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The ECHL finds itself on the verge of an uncertain and uncomfortable moment, as the Professional Hockey Players Association (PHPA) announced Monday that it will move forward with plans to issue a player strike notice following the Christmas break. From the outside looking in, this is a tough situation for everyone involved. The players’ concerns are not just about money, although pay is a major factor. According to the PHPA, players have also raised issues about being require

This one was special. I was able to gain media access for the Iowa men’s basketball game against Western Michigan , giving me the opportunity to capture photos and sit in on the postgame press conferences. As a lifelong Iowa fan , this was a dream scenario. Growing up watching the Hawkeyes, being able to cover them from a media perspective felt like a full-circle moment. First Half: Iowa Takes Control Early The opening five minutes of the game were played at a slower pace, b

The Quad City Storm put together their best weekend of the season, going a perfect 3–0 on home ice to extend their win streak to four games . With strong goaltending, red-hot sticks, and plenty of offensive pressure, the Storm are starting to look like a team that’s found its groove as the season turns the corner. Friday Night: Storm Shut Out the Bulls, 3–0 The Storm opened their homestand Friday night hosting the Birmingham Bulls, and it didn’t take long to get on the board

The Iowa Heartlanders gave the kids exactly what they came for on Wednesday morning—a wild, back-and-forth overtime thriller that ended with Iowa grabbing their third home win of the season . With doors opening at 9:35 a.m. for the annual Best Field Trip Ever game, the arena was packed with thousands of loud, energetic students ready to “defend the forest.” And the Heartlanders delivered. A Fast Start—and a Fast Wakeup Call Kansas City struck first. At 6:28 into the opening

The Bears may have lost a close one in Green Bay, but one thing is clear: this isn’t the same old Bears , and even Packers fans would probably agree that this rivalry finally feels fun again. Both offenses started slow, trading punts in a scoreless first quarter. Chicago actually opened with a spark— C.J. Gardner-Johnson snagged an interception on Green Bay’s first drive , giving the Bears early momentum. Unfortunately, the offense couldn’t capitalize. The offensive line stru

Only hours after a late-night snowstorm dropped nearly four inches across the Quad Cities, the Quad City Steamwheelers were out on the turf hosting one of their most important offseason events: open tryouts. The weather may have slowed down morning commutes, but it didn’t slow down the energy inside the arena as hopeful athletes arrived ready to prove they belonged on a professional roster. Setting the Tone Head Coach Cory Ross gives players the run down of the day for his ex

The Iowa Heartlanders head into a much-needed week off sitting at 7-11-2 and holding 6th place in the ECHL’s Central Division . It’s been an up-and-down stretch filled with tight games, big swings, and more than a few gloves hitting the ice. This week featured two more battles with the Bloomington Bison and a trip to Kansas City to open December against the Mavericks — and each game came with its own storyline. Game 1: Black Friday Revenge in Bloomington Heartlanders win 3–2

The Chicago Bears traveled to Philadelphia for a chilly Black Friday showdown, and what looked like a tough road matchup turned into one of the team’s most complete and impressive wins of the season. Behind a dominant ground game, clutch defense, and timely playmaking, the Bears walked out with a 24–15 victory—and maybe silenced a few haters in the process. A Promising Start… Until It Wasn’t Chicago started the night looking sharp. The opening drive went 42 yards on 11 plays

It’s been a rough start to the season for the Quad City Storm. For most of the year, they’ve been stuck at the bottom of the SPHL standings, struggling to find rhythm, scoring, and consistency. But this week—the first real signs of a turnaround began to show. While it wasn’t perfect, the Storm finally started digging themselves out of last place and put together one of their strongest efforts of the season. Let’s break down the week. Wednesday vs. Peoria Rivermen – Missed Cha

The Iowa Hawkeyes hit the road for their annual Black Friday rivalry matchup against Nebraska, a series they’ve controlled since the Hero Trophy was introduced in 2011. Iowa entered the day leading the all-time trophy series 10–4, and they walked out adding another tally to the win column. The game began with both teams trading early punts and feeling each other out, but Nebraska struck first—and emphatically. Running back Emmett Johnson , who had a monster afternoon, gashed

The Iowa Heartlanders returned home this past week for a four-game homestand, looking to climb their way up the Central Division standings. Instead, the week delivered a little bit of everything: early deficits, penalty trouble, a magical comeback, and a heartbreaking overtime loss. Iowa finished the stretch 1–3 , falling to 6-9-2 as they prepare for another three-game week ahead. Wednesday, Nov. 19 — Kalamazoo 5, Heartlanders 1 The homestand opened against last-place Kalam

The Chicago Bears continued their late-season surge with a hard-fought 31–28 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, scoring a touchdown in every single quarter and overcoming a costly turnover to secure the victory. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a game that showed resilience, balance, and a rising comfort level from Caleb Williams under center. A Rough Start—Then a Momentum-Changing Pick Chicago’s offense opened the game with a quick three-and-out, immediately giving the Steelers

Senior Day at Kinnick Stadium is always emotional. This year’s finale gave the 28 Hawkeye seniors a sendoff they’ll never forget. In a game filled with slow starts, momentum swings, and late heroics, Iowa clawed back from a 10-point deficit to defeat Michigan State 20–17 on a walk-off field goal by Drew Stevens. It wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t smooth. But it was Iowa football at its grittiest. A Brutally Slow Start on Offense The Hawkeye offense began the afternoon slower than sl

Playoff Picture I take a break from writing for two weeks and the race to the playoffs got even more intense. Oklahoma put their name back in with a huge win over Alabama. Texas A&M surges back to win against South Carolina and Notre Dame keeps their win streak rolling against Pitt. The Big Ten seems to have two super teams with Ohio State and Indiana while Oregon is close behind. USC keeps their hopes alive with a win over Iowa and Georgia may have taken Texas out of the rac

The Iowa Heartlanders wrapped up a challenging home-and-home series this weekend against the Bloomington Bison, dropping both matchups by identical 3–1 scores. Despite flashes of strong play and a high-energy atmosphere at Xtream Arena, the Landers couldn’t quite break through a stingy Bison defense and outstanding goaltending. With three home games on deck this week, Iowa now looks to regroup and claw back up the Central Division standings. Friday in Bloomington: Bison Contr

If you’re a Chicago Bears fan, you already know this team is going to put you through all five stages of grief every single week . And after blowing a big lead to the Vikings in Week 1, this trip north felt like a chance at redemption. A chance to rewrite the script. A chance to prove they could finish. Instead, the Bears decided to give us all heart palpitations again… but this time, they survived. With a last-second 48-yard field goal by Cairo Santos, Chicago escaped Minnes

It was a cold, windy day in Chicago — the kind where you can see your breath and question your life choices for showing up to Soldier Field — but the Bears faithful were out in force as their team hosted the New York Giants. With snow flurries swirling across the field, it was clear early that this one was going to be a gritty, old-school football kind of day. Both teams opened cautiously, trading short six-play drives as they tested how much the weather would let them do. Ne

It’s been a tough couple of weeks for the Iowa Heartlanders as they faced one of the hardest stretches of their early season schedule. Hosting the division-leading Fort Wayne Komets for three games over Halloween weekend, the Heartlanders were looking to prove they could hang with one of the ECHL’s top teams. Unfortunately, Fort Wayne came to Coralville and reminded everyone why they’re sitting atop the division. Across the three-game set at Xtream Arena, the Komets swept the

In a game filled with expectations and playoff implications, the matchup between No. 20 Iowa and No. 9 Oregon felt like one of those defining moments. Iowa needed a ranked win to finally prove they belong in the top tier, while Oregon needed to win out to lock themselves into a College Football Playoff spot instead of sitting on the fringe. At kickoff in Iowa City, the rain poured relentlessly, making offense nearly impossible. Both teams struggled out of the gate, trading pu

I remember when watching sports was simple. I’d sit down, grab the remote, and scroll through the family’s Dish or cable guide until something caught my eye — an afternoon baseball game, Thursday night football, the X Games, or even a random sumo match that somehow always pulled me in. Sports were everywhere, and access felt limitless. Fast forward to today, and being a sports fan feels like a full-time job… with a hefty bill attached. As someone who follows multiple sports a