Riker’s Block

  • Riker Rants: Last Jedi Trailer Reaction and Analysis

      Hey guys! If you’re a Star Wars fanatic like me, the anticipation for Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi is mounting. Thanks to the Star Wars Celebration panel this weekend in Orlando, we got the first peek at the new movie- a two-minute trailer for The Last Jedi. Who are Rey’s parents? Who…

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  • Who are the aces of the MLB?

    Ace. It’s one of the most popular words in the baseball vernacular, but often the term is applied widely. Is a team’s top pitcher automatically “their” ace, or does the word only apply to the best of the best. I think it’s the latter, so today I’ll shine light on the true aces in the…

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  • Tar Heels get revenge, win NCAA title

    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…

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  • NFL makes gamble by moving Raiders to Vegas

    From 2002 to 2016, a total of zero NFL franchises moved cities. Since then, three teams have been given the thumbs up to pack their bags and relocate. After the Chargers and Rams succeeded in moving to Los Angeles, another team that was in the mix, the Oakland Raiders, proposed a move to Las Vegas,…

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  • State of My Bracket: Final Four

    Another exciting weekend of March Madness basketball finished yesterday and now only four teams remain- the South Carolina Gamecocks, the Gonzaga Bulldogs, the Oregon Ducks and the North Carolina Tar Heels. Only UNC has made a Final Four in the past 78 years, and South Carolina and Gonzaga are in the last weekend for the…

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  • State of My Bracket: Sweet Sixteen

    After one thrilling weekend of March Madness basketball, my bracket hasn’t busted, my teams aren’t out, and the games have been awesome. Right now, my entry, Final400, ranks eighth in the 30-team track and field team league and second in the four team league for my dad’s work. That may not sound great, but thanks…

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  • Will the Cubs repeat? 2017 MLB preview

    For the first time in 108 years, the Chicago Cubs are the reigning champions of the baseball world. Now, the question is whether the Cubs can capture October (and November) magic again. But the competition will be stiff- the Indians, Red Sox, and Astros all made moves to improve. And while those four are the…

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  • The Colorado Rockies- The Next Great American Sports Story

    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…

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  • Without parity, NBA takes a back seat

    When I was a seven-year-old kid, I saw my first NBA game and was captivated. It was Game 7 of the NBA Finals, between the two best teams in basketball history, the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers. I was rooting for the men in green, and when the Celtics finished off the Lakers, NBA…

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  • Riker Scale: All-Time Oscar and Razzie Selections

    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…

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