Author: jrike10

2025 NFL Preview: Projecting the league’s best teams, players, stories and more, and my Super Bowl LX prediction

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Three-peat denied. The Kansas City Chiefs’ impressive bid at three consecutive Super Bowl titles culminated in a thrashing at the hands of the Philadelphia Eagles, 40-22, exposing the mortality of the de facto dynasty of the 2020s. The Chiefs aren’t going anywhere as long as head coach Andy Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes are in … Continue reading 2025 NFL Preview: Projecting the league’s best teams, players, stories and more, and my Super Bowl LX prediction

2025 College Football Preview: Predicting the 2025 College Football Playoff, and what makes each entrant dangerous

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Full disclosure: college football has changed so much over the past half-decade that I felt it was necessary to complete a sweeping review of the sport’s recent developments before choosing my champion. Some moves have been overwhelming successes: the return of the EA Sports College Football video game, an expanded College Football playoff and the … Continue reading 2025 College Football Preview: Predicting the 2025 College Football Playoff, and what makes each entrant dangerous

NFL Preview 2025: 10 quarterbacks that will make or break their teams’ playoff aspirations

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Nothing differentiates the NFL’s haves and have-nots quite like elite quarterbacks — and the NFL media doesn’t shy away from that narrative. Everywhere fans look, the importance of a great quarterback is drilled in. The second season of the Netflix docuseries Quarterback followed passers Joe Burrow, Jared Goff and Kirk Cousins, who had three wildly … Continue reading NFL Preview 2025: 10 quarterbacks that will make or break their teams’ playoff aspirations

Opinion: Opinion: Move over, California. The NBA’s balance of power has shifted to the Lone Star State.

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Almost six months later, the Dallas Mavericks’ jettisoning of superstar guard Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers still feels surreal.  The most shocking blockbuster trade of the NBA’s past decade didn’t affect the playoff bracket all that much — the Lakers’ duo of Doncic and LeBron James couldn’t advance past the Western Conference’s first … Continue reading Opinion: Opinion: Move over, California. The NBA’s balance of power has shifted to the Lone Star State.

Opinion: For ascending Broncos, AFC West title would be a massive step toward Super Bowl contention. What would it take to win the division?

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After the Denver Broncos bowed out of the wild card round of last year’s AFC playoff bracket, head coach Sean Payton posed a tantalizing ‘what if’ — what if the Broncos faced off against the Kansas City Chiefs, the two-time reigning Super Bowl champions in the playoffs? “There was a lot of confidence in this … Continue reading Opinion: For ascending Broncos, AFC West title would be a massive step toward Super Bowl contention. What would it take to win the division?

Opinion: Activate the robo-umps. MLB is ready for full-time use of the ABS challenge system.

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Seattle Mariners left fielder Randy Arozarena came to the plate of the ninth inning of last week’s MLB All-Star Game with a prime opportunity to deal the final blow of the American League’s stunning rally.  Down 6-0 in the top of the seventh, the AL lineup ended the shutout scare on Brent Rooker’s three-run homer, … Continue reading Opinion: Activate the robo-umps. MLB is ready for full-time use of the ABS challenge system.

Opinion: The Home Run Derby was one of the best moments from the 2025 season. Major League Baseball would be wise to take note.

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As far as all-star exhibitions in professional sports go, the Home Run Derby is the gold standard. Eight of the best sluggers in the major leagues facing off with serious hardware and bragging rights at stake. Booming homers littering the outfields of a new ballpark each summer. Nonstop excitement and power for three hours — … Continue reading Opinion: The Home Run Derby was one of the best moments from the 2025 season. Major League Baseball would be wise to take note.

Opinion: F1 is a terrific summer blockbuster. Will the movie fast-track the sport to another level?

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The sport of Formula One has taken off in the past decade, launching from an obscure, niche racing sport with more of an international focus into a full-fledged phenomenon, both globally and in the United States.  The additions of Miami and Las Vegas to the racing calendar, the strategic moves of owner Liberty Media, the … Continue reading Opinion: F1 is a terrific summer blockbuster. Will the movie fast-track the sport to another level?

Opinion: Thunder’s Finals win gives Oklahoma City, an afterthought in pro sports for decades, its well-deserved shining moment

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The Thunder took six NBA Finals games and an additional two and a half quarters to prove it, but Oklahoma City rounded into championship form just in time.  With thousands of Thunder supporters shaking the Paycom Center stands in approval, Oklahoma City responded to a slight halftime deficit in Game 7 by burying the underdog … Continue reading Opinion: Thunder’s Finals win gives Oklahoma City, an afterthought in pro sports for decades, its well-deserved shining moment

Opinion: Orlando’s blockbuster trade for Desmond Bane signals unofficial start of Magic’s championship contention

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The contestants in this year’s NBA Finals have the Orlando Magic to thank (in part) for their Finals runs. I doubt either will send the Magic a card in the mail — no debt of gratitude is in play when ripping off a team via trade (plus, the Thunder and Pacers actually played the winning … Continue reading Opinion: Orlando’s blockbuster trade for Desmond Bane signals unofficial start of Magic’s championship contention