COLUMN: Caitlin Clark continues to amaze
It’s not too often that an athlete captivates an entire state. It’s even rarer when that same athlete captivates an entire country.
What we are witnessing with Hawkeye great Caitlyn Clark is history. If I had to compare a similar athlete that was able to do both of those aforementioned moments, it would have to be the late Chris Street. Maybe going back even further, Nile Kinnick.
People are walking into the office and Clark is all anyone talks about. Many of those I would venture to guess, didn’t pay much attention to Iowa women’s basketball prior to the Clark feeding frenzy. Success makes you a lot of new friends and admirers.
For me personally, I’ve always kept an eye on the lady Hawkeyes going back to the C. Vivian Stringer days. But now I am recording games and writing my weekly column on said subject. That’s new ground for me.
So why not jump on the Iowa women’s basketball bandwagon? There is still plenty of room to jump on that ride. I mean, who doesn’t like Caitlyn Clark and company? Besides Maryland, Ohio State, Indiana, the rest of the Big 10, Georgia, Louisville and a few other teams.
There is no doubt Clark will go down as the best Iowa women’s college basketball player. Drop the only 40-point triple double in NCAA tournament history, men’s or women’s tournament, and that will get you there.
Keep winning and making your teammates better will help too. Caitlyn does that. I’ve never seen a player that can pass the ball as great as she does, man or woman (sure I am biased).
I have mentioned it before in this space that I am a stat guy. But I tend to favor those stats that don’t always draw the limelight. Assists would be one of those stats that makes me giddy. Clark’s assist stats make me giddy.
Tonight (Monday, press day) we find out who Iowa will get to take on for a change to play in the championship game, Maryland or undefeated South Carolina. I’m hoping it’s the Gamecocks.
If the Hawkeye women are going to make history, let’s do it against number one!