Take It From Charlie Of Chickasaw: 'ISU Has As Much Chance Of Overtaking Hawkeyes In the Hearts and Minds Of Iowa Fans As Does Ankeny Bible College'

People are still buzzing about Jamie Pollard, the first-year Iowa State athletic director who has decided that this is now a Cyclone state.

What's more, at an recent Iowa State banquet in Cedar Rapids -- a Hawkeye hotbed -- Pollard said there will soon be a billboard there that proclaims this a Cyclone state.

Here's some of my mail on that subject:

"Ron,

"I'd bet money that you're right on target when you say Jamie Pollard will bolt for Wisconsin the nanosecond Alvarez retires. You can quote Charlie from Chickasaw: ISU has as much chance of overtaking Iowa in the hearts and minds of Iowa sports fans as does Ankeny Bible College. It wouldn't matter if Evy himself were the Cyclone AD. I agree with my friend Larry from Lawler: Pollard is just blowing smoke."

Charlie from Chickasaw

[RON MALY'S COMMENTS: Charlie, you bring up some bigtime heavy-hitters when you mention Forest Evashevski [upper left], the former Iowa football coach and athletic director, and Barry Alvarez, a former Iowa assistant football coach, retired head football coach at Wisconsin and present athletic director there. Pollard [lower right] is feeling pretty good about his school after the football and basketball success Iowa State had last season against Iowa, but it's going to take more than one year to turn this into a Cyclone state. Let's see what the 2006-2007 school year brings].

* * *

Iowa graduate Al Schallau, who now lives in California, writes:

"Ron,

"I would say this to Jamie Pollard and anyone else who says that Iowa is now a Cyclone state: How is the Cyclone baseball team doing?

"I think it is shameful that Iowa State does not have a baseball team. And since Jamie Pollard took over as athletic director, I have not read or heard of any vigorous efforts on his part to restore the Iowa State baseball program. What would it take to do that?"

Al Schallau

[RON MALY'S COMMENTS: I agree with Schallau on most things, but not on having college baseball at Iowa State and Iowa. It's too cold in this state to play collegiate baseball in the spring, and if a player is any good he doesn't want to play in Iowa City or Ames in April. Iowa State was smart enough to dump baseball several years ago, and I think Iowa should do the same thing. Baseball is a money-loser and should be reserved for universities and colleges in the south and west].

* * *

Old friend Harold Yeglin writes:

"Ron:

"Talk about hypocrisy, what about this: The NCAA bans use of Indian nicknames, etc., and sends Illinois' Chief Illiniwek [left] back to the reservation. Meanwhile, all those suits at NCAA headquarters are no doubt driving around in the NCAA's 'official car,' the Pontiac.

"'Pontiac,'" Isn't that an Indian name?

"Just a crazy thought."

Harold Yeglin

P.S.: $2.7 million for a college football coach! The world has gone mad."

[RON MALY'S COMMENTS: Great point about Chief Illiniwek, Harold. And, yes, the world has gone mad -- with or without Kirk Ferentz's $2.7 million salary at Iowa].

* * *

Sam from Shellsburg keeps track of the hirings and firings at the university level. He sent this e-mail after Sandy Hatfield Clubb was named the new athletic director at Drake:

"Ron,

"Would you ever hire anyone Gene Smith recommended? Wouldn't that be a red flag, warning buzzer, or whatever you want to call it? Especially for a D-I athletic program. I think I'd go with someone he wouldn't recommend."

Sam from Shellsburg

[RON MALY'S COMMENTS: Hatfield Clubb worked for Smith when he was the athletic director at Arizona State. Ol' Smitty went to Arizona State after screwing things up at Iowa State for several years. He never did background checks on coaches he hired, and he once brought in a volleyball coach who didn't have a college degree and lied about her playing career. Let's hope Hatfield Clubb is the real deal].

* * *

Former Iowan Gordy Scoles also wrote about Drake:

"Ron,

"Several months ago I wrote about Drake heading for Division III. I didn't get many takers on the idea. I'm sticking with D-III in Drake's future."

Gordy Scoles

[RON MALY'S COMMENTS: Drake already has a non-scholarship program in football. The men's and women's basketball programs have been stuck in a rut for quite some time now, so I'm starting to think Division III could be around the corner. It would be a shame for that to happen at a university that sent a team to the NCAA Final Four in 1969, but things are definitely getting stagnant athletically at Drake].

* * *

Paul Delger, a longtime friend, is going into the writing business.

Here's what he's saying about it at his paulswritingservice.com website:

The Power of Communication

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"Maybe you are a business that needs top-notch writing for a brochure, press release, newsletter or advertising copy. You may also need someone to edit that company report or memo.

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"Paul's Writing Service is willing to tackle various types of written communication with professionalism and flair. You will appreciate the personal service and the attention to detail."

Contact Information

"Paul's Writing Service wants to serve your communications needs. I would be pleased to assist you with your writing and/or editing projects. Put my writing or editing experience and talents to work for you.

"Contact me one of three ways:

"E-mail: info@paulswritingservice.com

"paul@paulswritingservice.com

"Telephone: 641-762-3684

"Mail: Paul's Writing Service
"PO Box 175
"Kanawha, IA 50447

"I look forward to hearing from you."

[RON MALY'S COMMENTS: Paul is a talented writer who will be able to fulfill anyone's writing needs. He has only one very, very minor flaw. He's a St. Louis Cardinals fan. Give him a holler anyway].

* * *

Bud Appleby of Des Moines writes:

"During coverage of the Drake Relays, one of the TV stations had some film of a really neat new statue of a bulldog. I thought at the time that it was just outside Drake Stadium, but I drive past there a couple of times a week and I have never seen it. Do you know where it is?"

Bud Appleby

[RON MALY'S COMMENTS: That's the only question I don't have the answer to today, Bud. Maybe my readers will be able to help].

* * *

I was worried about Jerry Perkins. I was told he had a bulging disc.

But the story has a happy ending. Nobody should have a bulging disc or a bulging anything -- certainly not the farm editor.

Here's the memo that circulated throughout the Register's newsroom:

From: "Taylor, Warren" wtaylor@desmoine.gannett.com
Date: Fri, 16 Jun 2006 13:33:44 -0500
To: DESMOINES-NEWSROOM DESMOINES-NEWSROOM@desmoine.gannett.com
Cc: fruhling@illowa.net
Conversation: Perk's up
Subject: Perk's up

Jerry Perkins' back surgery to fix a bulging disc went well, he says the doctor said, and "No more pain in my leg." Operation was yesterday afternoon at Methodist. He and Peggy got home at 10:30 p.m. This morning he took a stroll around his yard: "A little unsteady." This afternoon he's busy switching his TV between the U.S. Open and his beloved Cubs.

[RON MALY'S COMMENTS: Nice going, Perk! Those doctors are doing a great job these days keeping your disc from bulging].

* * *

Memo to Ken Fuson [upper right]:

Congratulations on your upcoming 50th birthday. After all these years, it's good to see that you've still got a smile on your face in that photo.

And all the folks on pensions from the paper thank your family for buying that ad in "Milestones."

Anything helps these days.