From the outside you might think that Iowa lacks one major cultural cornerstone: A professional sports team. From the inside you quickly realize that Iowa has a ton to offer to the sports fanatic.
NCAA FOOTBALL: It’s 6am and you have the grill going, face-paint on and you’re surrounded by thousands of football fans from across the state and country. Whether you are in Iowa City, Ames or Cedar Falls you can expect a great day of football. The Hawkeyes took a team to the BCS Orange Bowl in the 2009/10 season and upset the favored Yellow Jackets of Georgia Tech. During the same year, the Iowa State Cyclones won on the road at Nebraska for the first time in over 30 years!
NCAA BASKETBALL: One of the greatest games ever played in March Madness history involved an Iowa team and the #1 ranked team in country. The UNI Panthers posted a HUGE upset over the top seeded Kansas Jayhawks in a thriller that went down to the wire. Expect to see the highlight video of the 3-point shot by Ali Farokhmanesh played for years to come.
SEMI-PRO TEAMS: The lovable Chicago Cubs house their farm team, the AAA Iowa Cubs, at Principal Park in downtown Des Moines. The new skipper, Ryne Sandberg is sure to draw a crowd and visitors can expect to see some of their favorite MLB players on rehab assignments along with the top prospects at every game. In addition to the baseball scene Iowa plays home to the NBA farm team for the Chicago Bulls, the Iowa Energy, at Wells Fargo arena. And let’s not forget the Iowa Barnstormers where future Hall of Fame Quarterback, Kurt Warner, got his start.
So we may not have a pro team housed in the state, but like our last post pointed out there is no shortage of stars coming out of Iowa.
@dsmhomes

When you think of Iowa you probably don’t think of Super Bowls, Olympics, or The Masters. The truth is that many great athletes, that are still active in their sport today, came from the state of Iowa and represent us quite well.

Shawn Johnson, Iowa’s Golden Girl, increased her star power by winning ‘Dancing with the Stars’ after returning from the 2008 Beijing Summer Games. Shawn continues to capture the attention of fans around the world.
Casey Blake, a slugger for the Los Angeles Dodgers, grew up in West Des Moines, Iowa. In the 2009 season Blake and the Dodgers won their division but lost to the Philadelphia Phillis in the League Championship Series.
Arizona Cardinals Quarterback, Kurt Warner, won the harts of football fans everywhere in 1999 when the previously unknown player took the St. Louis Rams to a Super Bowl victory. In early 2010 Warner retired from the NFL with a solid place in the hall of fame.
Even people that don’t like watching the sport of golf remember where they were the day that Zach Johnson, of Cedar Rapids, marched up the fairway to take down the most famous golfer in history, Tiger Woods. Johnson is known for his humble demeanor and attributes his skill in golf to his faith in Jesus Christ.
Lori “Lolo” Jones was favored at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in the 100 meter hurdles. Unfortunately Lolo tripped on a hurdle and was unable to fulfill the fan expectations of gold. Lolo has been very philanthropic in the Des Moines area including donating to her former high school, Roosevelt, and making special appearances at the Drake Relays.
Dallas Clark, a former non-scholarship walk-on tight end for the Iowa Hawkeyes has gone on to one of the most successful careers for a tight end in the NFL with the Indianapolis Colts. Already a Super Bowl and Pro Bowl regular, Clark reminds non-scholarship athletes everywhere that hard work will lead to success.
These, and many other professional athletes from this state, continue to paint Iowans in a great light. With their high quality of character and positive attitude they are sure to be role models for years to come.
@dsmhomes