Go Hawks!

Friends, I take full credit for the Iowa Hawkeyes trouncing the Illinois State Redbird 40-0 during the first week of the College Football season.

You see, the game was 6-0 at the end of the first half. It appeared that, as usual, the Iowa Hawkeyes offense was as dynamic as a lump of coal. But then I turned to my son Samson who was attending his first football game. You see, he’d turned 9 in August and his presents included two tickets to the Hawkeye season opener. One for him. One for your humble author.

“Do you want to go down to the field, Samson?” I asked my son.

His eyes got wide.

***

I don’t have much influence in this world, kind reader. I’m but a humble Associate Professor of English Education at a public, midwestern university. Still, I pulled on some of the levers available to me so that Samson and I could take the field at the Hawkeyes season opener.

Amongst other things, the kind folks at Kinnick stadium were celebrating educators during the contest against the Illinois State Redbirds. Therefore, the College of Education was invited to gather educators from around the state and take the field to wave at the 70,000 people packed into the stadium. I pleaded with the Associate Dean and, due to his kindness, was put on the list to take the field directly after halftime with Samson. I am, after-all, an educator.

Samson and I left our nosebleed seats that, incidentally, have convinced me that my fear of heights from childhood has returned with a vengeance. Dizzy doesn’t begin to describe the way I experienced that football game. We were hanging over a railing for hours. Anyway, we braved the purgatory of the concourse. Wall-to-wall people. And I’m not hyperbolizing. Finally, we found the entrance to the field. My name was on the list and, suddenly, Samson and I were on the sidelines near the endzone.

“This is pretty cool, isn’t it Samson?” I asked.

He beamed as 70,000 people looked down on us.

***

The Iowa Hawkeyes were driving towards us. They were on the twenty as we stepped out of the tunnel with about 10 other teachers.

“Can I jump into the huddle?” I asked the security guard. He smiled politely. His smile said no. But then I did anyway. Here’s a picture of me telling the boys to stop sucking so much at offense:

The look on my face inspired the Hawks just as much as it inspired you just now, kind reader. The Hawkeyes scored and never looked back. 34 points later, I was surprised they didn’t immediately build a statue of me outside of Kinnick.

After the touchdown, I stood on the goal line and waved at the fine people of Iowa. Samson was on the sideline beaming. Then we returned to our nosebleed seats, I battled my fear of heights, and the Hawkeyes put the game away.

Sure, I was red as a fire hydrant by the time the game was done. The sun was scorching and burned my nose and my knees. Of all places. Still, it was worth it. I’d inspired the Hawkeyes and, in many ways, led them to victory. In front of my 9-year-old son, nonetheless. It was exactly like the movie Rudy, other than it was nothing like the moving Rudy.

Here are a few more pictures to document Samson’s and my glory: