9/28/2009
Written By: Mike Rickord, Iowa Sports Connection President/Publisher
Category: Open Mike  

DES MOINES -- The front cover shot of Brandon Wegher, former Bishop Heelan all-stater, in his Hawkeye debut says it all! The Hawks did “Grab” a victory at Jack Trice which hasn’t been easy to do this decade. The annual “Bragging Rights Bowl” captures the entire states attention for months and has become the feature sporting event of the year. The 35-3 Hawkeye win certainly had many UNI Panther fans asking themselves “What If?”
  

The week before, at Kinnick, the Hawks escaped with a slim victory as the Panthers had two field goal attempts blocked in the last seconds. The Panthers proved that they are a force to reckon with the big boys in Iowa.  Pat Grace, another former Bishop Heelan all-stater, comfortably led the Panthers up and down the field all day and was seconds away from arguably the biggest football win in UNI history. The Panther fans certainly have an argument that they would be victorious over the 2009 Cyclones and that is why the football fans of Iowa are so spoiled. The fact that we have 3 state universities that play each other and two D-I programs provides days, weeks, and months of anticipation, debate, smack talk and good-natured fun from “The Missouri to the Mississippi”!
  

In case you missed it, I was quick to recognize Pat Grace and Brandon Wegher as former Bishop Heelan Crusader all-staters, as a graduate and proud alum. But of course, if you have been picking this magazine up for the past 11 years, you know that I am a shameless shill for Heelan and I do go overboard but it’s also a bit tongue in cheek as I sincerely believe that school and community pride regardless of your age, school, or success is positive for each of us. I have lobbied for years on the incredible positive interaction that high school sports provide families and members of the communities with the generational commonality that exists on Friday nights as dads, moms, and grandparents all share their own “Under the Lights with Friday Night Live” memories of yesteryear and the impact on their lives and the community.  
  

The Iowa Sports Connection’s Friday Night Live is the state’s most powerful and listened to Iowa high school production and as we broadcast the scores, schools, and kids names across the state it is also a joy on Saturdays to watch the migration of the young Iowans as they continue to play at the collegiate level.
  

The Iowa Sports Connection Radio Network will launch our Iowa College 3:00 sports updates in October across all of our great affiliates making certain that we continue to recognize the hard working coaches and athletes playing at NCAA Division III, NAIA, and community colleges across Iowa. I had not experienced the passion that exists at each of these schools since my 2 years at Morningside College in the late 70’s until my son started playing at Morningside as a freshman this season. The energy, excitement, and passion is certainly deep in Iowa small college football. I experienced this month first hand as my son Ben, also a former Bishop Heelan 2008 state champion (getting sickening isn’t it), suited up for the Morningside Mustangs versus Northwestern Red Raiders in a battle of NAIA titans. The fans are avid and the football was superb as former Iowa high school players on both sides battled as if it was the week-ends collegiate marquee matchup instead of the battle in Ames earlier in the day. These battles at the small college level are played across the entire state and energize these small schools and their communities just as we are all energized on Friday nights with the high school action. If you have not been to a small college game recently, make certain to get out on a beautiful fall afternoon and take in the energy that is Iowa collegiate football played by our kids from across the state and every class.
  

I would be remiss if I didn’t boast about our Friday Night Live production this fall. The team of reporters, affiliates both on radio and television that we have assembled to provide the state’s most accurate and in depth high school coverage is without a doubt providing historic multi-media coverage for every school in Iowa. The Iowa Sports Connection enters its 10th year and second year of Real Live scoring, setting records every night with our mobile web traffic and visits to our website “iowasportsconnection.com”. The Friday Night Live scoreboard show from 10-12 p.m. has more affiliates than any Iowa High School scoreboard show and reaches all 99 counties, The last element of our multi-media reach is the 6-hour television broadcast of Friday Night Live on 13.2. This launch along with the scores scrolling provides every fan access to the scores whether you are at home, in the car, at the game or nestled at your office at your computer. I am extremely proud of this incredible assembly of media partners and the moving parts that have all come together to provide the states foremost coverage and we will continue all year long and every sport.
  

In closing, I thank you for picking up a copy of the states  favorite sports magazine and in 2010 you will see new additions and design as we enter year number 12. Have A Championship Month! God Bless You and God Bless America!