I'm glad she didn't hold my Hawkeye-ness against me. :)
Unless you have been living on Mars in the past year, most in these parts know about this girl.
Standing in at 6-foot-4, would be considered tall for ANY senior. But, when you're of the female persuasion, you ain't takin' a stroll through Pamida without getting noticed.
Take that height and throw your high school basketball team on your back and go to the state tournament? Now you've got Division I coaches paying attention.
I'm not gonna lie... this session was right in my wheelhouse as the old reporter in me was grilling the subject with a barrage of questions about her playing and recruiting experience.
Both Iowa and Iowa State took long hard looks at Madison before the offer came from the cardinal and gold side of the fence... and being a life-long Cyclone fan... the decision didn't take her long. The Jihadic Hawkeye in me will tell you that I did get her to admit that if Lisa Bluder would have offered and Bill Fennelly wouldn't have... she would have gladly taken her services to Iowa City... but that's hindsight and hypothetical at best at this point.
So, a year from now, even Bryan Stewart, whose platelets are black and plasma is gold, will be as big of a fan of Maddy Baier and the Cyclone women as you'll find.
Why, you say?
It's called returning the favor.
When Maddy was changing outfits during the session, I asked her mom, Shawn how they ended up at my studio for senior images. And in one of the few serious moments during the entire day, I was told that her daughter spends A LOT of time online.... she had done her homework (also known as STALKING).... the sports thing was of utmost importance... she was impressed with our attention to detail and the blog... and just like when Coach Fennelly called, her mind was made up.
Wow.
That's almost enough to get me to don a Cyclone sweatshirt next winter.
I said ALMOST. :)
All of the hoops... and the recruiting... and all the stories that I enjoyed getting the inside scoop on during the session were one thing. But even better than that... I found out something far more important than points per game and shot blocking totals...
What I discovered was that not only is Madison an amazing basketball player, but she an even better person.
No matter how her career turns out in Ames, I know this much... there's a reason Fennelly has had so much success over in Ames and it's because he recruits fantastic young ladies that happen to be able to play a little hoop. I was told by several sources prior to Maddy's session, "you're gonna have SO MUCH fun with her."
As if it were HER job to entertain me!
Truth is... she did... and she graciously answered all my questions... shared every story with me that she's probably told a million times by now... and even took all the tall-jokes right in stride. Add in one of the most sarcastic and hilarious moms as well as her trusty side-kick Kendra Bradley... it was definitely a day where it didn't suck to be me.
Maddy, Kenny, Shawn and I made up "Team Mad-Dawg," which took our show on the road for a bit. We avoided getting arrested and found a way to get everything in and get the girls back for some of volleyball practice and off to that Friday night's football game.
I can't be for sure, but I think at just under 3 weeks, Miss Baier may have waited longer than anyone in studio history to see her previews. And while that record may be short lived, I just wanted to thank her for her patience and encouragement all along.
Best wishes to Madison, Kendra, Kourtne, Coach Roberts and all the ALL the Trojans this winter... I know amazing things are in store for all of you. There are nets to be cut down, and it's almost go-time.
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