This article was written at the UNC Sports Journalism Camp. All quotes are from a press conference with Theo Pinson. College basketball is a roller coaster. Case in point: the whirlwind career of North Carolina shooting guard and rising senior Theo Pinson. During the 2015-16 season, Pinson, then a sophomore, and his Tar Heel teammates … Continue reading For Reigning NCAA Champ, the Roller Coaster Continues
The following short story was submitted for the Michael J. Doran writing contest for Wootton High School and was selected as the third-place winner. The prompt for the contest was to create a world where everyone has superpowers except the main character. “Daddy, tell me the story again!” Meridian Kennedy, a bright and enthusiastic six-year-old … Continue reading Short Story: Sweet Sixteen
Presenting the Rise, the Fall, and the Return of Nicky G. The documentary, styled after ESPN's documentary series 30 for 30, focuses on the extraordinary events of the running career of one of my teammates and good friends, Nick Gracyalny. This film is one of the most ambitious projects I've ever worked on and working … Continue reading The Rise, The Fall, and The Return of Nicky G
With 1:40 remaining in regulation of the NCAA Championship, the North Carolina Tar Heels were deadlocked with their title game opponent, the Gonzaga Bulldogs, at 65 points apiece. A year earlier, the Tar Heels were tied with mere seconds on the scoreboard in the title game before being eliminated by a buzzer-beating three-pointer by Villanova’s … Continue reading Tar Heels get revenge, win NCAA title
In November 2016, the Chicago Cubs did the impossible and won the World Series, breaking a 108-year drought. With the Cubs’ streak now history, it may seem that baseball doesn’t have another historically tortured franchise which seems incapable of winning the World Series. It may seem that baseball doesn’t have a team that the everyday … Continue reading The Colorado Rockies- The Next Great American Sports Story
With the real-life Oscars a week away, I’m giving away my Oscar picks for excellence in cinematic achievements… but with my favorite movies instead of only 2016 flicks. In addition to the 15 Academy Award categories, I’ll announce eight Razzie-inspired awards for worst performances. Enjoy! Oscars Best Picture: The Incredibles The No. 1 movie on … Continue reading Riker Scale: All-Time Oscar and Razzie Selections
Midway through the game, Super Bowl LI seemed to be just another blowout. Instead, it became the greatest comeback in NFL history and one of the best games NFL fans have ever seen. Presenting the cast of Super Bowl LI! The Hero- Tom Brady For the first half, Tom Brady and the Patriots’ offense was … Continue reading Meet the cast of Super Bowl LI
In my opinion, these are the best ten movies of all-time.
I know that a good portion of this site's visitors are not at my school. However, this longform piece, published earlier this week in the school newspaper Common Sense, is a piece of writing that I'd call my best and a project I'm proud to call my own. Enjoy! To say our school’s athletic … Continue reading Longform: Wootton’s Athletics Ahead of the Game
Today, January 12th, 2017, is a day that will live in infamy. That date in the sports world will forever represent when the San Diego Chargers, a revered and strongly supported football team with possibly the greatest theme song ever, announced their plans to move down the road to Los Angeles. The Chargers’ loss to … Continue reading Meet the… Los Angeles Chargers?
Riker's Block 