Riker’s Block

  • 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,

    Read more

  • 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

    Read more

  • 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

    Read more

  • 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

    Read more

  • 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

    Read more

  • 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

    Read more

  • 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

    Read more

  • Get Ready for 2017 Movies

    Get Ready for 2017 Movies

    With the Oscar selections coming out on Feb. 26, the cinematic focus is currently on the best movies of 2016. While the 2016 slate of movies was strong, 2017 could be even better with another heavy dosage of superhero movies and the eighth installment in the Star Wars saga. The following films probably won’t win

    Read more

  • What I learned from the 2016 NFL Season

    2016 was a superb season for football. Though the TV ratings fell at the beginning of the season and many of the top teams faltered, the season was filled with intriguing storylines (Hello, Dallas) and a spectacular finish in Super Bowl LI. These are my top five takeaways from the 2016 NFL season. The Patriots

    Read more

  • Meet the cast of Super Bowl LI

    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

    Read more