Opening Weekend - Johnson County I-Club Breakfast

As tradition has it, every Friday morning prior to a home football Saturday, the Johnson County I-Club holds a breakfast featuring Iowa Football Head Coach, Kirk Ferentz. This breakfast is no ordinary breakfast. I can't imagine anywhere else a standing room only crowd would listen to a speaker at 7am along with a performance by the Iowa Marching Band, Cheerleaders and Dance Team, as well as the mascot, Herky parading around posing for pictures. That is what this past Friday brought in downtown Iowa City. The anxious fan base began appearing at 3:30am in order to secure seats in the front of the room.

Another tradition that began early this decade is the freshman class being introduced at the first one of the year. Above the freshman class were asked to perform the Hokey Pokey in conjunction with the anual Fry Fest celebration later that day.

Regular Season Finale

After 12 straight weeks the Iowa Football regular season comes to a close. 10-2 record culminating with a victory over rival Minnesota in the battle for Floyd of Rosedale. The victory was no different than eight others of the regular season, a tough battle with the decision in doubt until the last few minutes of the game. With this record the Hawkeyes have put themselves into position for a BCS bowl game or a trip to Orlando for the Capital One Bowl. Wherever the destination it was the first time the Hawkeyes finished with double digit wins since 2004 and quite possible could finish in the top ten, the first since that same year.

The family outside Kinnick Stadium prior to Saturday's game.
And what has become a good luck charm during the year, me along with the Minnesota Video guy, Mike Schaaf. Every game a picture has been taken with the opposing video coordinator, the Hawkeyes have been victorious. Of course I don't bring that up until after the picture has been taken.

One of the BCS bowls in consideration for the Hawkeyes is the FedEx Orange Bowl. With Voice of the Hawkeyes, Gary Dolphin is Orange Bowl representative Larry Gautier in the Learfield Booth prior to the Minnesota game. The Hawkeyes appeared in the 2003 South Flordia game bringing over 40,000 fans in a match-up with Southern California. Also in attendance Saturday were representatives from the Capital One Bowl and Outback Bowl. Iowa last appeared in the Capital One Bowl in 2005, and played in the most recent Outback Bowl against South Carolina. Iowa's bowl destination will not be known until December 6th when the bowl pairings will be announced.

On the Friday prior to the final home game, the Johnson County I-Club hosts the class of Seniors for the weekly breakfast. Seventeen seniors were honored.

Gary Dolphin introduced Head Football Coach, Kirk Ferentz.

Johnson County I-Club Breakfast

Over 600 Hawkeye fans attended the Johnson County I-Club breakfast Friday morning. This home game ritual, which has gone on for over 35 years has people waiting in line as early as 3am in order to get a seat close to the head table and listen to Head Football Coach, Kirk Ferentz. Members of the Hawkeye Marching Band and Spirit Groups were on hand as well as first year football players and University of Iowa President, Sally Mason, who introduced the "Head" Hawk.

Johnson County I-Club Breakfast

A Hawkeye tradition in the Johnson County I-Club Breakfast which is held each Friday morning prior to every Iowa Football home game. Typically the largest crowds are for the first game of the season, Homecoming and the last game of the season.

This morning over 500 people jammed into the ballroom at the Downtown Sheraton Hotel in Iowa City to listen to the Hawkeye Marching Band, watch the Iowa Spirit Squads perform and of course hear what Head Coach Kirk Ferentz had to say about the Maine Black Bears. This is game one of two of the Kirk Ferentz Reunion Tour this year. Kirk's first head coaching job was in Orono, ME for the University of Maine. He also spent a year as a graduate assistant at Pittsburgh, an opponent in three weeks.

I had the opportunity to sit at a table with the Snells, originally from Ida Grove, where the retired father currently lives and his son, now in Iowa City. Truly great people who follow the Hawks at home and occasionally on the road as well as the bowl game. Their seats are in Kinnick's South End Zone and they each told me they truly love sitting there.

Game time approaches...