Last weekend I drove over 400 miles from Chicago to Minneapolis to support my beloved alma mater in their clash with a fellow notorious sub-par football program playing in a notoriously overrated conference, the Big (we can’t count past) 10.

I saw the Cyclones’ opener versus Oklahoma State (since for some strange reason, the Chicago SportsChannel station carried it.) That game showed me that we needed work as usual, but we may be competitive with four or five teams on this year’s schedule.

I attended the pregame alumni rally at the Minneapolis Athletic Club and listened to President Jischke and our athletic director [Gene Smith] talk about how everyone knows we’re not Nebraska, but we are a team on the “uprise.”

The A.D. even called it a rebuilding year, but didn’t explain how this differs from the previous 16.

Anyway, he did give the audience confidence that the program was going in the right direction, and we could win some games this year, beginning with Minnesota. I do wonder, however, why he wore an “ISU Golf” shirt to the rally.

I do realize the players are playing their hearts out and the coaching staff has its goals, but after having the unfortunate experience of watching the Cyclones latest debacle in the Metrodome, I am completely embarrassed to call myself an ISU football fan.

This program has gone absolutely nowhere since Earl Bruce left, while the other former doormats of the old Big 8 improved their programs to the point where we’re just sitting alone on the bottom.

I don’t know what the answer to this problem is, but somehow it must be solved.

The Iowa State football facilities are among the best in the nation, but what good does that do us when our teams don’t win a few games?

Now we have to allow the hated Hawkeyes into our house where they’ll pummel us by 70, if they so desire.

I’d give up the other 10 games this year if we could just win this one.

Maybe we should invite Drake back next year.

Kurtis D. Wesely

ISU Alumni

Class of 1988

Chicago, Illinois