ANF honoree Gallery remembers that one time at Wisconsin

You will see a much more mild-mannered Robert Gallery this weekend at Kinnick Stadium.

Gallery and his wife, Becca (a former Iowa basketball player), and their three kids (Hayden, 5, Brooklyn, 3, and a son, Lincoln, 4 months) will be on hand for Gallery's induction into the ANF Wall of Honor. This award recognizes former Hawkeyes who had distinguished careers and who grew up on farms.

Gallery was raised on an 800-acre farm near Masonville. He lives on a ranch in northern California now, following an eight-year career in the NFL that included seven seasons as an Oakland Raider, but he still makes it home to help his folks, Mike and Mary, with the harvest.

It's obvious a farm background had a lot to do with the athlete Gallery became, with a career that includes the 2003 Outland Trophy and consensus all-American status. He told a story about his family driving out to watch his brother, Nick, a former punter for the Hawkeyes, play at Penn State, turning around after the game and driving back to Masonville, where his dad would immediately hit the tractor.

'My dad still is farming, pushing 70-years-old,” Gallery said in a teleconference Wednesday. 'He's still outside everyday and does the work. He doesn't know any better. We try to get him to slow down . . . both my parents. That's just their life. That's just what he knows how to do.

'Pushing 70-years-old, he could outwork a lot of people I know half his age. I know that because I go back and work with him.”

You will see a Robert Gallery, 35, four years removed from his playing days. He's down 40 pounds from his playing weight of 330. He's a dad who works on his home ranch and spends time helping customize cars at a friend's shop.

You won't see Gallery the competitor, but you surely remember. If not, well, here's a story that will refresh your memory.

The Hawkeyes trailed 21-17 at halftime and were rather sloppy. Quarterback Nathan Chandler threw a couple of interceptions. If you remember, Gallery wasn't a huge rah-rah guy. But this time he was pacing with anger.

So, when the Hawkeyes went into the lockerroom at Camp Randall Stadium, Gallery picked up a steel garbage can and threw it through a chalkboard and into a locker.

The room fell silent.

'Even coach (head coach Kirk Ferentz) kind of looked at me and everyone just sat down,” Gallery said. 'It was one of those things you don't really realize it when it's happening, but afterward, ‘Oh wow, I did do that.'

'I kind of, quote unquote, lost it at halftime. And there was a big steel garbage can sitting there and it went through the chalkboard.”

Iowa did go on to win the game, 27-21.

'I won't repeat what I said,” Gallery said with a laugh. 'I think I threw everyone for a loop. I'm not an animated guy it was a little bit outside of my wheelhouse to do that. I remember it being stone quiet because it was a steel garbage can and it went through a chalkboard and into a locker.

'I don't know if that's what helped, but we went out in second half and turned things around.”

l Comments: (319) 398-8256; marc.morehouse@thegazette.com