Soil Compilation

Sports
Around the Big Ten – Week Four

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Week three of college football was the final tune-up for the Big Ten before the conference schedule began. This week, we’ll talk about Iowa’s 55-0 victory over Northern Iowa, Northwestern’s final game before moving into Ryan Field, and the Southern California showdown between USC and Oregon.

Sports
Sports

Defense and Offense Solid as Hawkeyes Prevail

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  Iowa City, Ia.- The Hawkeyes reaffirmed something that many of us have already known: They have a good defense. The Hawkeyes (3-0,0-0) defeated the Northern Iowa Panthers (0-2,0-0) in dominant fashion by a score of 38-14. All together, the defense held Northern Iowa to only six yards of rushing. While the usual suspects showed up, there were some other players that got on the stat sheet as well. “Our defense just in general, especially the front seven, linebackers and then the guys up front, I think we’re developing some depth,” Head Coach Kirk Ferentz said. 18 Hawkeyes recorded tackles … Continued

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Where Will LeBron Go?

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LeBron James is set to be a free agent this coming summer. The question that everyone has been asking is simple: where will he go? If reports are accurate, only four choices are plausible: a return to Cleveland, or a departure to the 76ers, the Rockers, or the Lakers. Let us examine the pros and cons of each potential move. Staying in Cleveland Pros: Staying in Cleveland would allow LeBron James to stay in his hometown for what would likely be the remainder of his career. This would allow him to theoretically win several more NBA titles back to his … Continued

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My Quarterfinal Questions

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At 30 years old, Gonzalo Higuaín is still playing tremendous soccer. Photo courtesy the18.com   ***Disclaimer: Opinions expressed are my own. For more info on the UEFA Champions League, visit http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/index.html#/   The UEFA Champions League is down to the quarterfinals, and these are the questions I have for the final stretch of the tournament:   Who Will Win Juventus vs. Real Madrid?   It’s painfully obvious that this is not only a question I’m asking; it’s a question the whole world is asking. These two foes will tangle for the twentieth and twenty-first occasions in April, and Juve reminded … Continued

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Takeaways from the SheBelieves Cup

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  The soccer world is readying for men’s World Cup this summer in Russia. But 2018 isn’t just a big year in men’s soccer: it’s a big year in women’s soccer, too. Women’s World Cup Qualifying is in full-flight in Asia and Europe, and it won’t be long before the U.S. Women start their journey either (sure, it’s in October, but time goes by fast).   This year’s SheBelieves Cup served as a great opportunity for the U.S. Women to play against some of the top teams in the world. The annual U.S.-based invitational tournament didn’t lack any quality this … Continued

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Five New-Look Teams for the 2018 Major League Soccer Season

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Image per mlssoccer.com After months of waiting, Major League Soccer is on its way back. CONCACAF Champions League has already begun and the United States’ domestic league returns on Mar. 3. Plenty of teams have received a complete facelift over the three-month break with coaches and players shuffling in and out. There are five teams highlighted in this article that managed to revamp their rosters for March. Keep in mind that there is a summer transfer window in which all teams can buy and sell players for the rest of the season, so these lineups certainly won’t be completely intact … Continued

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In Case You Missed It: Top Stories in Soccer (February 17th-23rd)

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Will Grigg scored on this shot for Wigan Athletic to stun Man City again. Image courtesy MARTIN RICKETT/PA   ***Disclaimer: Opinions expressed are my own.   Stoppage time heroics, Champions League showdowns, and a massive upset in Wigan. Here are some of the top headlines in soccer this week:   The Magic of the FA Cup   The English FA Cup is like soccer’s version of March Madness; anything can happen. And we were reminded of that this weekend after two wild finishes.   Tottenham made the long trip north to League One Rochdale for a Sunday clash that turned … Continued

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CONCACAF Champions League Soccer Preview

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Club América is aiming for its eighth CONCACAF Champions League triumph, and its third in the modern era. Photo courtesy the18.com   ***Disclaimer: Opinions expressed are my own For more info on the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League, visit https://www.concacafchampionsleague.com/   This week’s top soccer headlines may have been in Europe. But plenty of talent will be showcased on this continent next week. That’s because the CONCACAF Champions League is just around the corner, and while it might not yield the same prestige as the UEFA Champions League, it’s just as important for the clubs involved. The winner not only claims … Continued

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Chalk Talk: How Bama beat the Bulldogs

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Hello and welcome to the first of a brand new series from me where we will analyze big plays and other sequences in football games from this last season. So, what better place to start than the biggest of them all(so far), the national championship game. Unless if you have been living under a rock you would know that by now Alabama has won it all once again for the 5th time in the last 9 years Although, Bama was the favorite it was definitely not their prettiest of championship wins. Alabama hadn’t lead in the entire game, was down … Continued

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Iowa Baseball Gearing Up for Start of Season

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IOWA CITY, Ia. – For a long period of time, Iowa Hawkeyes baseball was an afterthought. In the fifteen years between Duane Banks’ retirement and Rick Heller’s hiring prior to the 2014 season, the Hawkeyes had just two winning seasons. In Heller’s 4 years with the program? 4 for 4, plus the team’s first Big Ten championship since 1990 last May. Heller has led the Hawkeyes to two NCAA regionals in his four seasons. Iowa had only made three in the program’s entire history before he arrived. It’s not difficult to see why excitement is at an all-time high for … Continued

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