To all you loyal readers -

I'll be updating all of you soon on the future of CloneChronicles. With my computer problems over the last week (which seem to be getting better), an opportunity has entered into my life which may limit what I'm able to do with the site.

Keep your eyes open, and if you're interested in helping out, drop me a line.

More to come...

What a frickin' idiot.

He was given a second chance after spending time in jail.

He was given a third chance (at a normal life) after getting kicked off the Cyclone football team.

There's a point where a guy doesn't deserve much more in the way of do-overs. Jason Berryman was a beast of a football player, but a knucklehead when it came to common sense. I was pulling for him when he rejoined the Cyclone football team, and I was pulling for him as an Iowa Barnstormer, but I find it impossible to do so again. 

The sooner he becomes disassociated with the state of Iowa, the better. It seemed like he had learned his lesson a couple of times, but all he really learned was how to dupe others. 

Get out of town, Jason. You may well get (though you may not deserve) another chance, but it'll be best for everyone else involved if you just go away. You seem to have no problem finding trouble here in central Iowa.

Historical devastation and destruction is once again occurring in Iowa. Flood waters are rampaging through Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, Iowa City and countless other cities in Iowa as one of the worst weather years in history continues.

These natural disasters have tied in with college athletics in the state before, as both Iowa State and Iowa football players have pitched in with the recovery of Parkersburg, as well as with flood efforts.

Well, now other schools are jumping in, and it seems only proper that we should thank them. As a couple people know (I'm sure), the NCAA Track Championships are being held in Des Moines, one city being struck by the flooding. One team, South Carolina, decided to help out this morning, sandbagging in the Des Moines area.

As the 4x100m relays departed to practice relay exchanges for the finals later tonight at Drake Stadium, three van fulls of Gamecock track coaches, athletes and staff drove to the local United Way center to be briefed as volunteers and then drove to a major sand-bagging site to fill sandbags for more than two hours. Des Moines' residents were amazed with the Gamecock teams efforts, applauding their efforts as the crew left by chanting `Game! Cocks! Game! Cocks! Game! Cocks.'

And, of course, as soon as they were done sandbagging, the Gamecocks were notified that they had to evacuate their hotel.

via gamecocksonline.com

At this point, any effort to help fight the flooding in Iowa is greatly appreciated. Those of us back in the Hawkeye State can show our appreciation for the Gamecock effort by commenting on the SC SBNation blog, Garnet And Black Attack, or by emailing a word of thanks to a Gamecock athletics administrator.

I read it all over the internet. 

Maybe it's an instate rival, refusing to come to grips with what is now a true rivalry.

Maybe it's a conference team, disillusioned that a a pretty talented recruit might actually come north.

Maybe it's another conference, thinking that expansion shouldn't include some farm school.

Or, just maybe, you have no other connection to Iowa State, other than hey, look what they almost did.

As an Iowa State fan, I'm constantly bombarded with being forced to think that we're the "little brother", either, in our own conference, or in our own state. And, you know what? I could really care less.

We don't spend loads of money on athletics. We don't have loads of tradition.

You see, I kind of think being an Iowa State fan is something unique unto itself. Don't compare us to Cubs fans. First, as a White Sox fan, that makes me throw up in my mouth just a bit - but we don't have any false delusions that some sort of big glory awaits us, except maybe in wrestling.

Nearing 21 years of age, I may be a relative neophyte when it comes to the world of college athletics. But, as an Iowa State fan, I often feel that I have felt some of the worst of the worst, whether it be an 0-10-1 football season, losing a 2 vs. 15 game in the NCAA tournament, or the overall feeling of impending doom that even a lead during a football game brings (During last year's 31-20 victory over Kansas State, I couldn't help but wonder how we might blow it, up two scores with 4 minutes left.)

And, even though I often hate watching Iowa State at times, I keep getting drawn back. Maybe it's that I think that the reward will be that much greater when and if we finally make noise on the football field, or return to national relevance on the basketball court.

I don't dispute our lack of results in athletics. We're better known for a boozin' basketball coach, or for one crazy half football season in 2002. I know that I'm still going to be going to games, hell or high water. If you're a fan of an opposing team, would you be all that willing to spend money on tickets for a football team that's finished above .500 just six times since 1980? Or pony up to watch a bottom-tier Big 12 men's team struggle against Directional State in some nonconference tournament? Or for that matter, watch a women's basketball game - at all?

My grandmother actually bought one of those large-screen projection TVs some years ago - so that she wouldn't struggle with having to seen the players on the screen when watching Iowa State games. That's the only reason. For Iowa State.

We're always going to be here. While Iowa State doesn't have the biggest fanbase around, I will contend that we have some of the most passionate fans. We're consistently in the Top 25 in men's basketball attendance, consistently Top 10 in women's basketball attendance, or solidly in the middle of the Big 12 conference in football attendance, drawing more than teams that are usually better. Despite the fact that we seemingly know that we'll undoubtedly get our heart broken somehow - and it ALWAYS happens - we keep turning out for the Clones.

And yes, it does bug me a bit when fans of bigger schools dump on Iowa State, saying we're a midmajor in a major conference, or something of the like. But, really, there's no point in giving two shits what fans of other teams think. There's something kind of special about being a Cyclone fan. We love our team with an undying passion, whether listening to the games from a tractor (yes, it does happen) or watching the occasional game on the ESPNs of the world.

If you're an opposing fan, I'm not asking you to root for Iowa State. But, understand that we're nobody's inferior. Our fans and athletes are here to win. And for those of us that have been around forever, it's going to be that much sweeter for the years of disappointment. And, hopefully, those wins are going to arrive sooner rather than later.

The positively crazy weather in the state of Iowa has continued - and it is now affecting Ames and Iowa State. Squaw Creek is starting to flood, and the ISU soccer complex is already underwater (via WHOTV.com:)

That's Lied Rec Center at the top of the picture, and the soccer field is the thing that is underwater.

One can hope things won't get as bad as 1993, but there is more rain expected tonight.

If anyone that's in Ames is able to snap any picture of the flooding, feel free to upload them or make a FanShot.

This thread at CF is also keeping abreast of the flooding.

EDIT: Apparently there are preparations being made to possibly sandbag Hilton Coliseum. I suppose that's what you get for building in a huge freaking flood plain.

BlackHeartGoldPants and I are teaming up, in a way, to help fellow Iowans affected by Sunday evening's tragic storms. I was just five miles away from one of the tornadoes as they struck Northeast Iowa, so Sunday's storms literally hit close to home.

So, if you want to help out, please consider donating to the Hawkeye Chapter of the Red Cross. The cities of Parkersburg, New Hartford, Dunkerton, Fairbank and Hazleton were all affected by the first EF5 tornado to hit Iowa since the 1970s. The tornado weakened to EF2 by the time it hit Dunkerton, before strengthening to EF3 in Hazleton.

Pictures and videos of the massive storm have been all over the newspapers and networks. Any little bit will go to help those who have had their lives changed forever by nature's fury.

Postings will be light over the next two weeks (actually until May 9) as I'm coming up on the send of the semester with tests and reading and whatnot. I'll chime in if ISU lands a commitment or anything super duper awesome like that, but I figured I would let y'all know and give you a heads up as to why I won't be around a ton for the time being.

Of course, I could just be lazy and not study at all. We'll see how that goes...

KWWL.com Link

College Rivalry May Have Caused Assault
A man is recovering Saturday after an assault in Iowa City.  At 1:40 a.m. Iowa City officers responded to an assault in the 200 blk of S. Linn St.  A man had been assaulted by at least three college age men.  The victim and his friends reported that one of the men made unwanted comments towards a woman in their group about her Iowa State University sweatshirt.

When the victim intervened he was hit and kicked by the subject and his friends.  The victim was treated at University of Iowa Hospitals for his injuries.  

The suspects are described as follows.  The first subject is described as a white, male, 5’9", 150lbs wearing a white Yankee’s baseball cap, a gray zip up hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans.  His first name might be "Eric".

The second subject is described as a white, male, 6’ with shaggy brown hair, wearing a white and brown vertical striped button up shirt.

The third subject is described as being 5’7" to 5’8", with short jelled, spiked hair, wearing a brown horizontal striped shirt and an earring in his left ear.

I can see why wearing an ISU sweatshirt in Iowa City should lead to assault.

Maybe the Hawkeye fans are just trying to take after their football team.

On a day when the Des Moines Register is clearly running out of things to write about, we learn about wrestler Jake Varner's love for milkshakes.

The women's basketball team pushed their record amount of Big 12 Tournament wins to 19.

The Kansas City Star is thankful for ISU women's fans creating a lively opening session.

ISU's softball team is still kicking ass, moving to 18-4 with a 8-0 pasting of Wichita State.

All three instate schools have a chance to make a mark at Wrestling Nationals. Both Iowa and Iowa State have legitimate shots at a National Championship.

Rick Brown of the Des Moines Register presents his final Basketball Notebook.

The Ames Tribune has a feature on star ISU transfer runningback Bo Williams.

Some new Jack Trice renovation photos.

Wes Eikmeier, 08 Cyclone Basketball recruit:

Gets fouled:

Drains a three:

Around here at SBNation, we're a close-knit group, especially in the Big 12 circle. Peter, AW and the gang at BurntOrangeNation are the flag-bearers for the conference. Jon and crew at CornNation make some of the best in the way of analytical posts on the network, while guys like TB at Bring On the Cats have worked closely with other bloggers such as myself to provide outstanding cross-blog info.

Well, over the last few months, The 12th Manchild has gone dark. No longer. J Lou and Plunk are among the new authors at the Manchild, and I suggest you all stop by and check out their place.

Of course, if they try to contact you illegally, don't be surprised. Just taking a cue from their football coaching staff...