Erik Heard

[NOBUNAGA🇯🇵🏯_夏樹蒼依 @japan_nobunaga]

In Iowa, 70,000 people turned their backs on a football game, and for a second I thought something terrible had happened.

My buddy Kyle got me a ticket. Kinnick Stadium. I'd been studying football for two weeks and had just figured out what a "down" was. I was ready.

End of the first quarter. Whistle.

The whole stadium stood up and turned around.

Away from the field. Everybody. The old guy next to me with a seat cushion older than me. The college kids with gold paint on their chests. Kyle.

Where I'm from, you don't turn your back on the stage. Not on a teacher, not on a shrine, not on a guest. My first thought was that Iowa was forfeiting. My second thought was that the governor had shown up behind us.

I turned around too. Mostly so I wouldn't be the only guy facing the wrong way.

They were waving at a building.

There's a children's hospital right across the street. The top floor is big windows. And in the windows, little kids. Hospital gowns. A boy with an IV pole. A girl holding a sign over her head with both arms. I couldn't read it from there.

Seventy thousand people waving at them. Then the players on the field turned around and waved. Then the other team's players. Then the refs.

A minute, maybe. Then everybody sat back down and played football like nothing happened.

I asked Kyle if it was a special day.

"Every home game. Since 2017."

"Who decided?"

He thought about it. "Some mom posted it on Facebook, I think."

No law. No committee. One mom on Facebook, and 70,000 people have done it every home game since.

I don't remember much about the second quarter.

I went back two weeks later. I turned around too early, before the whistle, and the man behind me put his hand on my shoulder.

"Not yet, buddy."

Then the whistle.

A little boy on the 12th floor waved right at me. Kyle says you can't tell from that far.

I could tell.

[Erik Heard @eheard]

@VikeFans Leroy Hoard would've picked it up.

[Employee Tears @EmployeeTears]

Omg thanks for ending the meeting 4 minutes early and "giving me some time back" now I can finally pursue my passions.

[Erik Heard @eheard]

@katiejo_ia It's beyond ridiculous.

[Erik Heard @eheard]

#LeaderofMen

[FOX College Football @CFBONFOX]

It's bigger than football for Ryan Day and @OhioStateFB

[Erik Heard @eheard]

@MCFick White Boy Motion

[Erik Heard @eheard]

@TimBrando @CoachFerentz @JennyDell_ So well said

[Erik Heard @eheard]

@barstoolsports

[FOX College Football @CFBONFOX]

A view of the Hawkeye Wave that puts it all into perspective.

(via TT/JamieSchallock)

[Erik Heard @eheard]

@kenswift Just the worst kind of person.

[Erik Heard @eheard]

@educator4ever36 Allow it? It's encouraged. Less work for them at home. Sigh.

[Erik Heard @eheard]

@awfulannouncing

[Erik Heard @eheard]

@HUSKER_D00_1200 @AnnieCostabile

[Erik Heard @eheard]

@MrPhysicalEd I do...I just tell them that it's a lot harder and they probably won't go as far as others jumping forward. 🤷‍♂️

[Erik Heard @eheard]

@kenswift #protectedspecies

[Erik Heard @eheard]

@alexaphilippou #protectedspecies

[Erik Heard @eheard]

@NBATV @StephanieReady

[Erik Heard @eheard]

@CWilliamson44 How are you so bad at this?

[Erik Heard @eheard]

@kenswift @CindyBrunsonAZ @IndianaFever Just the worst kind of person. What a national embarrassment.

[Erik Heard @eheard]

@MyGolfSpy @PayntrGolf Honestly, with no idea why, I always see Payne Stewart first.