Soil Compilation

Sports
Calling for Free

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With over three decades of calling hockey games under his belt, Jason Shaver is considered one of the most respected sports broadcasters in the American Hockey League. While his path to the Chicago Wolves was anything but conventional, he will never put a price tag on the journey.

Music
Craig Finn Interview

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After discovering The Hold Steady at Riot Fest, Logan Melia sits down with Craig Finn to discuss his new solo record Always Been, the evolution of narrative songwriting, and finding meaning in modern American life. From faith and mental health to baseball heartbreak, the conversation spans far beyond music.

Sports
Sports Archives

Hawkeyes Sputter, Fall to Blue Demons at Home, 93-78

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Image Rights: 247Sports DePaul jumped out to a 19-2 lead and never looked back as an electric offense downed the outgunned Iowa Hawkeyes, 93-78. Junior forward, Paul Reed, led the line with a double-double, gathering 25 points and 12 boards on 10-of-14 shooting. The 6-foot-9 Blue Demons frontman buried three of his four attempts from deep, setting the tone for a white-hot shooting display for DePaul. The Blue Demons, whose last out-of-conference road win over a power-six basketball school came against Northwestern in December of 2013, started five-for-six from beyond the three-point line and finished the evening with an 11-for-20 … 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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Where Will Kirk Cousins Land?

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A big move in the world of the NFL occurred last week. That move was ignited by the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs agreed to send their quarterback, Alex Smith, to the Washington Redskins for cornerback Kendall Fuller and a third round pick. This trade leans towards Kansas City’s benefit. They not only cleared $17 million in cap space with sending Smith off, they ended the quarterback debate. It is now Patrick Mahomes time. Mahomes was selected 10th overall in last year’s draft and started one game last season. He is now 1-0 as a starter. As both teams are … Continued

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Hawkeyes Get Back on Track with Victory Over Wisconsin

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IOWA CITY, Ia. – When the Iowa men’s basketball team opened as a 1-point favorite against Wisconsin at home on Tuesday morning, general reaction to Vegas’ opinion was negative. How could the Hawkeyes, fresh off a slaughtering at home to Purdue, possibly be favored to win any basketball game? Iowa defeated the odds Tuesday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, putting together their best complete game as a team in well over a month as they rolled over the Badgers, 85–67. “We watched a lot of film of the Purdue game”, said Iowa center Luka Garza, “Seeing the lack of awareness, attention … Continued

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Soccer Games I’m Looking Forward To- End of January 2018

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Here are some soccer games I’m looking forward to close out January 2018: Chelsea vs. Newcastle, FA Cup 4th round   Brazilian playmaker Kenedy will play for Chelsea knowing that he’s been heavily sought after by his opponent. Chelsea finally ended a four-match winless run with a 4-0 route of Brighton & Hove Albion. Watch for how manager Antonio Conte lines up his Blues side this weekend as they have a midweek clash in the Carabao Cup. This game will be Sunday at 7:30 am central time on Fox Sports 1.             Newport County vs. Tottenham, FA Cup 4th round … Continued

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