Welcome to Atlanta: How my journalism residency at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution sports desk compared to expectations

June 28, 2022June 28, 2022 ~ jrike10 ~ Leave a comment

ATLANTA — This spring, school looked a lot different. I can’t remember any other year when my day started at 2 p.m., when my homework was circulated to thousands of people I had never met or when watching sports was a welcome obligation, rather than a midday distraction. So I don’t think it’s hyperbole to … Continue reading Welcome to Atlanta: How my journalism residency at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution sports desk compared to expectations

Baseball won’t be the same without Jon Lester

January 15, 2022 ~ jrike10 ~ Leave a comment

This week has been one of the busiest on the sports calendar, from the Georgia Bulldogs knocking off perennial power Alabama in the College Football Playoff title game in college football to Black Monday and the start of playoff football in the NFL to some marquee matchups in the NBA and college basketball. In comparison, … Continue reading Baseball won’t be the same without Jon Lester

Fight Till The Finish: My Experience Running the 2021 Chicago Marathon

December 8, 2021December 8, 2021 ~ jrike10 ~ 1 Comment

Last spring, I penned a reported personal essay about my experience training for the Chicago Marathon, from the moment I got the fateful acceptance email to the end of my training in June. Plenty has happened since then — not least of which, the marathon itself — and it’s about time for an update. My … Continue reading Fight Till The Finish: My Experience Running the 2021 Chicago Marathon

Why The Incredibles is the Greatest Movie of All Time

November 10, 2020 ~ jrike10 ~ Leave a comment

The following essay is part of an upcoming Riker Scale project. Enjoy! The distinction of favorite movie is a subjective one. Each person is entitled to their own taste in film, and the variety in film opinions is part of what makes talking about movies so fun. At the same time, I firmly believe that … Continue reading Why The Incredibles is the Greatest Movie of All Time

Nostalgia Blast: Growing Up Riker

April 4, 2020 ~ jrike10 ~ Leave a comment

Northwestern’s spring quarter officially kicks off this Monday, and while NU has yet to officially decide about whether classes will be online for the entirety of the quarter until mid-June, all signs point toward a full quarter of remote work. To boil that down — my physical freshman year, my year of living in Evanston, … Continue reading Nostalgia Blast: Growing Up Riker

A Tale of Two Teams

January 2, 2020 ~ jrike10 ~ Leave a comment

I’d be hard-pressed to find two NFL teams that had different trajectories this season than the Baltimore Ravens and the Dallas Cowboys. They also happen to be my favorite teams. As Baltimore established itself as the best team in the NFL and unbelievably fun to watch, the Cowboys became the most excruciating. For every … Continue reading A Tale of Two Teams

The Ten Greatest Sports Games I’ve Ever Seen

December 16, 2019 ~ jrike10 ~ Leave a comment

A couple of Saturdays ago, I tuned in to one of the greatest rivalries in sports, the Iron Bowl, an annual battle between Auburn and Alabama (often for SEC supremacy). The game didn’t let me down, as each quarter was packed to the brim with exciting moments and breathtaking plays I’d never seen before … Continue reading The Ten Greatest Sports Games I’ve Ever Seen

Nostalgia Blast: The Tech Wiz

September 4, 2019 ~ jrike10 ~ Leave a comment

Before I head off to the next chapter of my life at Northwestern University, I want to take a trip back down memory lane with the Nostalgia Blast series. Each column will focus on a certain part of my childhood and explain how it made my last 17 years so unique and fun. Today I’ll … Continue reading Nostalgia Blast: The Tech Wiz

Nostalgia Blast: Number One Fan

September 3, 2019 ~ jrike10 ~ Leave a comment

Before I head off to the next chapter of my life at Northwestern University, I want to take a trip back down memory lane with the Nostalgia Blast series. Each column will focus on a certain part of my childhood and explain how it made my last 17 years so unique and fun. Kicking things … Continue reading Nostalgia Blast: Number One Fan

Ed Reed: Pick-six king enshrined in Canton

August 4, 2019 ~ jrike10 ~ Leave a comment

Back in elementary school, I frequently read a book about the Baltimore Ravens and one line always stood out. In discussing Baltimore’s tradition of stifling defenses, it described the Ravens’ unit as something to the effect of “tougher a brick wall” and “stingier than cobwebs.” I saw those imposing Ravens defenses for four glorious years … Continue reading Ed Reed: Pick-six king enshrined in Canton