she cried when Woody crossed the goal line on November 18, 2011
 
Last edited:
Ry4Cy said:
I wonder if she cried when Woody crossed the goal line on November 18, 2011
Click to expand...

Actually, she did, FWIW. :cool: Did you?

I don't think she intended to specifically offend anyone (except Hawkeye fans, maybe). I'm sure she wishes all ISU fans had the experiences and connections with ISU that she had. I'm sure she'd welcome any new ISU fans, as long as they are knowledgeable decent people who are not the antithesis of bandwagoner Tavern Hawks.
 
isukendall said:
Actually, she did, FWIW. :cool: Did you?

I don't think she intended to specifically offend anyone (except Hawkeye fans, maybe). I'm sure she wishes all ISU fans had the experiences and connections with ISU that she had. I'm sure she'd welcome any new ISU fans, as long as they are knowledgeable decent people who are not the antithesis of bandwagoner Tavern Hawks.
Click to expand...
I did. And maybe she didn't intend for it but she says that she thinks Alumni are better then "fans"...and I take offense to that because that is not always the case!!!!
 
I agree with those saying just because you graduated from ISU doesn't make you a better, more emotionally attached fan. I am an alum of ISU and proud of it.

Is my dad -- converted from being a Hawk, albeit just a "fan" of the Hawks -- any less of a Cyclone fan just because he didn't attend ISU? A 6-year football season ticket holder and NCC member, makes it to one road game a yeard, proudly displays an ISU flag, attends VEISHEA, brings indifferent people to games and then brings them back again because they're hooked...I could go on and on. I know plenty of people who give more to NCC, attend more games, and know more about the current teams than some former students I know.

If I wanted to take this a step farther, I could say that alumni and non-alumni are "fans" but those who were student-athletes are the "true" Cyclones. They shed blood, sweat, and tears for several years, with a total of probably 6-8 truly "off" weeks per year with no sanctioned workouts, practices, film study, games, etc. Clearly they have a different, stronger emotional connection to the players who have stepped into their shoes whether on the practice squad or in the starting line-up.

But that would be ridiculous IMO. Athletes, students, alumni, non-alumni. All who support ISU are Cyclones.
 
Discaimer: I attended school out of state and am fiercely loyal to my alma matter but am an ISU "fan" in the making.

I thought she sounded a lot like an Iowa grad. What she really said was that the only real college experience is the ISU experience and nothing else compares. That is how Hawks talk all the time - I've been listening to it for 25 years, believe me.

The truth is that a school does not define an individual or her loyalties or her enthusiasm. The author is probably proud of the diverse backgrounds of her friends from school but is quick to dismiss the underqualified melting pot of supporters that make up the rest of the Cyclone Nation. She needs to think more Clones, less Borg.
 
Vicarious said:
Discaimer: I attended school out of state and am fiercely loyal to my alma matter but am an ISU "fan" in the making.

I thought she sounded a lot like an Iowa grad. What she really said was that the only real college experience is the ISU experience and nothing else compares. That is how Hawks talk all the time - I've been listening to it for 25 years, believe me.

The truth is that a school does not define an individual or her loyalties or her enthusiasm. The author is probably proud of the diverse backgrounds of her friends from school but is quick to dismiss the underqualified melting pot of supporters that make up the rest of the Cyclone Nation. She needs to think more Clones, less Borg.
Click to expand...
no, you missed it ........ she nailed it!!! There is something very special about being an ISU alum and you cannot understand.
 
I'm going to agree with a lot of what people have said. I was born and raised in Ames, but didn't end up going to Iowa State. I feel comfortable saying that doesn't relegate me to being "just a fan." People who didn't graduate from Iowa State, but cheer on the Cyclones are hardly bandwagon jumpers. Seriously - Iowa State would hardly be the school to choose for bandwagon-jumping. My wife is an alumna of Iowa State, but will only sit down and watch a game if I'm watching it. She's more of a Cyclone than I am???

Do people who graduated from Iowa State feel a special connection to the school and its teams? Undoubtedly - it would be ridiculous to argue otherwise. However, graduating from a school hardly makes someone "All-In" for the athletic teams or for the school as a whole.
 
rebecacy said:
no, you missed it ........ she nailed it!!! There is something very special about being an ISU alum and you cannot understand.
Click to expand...
Nobody is discounting the fact that the college experience is an important one, but to say that it automatically makes you a better fan than someone who didn't attend is just not true.
 
3TrueFans said:
Nobody is discounting the fact that the college experience is an important one, but to say that it automatically makes you a better fan than someone who didn't attend is just not true.
Click to expand...
I agree but graduating gives you a very special choice that only graduates get to make.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Help Support Us

Become a patron
Top Bottom
Back