The End of an Era

Today Iowa great Ed Podolak announced his retirement from the Iowa Football broadcast team. Since 1982 Podolak has been apart of the broadcast whether it was on WHO teamed with Jim Zabel, or on the current Learfield team with Gary Dolphin. Podolak, a star running back with the Hawkeyes in the late 60s, has been associated with this program longer than any head coach and is as iconic with Hawk fans as Hayden Fry or Kirk Ferentz.


Over the weekend pictures appeared originated on a Iowa State message board, which also found their way onto many national blogs of what appears to be an intoxicated Podolak with a female fan--Podolak appearing unprofessionally. What ensued was the announcement of Podolak's retirement from the broadcast team. Ed, 61, cites the increased difficulty of travelling from his relocated home in Northern California to Hawkeye football games scattered throughout the midwest, and denies any correlation to the photos.


The Cedar Rapids Gazette reports the pictures were taken the night before Iowa's New Year Day's Outback Bowl victory over South Carolina. However, as seen from the pictures below, Podolak is wearing the same shirt in both sets of pictures. Mine were taken the night after the game. This is the Ed Podolak I will remember:

Pictured with me and Podolak are Iowa running back Jared Oberland, Senior Tight End, Brandon Myers and others close to the program. If the pictures that circulated over the weekend were taken the night of the game, these were taken after those. Ed always had time for the Iowa fans and loved the University as well as football program more than anyone. We tend to use the phrase "there is no bigger Hawk than..." on many, but it doesn't belong to anyone more than Ed Podolak. While in Tampa I tried to introduce a friend to Podolak at the Hawkeye Huddle and the wait was long as all Hawkeye fans wanted to meet the Hawkeye great. The introduction finally occurred only to be interrupted within seconds by another Hawkeye fan. There was no one more generous with his time and resources than Ed Podolak.

When Iowa decided to reduce to one radio team many wanted to see the person who they grew up with take over the job. Whether it was Jim Zabel, Ron Gonder, Frosty Mitchell or Bob Brooks, no one disagreed on who should be the analyst. The state of Iowa has been fortunate to have an analyst that is nationally recognized as one of the best to broadcast the local state university.

Below is the last time the Iowa broadcast team of Gary Dolphin and Ed Podolak will be seen together. This was taken the day after the game while preparing for the buses to leave for the airport. Gary was to return with the football team while Ed deaparted on is own for home.

My wife's father played against Podolak while Ed starred at Atlantic High School. It was also on this day that we asked Ed to pose for a photo with her and our son. We knew it would be a picture that many would enjoy.

I am very fortunate to know Ed and will greatly miss him, not only on the radio, but also as part of the Iowa Football program. He and Dolph made a great team and he shared many great stories. In his statement today Ed mentioned of writing a book of his memoirs. All Hawkeye fans would greatly enjoy that as we heard many of them throughout the years.