Soil Compilation

News
Opinion: The University of Iowa must do more to protect its marching band and performers

By

When a student dies under the university’s watch, it should become the concern of the entire student body. That is why, despite not being a member of the Hawkeye Marching Band or a student-athlete, I write today to call for more robust protocols and protections in the future to safeguard the health of some of the most dedicated and hardworking student-athletes on campus: the Hawkeye Marching Band.  It’s worth comparing what happened on September 5th to a similar tragedy that happened recently at Arizona State. This involved a draft pick, Matthew Mayich, who collapsed from heat exhaustion during an intense … Continued

Online Content
September 14, No New Jail Show

By

As far back as my first punk show as an Iowa City resident, I would continue to hear calls to action to vote against a bill being proposed to spend $125 million on building a new jail within Johnson County. It seemed like a persistent issue with little in the way of progress, as those with any power to stop it were refusing to listen to the pleas of concerned citizens. So when I saw the announcement of a show to protest this very bill, I knew it was something I couldn’t miss out on.  In collaboration with Johnson County … Continued

Music
Riot Fest Gallery

By

Riot Fest just wrapped a successful, yet muddy weekend in Chicago. From September 18-20, over a hundred thousand people graced the grounds, later mud pit, of Douglass Park. Here are some of my favorite selects from the weekend.

Sports
Sports Feature

Cook and Garza Dominate as Hawks Blowout Crusaders

By

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

Keep reading...

A Month in Review: October Basketball

By

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

Keep reading...

Why Iowa Basketball Can Be Spooky By March

By

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

Keep reading...

2017 Big Ten Conference: Men’s Basketball Preview

By

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

Keep reading...

2017 Iowa High School Football Playoffs: Class-by-Class Preview and Prediction

By

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

Keep reading...

What to Expect from The OK3

By

  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

Keep reading...

The Schaumburg Boomers May Have Found the Next Cody Bellinger

By

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

Keep reading...

NFL Midseason Honors 2017 Edition

By

IOWA CITY – Entering Week 8 of the 2017 season, the NFL never ceases to amaze its fans. Rookies have grown throughout the first 7 weeks. Some have flourished, others have stalled. The league’s elite continued their stride. The veterans’ show off their leadership as they enter decline. Thus, the cycle of the NFL moves on. This period of the season, known as the midseason, is one where teams attempt to regroup for the final push. The playoffs are on the horizon. However, if the season ended today, how would the awards shape up? While the annual NFL Honors show … Continued

Keep reading...

wRC+ Leaders in the Frontier League

By

In terms of overall offense, weighted runs created plus, or wRC+ is a quality statistic to measure a player’s overall offensive performance. Now, a lot is to be explained with this formula, so I’d recommend reading this FanGraphs post for the best clarification. So, in this article, I will focus on the primary formula for wRC+, which goes as follows: wRC+ = (wRAA/PA + LgR/PA) + (LgR/PA – (Park Factor * LgR/PA))/(Frontier League wRC/PA excluding ptichers), where wRAA = weighted runs above average, PA = plate appearances, LgR/PA = the league average runs per plate appearance, Park Factor = the … Continued

Keep reading...

Cubbie Comeback Continues into Game 5

By

Chicago Turns Double Play to Clinch Next Elimination Battle in Comeback Efforts The defending National Champions in the Major Baseball League manage to survive. For now. The mounting of a comeback has begun in Chicago. In a low scoring match between the Chicago Cubs and the LA Dodgers, the Cubs would top their adversaries 3-2 in Wrigley Field. This particular addition to the series would face off Jake Arrieta and Alex Wood. Unlike other faceoffs between the Dodgers and Cubs, this matchup would only allow runs scored off home runs. In similar fashion to Game 3, the Cubs would strike first on a second inning home run from Wilson Contreras. … Continued

Keep reading...