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
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
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
Around the 12th inning of last night’s (and morning’s) NL Wild Card game between the Chicago Cubs and the Colorado Rockies, I came upon the realization that for one team, the result of this marathon of a baseball game was going to absolutely stink. Of course, it didn’t cross my mind that the loser would … Continue reading Rox rock Cubs in thrilling and lengthy NL Wild Card battle
One of the best parts of the baseball season is the All Star Game, an element that is simply off the mark in the other sports leagues but carries significant value on the diamond. With the Midsummer Classic coming to my local ballpark, Nationals Park, in a couple weeks, I wanted to release my ballot … Continue reading My 2018 MLB All-Star Ballot
Baseball is back! The 2018 MLB season will make for an entertaining summer with intriguing storylines across the board, from the loaded Bronx Bombers on the East Coast to the Shohei Ohtani show on the West Coast. These are the storylines that will captivate baseball fans this summer and make it impossible to turn the … Continue reading MLB Preview: Ten Storylines to Watch in 2018
If last year’s World Series was any indication, October baseball is one of the most exciting events of the sports calendar. This year’s trophy is anyone’s for the taking, with three 100-win squads and a bevy of intriguing matchups. Will your team win the title? Here’s why they will, and why they won’t (wild card … Continue reading Trio of 100-win teams makes October baseball interesting
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 … Continue reading Will the Cubs repeat? 2017 MLB preview
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