Author: jrike10

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

Opinion: The Steelers-Aaron Rodgers partnership is historic and attention-grabbing, but meaningful success will be an uphill battle

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Decades from now, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Aaron Rodgers will be regarded as two all-time brands: the Steelers as the winners of six Super Bowls and one of the NFL’s earliest dynasties, and Rodgers as a four-time MVP and one of the five most talented quarterbacks in NFL history. The idea of the two joining … Continue reading Opinion: The Steelers-Aaron Rodgers partnership is historic and attention-grabbing, but meaningful success will be an uphill battle

Opinion: The Indiana Pacers are leading in the NBA Finals. Are they finally shedding the underdog label?

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The Indiana Pacers can't stop winning. They have to be the favorites at some point, right? Since the start of the calendar year 2025, the Pacers boast the most wins of any Eastern Conference team, yet they entered the playoffs well behind the reigning champion Celtics and Cavaliers in the conference’s pecking order. No problem … Continue reading Opinion: The Indiana Pacers are leading in the NBA Finals. Are they finally shedding the underdog label?

Assessing the Orlando Magic’s “new generation” of logos and uniforms

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Coming off consecutive playoff appearances, the Orlando Magic are launching into a new era of championship contention behind stars Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. And to usher this new era in, the Magic are embracing a new visual identity, replete with updated logos, uniforms and a court design. Uniform updates don’t win games themselves, but … Continue reading Assessing the Orlando Magic’s “new generation” of logos and uniforms

26.2 Miles Long and a Mile High: 10 Chilling and Thrilling Memories from my Colfax Denver Marathon Training and Race

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On Feb. 15, 2025, I ventured toward the front range of the Rocky Mountains for my weekly long run. The weather after Valentine’s Day was hardly picturesque — cloudy and in the mid-30’s — but the chill was hardly a barrier for a well-bundled runner like myself. A dash of flurries in my first miles … Continue reading 26.2 Miles Long and a Mile High: 10 Chilling and Thrilling Memories from my Colfax Denver Marathon Training and Race

Opinion: The Baltimore Orioles are baseball’s most disappointing team, but the Rockies’ 8-42 start establishes MLB’s true rock bottom

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The Baltimore Orioles’ 19-5 loss to the Boston Red Sox on Friday is as jarring a result as regular season baseball gets. A playoff entrant in each of the past two seasons and the home of arguably the American League’s most decorated and exciting collection of young talent, the Orioles hardly profile as a team … Continue reading Opinion: The Baltimore Orioles are baseball’s most disappointing team, but the Rockies’ 8-42 start establishes MLB’s true rock bottom

Opinion: Unanimous support of NFL players’ Olympic involvement sets stage for flag football’s exciting 2028 Olympic debut

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At 25 years old, Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson has decorated his trophy case quite thoroughly. Jefferson has been named as an All-Pro first-team selection two times, a second-team selection two times, a Pro Bowl selection four times and won Offensive Player of the Year for his stellar 2022 campaign. Prior to wreaking havoc … Continue reading Opinion: Unanimous support of NFL players’ Olympic involvement sets stage for flag football’s exciting 2028 Olympic debut

Opinion: Five years later, the cellar-dwelling 2019-20 Northwestern Wildcats are still rewriting their legacy

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History will not remember the 2019-20 Northwestern Wildcats men’s basketball team as a great team. Or a good one. Or merely competitive. For a basketball program that never made March Madness before 2017, expectations are not perennially sky-high. But the 2019-20 season was as close as it has gotten to rock bottom in the past … Continue reading Opinion: Five years later, the cellar-dwelling 2019-20 Northwestern Wildcats are still rewriting their legacy

Opinion: Thanks to NFL’s best offseason, the New England Patriots are ready to return to playoff contention

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“Rough” might be the best word to describe the start of the New England Patriots’ offseason. Patriots owner Robert Kraft made the painful decision to fire head coach Jerod Mayo after a single year, a dismal 4-13 season that not only relegated the Patriots to the bottom of their division but also moved them out … Continue reading Opinion: Thanks to NFL’s best offseason, the New England Patriots are ready to return to playoff contention