Naperville Dude Has More Than 3,000 Reels Of Old Sports Film

From Chicago magazine:
“In the February 2012 issue of Chicago magazine, we profile Doak Ewing, owner of perhaps the nation’s largest private collection of sports films – more than 3,000 reels in all. His company, Rare Sportsfilms, rescues and restores reels of old sports footage and produces about 15 new DVDs a year. This video is of the 1935 World Series between the Chicago Cubs and the Detroit Tigers, excerpted from one of Ewing’s Baseball Classics DVDs.”

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Posted on February 17, 2012

Featuring Mohawk Warrior, El Toro Loco and Grave Digger

That truck’s got a mohawk, dude.
From the Monster Jam last weekend in Rosemont.

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Posted on February 16, 2012

By Dan O’Shea

If fantasy baseball has two positions that are difficult to rank this year, they’re second base and third base. At second base we have a lot of aging veterans, a couple players who were surprises last year, and the enigma of Chase Utley. At third base, the best player isn’t ranked because he won’t qualify at third base until the first couple weeks of the season are through – Miguel Cabrera. Meanwhile, the best player ranked at the position, Jose Bautista, may not play much third with young stud Brett Lawrie around and could end up losing his 3B eligibility.
Thinking strategically, if you can’t get one of the top three second basemen, it might be worth it to take a gamble on Utley. For third base, if you’re lucky enough to grab Cabrera (current position eligibility 1B) in the first round, plan to take another high-ranking 1B right away, then pick up a 3B in a later round – just a warm body assured to start the season – to start there while Cabrera qualifies for 3B.
My top 10 at 2B:

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Posted on February 15, 2012

Chose Boxing Over Wall Street

“Mike Lee is a 2005 graduate of Benet Academy in Lisle, Illinois where he was all conference linebacker in the Catholic League,” according to his Wikipedia entry. “Lee spent his freshman year at the University of Missouri and then transferred to the University of Notre Dame in 2006 and graduated with a 3.8 GPA in 2009 with a degree in finance from Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business. He was offered jobs on Wall Street. Lee says, ‘I relax by watching CNBC, and I like to read the Wall Street Journal.'”
*
Last week on Chicago Tonight:

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Posted on February 14, 2012

By Jim Coffman

I’ve got nothing profound to say about the Bulls at this point. I don’t like the Celtics’ chances, I know that much, but who knows what to say about the home team at this point other than they are very good but will need to be better to beat the Heat.
They are coming home, there is that, having completed a nine-game road trip with six wins. And they still have the best record in the Eastern Conference despite having played 20 of their first 30 games on the road – more than anyone else in the NBA so far. The Bulls’ lead over the Heat is small but real (they are 23-7, while Miami is 21-7).
But it’s all about the man’s back isn’t it?

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Posted on February 13, 2012

By Thomas Chambers

* The coin on the toss hit a Giants player on the foot. Is that legal?
* Kelly Clarkson wore a little black dress and did not bare her midriff. But in doing the due diligence I should have done before placing that prop bet, I learned she doesn’t really have the tummy for it. Her rendition of the anthem was less than two seconds past the over. I had the under. And did we need all that twang on “God Bless America?” How about giving the great Glen Campbell a chance at it?
* When Victor Cruz scored the first touchdown, I was already profitable for the day.

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Posted on February 10, 2012

By Network A

“Brian Kachinsky has converted an old Chicago bakery into one of the biggest, baddest private BMX facilities in the country. After 90 years, Corey Martinez and Seth Kimbrough bring the place from bread to shred, but where this secret sweet spot is, they’ll never tell.”

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Posted on February 10, 2012

By The Beachwood Fire Todd Ricketts Desk

“To me, baseball is better with tradition, baseball is better with history, baseball is better with fans who care, baseball is better in ballparks like this, baseball is better during the day. And baseball is, best of all, when you win,” Theo Epstein said the day he was announced as the team’s new president.
A marketing slogan was born.
But Theo only got it partly right. We’ll fill in the rest of the picture.
* Baseball is better when your flat beer doesn’t cost $8 a cup.
* Baseball is better when you’re left fielder doesn’t hop.
* (To the Sox: Baseball is better when pitchers don’t take the bump, infielders don’t glove two-hopper, double-choppers, and outfielders don’t catch cans of corn.)

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Posted on February 9, 2012

By Dan O’Shea

After taking a crack at my preseason overall fantasy baseball top 10 last week, I’ll kick off position rankings this week with first basemen. The 1Bs list tends to be the easiest because four or five of them are usually among the top 10 or so players in baseball, but 2012 should be an interesting year, as a few veteran 1Bs get acclimated to new surroundings or new situations, and some young upstarts try to break into the top ranks of the position:
Miguel Cabrera, DET: The No. 1 1B probably will play very little at that position this season, but should still get enough games to keep his 1B/3B eligibility. Lack of speed is his only weakness.
Albert Pujols, LAA: As noted last week, the numbers say he has dropped off slightly, but I think the new scene will do wonders for him.
Joey Votto, CIN: I’ve toyed with ranking Votto ahead of Pujols, but also behind Fielder and Gonzalez. He hits better than the first two, and has better OBP and SB potential than all three.

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Posted on February 8, 2012

Life Isn’t Just About Dogs, Cars And Douchebags

Blown chances.
1. The next revolution in beauty.

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Posted on February 6, 2012