When a statue of your likeness goes up, it means you are a legend. In sports, statues are reserved for athletes who reach the highest of highs. Champions. Hall of Famers.
Game changers. In Iowa City, there are several statues honoring legendary figures at the University of Iowa. But should we plan on adding one more?
First of all, this isn’t my idea. Pat Harty with Hawk Fanatic gets credit for that. The idea he floated out there for fans to consider is adding a Caitlin Clark statue to the outside of Carver-Hawkeye Arena. She would join statues of Dan Gable and Nile Kinnick on the Iowa campus.
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Those are some pretty iconic names when it comes to Iowa athletics. Kinnick is Iowa’s only Heisman winner who died serving in World War 2. Gable is the legendary wrestling coach with more National Championships than you have fingers. Would a statue honoring Caitlin Clark be too much, too soon?
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Clark isn’t just an all-time great Hawkeye. She has changed the game of college basketball. Her games on TV get record ratings. Every home game at Carver is sold out. Road games this year are a circus with long lines and sellout crowds. Children make signs and hope to catch a glimpse of their hero. Heck, she got thousands of Iowans, including myself to subscribe to Peacock! She has become a cultural figure, not just a sports star.
Yes, Dan Gable’s statue currently resides outside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. But with the new wrestling facility nearing completion, Gable could be moved there, leaving room for a Caitlin Clark statue.
Which pose would they use? There is only one. A LOGO THREE.
Brian Ray, Hawkeyesports.com
Our Favorite Caitlin Clark Photos
Iowa’s nunber two scorer of all-time, after just three seasons, Caitlin Clark continues to build on her already legendary career.
