Chicago -
By The University of Minnesota Athletic Department
“The University of Minnesota Golden Gophers Hockey team travels to Wisconsin this Friday to take on the Badgers in their fight towards the top of the WCHA Standings.
“Then on Sunday, the Gophers will play in the first ever Hockey City Classic against Wisconsin at Soldier Field in Chicago. The game will be played outdoors at 3:30 p.m. following the Notre Dame vs. Miami game.”
1. Unveiling The Uniforms.
Posted on February 14, 2013
By Roger Wallenstein
He was a big, gangly kid who wrapped his meaty right hand around a baseball and seemingly made it vanish. Not that Shaen Bernhardt knew quite where the horsehide was destined once he let loose, but he sure could throw hard, and he loved to play.
That was a quarter-century ago when he was a high school junior on our ballclub at Francis Parker where I was the coach. Of course, this was small-school, private-league baseball, but we were decent.
We played a lot of games, and Bernhardt patiently waited for his turn behind three senior pitchers whose concept of the location of home plate was – shall we say? – more developed than his.
Posted on February 12, 2013
By Jim Coffman
I drove from Chicago to North Central Indiana early Sunday (to LaCrosse if you must know, located sort of between Valpo and South Bend) and I had a chance to listen to long stretches of sports talk. The aggravatingly lazy cynicism that so frequently passes for humorous commentary around here forced me to turn away at times. So many of the guys on our stations love to tell you how much whatever sucks, don’t they?
Sometimes they are clever about it but more often less so.
Here I must pause to point out that the Mr. Bright Side part of me realized he was enjoying a little music interspersed with stretches of talk. I would also like to point out that this column eventually makes its way around to some Blackhawk talk. But anyway.
Posted on February 11, 2013
Pretty Great
“Outdoor college ice hockey is coming to Soldier Field for the very first time!
“This one-of-a-kind doubleheader will feature four of the nation’s premier men’s college ice hockey programs: Minnesota vs. Wisconsin and Notre Dame vs. Miami. The puck drops Sunday, Feb. 17, 2013 at noon when Notre Dame faces off against Miami University, followed immediately by Minnesota vs. Wisconsin at approximately 3:30 p.m.
“The Hockey City Classic will be preceded by two weeks of winter festivities including two days of free public ice skating, high school hockey events, youth and adult hockey events, private ice rentals and much more.”
Posted on February 8, 2013
By Dan Sheahan
Here stands baseball’s perfect warrior. Here stands baseball’s perfect knight.
-Ford Frick
The above phrase is etched into the stone base of the statue of one Stanislaw Franciszek Musial, known here in St. Louis simply as Stan the Man. The statue stands guard outside of the newest Busch Stadium here, and serves as yet another reminder of the Cardinals’ impossible good fortune over the last century. For a Cubs fan in exile like me, trapped in St. Louis, this serves as yet another reminder of 100-plus years of suffering . . .
Bear with me while I take a look at just what made this man special. Let’s start – but not end – with the statistics.
Posted on February 7, 2013
Guests Asked To Be Patient With 105-Year Remodeling Plan
“More than a year after the Ricketts family paid $20 million for the McDonald’s lot across from Wrigley Field, the Cubs ownership group announced an agreement . . . to develop a boutique Sheraton hotel on the Wrigleyville site,” Crain’s reported last month.
Sources tell the Beachwood the hotel will include the following features:
* Bathrooms will look like Wrigleyville alleys. Or just go in the hall.
* Troughs on each floor for guests who would prefer to urinate as a group.
* Guaranteed drunk, vomiting neighbor.
* Bellhop guarantees successful delivery of luggage to your room .286 of the time.
* Spoken word poetry by Lee Elia at the coffee shop.
* To simulate sitting deep in the 200s section, windows 25% the size of other rooms.
Posted on February 6, 2013
Here Comes Sochi
“With all the attention Olympic track stars Lolo Jones and Tianna Madison attracted when they tried bobsled pushing this winter, it was easy for last year’s breakout athlete, Katie Eberling, to be pushed into the background,” Phil Hersh wrote in the Tribune recently.
“That didn’t bother the former Western Michigan volleyball player from Palos Hills, who had won a World Championship bronze medal in 2012, her rookie season as a sled pusher.
“As the coaches tried different pairings throughout the World Cup races this season, Eberling just kept quietly going about her work and wound up back in the top USA sled with driver Elana Meyers for this year’s world championships in St. Moritz, Switzerland.”
Let’s take a look.
Posted on February 5, 2013
By Jim Coffman
The Bears’ loss to the 49ers in the middle of the just-concluded NFL season wasn’t just another setback for the locals. It was the beginning of Colin Kaepernick’s amazing run to the cusp of Super Bowl glory.
He may have fallen just short of a world championship in his just his 10th professional start, but he went a long way since his first start in that game against the Bears – a 32-7 win that wasn’t close to that close.
More importantly to folks around here, Kaepernick’s immediately dominating performance couldn’t have made it more clear how far the Bears had to go to be competitive with the Niners. Sure, Jay Cutler missed that contest due to a concussion and the Bears had to go with backup Jason Campbell. Kaepernick, though, was also starting because the 49ers’ starter, Alex Smith, was out with a concussion. See what I mean?
Posted on February 4, 2013
By The Illinois Department of Agriculture And State Senate Republicans
To help boost the state’s economy, the Illinois Department of Agriculture is encouraging consumers to shop local when they stock up for Sunday’s big game.
“Illinois food companies make everything a fan could possibly need to throw a great party, from chili and pizza to chips and salsa,” Jennifer Tirey, bureau chief of Marketing and Promotion said. “For a sample of the many products available, visit our Facebook page and browse through the listings.”
To get the Super Bowl party started, on Feb. 1 – Feb. 3 the Dept. of Ag will select one lucky person each day from the agency’s Facebook friends and Twitter followers who will score free Illinois products.
The winner of the first drawing will receive a one-year supply (52 cans) of Ray’s Brand Chilli, located in Decatur. A $50 gift certificate to Lou Malnati’s Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza will be awarded the second day and a “Game Day” gift pack of Uncle Joe’s Sauces and Rubs, located in Ina, is the third day prize.
Posted on February 1, 2013
By Natasha Julius
I’m totally torn about this year’s halftime show. On the one hand, it’s Beyoncé Fucking Knowles. For the first time since Nipplegate, we’re actually getting a relevant, contemporary superstar who’s had a #1 single in the last five years. Oh fine, I guess the Black Eyed Peas count but . . . come ON.
On the other hand, despite Beyoncé’s cultural influence the back catalog is not particularly rich. And while Queen Bey hasn’t pulled a full Roger Daltrey and leaked the whole set list, a lot of details have already been announced. Here’s what we know:
Posted on January 30, 2013
