As I walked into Cyclone Stadium Thursday night I was not preparared for what I was about to be involved in.

The goal posts had come down before in my college career, but I was not on hand to help bring them down and carry them to the traditional Lake Laverne graveyard.

I had arrived very late in the game, near the beginning of the fourth quarter, and I stood smoking cigarettes and cheering on the asphalt behind the end zone on the south side of the stadium, our end zone.

As I watched, Iowa State drove for three touchdowns and kicked the extra points through the uprights three times, and I came close to catching the ball twice.

Finally quarterback Jeff St. Clair knelt with the ball one last time and Iowa State was victorious.

So I, like many hundreds of screaming Iowa State students and fans, stormed the field to congratulate our team and, of course, tear down the goal post.

Suddenly the smell of fresh astroturf turned to the scent of stale beer as chaos erupted on the playing field.

I cheered as Troy Davis was lifted to the shoulders of the crowd and threw his hands up in triumph, the crowd chanting “T-D” again and again.

But as the players left the field, it was clear that there was only one thing left to do.

The crowd first looked down to the winning end zone, only to see it filled with the Ames Police and stadium security guards, and hesitated. I wondered briefly if the goal post would come down at all, because this was the critical moment.

But then, like a giant light bulb clicking on over the crowd, everyone realized the other end zone was completely undefended.

With a roar the mob tore down the field to the hapless goal post and seized upon it with an unbridled fury. Within a minute it was falling down forcing some to scramble or be knocked on the head with the uprights.

The crowd then picked the goal post up and, after a moment of indecision, carried it straight into the bleachers on the north-west side of the stadium and then over the stadium walls and out onto the grass outside.

After hauling it over one last fence the mob charged through the Iowa State center parking lot, carrying the goal post, which had now become separated into two halves, over and around cars.

Upon reaching Lincoln Way, it was clear to the police directing traffic that there was no way to stop this mob and they proceeded to stop traffic so the fans could carry the goal post down Lincoln Way.

Chanting “I-S-U-I-S-U” and “Eat Shit Walden” the crowd charged up the Lincoln Way hill and tore down any sign or other object that happened to be in the way, including the “walk-don’t walk” sign on Ash Street.

At last Lake Laverne was in sight, and within seconds the crowd was descending the mostly dry banks of the lake, cheering and shouting with a vengeance.

Amid great shouting and cheering, one half and then the second half of the field goal uprights went splashing into Lake Laverne, followed by the other signs and ripped up items and even a few truly fanatic fans who felt the need to kiss the shattered goal posts goodbye.

With that the crowd dispersed and tried to find their friends who had been lost in the chaos and return to their bars, houses or cars.