It wasn’t long ago that my dad gathered up all of his Iowa Hawkeye gear, threw it in a box and sent it to my uncle whose daughter now bears the black and gold.

My dad, in fact my whole family, used to be Iowa fans.

We didn’t switch over until the early 1990s, when my oldest brother, the first of three Iowa Staters, began attending Iowa State.

So needless to say, we have learned to embrace the Iowa-Iowa State rivalry weekend, making it the topic of discussion weeks beforehand and a frickin’ household holiday the day of the game.

Way back when, my dad would hang his Hawkeye flag and we would all put on our Iowa clothes and invite a bunch of Hawkeye fans over and maybe one or two Cyclone fans to poke fun of.

Nowadays it’s the same situation except the Moss family and friends don Cyclone colors and we ridicule our friends and relatives that are Hawkeye fans.

The funny thing is, I never remember the games; rather I remember the rivalry and the fun that goes along with that.

But in order to truly relish an Iowa rivalry weekend, there a few things I recommend to make it the memorable experience you can tell your kids about.

Or not tell them about.

The first thing to always remember is that you must talk as much smack as possible.

Whether it’s before the game, during the game, after the game or even all year round, talk smack to any and every Iowa fan you can find.

You can bring up the fact that Iowa State has won the last four games against Iowa.

Or you can mention the legal troubles Iowa players have gone though.

And don’t forget last week’s game when the Hawks were barely able to beat Miami of Ohio.

Another way to really get the best out of this weekend is to gather up a bunch of Iowa and Iowa State fans and play your own football game.

Whether you play tackle or touch, the game isn’t a success unless there is at least one injury on both sides – preferably from a late hit or deliberate trip.

Each team will probably need a 300-pounder to help make things more enjoyable.

The winner of this game can have their own bragging rights no matter how the real game turns out. Just keep an eye out for those damn cheating Iowa fans.

Sticking with the same idea of fans versus fans, a rivalry weekend is never complete without a keg race.

Simply plop a keg down in front of each group of fans and go to town. The first with an empty keg throws it in the direction of the other fans, and you’ve got yourself a winner.

This is great because Iowa fans think they can out-drink anyone. They’re usually wrong.

I’m proud to say that the drinking ability of Iowa State fans is way underrated.

This kind of activity can be dangerous, so there are some things to remember for the event.

You must mentally prepare yourself. Get lots of sleep before hand and make sure you eat lots of the good food that will be around during the day.

If you haven’t already, try incorporating these things into your rivalry weekend. But keep in mind, it is all meant for good fun. If things ever get out of hand and become violent or dangerous, check the maturity levels of everyone.

You may not like the Hawks or their fans, but they are just supporting their team just like you.

As a disclaimer, I must add that I am not responsible for any injuries or medical conditions that may occur at any time during your events.

Oh, and make sure you play the football game before the keg race – otherwise things could get ugly.

Kyle

Moss

is a senior in journalism and mass communication from Urbandale.