My memories of Iowa State football go way back.

I remember when Iowa State was in the Hall of Fame Bowl on Dec. 20, 1978. We lost to Texas A&M 28-12. I was just a little kid. It’s my earliest memory of Cyclone football.

Those Aggies have been a thorn in our side for much too long. It was such a heartbreaker to see us come so close to beating those stinkin’ Texans on Saturday when we lost 24-21.

Of course, what can you do about lousy refereeing. I wish coaches could just rip into refs. I get so angry when they screw us out of winning a game. I hope the Aggies are enjoying their hollow victory.

Did you notice how the head referee had a Southern drawl? I think he was from what was left of the good ol’ boy Southwest Conference.

And that line judge, he was as biased as a man can get. How convenient for his good ol’ Aggies to have ISU start its last drive on their own four yard line. Was he blind? That guy didn’t have control of the ball until he was in the end zone.

He was the same ref who failed to call pass interference at the end of that drive. Remember? Todd Doxzon fumbled the ball in the end zone, then he picked it up and threw it to Tyrone Watley (I think it was Watley).

Their defense guy was mugging our receiver so bad he couldn’t even lift his hands to catch the ball. The line judge was right there watching and didn’t call a thing.

It was right in front of where my family and I were sitting in Section 3. The entire area was hollering at the line judge, yet nobody does anything about bad refs.

Does the Big 12 fine them for screwing entire programs out of important games? Is there justice for a Southern lynching of a Cyclone?

That same line judge was calling false start on us all day whenever a drop of sweat would fall from anyone on our line, but Aggie linemen could’ve been doing the Macarena in the neutral zone and he wouldn’t have seen it.

One time, just once, our linemen were able to convince the line judge that the Aggies were off sides.

And before he decided that, it took a two-hour conference of all the refs, Martin Jischke, Pete Taylor, Chad Calek and Lee Corso to tell him the Aggie defensive line was off sides.

But Troy Davis was wonderful. Next time you’re sitting in Cyclone Stadium and Dan McCarney puts in a pass play, just watch Davis block. He hits them like a train hits a cow. Boom!

Did you see him flip that Aggie linebacker? That guy was their leading tackler and Troy had him doing aerial maneuvers like Kerri Strug. After he landed he lay on the grass for five minutes wondering what hit him. The linebacker probably thought he was Batman.

I have a theory about Todd Doxzon’s passing abilities. I’ve come to the conclusion that when the wind is in his face it psychologically affects him.

When the wind is with him, he’s on the money, but when it’s in his face, he’s scared to throw the ball.

Think about it, the wind always blows in from the south end of the stadium and the Cyclones always have to move the ball south in the first in fourth quarters. It’s in the first and fourth quarters when Doxzon is hesitant about pulling the trigger, but during the second and third he’s usually on the money.

Whenever he is scared to throw the ball he doesn’t know what to do if he has to improvise. But when he decides to run he has his wits about him. He goes for the first down marker, he pump fakes to keep the defenders away while he dashes for open field, he’s not afraid to take a hit and he can cut if he needs too.

But he could use some height so he can see Ed Williams over Pat Augafa.

I hate it when Williams or Watley are standing out there wide open waving their hands, and Doxzon is slow with his decision to throw. If he was quicker, we’d get more yards after the pass.

Watley and Williams kick butt, but Daman Green couldn’t catch a cold. But when he does he’s good at getting yards after the catch.

The two Iowa State Cyclone logos on the field are responsible for three tackles each game. Our team is smart enough to run the play in the opposite direction near the logos, but the opposing teams slip on those each time.

I like the fact that Jack Trice’s field is getting tackles. Way to go, Jack!

The Aggies marching band was entertaining (ours is more fun, watch the bass drum players next time), but something is wrong with a school when all their cheerleaders are men who hug each other.

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Tim Frerking has been a loyal Cyclone fan since his birth on Feb. 25, 1971. He is the university editor for the Daily.