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Your first exposure to ISU BB?

F5cy

F5cy

Well-Known Member
May 1, 2011
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Washington, D.C.
I was raised in a Cyclone household, so my first exposure to Iowa State basketball (that I can remember) was seeing the ISU v. Michigan game in 1986 on TV. The first game I attended was a game vs. K-State, but I can't remember what year that may have been.

With the team on the rise again, I hope we can start to usher in some new fans, but what was your first experience with ISU basketball and what made you a fan?


[video=youtube;zW6VXp3IjSU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zW6VXp3IjSU[/video]
 
I'm a bit younger (sophomore at ISU) but I can remember watching Sullivan sinking bombs from what felt like half court. I can also remember the Michigan State game in the NCAA tournament but only vaguely. Sullivan was probably the first Iowa State athlete that I knew his name, wanted his jersey, etc. And so my fanaticism began
 
Growing up in northern Iowa, I recall only hearing the Iowa BB games on the radio. ISU may have been on, but not on a station I normally listened to I guess.

My first Iowa State game was the first game in Hilton. I was one of the first ushers/concession workers hired when the building opened. I was at every Iowa State game for the next 11 years, working at the Iowa State Center, but never actually was able to sit down and watch one. When I got home after working the game, WOI would have a re-broadcast of the game at 10:30 after the nightly news, and I would always watch those, which drove my roommates nuts.
 
Floyd years are my earliest memories. I'm 24. I vividly remember watching the Elite Eight run. First game was in 2003 or 2004 and we beat Mizzou at home. I have the program book at home signed by the starters. Sullivan, Jefferson, Vroman, and I think Homan. Can't remember the 5th guy. Omar something?
 
Mine was my freshman year, 1981. We were not very good, but did beat Kansas twice that season. Falenschek (sp?) the Lumbering Lumberjack was our center. I think it was Barry Stevens' freshman year.


Barry lived on my buddy's dorm floor. One day he was walking down the hall, with a hitch in his step. My buddy says, "Did you hurt yourself in practice Barry?" He says, "Naw man, I'm just walkin' this way."
 
The 2000 run, I was 9 in hok country and that was the first time I noticed them as anything more than a team from what seemed like a long ways away.
 
My high school basketball team attended a clinic at Iowa State - late 60's/early 70's. We got to attend the Cyclone game in the Armory at the end of the day. I do not even remember who we played, just remember how loud it got when people started stamping their feet on the bleachers.
 
I was a basketball fan from early in life as my father played high school and encouraged my brother and myself. Grew up in hawk country (NE Iowa). Bought my first ISU season tickets in 1973-1974. Hilton was still new and advertised how many bales of hay or bushels of corn it could hold. Maury John, Ken Tricky, and Lynn Nance were the first ISU coaches I can recall. Big Dean Uthoff was the first great ISU player I remember. We used to go to games, 5 minutes before tipoff and sit anywhere we wanted to in the parkay seats in Hilton. Several years we were just plain bad. Johnny changed some of that. :smile:
 
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I can't remember the first TV game I saw but I remember the first game I saw in person. It was ISU vs. K-State and the Wildcats wore pink shorts. No joke. Paul Bean hit a half-court shot.
 
Well, this is going to make me old on here, but I remember first hearing radio broadcasts of ISU basketball on WHO (Zippermouth Zabel) in the 60s. The Bill Cain teams were my first to pay attention to. One season, they kept winning overtime games at the Armory. Team developed a "don't worry coach...we got this" type of attitude.

I also listened to Drake and Hawk basketball games at that time. Have to admit, Hawks had a great team in 69 (IIRC) - Great passing, run & gun team that went undefeated in Big 10. Ralph Miller was the coach. Lost a heartbreaker to Jacksonville in the NCAA tournament. Downtown Freddie Brown...

Also really enjoyed Maury John's teams at Drake. Esp. the 68 (?) team that faced UCLA and Lew Alcindor in the Final Four. I think it was Willie Wise (6' 6") who blocked one of Alcindor's shots late in the game. Great athlete and leaper. I think Drake lost by four points in the end. Put Maury John on the coaching talent map nationally. He did a great job with JUCOs for the next few years. Too bad he didn't have longer to build at ISU.

Even though ISU was not good until Orr came, I listened to their games regularly on radio - even the terrible Ken Tricky years. I guess I was (and still am) a basketball junkie - esp. ISU. The successes at Drake and UI always gave me hope ISU could get there too.

Go Cyclones!
 
I grew up in eastern Iowa, so I was not familiar with ISU sports much at all. After much deliberation I picked ISU engineering school over Purdue. Later that day I watched the Clones beat Iowa 98-84. The Mayor was a Freshman, and Johnny was coaching. Never regretted my choice of schools. Been a die hard ISU BB fan ever since. And that was even before I got to experience Hilton Magic in person.
 
When I went to college, basketball was tough to get interested in, and wrestling was king, football was thriving. I went to a few games but had little interest. Dean Uthoff was playing and I don't remember the rest of the names. I see that his nephew or cousin is going to transfer to Iowa, Jarrod Uthoff.
 
I honestly cant remember when I went to my first iowa state bball game. But I do know my mom was very pregnant with me at the 1992 iowa state vs nebraska (marv seiler game) shortly after I was born. So I like to think that was my first cyclone experience
 
Another thing I remember is they hired Pete Taylor from the local TV station to do the radio broadcasts of the games. Several students were worried he was just a hawk as he had his degree from Iowa. Good thing we did not have social media back then. It would have been ugly. Pete overcame his lack of proper schooling and was truly special.
 
lakewoodcy said:
I also listened to Drake and Hawk basketball games at that time. Have to admit, Hawks had a great team in 69 (IIRC) - Great passing, run & gun team that went undefeated in Big 10. Ralph Miller was the coach. Lost a heartbreaker to Jacksonville in the NCAA tournament. Downtown Freddie Brown...

Also really enjoyed Maury John's teams at Drake. Esp. the 68 (?) team that faced UCLA and Lew Alcindor in the Final Four. I think it was Willie Wise (6' 6") who blocked one of Alcindor's shots late in the game. Great athlete and leaper. I think Drake lost by four points in the end. Put Maury John on the coaching talent map nationally. He did a great job with JUCOs for the next few years. Too bad he didn't have longer to build at ISU.
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In those years, it was hard to listen to anything else. My dad was an ISU alum, but he would go for Iowa, or Drake in those days and I can remember watching those games that you spoke of. My dad was also a good basketball player in his day, and taught his kids to love the game.
 
Dryburn said:
My first Iowa State game was the first game in Hilton. I was one of the first ushers/concession workers hired when the building opened. I was at every Iowa State game for the next 11 years, working at the Iowa State Center, but never actually was able to sit down and watch one. When I got home after working the game, WOI would have a re-broadcast of the game at 10:30 after the nightly news, and I would always watch those, which drove my roommates nuts.
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What year was that? I came after Hilton opened but it wasn't that old. The whole complex there glittered, I remember C.Y. Stephens. I thought I was in some kind of place, the carpet was so thick and nice. Okay, I looked it up, 71, and I went to school there in 75. You are about the age of my next older brother.
 
80s- too young to pay a ton of attention, but I remember that dad was always in the kitchen listening on the Radio. Pete Taylor and Dad cusing Pasta (big Vic Alexander) and Pigpen (Thigpen, I thought Pete called him Pigpen).
or we would be sitting on his knees right by the TV and hitting the ground.

90s- Dad took me to my First ISU game @ Creighton. Loren Meyer stuffed it on the first play of the game.
The oldtimer behind me says "Good God, Meyers going to have more dunks tonight, that a cop in a coffee shop"...will always remember that quote.
-Meyer/Hoiberg/Mickalk....in the NCAA tourney
Really started watching the Clones early in HS. Kenny Pratt and Cato, and Bankhead on Def. That was saturday Afternoons with Dad.

-First Game at Hilton: Feb 1996. Willouby and gang beat a good Oklahoma Team. Jacy Holloway hit two clutch 3s to ice the game. Jacy's probably my fav ISU player ever since.

-Freshman Year at ISU was Eustacey's first year. 15-15 record; but we know we had something special with Nurse, Fizer, and a redshirting transfer in Horton. Nurse got hit by a Car crossing Lincoln Way. Had a huge bandage on his head. Wasn't going to play the following night vs Something Tech St; but with ISU down by 10 in the second half.
Nurse was thrown in the game. Right away started banging down DEEP 3s. Ended up with about 20 pts/ 4-3pts in about 15min of playing time in the second half. Hilton was LOUD.

Soph/Junior year in Ames....99-01...WOW. I didn't miss a game. Walked from MWL to Hilton for every game.
Fizer Dunk'd on Mihm..............FUN YEARS.

Season ticket holder once graduated

No longer get season tickets with small kids.

So, Now I am the dad that sits on my knees on the floor infront of the TV. High 5s for my 3yearold for some 3pts; and thrown remotes and all.
 
I'm fairly young as well (senior at ISU) and vaguely remember the Sullivan/Fizer/Tinsley years. I started closely following during the Wayne Morgan era.
 
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