Elise Stefanik, Moderate? No, She’s Always Been a Shape-Shifter.
- By cigaretteman
- Off Topic
- 10 Replies
The rapid rise of Representative Elise Stefanik of New York to the post of chief pro-Trump messenger in the ongoing battle for the soul of the G.O.P. has sparked a flurry of media reports about how a supposed onetime moderate Republican metamorphosed into a full-fledged fire-breathing far-right conservative.
But for those who have been following Ms. Stefanik’s career since she emerged on the political scene in the 2014 battle for an open congressional seat in New York’s North Country, her embrace of Trumpism and elevation on Friday to the No. 3 role in the House G.O.P. don’t come as any big surprise.
The reality is that Ms. Stefanik has always been a shape-shifter, driven more by the political zeitgeist than any strongly rooted ideology.
Her single-minded drive to succeed has long been well known, starting from her first congressional run, at the age of 30, when she successfully sought to be the youngest woman elected to the House at the time. Her ambition, a trait for which her male colleagues are frequently praised, sparked routine — and frankly sexist — comparisons to Reese Witherspoon’s cutthroat student politician character Tracy Flick in the 1999 film “Election.”
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Ms. Stefanik has a well-established track record of recognizing opportunities and seizing them, molding herself and her message to fit the moment. When her Democratic predecessor Representative Bill Owens abruptly announced in January 2014 he would not seek re-election, she was already six months into her campaign — positioning herself as a fresh-faced newcomer who would usher a new generation of Republican leaders, especially women, into office.
Ms. Stefanik ran as a self-described “independent voice,” even though she was strongly backed by the national G.O.P. — from the House speaker at the time, John Boehner, on down. She espoused conservative positions on a host of litmus test social and fiscal issues: opposing most abortions, the complexity of the tax code, gun control and the Affordable Care Act.
She also ran on an anti-establishment platform — declaring that she understood “firsthand that Washington is broken” (sound familiar?) — despite the fact that she was steeped in the establishment. She previously served in George W. Bush’s White House and was a campaign adviser for the former vice-presidential candidate and House Speaker Paul Ryan.
Ms. Stefanik’s path to victory in 2014 was made easier by the fact that her Democratic opponent was unusually weak — Aaron Woolf, a documentary filmmaker who was a first-time candidate, like Ms. Stefanik, and a transplant to the district. Ms. Stefanik routinely touts her significant margins of victory in that race and each of her re-election bids, but the reality is that the national Democrats have never truly made ousting her a top priority.
Ms. Stefanik criticized Donald Trump on personal and policy fronts in 2016 and in the first years of his administration, but she read the political tea leaves — not only the rightward shift of her district but also the full tilt of the House G.O.P. to a pro-Trump caucus.
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As she chose the Trump side in the national G.O.P.’s internal power struggle, a similar intraparty battle has been taking place in her home state at a time of political flux. Multiple scandals and investigations plaguing Gov. Andrew Cuomo present the Republican Party with its best chance to regain the Executive Mansion since the last standard-bearer to hold it, George Pataki, departed at the end of 2006.
As recently as late April, Ms. Stefanik was reportedly considering a challenge to Mr. Cuomo in 2022, with a senior staff member releasing a statement touting her status as the “most prolific New York Republican fundraiser ever in state history” and insisting she would “immediately be the strongest Republican candidate in both a primary and general gubernatorial election.”
Yet Republicans are coalescing around a pro-Trump challenger to Mr. Cuomo, Representative Lee Zeldin of Long Island. And a 2022 race for governor is looking tough for any Republican, given how New York is leaning steadily leftward and democratic socialist candidates are expanding the left’s electoral power by attracting new progressive voters.
With Republican registrations dwindling across the state, Ms. Stefanik’s political options back home are increasingly limited. Against that backdrop, a short-term gamble that propels her up the D.C. food chain is a classic Trumpian power grab — one requiring that she cast off the moderate mantle she was perceived to wear.
New York has a long history of shape-shifting elected officials who willingly and even eagerly changed their positions — and in some cases, their party affiliations — based on how the political winds were blowing.
Mr. Pataki, for example, was elected on an anti-tax, pro-death penalty platform, defeating Democratic incumbent Mario Cuomo, a national liberal icon, in 1994. Over his 12 years in office, Mr. Pataki shifted steadily leftward, embracing everything from gun control to environmental protection to assure his re-election by the increasingly Democratic-dominated electorate.
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Another prime example: Kirsten Gillibrand. She was once a Blue Dog Democrat infamous for touting how she kept two guns under her bed. But when former Gov. David Paterson tapped her, at the time an upstate congresswoman, to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Hillary Clinton, Ms. Gillibrand quickly changed her tune. Critics accused her of flip-flopping, much the way a different set of critics is currently targeting Ms. Stefanik.
Ms. Gillibrand at the time said her evolution signaled political courage and a willingness to “fight for what’s right.” Ms. Stefanik, by contrast, has thrown her lot in with a former president who was impeached not once but twice and consistently sought to undermine — if not outright overthrow — the very democratic foundation of this nation. It is no doubt a dangerous game for the up-and-coming congresswoman, and one that could well cut short her once promising political career in a re-election bid in New York. But given her history, was this choice surprising? Not in the least.
www.nytimes.com
But for those who have been following Ms. Stefanik’s career since she emerged on the political scene in the 2014 battle for an open congressional seat in New York’s North Country, her embrace of Trumpism and elevation on Friday to the No. 3 role in the House G.O.P. don’t come as any big surprise.
The reality is that Ms. Stefanik has always been a shape-shifter, driven more by the political zeitgeist than any strongly rooted ideology.
Her single-minded drive to succeed has long been well known, starting from her first congressional run, at the age of 30, when she successfully sought to be the youngest woman elected to the House at the time. Her ambition, a trait for which her male colleagues are frequently praised, sparked routine — and frankly sexist — comparisons to Reese Witherspoon’s cutthroat student politician character Tracy Flick in the 1999 film “Election.”
Advertisement
Continue reading the main story
Ms. Stefanik has a well-established track record of recognizing opportunities and seizing them, molding herself and her message to fit the moment. When her Democratic predecessor Representative Bill Owens abruptly announced in January 2014 he would not seek re-election, she was already six months into her campaign — positioning herself as a fresh-faced newcomer who would usher a new generation of Republican leaders, especially women, into office.
Ms. Stefanik ran as a self-described “independent voice,” even though she was strongly backed by the national G.O.P. — from the House speaker at the time, John Boehner, on down. She espoused conservative positions on a host of litmus test social and fiscal issues: opposing most abortions, the complexity of the tax code, gun control and the Affordable Care Act.
She also ran on an anti-establishment platform — declaring that she understood “firsthand that Washington is broken” (sound familiar?) — despite the fact that she was steeped in the establishment. She previously served in George W. Bush’s White House and was a campaign adviser for the former vice-presidential candidate and House Speaker Paul Ryan.
Ms. Stefanik’s path to victory in 2014 was made easier by the fact that her Democratic opponent was unusually weak — Aaron Woolf, a documentary filmmaker who was a first-time candidate, like Ms. Stefanik, and a transplant to the district. Ms. Stefanik routinely touts her significant margins of victory in that race and each of her re-election bids, but the reality is that the national Democrats have never truly made ousting her a top priority.
Ms. Stefanik criticized Donald Trump on personal and policy fronts in 2016 and in the first years of his administration, but she read the political tea leaves — not only the rightward shift of her district but also the full tilt of the House G.O.P. to a pro-Trump caucus.
Advertisement
Continue reading the main story
As she chose the Trump side in the national G.O.P.’s internal power struggle, a similar intraparty battle has been taking place in her home state at a time of political flux. Multiple scandals and investigations plaguing Gov. Andrew Cuomo present the Republican Party with its best chance to regain the Executive Mansion since the last standard-bearer to hold it, George Pataki, departed at the end of 2006.
As recently as late April, Ms. Stefanik was reportedly considering a challenge to Mr. Cuomo in 2022, with a senior staff member releasing a statement touting her status as the “most prolific New York Republican fundraiser ever in state history” and insisting she would “immediately be the strongest Republican candidate in both a primary and general gubernatorial election.”
Yet Republicans are coalescing around a pro-Trump challenger to Mr. Cuomo, Representative Lee Zeldin of Long Island. And a 2022 race for governor is looking tough for any Republican, given how New York is leaning steadily leftward and democratic socialist candidates are expanding the left’s electoral power by attracting new progressive voters.
With Republican registrations dwindling across the state, Ms. Stefanik’s political options back home are increasingly limited. Against that backdrop, a short-term gamble that propels her up the D.C. food chain is a classic Trumpian power grab — one requiring that she cast off the moderate mantle she was perceived to wear.
New York has a long history of shape-shifting elected officials who willingly and even eagerly changed their positions — and in some cases, their party affiliations — based on how the political winds were blowing.
Mr. Pataki, for example, was elected on an anti-tax, pro-death penalty platform, defeating Democratic incumbent Mario Cuomo, a national liberal icon, in 1994. Over his 12 years in office, Mr. Pataki shifted steadily leftward, embracing everything from gun control to environmental protection to assure his re-election by the increasingly Democratic-dominated electorate.
Advertisement
Continue reading the main story
Another prime example: Kirsten Gillibrand. She was once a Blue Dog Democrat infamous for touting how she kept two guns under her bed. But when former Gov. David Paterson tapped her, at the time an upstate congresswoman, to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Hillary Clinton, Ms. Gillibrand quickly changed her tune. Critics accused her of flip-flopping, much the way a different set of critics is currently targeting Ms. Stefanik.
Ms. Gillibrand at the time said her evolution signaled political courage and a willingness to “fight for what’s right.” Ms. Stefanik, by contrast, has thrown her lot in with a former president who was impeached not once but twice and consistently sought to undermine — if not outright overthrow — the very democratic foundation of this nation. It is no doubt a dangerous game for the up-and-coming congresswoman, and one that could well cut short her once promising political career in a re-election bid in New York. But given her history, was this choice surprising? Not in the least.
Opinion | Elise Stefanik Is Playing a Dangerous Game With Her Career (Published 2021)
For those who have followed her career, her embrace of Trumpism doesn’t come as a big surprise.
Hawks in the 2nd playoff week
- By Hawkfan_08
- Iowa Football
- 10 Replies
Stone (Ravens) 1 ast.
Linderbaum (Ravens) help led to 229 rush yards.
King (Texans) 5 tackles, 1 sack (-13 yards)
Welch (Packers) special teams
Van Ness (Packers) 1 solo
Kittle (49ers) 4 catches (7 tar) 81 yards, 1 TD
LaPorta (Lions) 9 catches (11 targets) for 65 yards
Campbell (Lions) 3 ast. tackles. Didn't play much.
Wirfs (Bucs) pretty much blitzed opposite of him all game.
Nelson (Bucs) I swear he had a tackle but not credited
Merriweather (Bucs) 1 solo, carted off injured
Epenesa (Bills) 1 solo tackle
Hyde (Bills) 4 solo tackles
_______
Practice squad (I think??)
Matt Nelson (Lions) or is he active this week?
Boettger (Bills)
Linderbaum (Ravens) help led to 229 rush yards.
King (Texans) 5 tackles, 1 sack (-13 yards)
Welch (Packers) special teams
Van Ness (Packers) 1 solo
Kittle (49ers) 4 catches (7 tar) 81 yards, 1 TD
LaPorta (Lions) 9 catches (11 targets) for 65 yards
Campbell (Lions) 3 ast. tackles. Didn't play much.
Wirfs (Bucs) pretty much blitzed opposite of him all game.
Nelson (Bucs) I swear he had a tackle but not credited
Merriweather (Bucs) 1 solo, carted off injured
Epenesa (Bills) 1 solo tackle
Hyde (Bills) 4 solo tackles
_______
Practice squad (I think??)
Matt Nelson (Lions) or is he active this week?
Boettger (Bills)
Elle King Hammered During Dolly Parton Tribute Video
- Off Topic
- 25 Replies
I think she was better equipped to offer a Hank Williams Jr. Tribute.
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Grand Ole Opry Apologizes After a ‘F—ing Hammered’ Elle King Cusses and Flubs Her Way Through Dolly Parton Tribute
The Grand Ole Opry has apologized to fans after outrage over an embarrassing appearance by an apparently drunken Elle King during a Dolly Parton tribute Friday night. Describing herself as “****ing hammered,” the singer cussed during the traditionally family-friendly show, awkwardly bantered with hecklers and failed to remember the Parton song she was supposed to sing as part of the birthday salute.
“We deeply regret and apologize for the language that was used during last night’s second Opry performance,” the Opry’s account on X (formerly Twitter) said Saturday.
Although angry reactions were widespread among country fans, the statement came in response to an attendee at the Ryman Auditorium performance who wrote on X, “Elle King ruined the night with her horrible, drunk, and profane performance. Dolly Parton would’ve been mortified. For our first time at the Opry, it was a shame we all had to witness that… It was such a disappointment to spend $300 on tickets for a show where one of the artists ruined an entire night.”
In the midst of seemingly forgetting the lines to the Parton song “Marry Me,” King appeared in video clips to be altering the lyrics to “I don’t give a shit” and “I don’t know the lyrics to these things in this ****ing town… Don’t tell Dolly ‘cause it’s her birthday.” Things didn’t get better when she directly addressed the restless crowd.
“You ain’t getting your money back,” King said in response to angry shouts from the audience. “I’ll tell you one thing more,” she added. “Hi, my name is Elle King and I’m ****ing hammered.’” A bandmate suggested she do an original song instead of a Parton cover, and King reportedly responded, “I can barely play another person’s song, let me see if I can play one of mine.”
The firestorm over King’s appearance quickly spread among country fans. Some saw it as a sign that King is misguidedly cultivating an outlaw image as she moves from past pop-rock successes into country, while others worried for her health, since King has been open in interviews about a history of performing while inebriated.
The popular country music site Saving Country Music wrote that King owes both Parton and the Opry an apology, writing, “We know Elle King was drunk because she admitted as much on stage before overcussing, slurring her words, and screwing up her performance. This feels less badass than something like Johnny Cash kicking out the footlights, or Jerry Lee Lewis dropping an emmer-effer bomb to purposely piss off the pearl clutchers. With Elle King, it just comes across as sad, and perhaps a cry for help.”
Added the site’s editor, who goes by the byline Trigger, “Elle King officially migrated to country music with her last album, 2023’s ‘Come Get Your Wife.’ But if she wants to stay in country, cheesing off the Opry and disrespecting Dolly is probably not the best way to go.”
Reps for King and the Opry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
King has recently enjoyed a series of high-profile TV gigs within the country arena, having become a favorite of broadcast bookers, prior to the reactions to Friday night’s Opry performance (which was broadcast over radio but not part of the show’s TV edition). At the turn of the year, she co-hosted CBS’s well-rated five-hour show “New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash.” Prior to that, in July, she was enlisted as the co-host of ABC’s three-hour prime-time special “CMA Fest.”
The singer made a big splash in country with the single “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home),” a duet with Miranda Lambert that reached No. 1 on the country airplay chart. A followup duet with Dierks Bentley, “Worth a Shot,” was not as successful, peaking at No. 38. But King has nonetheless been generally received with open arms as she has transitioned into the format, notwithstanding a few of the expected “carpetbagger” quips — especially as she has indicated an eagerness to make a wholesale leap into country.
In an interview with the San Diego Union-Tribune in 2022, King said “I really like to drink and sing” but added, “I don’t want to get as drunk as I used to… I get nervous before I go on stage, [so] I have couple of drinks [first]. Drinking makes me less nervous about hitting the notes when I sing. If I don’t make them, it won’t sting as much.” But, she added, “This (upcoming) tour will be very different for me, because I put being a mother way, way, way above having a good time. And I’ve had enough good times. I want to bring my family on this tour, so maybe talk to me in a year and see where I’m at.”
Reactions to King’s performance have included compassionate as well as angry ones. “I’m sure Dolly’s first thought would be to try to help this woman,” wrote one commenter on the Saving Country Music page. “Yes, she owes people an apology, but nobody gets to that point without things being seriously wrong in their life. This wasn’t someone trying to make themselves look good at somebody else’s expense, this was someone in real trouble making a pretty big mistake.”
Another commenter described a recent appearance at the Rebels and Renegades Festival in California: “I have no problem with folks boozing it up, no problem with weed etc, but the first 10 minutes of the show was her strutting around making a big show of having each band member toke off her joint. I get it, you are having fun. I guess it was just a little over the top. So, filling that role at the Opry really isn’t surprising to me…. That building/institution has hosted enormous talent but it isn’t a totally clean history. Honestly more wish that a friend would respect another friend enough to do the show straight.”
Parton herself did not appear at the Opry tribute shows, which celebrated her 79th birthday. Others participating and causing less of a stir than King included Ashley Monroe, Tigirlily Gold, Dailey & Vincent and Terri Clark. (Lauren Alaina was also booked but canceled not long before showtime, attributing it to snowy Nashville conditions and telling fans on social media, “I live out on country roads & am unable to get off my street. Can’t wait to see y’all at the Opry soon.”)
King has a busy tour schedule lined up through the spring and summer, including a show planned for California’s Stagecoach Festival April 26.
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Grand Ole Opry Apologizes After a ‘F—ing Hammered’ Elle King Cusses and Flubs Her Way Through Dolly Parton Tribute
The Grand Ole Opry has apologized to fans after outrage over an embarrassing appearance by an apparently drunken Elle King during a Dolly Parton tribute Friday night. Describing herself as “****ing hammered,” the singer cussed during the traditionally family-friendly show, awkwardly bantered with hecklers and failed to remember the Parton song she was supposed to sing as part of the birthday salute.
“We deeply regret and apologize for the language that was used during last night’s second Opry performance,” the Opry’s account on X (formerly Twitter) said Saturday.
Although angry reactions were widespread among country fans, the statement came in response to an attendee at the Ryman Auditorium performance who wrote on X, “Elle King ruined the night with her horrible, drunk, and profane performance. Dolly Parton would’ve been mortified. For our first time at the Opry, it was a shame we all had to witness that… It was such a disappointment to spend $300 on tickets for a show where one of the artists ruined an entire night.”
In the midst of seemingly forgetting the lines to the Parton song “Marry Me,” King appeared in video clips to be altering the lyrics to “I don’t give a shit” and “I don’t know the lyrics to these things in this ****ing town… Don’t tell Dolly ‘cause it’s her birthday.” Things didn’t get better when she directly addressed the restless crowd.
“You ain’t getting your money back,” King said in response to angry shouts from the audience. “I’ll tell you one thing more,” she added. “Hi, my name is Elle King and I’m ****ing hammered.’” A bandmate suggested she do an original song instead of a Parton cover, and King reportedly responded, “I can barely play another person’s song, let me see if I can play one of mine.”
The firestorm over King’s appearance quickly spread among country fans. Some saw it as a sign that King is misguidedly cultivating an outlaw image as she moves from past pop-rock successes into country, while others worried for her health, since King has been open in interviews about a history of performing while inebriated.
The popular country music site Saving Country Music wrote that King owes both Parton and the Opry an apology, writing, “We know Elle King was drunk because she admitted as much on stage before overcussing, slurring her words, and screwing up her performance. This feels less badass than something like Johnny Cash kicking out the footlights, or Jerry Lee Lewis dropping an emmer-effer bomb to purposely piss off the pearl clutchers. With Elle King, it just comes across as sad, and perhaps a cry for help.”
Added the site’s editor, who goes by the byline Trigger, “Elle King officially migrated to country music with her last album, 2023’s ‘Come Get Your Wife.’ But if she wants to stay in country, cheesing off the Opry and disrespecting Dolly is probably not the best way to go.”
Reps for King and the Opry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
King has recently enjoyed a series of high-profile TV gigs within the country arena, having become a favorite of broadcast bookers, prior to the reactions to Friday night’s Opry performance (which was broadcast over radio but not part of the show’s TV edition). At the turn of the year, she co-hosted CBS’s well-rated five-hour show “New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash.” Prior to that, in July, she was enlisted as the co-host of ABC’s three-hour prime-time special “CMA Fest.”
The singer made a big splash in country with the single “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home),” a duet with Miranda Lambert that reached No. 1 on the country airplay chart. A followup duet with Dierks Bentley, “Worth a Shot,” was not as successful, peaking at No. 38. But King has nonetheless been generally received with open arms as she has transitioned into the format, notwithstanding a few of the expected “carpetbagger” quips — especially as she has indicated an eagerness to make a wholesale leap into country.
In an interview with the San Diego Union-Tribune in 2022, King said “I really like to drink and sing” but added, “I don’t want to get as drunk as I used to… I get nervous before I go on stage, [so] I have couple of drinks [first]. Drinking makes me less nervous about hitting the notes when I sing. If I don’t make them, it won’t sting as much.” But, she added, “This (upcoming) tour will be very different for me, because I put being a mother way, way, way above having a good time. And I’ve had enough good times. I want to bring my family on this tour, so maybe talk to me in a year and see where I’m at.”
Reactions to King’s performance have included compassionate as well as angry ones. “I’m sure Dolly’s first thought would be to try to help this woman,” wrote one commenter on the Saving Country Music page. “Yes, she owes people an apology, but nobody gets to that point without things being seriously wrong in their life. This wasn’t someone trying to make themselves look good at somebody else’s expense, this was someone in real trouble making a pretty big mistake.”
Another commenter described a recent appearance at the Rebels and Renegades Festival in California: “I have no problem with folks boozing it up, no problem with weed etc, but the first 10 minutes of the show was her strutting around making a big show of having each band member toke off her joint. I get it, you are having fun. I guess it was just a little over the top. So, filling that role at the Opry really isn’t surprising to me…. That building/institution has hosted enormous talent but it isn’t a totally clean history. Honestly more wish that a friend would respect another friend enough to do the show straight.”
Parton herself did not appear at the Opry tribute shows, which celebrated her 79th birthday. Others participating and causing less of a stir than King included Ashley Monroe, Tigirlily Gold, Dailey & Vincent and Terri Clark. (Lauren Alaina was also booked but canceled not long before showtime, attributing it to snowy Nashville conditions and telling fans on social media, “I live out on country roads & am unable to get off my street. Can’t wait to see y’all at the Opry soon.”)
King has a busy tour schedule lined up through the spring and summer, including a show planned for California’s Stagecoach Festival April 26.
HawkCast Ep. 50 THE RETURN: Kadyn Proctor Commits to Iowa
- By Eliot Clough
- The Press Box
- 0 Replies
Adam, Ross and I sit down to talk Kadyn Proctor's commitment to the Hawkeyes, how it will affect who starts on the Iowa offensive line, any update on the OC search, MBB's loss to Purdue, and more.
PODCAST:
iowa.rivals.com
PODCAST:
Go Iowa Awesome - HawkCast Ep. 50 THE RETURN: Kadyn Proctor Commits to Iowa
Eliot, Adam and Ross talk Kadyn Proctor's decision to return to Iowa, hit on the OC search, and talk Hawkeyes MBB.
iowa.rivals.com
Trump & Teddy Daniels will save us from what's coming. Oh, it's bad...it's the baddest yet.
- Off Topic
- 36 Replies
Wife's dad sent this to her so we can start preparing. Are you prepared? If not, watching the following video means you're one of the lucky ones.
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Fullhart and Ramos to be inducted into Glen Brand HOF
- By Todd Conner
- Iowa Wrestling
- 0 Replies
Fullhart and Ramos to be inducted into Glen Brand HOF - Iowa Wrestling Fan
Iowa Wrestling national champions Lee Fullhart and Tony Ramos will be inducted into the Class of 2024 Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame. The Glen Brand Hall of Fame is a part of the National Wrestling Hall Dan Gable Museum in Waterloo, Iowa that honors Iowans that made an impact as a wrestler...
iowawrestlingblog.com
It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.
Go Hawks!
US Army promoted over 10,000 soldiers without required military education, training: report
- Off Topic
- 10 Replies
The Biden Administration...
www.foxnews.com
US Army promoted over 10,000 soldiers without required military education, training: report
Over 10,000 noncommissioned officers in the U.S. Army promoted without the required education have yet to receive the training, a report says.
RIP Jerry Hilgenberg
- By cigaretteman
- Off Topic
- 3 Replies
Jerry Hilgenberg left this world on January 14, 2024 to be with his family in heaven. Jerry lived his life with compassion and caring, always putting the well-being of his family above all else.
Family and friends are invited to an informal gathering in memory of Jerry on Sunday, January 28, 2024 from 1:00-3:00 pm at Kinnick Stadium in the North End Zone Ted Pacha Family Club Section. (Please park on the west side of the stadium.) A private memorial service and burial will take place at a later date.
Jerry was born on April 9, 1931 in Coon Rapids, Iowa to Walter “Curly” and LaVonne Hilgenberg. He cherished his upbringing in Wilton Junction, Iowa. His close-knit family included his older sister, Donna and younger brother, Wally.
Jerry’s early years were spent playing pickup games of football, basketball and baseball. He also enjoyed playing marbles with his friends and hunting and fishing with his family. In Jerry’s senior year at Wilton high school, the school board of which his father was a member, started a football program. From that experience, Jerry walked on without a scholarship to the University of Iowa football team where he played center and linebacker. His success on the football field earned first team All American honors in 1953, a recognition he attributed to the help he received from his coaches and teammates. His success in the classroom earned All Big Ten Academic Team honors. Jerry’s athletic abilities extended to baseball where he co-captained the 1952 Iowa team.
In the fall of 1953 Jerry persuaded JoAnn Carr to have a Coca Cola date with him. Six months later they embarked on a lifelong journey together in marriage.
Jerry was selected in the fourth round of the 1954 NFL draft by the Cleveland Browns. However, Jerry’s commitment to the Air Force ROTC diverted his path. After completing his service to the country Jerry chose coaching over a playing career.
Eight years as an assistant coach from 1956 to 1963 was highlighted by two Rose Bowl wins in 1957 and 1959. Jerry left coaching in 1963 but continued his contributions to the University by doing radio color commentary for Hawkeye football games on KXIC radio and by joining the UI Foundation where he assisted in initial organization and development efforts. Jerry was grateful to have 14 family members attend Iowa, including six Iowa football letter winners and one volleyball letter winner.
Jerry then began a career in the business world by joining Roland M. Smith Realtors as a partner, broker and developer. He was honored to have served as a President of the Iowa City Rotary Club, on the Parks and Recreation board and with wife, JoAnn, be a member of the UI Presidents Club. Jerry looked forward to his Canadian fishing trips with the same group of friends for 42 consecutive years. He also pursued a passion of flying, becoming an instrument rated pilot and taking his family on many memorable trips across the country.
Jerry was preceded in death by his parents, sister and brother. He is survived by his devoted and lovely wife, JoAnn; children: Jim (Judy), Jane (Dave) Jensen, Jay and Joel (Jeanie) along with 15 grandchildren and 4, soon to be 5, great grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to the University of Iowa Center for Advancement for the Baseball Stadium Renovation Fund or to The Bird House – Hospice Home of Johnson County.
Obituaries in Iowa City, IA | The Iowa City Press-Citizen
Jerry Hilgenberg left this world on January 14, 2024 to be with his family in heaven. Jerry lived his life with compassion and caring, always...
www.press-citizen.com
Police Brutality
Sadly, she’s on the barred register from here on out - but maybe she can dress up as sexy cop for Halloween.
Disgraced cop quits before she is sacked as rampage saw her attack woman and car
Former Merseyside constable Kia Pulford Stone was charged with assault and criminal damage after two separate incidents, where she assaulted a woman before later damaging a Vauxhall Adam car belonging to the same victim
www.dailystar.co.uk
