If You Build It, They Will Come

 New post on Iowa schedule collecting.  A two-fer with Iowa State, and a bonus game collected!

 We have new champions in both the Men's and Women's tournaments (Congrats Kansas and South Carolina).  What began with such hope and excitement for the Iowa teams led to disappointment...but hope for next year.   Across the Iowa Connections we have 10 potential collections in the future (including 2 that already have cards on TCDB: Caitlin Clark and Keegan Murray)   Before moving on to next year, lets take a moment to celebrate this year.  We have an Iowa Connection on the National Champion Kansas team, and an Iowa Connection on the NIT Champion Xavier.  Let's start with the Women's teams. Iowa State Cyclones 28-7 (14-4) finishing 2nd in the Big 12 #3 Seed in the tournament making it to the Sweet Sixteen Potential Cards in the Future: Ashley Joens (1st Round Mock 2023 Draft) Emily Ryan (1st Round Mock 2024 Draft) Lexi Donarski (1st Round Mock 2024 Draft) Aubrey Joens (3rd Round Mock 2024 Draft) Iowa Hawkeyes 25-7 (14-4) finishing 1st in the B...

 In one of the biggest games in the Iowa / Iowa State rivalry over the weekend, the Hawkeyes beat the Cyclones on Saturday to take the unofficial crown of Best in Iowa.  The game was a battle of two teams ranked in the top 10 and was featured on College Football Countdown as Reece and the gang came to Ames and welcomed Ashton Kutcher who rode in on a John Deere to declare his support of the Hawkeyes. The week prior Iowa State beat UNI in a close game.  UNI doesn't often get to claim Best in Iowa, but it has happened in the past.  Three times I have counted, which is pretty good considering every game is on the road for them and they are FCS.  The three times were: 1992: UNI beats ISU 27-10 (+17) at Ames, and Iowa only beats ISU 14-7 (+7) in Iowa City. 2007: UNI beats ISU 24-13 at Ames, and Iowa State beats Iowa 15-13, so the Transitive property is in effect. 2013: UNI beats ISU 28-20 (+8) at Ames, and Iowa only ISU 27-21 (+6) in Ames. In 2009 UNI lost to Iowa 17...

Here's the initial list of players with Iowa Connections in the NFL in 2021. Seven teams are starting the year at zero, which I assume they are having discussions about in the background.  Tomorrow I'll list Iowa Connections on the practice squad and we'll declare the Iowa Connection "Who to Root For".  Buffalo, Green Bay and Jacksonville are trying hard to be that team this year. Note: Coaches in  italics Iowa Hawkeyes : 37 Iowa State Cyclones : 14 Northern Iowa Panthers : 9 Drake Bulldogs : 3 Ellsworth Community College : 1 North Iowa Area Community College: 1 Des Moines : 2 Iowa City : 1 Ames : 1 Cedar Rapids: 1 6 - Buffalo : Ike Boettger /  AJ Epenesa  / Micah Hyde (Iowa), AJ Klein (ISU), Spencer Brown (UNI), Matt Haack (W. Des Moines) 5 - Green Bay : Jerry Montgomery, Jack Heflin (Iowa), Allen Lazard (ISU), Ryan Mahaffey (UNI), Dominique Dafney (W. Des Moines ) 5 - Jacksonville :  C.J. Beathard  (Iowa),  Darrell Bevell,  Brian Sc...

   Here's my updated list for Iowa Connections on WNBA teams.  Connections are sparser than the NFL, so I will only list teams with connections. Iowa State Cyclones : 2 Iowa Hawkeyes : 1 Iowa Wesleyan: 1 1 - Indiana:        Kathleen Doyle (Iowa) 1 - Dallas :      Megan Gustafson (Iowa) 1 - Minnesota:      Bridget Carleton  (ISU) 1 - Phoenix:    Derrick Nillissen (Iowa Wesleyan)

  The Arena Bowl is played every year (well, not 2009...), and every year there is a winner.  The right team doesn't always win though.  No, sometimes the universe makes a mistake and the wrong team wins.  But how do we know who these "Misplaced Winners" are?   Well, this blog circles around one thing, and that's the Iowa Connection.  So, obviously every Arena Bowl champion should have at least one Iowa Connection, but not every one does.  Either I've missed the connection (possible!), or the universe messed up.  Thanos snapped his fingers and the Tampa Bay Storm won.  So lets look at those Iowa-less Arena Bowl champions and see who it should have been. If this universe happened, here are number of titles these Iowa Connections would have gained (2+): 4 - Matt Eller, Ames 3 - Chris Spencer, Iowa State 3 - Todd Harrington, UNI 3 - Kurt Warner, UNI 3 - Larry Blue, Iowa 3 - Carlos James, Iowa 3 - Garry Howe, Spencer 3 - ...

        Profile E.J. Bibbs is a tight end who started at Arizona Western CC before transferring to Iowa State for his final 2 years, earning 1st Team All-Conference honors*.  Bibbs was undrafted but played for Cleveland his first year.  Bibbs bounced around other NFL teams before playing in the newly recreated XFL** in the doomed 2020 year.  * Bibbs was the only Cyclone on either 1st or 2nd teams.  Allen Lazard was a honorable mention. ** Other XFLers: Players: James Butler (UofI), Elijah Campbell (UNI), Jake Campos (ISU)  Coaches: Jonathan Hayes (UofI), Bob Stoops (UofI), Chuck Long (UofI) Personal Notes Moonlight Graham was a ball player in the movie Field of Dreams who had one at bat and was immortalized for the idea of reaching your dreams, but just barely.  E.J. Bibbs has one catch for seven yards.  Where is his movie?! One other thing I noticed when googling E.J. Bibbs, which of these is there more of: E.J. Bibbs car...

Pro Football HOF The Pro Football Hall of Fame is located in Canton, Ohio and is home to just over 346 members.  Each member receives a gold jacket upon enshrinement.  Here's the best list I can come up with of Iowa Connections in this HOF. Iowa Hawkeyes Players Alex Karras Paul Krause Duke Slater Andre Tippett Emlen Tunnell Iowa State Cyclones Coaches Jimmy Johnson Don Shula Mike Michalske Northern Iowa Players Kurt Warner Coe Kohawks Coaches Marv Levy Lived in Iowa Players Terry Bradshaw (Lived in Camanche)

   CFL Draft Iowa Connections I'll be filling these in as I post in the blog.  I'll link to the players as they each get a post.   2021 Alaric Jackson, 2nd, Iowa 2021 - Global Matt Leo, 4th, ISU Niklas Gustav, 4th, Morningside 2017 Faith Ekakitie, 1st, Iowa 2016 Tavau Smith, 1st, Iowa 2013 Nolan MacMillan, 1st, Iowa 2012 Cleyon Laing, 1st, ISU 2005 Anthony Posteraro, 4th, Graceland 2002 Reid Seitz, 3rd, UNI 1999 Trevor Bollers, 1st, Iowa 1996 Sheldon Napastuk, 3rd, ISU 1995 John Murphy, 1st, Morningside 1978 Dan Taylor, 1st, Iowa Central

     NBA Draft Iowa Connections I'll be filling these in as I post in the blog.  I'll link to the players as they each get a post.  Currently, there eight years out of the 73 years that do not have a relevant Iowa basketball player (1950, 1954, 1955, 1972, 1994, 2005, 2009, 2011). Pre-Draft Era Hal Crisler, ISU 1947 Dick Ives, Iowa Herb Wilkinson, Iowa 1948 Ray Wehde, ISU Murray Wier, Iowa Gordon Flick, Drake 1949 John Pritchard, 7th, Drake Bill Evans, Drake 1951 John Rennicke, 6th, Drake Frank Clasbeek, 6th, Iowa 1952 Chuck Darling, 1st, Iowa Bob Clifton, Iowa 1953 Delmer Diercks, ISU 1956 Bill Logan, 5th, Iowa Carl Cain, Iowa 1957 Gary Thompson, 5th, ISU Phil Murrell, 6th, Drake 1958 Phil Murrell, 4th, Drake John Crawford, 6th, ISU Don Medsker, 12th, ISU 1959 Dave Gunther, 8th, Iowa 1960 Americas John-Lewis, 10th, Iowa 1961 Hank Whitney, 4th, ISU Gus Guydon, 4th, Drake Stacey Arceneaux, UDFA, ISU 1962 Don Nelson , 3rd, Iowa Jerry Foster, 6th, Drake Vince Brewe...

 Today we have a new collection of cards for the 2021 ICY set.  These 16 cards honor the achievements of the wrestling teams from three major Iowa NCAA teams: Iowa, Iowa State, and UNI.  Iowa won NCAA Championship, Spencer Lee was the Wrestler of the Year and Tom Brands is the Coach of the Year. Iowa Hawkeyes Iowa State Cyclones Northern Iowa Panthers

Profile Kyle Kempt was the quarterback for the Iowa State Cyclones* who started out as a walk-on and eventually led the Cyclones to beat two Top 5 teams and to a national ranking.  Unfortunately a knee injury took away his final season and he was left undrafted in 2019.  Kyle now works for the ISU football program**. * 4 ISU QBs have been drafted : Seneca Wallace (4th 2003), Sage Rosenfels (4th 2001), Dean Carlson (7th 1972), and Tim Van Galder (6th 1966). ** Other ISU staffers with cards: Joel Lanning, Jeff Myers, and Jon Heacock Personal Notes The tale of two players: James Daniels and Kyle Kempt.  The former is an Iowa offensive lineman drafted in the 2nd round and is probably the best OL on the Chicago Bears (even despite the fact he is injured right now).  Kyle was a good college qb, but didn't really sniff the NFL and now is a college coach.  However, if you were to try to find cards for James Daniels, you would find 0!  Kyle has about 40....

     WNBA Draft Iowa Connections I'll be filling these in as I post in the blog.  I'll link to the players as they each get a post.  Currently, there 9 years out of the 25 years that do not have a relevant Iowa basketball player (04, 08, 09, 12, 14, 16, 17, 18, 21). 1997 Michelle Edwards, Initial, Iowa Toni Foster, 1st, Iowa Tia Jackson, 2nd, Iowa 1998 Tangela Smith, 2nd, Iowa Nadine Domond, 2nd, Iowa Angela Hamblin, 3rd, Iowa 1999 Amy Herrig, 4th, Iowa 2000 Desiree Francis, 2nd, ISU Stacy Frese, 3rd, ISU 2001 Megan Taylor, 4th, ISU Cara Consuegra, 4th, Iowa 2002 Angie Welle, 2nd, ISU Lindsey Meder, 3rd, Iowa Jerica Watson, 3rd, Iowa Tracy Gahan, 4th ISU 2003 Carla Bennett, 3rd, Drake Lindsey Wilson, 3rd, ISU 2004 None 2005 Anne O'Neil, 3rd, ISU 2006 Crystal Smith, 3rd, Iowa 2007 Lyndsey Medders, 2nd, ISU 2008 None 2009 None 2010 Alison Lacey, 1st, ISU 2011 Kachine Alexander, 3rd, Iowa Kelsey Bolte, 3rd, ISU 2012 None 2013 Chelsea Poppens, 2nd, ISU Anna Prins, 2...

Today we have a new collection of cards for the 2021 ICY set.  These 17 cards honor the achievements of the men and teams from the four major Iowa NCAA teams: Iowa, Iowa State, UNI and Drake.  Two teams had NCAA tournament invites, and each team also had individual awards led by Iowa's Luka Garza. Iowa Hawkeyes Iowa State Cyclones Northern Iowa Panthers Drake Bulldogs