A Season Inside: A Winter with Northwestern Basketball

 The first college basketball game I attended was a pretty epic one. The battle between the George Washington Colonels and the Charlotte 49ers on March 4, 2006, had tournament implications, culminated in a GW buzzer beater, and was celebrated by a court storm of rabid fans. Then a five-year-old preschooler, I recall a couple things: … Continue reading A Season Inside: A Winter with Northwestern Basketball

Read Option: On the ‘Cats, Cubs, Ravens and Cowboys

Hey guys! I’ve written a lot of series over the years, and their names have ranged the spectrum from cringy (Professor Sports) to clever (Varsity Letter) to fitting (Nostalgia Blast). Today, as I kick of the college era of Johnriker.com, I’m resurrecting one of my favorite formats/names, the Read Option. Quick history lesson -- my … Continue reading Read Option: On the ‘Cats, Cubs, Ravens and Cowboys

College Football Preview: Alabama, Clemson teams to beat

The college football season officially kicks off this weekend and storylines abound across the CFB landscape. Alabama and Clemson are heavyweights that look primed for another championship bout, but teams such as Washington, Ohio State, Georgia, and Oklahoma have the potential to make things interesting. Dark horses like Penn State, Michigan, Miami, and Wisconsin are … Continue reading College Football Preview: Alabama, Clemson teams to beat

World Cup, March Madness among spectacular sports tournaments

The World Cup captured the sports world’s attention for the past weeks with excitement, action and a product that certainly lived up to the hype. Even I was hooked, and I don’t watch any soccer. The games were unpredictable and the finishes were nail-biting. I’ll certainly look forward to the World Cup come 2022. Sports is full … Continue reading World Cup, March Madness among spectacular sports tournaments