Raise a toast to Zabel

News of Jim Zabel's passing kind of hit me the night he died - just the history of what he's meant to me and many other die-hard Hawkeye fans.

Cold beer, warm friendships, juicy brats with the crunch of sauerkraut, an Ottumwa reunion on a grassy hill alongside many other town gatherings with “Z” on the radio. It doesn't get much better than that.

A tailgate outside of Kinnick Stadium on a sunny fall afternoon wouldn't have been the same experience without our master of ceremonies discussing the upcoming Hawkeye game with his steady partner Ed Podolak.

Listening to “Z” and Eddie, life's worries were put on hold. A wonderful comfort and joy could be felt across the festive tailgating fields.

I've been going to Iowa football games my entire life, and Z was the emcee to some of my highest highs and lowest lows.

No, Z wasn't the most accurate announcer. But his passion and excitement on his calls could not be duplicated. When you look back on his most famous calls, it nearly brings a tear to your eye.

Z summed up his career by saying, “I had fun.” Iowa fans will never be able to think about the history of Hawkeye sports without thinking of Z's passionate link to it. Everybody, a toast to “Z”!

Matt Brindley

Ottumwa