Hawkeye color analyst Ed Podolak Retires

Here is the official release from the U of Iowa Athletic Department on Ed Podolak's decision to leave the broadcast booth: Long time Iowa football color analyst Ed Podolak has decided to retire from Iowa’s football broadcasts. Over last weekend Podolak visited with Iowa Athletics Director Gary Barta indicating his desire to leave the radio booth. Below are statements from Podolak and Barta. Ed Podolak statement: I have notified Learfield Sports and the Iowa Athletic Department of my retirement from the Iowa Football broadcasts. My multi-year contract with Learfield has expired and I will be 62 this year so it seems like a good time for a younger ex-hawk to fill the spot. I have been wrestling with retirement through last fall as I have relocated my real estate business to northern California. The resulting commute to the Midwest each weekend has been challenging. I wish the Hawkeyes the best and will attend as many games as my schedule allows. It has been a pleasure working with so many great Hawkeyes over the last 27 years. I want to especially thank Jim Zabel and Gary Dolphin for helping to make my football Saturdays even more rewarding. I hope to pen some memoirs in the near future. Go Hawks!!!! Gary Barta statement: Over the weekend Ed Podolak shared with me his desire to retire as our football color analyst, a position he has held for over 25 years. He indicated he felt the time was right for him to step aside and devote more time to his business and other personal interests. It’s hard to put into words what Ed has meant to Iowa football, both as a player and a radio personality. His knowledge, insight and wit will be sorely missed when Hawkeye football is on the air. He has the unique ability to talk to Iowa fans in a way they clearly understand. He never hid his passion for the Hawkeyes and for that we’ll be eternally grateful. It’ll be a challenge to fill the shoes of such a great radio personality, but we’ll work hard to find a color analyst who exemplifies the on-air qualities we’ve become accustomed to with Ed. We thank him for his years of service and wish him good luck and health in his retirement from the radio booth. He’ll always be a Hawkeye and we cherish the memories he has left us. Link