Soil Compilation

Music
KRUI Interview: Derek Sanders of Mayday Parade

I spoke with Derek Sanders, frontman of Mayday Parade after their gig at Vibrant Music Hall in Waukee, Iowa. A conversation spanning much more than the 20 years of the band, he told me about his latest trilogy release and all the way back to his very first autograph he signed.

Music
Interview: Andrew McMahon

I had the chance to sit down with Andrew McMahon while at When We Were Young Festival in Las Vegas. We spoke about his historic gig at Red Rocks this summer, playing at Notre Dame Stadium, and how incredible of a movie “Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping” is.

News
Democrats Tour Campus to Connect with Youth Voters, KRUI Talks with Clara Reynen

This month, Johnson County Democrats are conducting “listening tours” to connect with students at the University of Iowa, consisting of various extracurricular and undergraduate-based organizations and events. The listening tour works as an open forum for students to describe their needs, goals, and priorities when it comes to both elected officials and the Democratic Party. 

Sports
The “Duck” Hunt for Playoffs Falls Short

In a rain-soaked showdown at Kinnick Stadium, Iowa’s playoff hopes slipped away as Oregon edged the Hawkeyes 18-16 on a last-second field goal. Despite a thrilling 93-yard touchdown drive led by Mark Gronowski, the Ducks’ steady ground game and clutch kicking sealed Iowa’s heartbreak.

Going into the 2017 NBA draft experts were projecting that the draft class could rival the 2003 draft class of Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, Carmelo Anthony as one of the best draft classes in recent history. Names that popped up in conversation as potential super stars were top picks Markelle Fultz, Josh Jackson, Jayson Tatum, Lonzo Ball, and De’Aaron Fox. Yet these are not even the rookies having outstanding seasons, besides Tatum, and it still looks convincing that this draft class will produce players that will have long standing NBA careers outside of the top 5 draft picks. … Continued

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Week 10, without using over-the-top hyperbole, was absolutely chaotic in the Big Ten conference. From Iowa’s historic thrashing of #6 Ohio State at Kinnick Stadium, to Michigan State’s last-second stunner over #7 Penn State. Week 10 threw the Big Ten into disarray, and here are some of the biggest takeaways.   1. Iowa in November is a very scary thing Entering the game, Iowa had won three out of the last four match-ups against AP Top 5 teams, the lone loss to Penn State earlier this year. One team that has always seemed immune to Kinnick’s “voodoo” is the Ohio … Continued

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IOWA CITY – It was a night unlike any other. We’ve seen upsets. We’ve seen blowouts. But nobody could have predicted a game like this one. Ranked third in the AP poll and sixth in the College Football Playoff race, the Ohio State Buckeyes came to Kinnick Stadium for the first time since 2010. Having won each of the last five games over Iowa and 13 of the last 14, they had to feel good about being a 20.5point favorite. The final score? 55-24. The winner? Not the Buckeyes. Donning alternate uniforms for the blackout, the Hawkeyes played a complete … Continued

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Tyler Cook and Luka Garza stood tall metaphorically and literally as the two Iowa posts combined for 42 of the Hawkeye’s 96 points in their 96-64 victory over Division II foe, Belmont Abbey. Cook showed off his high-flying exploits several times as he soared in for many dunks against the over-matched Crusader posts. Cook finished the game with 24 points on 7-for-12 shooting with seven rebounds and four assists. Garza was an absolute beast on the glass, hauling in 12 rebounds along with his 18 points, including a three pointer. Sophomore Cordell Pemsl also played a solid game, putting in … Continued

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The NBA Season kicked off on October 17th with a highly anticipated pair of games on the slate, starting off what hopefully will be a great season. This is a little month in review of NBA action that took place that I hope to do at the start of every month. Starting with the first half month of October, there have been many surprises and disappointments, making the small sample size of a month very exciting. Opening Night Cleveland Cavaliers vs Boston Celtics The first game to be played on opening night, and a battle of two teams that many … Continued

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Natives of Iowa City have always mixed their love for Halloween with their love of the Hawkeyes (Iowalum)   It’s now October 31st, meaning Halloween is upon us and college basketball is right around the corner. Exhibitions are being played across the nation, used to size up the talent of all 347 Division I college basketball teams in the country before the regular season is in full effect. In the middle of it all, Iowa City is now teeming with excitement around this year’s Hawkeyes: a team that bolsters youth and emerging talent with the recent graduation of star guard … Continued

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Media day has come and gone here in Iowa City, fans are getting excited about the high expectations that Fran McCaffery has set for this year’s team. But how will they stack up against a very competitive Big Ten field? Here’s a breakdown of all 14 teams in the Big Ten for the upcoming season. Projected Standings 1. Michigan State Coach Tom Izzo has a loaded squad once again this year as Michigan State is looking to make their first trip to the Final Four since 2015. The return of star forward Miles Bridges almost immediately made the Spartans the … Continued

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It’s that time of year again in the state of Iowa as a handful of football teams in each of the state’s six classes prepare for the state playoffs. The 2017 edition of the playoffs meshes the usual suspects with schools who have waited a long time for a return trip to the playoffs. The class by class breakdown of the playoffs will start at the smallest level of high school football in Iowa. 8-Man Defending 8-man state champion Don Bosco, Gilbertsville is back in the playoffs again, flaunting a perfect 9-0 record led by senior quarterback Wyatt Swavel.  Swavel … Continued

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  The NBA season is in full-swing, finally. As a huge NBA fan, I can’t tell you how much I’ve been anticipating this season. From all of the exciting and promising rookies in this year’s draft, the thrilling off-season, and the what seems to be a timeless rivalry between the Cavs and the Warriors, all of these ingredients will make this season one to remember. There are a lot of ‘what-ifs’ this season. Jimmy Butler to the Timberwolves, Kyrie to the Celtics, Chris Paul to the Rockets, and many others. The most interesting to watch, in my opinion, will be … Continued

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Bold statement indeed. On Tuesday, October 24th, the Schaumburg Boomers signed first baseman Kewby Meyer. Meyer, a 37th round draft pick by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2015, played two seasons in their farm system, posting a wOBA of .333 in 2015 for the Princeton Rays(Rookie League) and a wOBA of .361 for the Bowling Green Hot Rods (Mid-A) in 2016. Meyer transitioned to independent league ball, where the left-handed hitter played for the Salina Stockades of the American Association in 2017, posting a .304 wOBA(using the basic wOBA equation). Those numbers may not be eye-popping, but there a few … Continued

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