I'm 48 years old. I have pictures of myself as a baby wearing Iowa Hawkeyes clothes. Being a Hawkeye fan wasn't something I chose—it was part of my life from the very beginning. Some of my earliest memories are watching Hawkeye football with my grandma every Saturday. When my family was going through hard times and even living out of our car, weekends at Grandma's meant a warm meal, a bed to sleep in, and a Hawkeye game together. After she passed away, I kept her old Hawkeye coffee mug. It still sits proudly in my Hawk garage today. That's what being a Hawkeye fan has always been to me. It's family. It's home. It's tradition. People from larger states with multiple pro teams may not fully understand it. Iowa is different. The Hawkeyes belong to all of us. Drive through almost any town in the state and you'll see Tigerhawks on houses, barns, businesses, and vehicles. Win or lose, that pride never really fades. So when Caitlin Clark chose to stay home and wear Iowa across her chest instead of going to a traditional powerhouse, she instantly became one of us in a way that's hard to explain. Before the rest of the world discovered her, we watched her dominate Iowa high school basketball and dreamed about what she could become in black and gold. Then she became a global superstar. Millions of people fell in love with Caitlin because of what she did on the court. We did too. But our connection didn't begin there. To many fans, she's an incredible player. To Iowa fans, she's part of our story. So yes, many of us followed her to the WNBA. We may be new to that league, but we're not new to basketball, and we're certainly not "casual" about her. We've spent years cheering for her, celebrating her, and feeling proud that someone from our little corner of the country could captivate the entire sports world. Maybe that's why criticism of her can feel so personal to Iowa fans. It isn't because we think she's perfect. It's because, in a way, she represents home. If you've ever wondered why Iowa fans seem so fiercely loyal to Caitlin Clark, that's why. It was never just about a basketball player. – at Byron, MN