I’m Proud to be a Cyclone

The Iowa State Cyclones are Fiesta Bowl Champions.

I can’t believe that is a real sentence.

Look, I’m not going to act like I’m a *totally* tortured fan because I’m 19 years old. I was in the womb when Larry Eustachy and Jamaal Tinsley lost to Hampton, wasn’t old enough to remember Seneca Wallace getting screwed at Arrowhead Stadium. But for the majority of my life, being an Iowa State fan has sucked.

Growing up, I got bullied for being an Iowa State fan. Outside of my best friend, I grew up not knowing any other Cyclone fans. I bawled my eyes out at the Liberty Bowl in 2012 when Iowa State lost to Tulsa despite beating them earlier in the regular season. I cried for hours after Aaron Craft ripped my 12-year old in half. I sat in the stands for every single snap of Iowa State’s 2014 59-14 loss to Oklahoma at Jack Trice Stadium, just hoping they would come back.

I’ve always wondered why I was cursed as an Iowa State fan. But today, I was reminded while I had tears streaming down my face listening to Brock Purdy shout an emotional “let’s goooooo” after accepting his award for Offensive Player of the Game. I’m a fan for moments like that.

Brock Purdy is a kid who balled out in high school, yet went under the radar. He was doubted for being too small, too risky and too wild. Guess what he doesn’t lack? Character.

We were the laughing stock of College Football for the entirety of my life. Not anymore. Iowa State just won the Fiesta Bowl by 17 points and it wasn’t that close. Is that the ceiling? Not even close.

Iowa State has shifted their expectations from 6-6 to winning a National Championship. That’s something to be proud of.

Next year, Iowa State could realistically have three All-Americans return with one of the best coaches in the nation. They were two possessions away from the College Football Playoff. But who cares?

For as bright as the future looks, Iowa State just finished its best season in school history. Let’s celebrate that. Go Cyclones. Today, tomorrow, forever.