I have also made things that are not the All-Time AP Poll.
- The Name-a-Day Calendar
- Video essays
- Fun college basketball stuff
- Vaguely urban planning musings
- Baseball
- Miscellaneous entertainment
The Name-a-Day Calendar
From November 7, 2022, to November 6, 2023, I published a daily series documenting the history of athletics nicknames at every NCAA Division I school. This project required hundreds of hours of research, writing, and graphic design. I consider it my magnum opus.
Here are a few of my favorite pages of the Name-a-Day Calendar.
On North Dakota’s complicated history with their old Fighting Sioux nickname and why they eventually dropped it
A history that doubles as a eulogy
Every knight needs their castle.
Video essays
A few years ago I released five college basketball video essays. All of them are based on some sort of research, whether it be into an absurd story from years past or modern-era statistics. Because I am an avid roadtripper, I named the series College Hoop Highway and styled the aesthetic on road signs and maps.
Here’s my favorite one: on the hidden benefits of the “double ladder” conference tournament format.
Fun college basketball stuff
I’m a big idea guy, and when I get an idea in my head, I usually can’t help myself from seeing where it leads. This has led to some of my best longform work.
Where the Conference Tournaments Should Have Been
My friend David Peterson and I calculated the geographic midpoint of every Division I conference to determine where they should have held their conference tournaments.
The 2020 NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Champion Tierlist
How many teams should claim the 2020 national title?
Never let anyone tell you Wichita isn’t a state.
Vaguely urban planning musings
I have a Master’s degree in City and Regional Planning from the University of North Carolina. The planning profession and urban design are topics on which I feel reasonably knowledgeable.
Raleigh Sports: …Where Are They?
The city of Raleigh has almost no spectator sports. Why?
North Carolina Chronicles, Chapter 2: The State Fair
On the excruciatingly poor placement of the North Carolina State Fairgrounds
Baseball
You wouldn’t guess it from the mountain of college basketball content, but my favorite sport is actually baseball. Sometimes I even write about it.
I Miss Local Radio Ads on the MLB App
In 2022, MLB’s radio streaming service switched from airing local commercial breaks to selling their ad space to a third party. Here’s why that’s a bad thing.
A Guide to Places Announcers Should Joke About When Referencing Long Home Runs
Title speaks for itself.
You Have to Be Pretty Good to Be Really Bad: Strikeouts
On why striking out a lot is generally a sign of being a good hitter and what that means in everyday life
Miscellaneous entertainment
I listen to music (a ton) and I watch movies (sometimes). Why not write about it?
The Video Messages from My Top Artists on Spotify Wrapped, Graded
I felt like sharing my Wrapped but I didn’t wanna be basic about it.
Pixar Pints: Wrap-Up and Superlatives
With a few of my friends, I watched all 27 Pixar feature films and ranked them. Everything in this piece that doesn’t have someone else’s name on it is my writing.
My friend David Peterson had the idea to review an album a day for an entire year. Another friend and I hopped onto this project and listened along with him.
Eli Powell 