One of greatest things about our newsroom is the Iowa Hawkeye fan dominance. We’re all fans except for two out-of-staters who refuse to conform, despite my constant requests that they become Hawk fans already. Our sports editor even declined a temporary tattoo with bling on Friday. I repeat — with bling!
I have always shown my Hawkeye pride in my office — posters, magnets, decorative blocks that spell out “Go Hawks” and so forth. I was thrilled to be recently gifted my late father-in-law’s Iowa football that he once had in his office. Hawkeye pride runs deep in both of our families and it’s something my husband and I have tried to pass onto our kids. Middle child has turned on us for the time being, but she’ll still probably get Hawkeye gear for Christmas.
So when I started working at the Newton Daily News, I was pleased to learn of the allegiance to the University of Iowa. At least once, if not several times a day, I get to hear the Iowa Fight Song. My reporter, a UI grad and season football ticketholder, has it set as her ringtone. We also have an either/or fan that attended both UI and ISU. We usually retain her loyalty through the football season, and then see a spike in Cyclone love during basketball season. Figures. And then there are two of my longstanding staff that followed me from Marshalltown that are among the Iowa loyal. Throw in our weeklies’ news editor and we’re one big, Iowa Hawkeye family.
The importance of workplace harmony when it comes to our in-state rivalry is of paramount importance. I learned this from my brother who once worked alongside a group of strictly ISU-only fans who are likely not good representatives of this particular fan base. We often heard of the misery endured, especially after losses in the Cy-Hawk series. It wasn’t until he was transferred and working among a less volatile fan base that he truly recognized how much he had disliked his previous job — simply because of a sports rivalry.
On Friday we rolled out the Iowa/Iowa State Tailgate party at the newspaper and this introduced other NDN employees … those not of the Hawkeye fan mentality. Trash talk ensued. Among other comments, I told an otherwise adorable member of the advertising team that she looked icky. Typically, I compliment her on her clothes and accessories because she’s rather stylish — the Cyclones shirt threw me for a loop, for sure.
As the table was divided in ISU and UI décor (compliments of our dual enrollee) there was some debate about which fans had brought more food. The neutral folks made a point of placing their contributions directly in the middle of the table (just pick a side!) and it wasn’t until a few items were getting gobbled up did I remember our fundraising effort for the United Way of Jasper County.
Fans were invited to “vote” for their team by dropping cash or coins into that team’s cup. While not a huge profit maker, we thought it would be fun to send at least a little cash toward the annual UWJC campaign.
Late Friday afternoon I was warned the Cyclones were waiting for my reaction to the vote tally. I started divvying up the dollars and counting the change when I realized the Hawks were a few dollars behind. I grabbed the Iowa cup and headed to my boss’s office. Also an out-of-stater and neutral party, I asked if he’d had an opportunity to donate to the Hawkeye fund. He raised his eyebrows at the question, and I explained the proceeds go to the United Way. He forked over $5, saving us from a loss.
Some questioned my antics, but a girl’s gotta do what a girls gotta do. Iowa Hawkeyes with the W — two days in a row, I might add.
Contact Abigail Pelzer at
641-792-3121 ext. 6530 or
apelzer@newtondailynews.com