11/6/2009
Written By: Mike Rickord, ISC Publisher
Category: Open Mike  

The front cover shot is of University of Northern Iowa senior quarterback, Pat Grace. “Amazing Grace” is having a tremendous season for the Panthers, despite a last second loss to the undefeated “Amazing” University of Iowa Hawks and the always pesky Salukis of Southern Illinois. Pat Grace is in his second season as the Panthers signal caller and in the tradition of UNI QB’s he is having an “Amazing season” statistically. Grace is a threat to score with his arm or legs on any given possession.  “Amazing” that a guy who writes so poorly has his own magazine and website. Enough of the “Amazing”! 

However, once again, I have to shift gears to a Bishop Heelan infomercial. My family has been friends with the Grace gang for over 35 years. I went to Heelan in the 70’s with Pat’s dad Mark, an All-State basketball standout who went on to lead Briar Cliff College to national NAIA prominence. Pat Grace grew up with my oldest son Michael and the two were adjoined at the hip in basketball from the 4th grade through their senior year at Heelan. Michael was the point guard for the number 1 ranked Crusaders and Pat was the “beast in the middle”. The tandem, along with their teammates had years of success and many memories that they will share for decades. The fact that Pat has become one of the country’s finest quarterbacks may surprise a few who watched him play basketball in his youth but Pat was built and born to gravitate to the gridiron versus his father’s passion for hoops.    

Pat Grace’s uncle, Mike Grace, played football for Bob Devaney and the Nebraska Cornhuskers and after his premature passing years ago the Cornhusker weight room was named in his honor. The genetics of his uncle and his dad Mark provided the perfect foundation for the development of a young athlete. Pat started playing sports at the age of 5 and was always the big kid on the court or field but he certainly was not a lineman as his speed, agility, and athleticism always required that the ball at crunch time had to be in Pat’s hands in some capacity.  Pat’s hardnosed approach was interpreted as over the top and borderline bullying many times but that was just Pat’s game face regardless of sport or opponent. I for one was pleased that my scrappy little runt of a point guard and golfer was on his team. Our families traveled the Midwest as in this picture as they hoisted the trophies in Omaha, Nebraska as the 7th grade champs at “Hoop It Up!” Once again I was completely off base in predicting the futures of these athletes. My son, I was certain would play point guard for a small college and became a collegiate golfer. BJ Steed, I was positive would play hoops at an advanced level but he played football at UAB, Dan Bohall played basketball for the Hawks but I did predict that but not at Iowa. Pat’s skill allowed him to examine opportunities in basketball, baseball, and football.  However, I guaranteed everyone basketball. Once again I have proven that I know nothing about the minds of young men or the direction that they may migrate and neither do most parents at a young age.

It has been a pleasure to watch “Amazing Grace” as with anything in your life when it’s close friends or family and the emotional equity takes you over and in this case you override your staff and place Pat on the front cover! However, everyone that reads the Iowa Sports Connection knows I have done that for years and you still put up with me.

I have to insert “Amazing Hawkeyes” as I type this story, three days after the Wisconsin win. This is an incredible story and with the Panthers in the hunt for a national title, and ISU finally on a Big 12 win streak, the 2009 football season to date is “Amazing!”

I thank you for picking up a copy of the state’s only sports magazine as we wind down our 11th year and remind you to listen to all of our great programming on the Iowa Sports Connection Radio Network, log onto our website “iowasportsconnection.com” and watch our television show Friday Night Live online or on 13.2 WHO TV. Have a Championship month! God Bless you and God Bless America!