On the Side | Brad Hicks

Some time Monday night, after the paper was in the delivery van, and after my bride had given up the day, you would have found me in a chair before the TV in our living room, captivated by an event that’s happened just twice in my life.

When my alma mater, Iowa State, stunned the college football world on Saturday, winning at third-ranked Oklahoma, I had a front row seat with the radio in my office and a stack of work on my desk. While I gave thought to going home to watch the end of it, my Cyclone-ness won out. The last thing I wanted to do was change something that was working, and later assume blame for turning what could have been a historic victory into another gut-wrenching defeat.

Iowa State beat Oklahoma in the falls of 1960 and 1961. I was born in December 1961. ISU won in 1990, and then on Saturday. Oh, I’ve witnessed lots of close calls, and Alex Giffords, who missed four field goals in a 7-7 tie in 1981, lived on my dorm floor. Painful is an understatement.

While I was there for Wide Rights – Missouri and Alabama versions – and other awful losses, I’ve seen great wins over Okie State, Nebraska and Iowa. But I doubt any was sweeter than the TiVO’d win I watched last night. You ’Clones know what I mean.

Contact Brad Hicks at publisher@redoakexpress.com.