A recent issue of ESPN the Magazine featured a section of 99 things true sports fans should do before they die. Inspired, I decided to make a list of things that true sports fans at Iowa State should do before they die — I mean, before they leave Iowa State.

I couldn’t think of 99, but I did manage to make a list of 14 (fourteen?). I decided to avoid the obvious, like going to Cyclone basketball (men’s and women’s) and football games, but I included many Cyclone-related activities.

However, by no means is the list restricted to Cyclone-things. So here it goes, in no particular order:

1. Go to an I-Cubs game.

You’ll get to see some of the best baseball short of Yankee Stadium, but without anybody flipping the finger to the fans, nailing you with uppercuts, or any of that major-league attitude.

Everybody is playing as hard as they can for a chance at the big leagues. You’ll see tremendous young talents like Kerry Wood, who was there until the beginning of this year, as well as some major-league veterans who are rehabbing or trying for a second chance.

2. Watch a Cyclone swim meet.

The sleek, athletic bodies slicing through the pool bidding to do their best for the cardinal and gold. What could be more inspiring?

Swimming is a sport that requires incredible amounts of training and conditioning, and it can be rewarding to see the final product — especially if it ends with a swimmer in a Cyclone suit touching the end of the pool before anyone else. And more often than not, that’s what you’ll see.

3. Take part in the Tour de Iowa (take a ride for a while in RAGBRAI).

This is a festival of cycling and small-town Iowa. The tour always cuts through central Iowa, so join them and ride. Enjoy the camaraderie of the bikers and the hospitality of the people in the towns you ride through.

4. Go to an Iowa State Softball game.

On a warm summer day, what could be better than going to see hot softball action played by some of the most intense competitors you’ll see on the diamond?

Iowa State’s pitchers were near perfect for most of last season, and hopefully this season the offense can back them up.

5. Play intramural Broomball at Iowa State.

This is something ISU has established a serious notoriety for. We’re talking coverage in Sports Illustrated. All right, so SI doesn’t publish the standings every week, but it did make a mention of it as one of the more unique intramural sports offered by a university.

6. Watch the Iowa-Iowa State Wrestling Meet.

A festival of college wrestling like no other, it’s always important for pride and for rankings when these two national powerhouses square off.

Though the Cyclones haven’t broken through in a while, they’ve come close the last few times.

7. Watch an Iowa State Hockey Game.

The men are a powerhouse, and the women are on their way. It gets loud, but not loud enough to drown out the good-natured chants about the referees. They crash, they bang, they score a lot too!

8. Buy a Quad City River Bandits T-shirt.

One of the best selling minor league teams in terms of merchandise, this single-A team in Davenport has a logo of a baseball with a bandanna on. It may not sound cool, but it is.

9. Go to an Iowa State soccer game.

This is a program on the rise, and it’ll be fun to see if they can continue their success of last year. Hopefully they will, and hopefully they’ll beat Iowa again as well.

Also, maybe you can develop an appreciation of soccer, so when the next World Cup comes around, you will not attempt to find Arena Football instead.

Gooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaalllllllllll!!!!!!

10. Get a haircut at Monty’s barbershop.

As I’ve mentioned in a previous column, this is the place for a sports fan’s haircut. None of this “stylist” stuff, Monty personally gives everybody a solid, no-nonsense haircut plus some of the latest sports news and views.

11. Go to an Iowa State baseball game.

Cap Timm field is beautiful, the team always has a few major league arms (Don Wengert played here) and you have offense, offense, offense!

As much as you can hate aluminum bats, they do produce offense and home runs.

12. Play your favorite sport (or at least volunteer) at the Iowa Games.

The Iowa Games is a great sports festival that happens every summer in Ames. With sports from archery to wrestling, it has something for everyone.

Tennis is my sport, but they have basketball, soccer and everything one could wish for, including Volkswalk and Volksride. They also need volunteers, so if you can, please do.

13. Eat some Hilton Coliseum Nachos.

Those things are good! Whether you’re watching wrestling, basketball, or the circus, nothing beats the salty, crisp chips, cheese, and hot peppers. A must for any Cyclone fan.

14. Call the sunday morning sports radio show on KASI.

This is a great show. They don’t hang up on you, they’re unabashedly pro-Cyclone, and they love callers.

A rite of passage? Not quite. A lot of fun? Heck Yes! Enjoy, and make your own list!