Dear Fred,
This isn’t an easy letter for me to write. I really don’t like to think about you leaving, but with rumors filling our ears I think it’s time we had this talk. You are the epitome of the man, the myth and the legend. You are the mayor of this team, you are the mayor of this town and you are the mayor of the most passionate fans in all of the country. You aren’t just a part of Hilton Magic, you create it.
While your journey has had its scary moments, everything that has happened to you has led you to this place. When your heart could no longer carry you in the NBA it decided to do something much more miraculous. It took over as the heart of this great state and the pulse one of the best programs in Iowa State’s history. It is your heart and your passion that have created such an amazing legacy here between the otherwise desolate cornfields in Ames, Iowa.
And so it is to your heart we look again when thinking about your next steps. Fred, from the day you were born this city has been your home. From growing up blocks away from the sacred arena that you would one day play college basketball in to meeting the love of your life on this campus, your heart belongs here in Ames. What you have established in this city, others could only hope to experience in a lifetime. Where else in this industry can you walk down the streets of your town and be revered the way that you are? Let me answer this question for you. Nowhere.
The relationships you have established in the short time you have been at Iowa State are second to none. Your players admire you, your coaching staff truly believes in every decision you make, your recruits can’t get enough of Hoiball, and your family is there to support you at every single game. Not to mention your fans literally sleep outdoors in a snowstorm just to watch what you have put together on any given night. And while these things have become tradition here at Iowa State, they simply don’t exist at the next level. On Monday nights in Hilton Coliseum you play for the hearts of everyone that has led you here. On Sunday nights in the NBA you play simply for a spot on a major TV network.
So while Chicago with its shining lights and skyscrapers are intriguing, and the salary up in Illinois might sound nice, the intangibles you possess here in Ames far outweigh your opportunities. You won our hearts the minute you came back to Ames and we can’t wait to see you doing the “Hoiberg dougie” at the big dance in March for years to come. As Stuart Scott said it so perfectly, “life’s journey is really about the people who touch us.” Fred, you have touched the lives of so many wonderful players, coaches, families and fans in the past 5 years. Let’s keep the raining three’s, creating Hilton Magic and most importantly, let’s bring home that NCAA Tournament Champion banner.
Sincerely,
CyclONEnation
