Ed Thomas will be featured on the cover of this weeks' issue of Sports Illustrated (July 26, 2009) available on newstands Wedneday, July 1. The following was obtained in a press release from Sport's Illustrated

"This week's July 6, 2009, issue of Sports Illustrated, on newsstands (Wednesday), features Ed Thomas, head football coach at Aplington-Parkersburg (Iowa) High School, with the billing A Good Man Down – Tragedy in the Heartland: The Murder of a Beloved High School Coach."

Here is a link to the SI article: "He was the Rock that this community was built on" Warning: I wouldn't read this article if you're at work, unless you're comfortable shedding a few tears at work.

Ed Thomas was the leader of the Parkersburg community after the town had been destroyed by a tornado on May 25, 2008. Thomas was one of the most humble guys you would ever meet, a head coach with a career record of 292-84 and 2 state titles and he mowed the football field himself.

Thomas managed to produce 4 NFL players, Brad Meester of Jacksonville; Jared DeVries; Casey Wiegmann of Denver; Aaron Kampman of Green Bay, impressive considering Parkersburg is a town of only 1800 people.

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