Cyclone Country

For those that made it too the game on Saturday, it was quite the day. It was good to see everyone who made it out to the tailgate. It had been a while since we had a real, die-hard, tons-of-food, EZ-Up tailgate, but Saturday was one of those days. Mike and I rolled into the lot at 2:00. The Rinehart 15-passenger van and Nate's Tahoe were close behind.

There's something special about the camaraderie of a good tailgate before a big game. Eating, tossing the football around, eating, lounging on lawn chairs, and eating some more. The smoke from a hundred grills wafting through the air, filling your nostrils with savory aromas. Cardinal-and-gold clad fans as far as the eye can see, and Jack Trice rising in the distance.

Saturday brought a new wrinkle to the mix with Tornadoes joining the party. Unusual for November, but a strong system moved through Iowa and brushed Ames too. We were tracking its progress nervously on the radio and wondering what to do when cops started urging the crowd to take shelter. We made our way to the Vet Med area and stood next to a brick building while watching the sky. No twister sightings for us, but it was exciting.

By the time the game started, the crowd was buzzing from the events of the day and ready to go crazy. It was a great game, and the Clones pulled out a huge victory over the Buffs. Big Brent Curvey intercepted a pass and rumbled 66 yards for a touchdown to win the game for Iowa State in dramatic fashion. Everyone was going crazy and it had to be one of the best moments I have had at Jack Trice.

Great tailgate, great game, great day to be a Cyclone!