Dateline: Iowa.

The flyover state (not hardly) famous for corn, soybeans, lean hogs and the best in the world beef. Pure Midwest. I was born and raised in a small Iowa town, (mostly Dutch) in the northwest corner. As was the Hubs and never thought we’d live elsewhere.

My little corner of the world was a bit isolated. Surrounded by farms and corn fields (always convenient, hidden and secluded for ‘parking’ when dating in high school), but miles away from any city. Sioux Falls was 45 minutes, Sioux City-an hour.

Never gave it much thought but it wasn’t easy to root for a professional sports team. The closest were in Minnesota, St. Louis or Chicago. So all Iowans did the next best thing and supported collegiate sports. The most popular to choose from were the Iowa State Cyclones and University of Iowa Hawkeyes. These 2 schools were (are) supported by the masses.

When we moved from the Missouri River to the Mississippi River the Hawkeyes in Iowa City were our top pick which was about 50 miles away. Hubs attended most home football games while I preferred basketball.

Here’s a revelation. After my last birthday, I have lived in Michigan for more than half my life. Sigh. We assumed we’d move back after a couple years, but the years zipped by. With our adult children and grandchildren within an hour of us, this is where we belong. My 37 years living in Michigan hasn’t changed how I feel though. My heart belongs to Iowa. Always & forever.

There’s much I’ve embraced in Michigan. The Great Lakes are the absolute best. If I’ve not been within sight of one of the H O M E S (Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie & Superior) lakes for a spell, I get a terrible hankering to see waves of freshwater lapping. Michigan’s weather is better. Summers aren’t as hot or humid as Iowa, winters not as cold or windy. Michigan’s got numerous professional sports teams to choose from. Tigers, Red Wings, Pistons and the mighty Lions! (Including Iowa alumni Sam Laporta and Jack Campbell) All about an hour away.

While our kids (who were 16, 11 and 7 when we left Iowa) were easily swayed towards various Michigan college sports, Hubs and I were not. We tried, we really did, but a couple disastrous games only strengthened our appreciation for the Iowa Hawkeyes. Absence indeed made our hearts grow fonder. One of the reasons we chose to move to Michigan was staying in B10 country (soon to be Big 18-yikes).

With the addition of the B10 network years ago we haven’t missed many Iowa games. With the addition of streaming services it’s a bit trickier for retired folks on fixed incomes, but we just prioritize what’s important (and affordable) for us.

Then along comes Caitlin Clark. We didn’t hop on her bandwagon as a freshman or even a sophomore, but as her popularity and court prowess grew, we started following. We love that she grew up in Iowa and chose to play for the Hawks. I’ve been watching basketball for decades and have a grandson who’s playing his senior year at Cleveland State. He’s a starting guard (like Caitlin) and nobody appreciates a no-look pass or an awesome assist more than this grandma. Their court IQ is phenomenal. Cleveland State games are on ESPN+ so for Landon’s (Drew to the rest of the world) basketball season (4 months) we subscribe. Many of the lady Hawkeyes games were on Peacock instead of B10 this season which drove people nuts. We simply ordered Peacock at $5.99 a month to watch the games, then we cancel. Less than the cost of one pizza. Not a big deal.

Caitlin is a cute, dimpled, lanky, fiercely competitive brunette from West Des Moines who routinely put up shots near mid-court with amazing accuracy, often appearing off balance but that’s just one of her signature shots. She’s been zipping through her senior year, knocking off long held basketball records, including assists, and her famous-one-logo-3-point-shot-at-a-time.

Caitlin has not accomplished this feat by herself. She’s part of an immensely talented team including Kate, Hannah, Gabbie, Molly and the rest of the ladies. Plus coach Bluder, her staff and trainers. It’s much more than just Caitlin. It takes a village. And I hope they go far in the tournament.

Personally I wanted Caitlin to come back next season for her last year of eligibility (Covid waiver) but she announced last week she’s going to the WNBA this spring. I get it. She has numerous sponsors (Nike, Gatorade, State Farm) in the NIL (name, image, likeness) which she’ll probably keep plus add others and there’s a strong chance (a given more likely) she’s headed to the Indiana Fever (Caitlin’s had half the country at a fever pitch all season, nothing new there) where her boyfriend, Connor McCaffrey just happens to live and work.

Caitlin’s been much more than a scoring and assist machine. She is the face of women in sports. When the Iowa Hawkeyes played in Nebraska, the game sold out, same with Michigan, Wisconsin or Maryland. Fans, (and not all of them diehard Hawk supporters) line up for hours ahead of time, forking out big bucks more often spent on the most popular concert venues. Every time the Hawkeyes are on a network channel, viewership is off the charts. Caitlin is the woman young girls aspire to emulate. After the game is over and she’s spoken to reporters, she walks over to the hordes of kids and adults waiting patiently and starts writing her name on jerseys, faces, shoes, signs from her young fans who admire what they just witnessed that she’s accomplished. She may be an exhausted, sweaty mess but she does this every home or away game. She wants young girls to love the game of basketball.

So here’s to you Caitlin. I’ve got my #22 t-shirt ready for the B10 tourney and beyond. We’ll be rooting for you loud and proud. Thanks for giving us so much entertainment and enjoyment this season. I wish you tremendous success in the WNBA. Break some ceilings and new records. Go Hawks!!!