From the Saturday, Jan. 3, issues of The Daily Journal (Kankakee, Ill.) and The Times (Ottawa, Ill.) …
The WISCH LIST
By Dave Wischnowsky
Wish lists are for Christmas.
But Wisch Lists? Well, just like always, they’re for New Year’s.
And I’ve been waiting almost 30 years for this one.
Although, we’re already three days in 2015 and I’m still yet to see a hoverboard. Or a flying car. Or anyone wearing those cool self-lacing Nike high-tops that looked so good on Marty McFly’s feet.
But they’re probably part of the spring collection.
And surely I’ll track a pair down by the time the Cubs beat Miami to win the World Series in October.
Wait … Miami?
OK, so maybe everything about 2015 that was projected in “Back to the Future II” won’t actually happen in 2015. But here’s what I hope does.
I Wisch the Chicago Bears had the sense to follow the Cubs’ lead – have those words ever been written? – and restructured their front office to mimic the one at Wrigley Field where Crane Kenney handles the business operations, while Theo Epstein makes the baseball decisions. Longtime Bears President and CEO Ted Phillips really should be playing Crane’s role in 2015, while the McCaskeys hire their own football version of Theo.
I Wisch Crane Kenney wasn’t in charge of the Cubs’ business. With the rooftops contract that he brokered and now decries, the interminable delays that stalled Wrigley’s renovations and the fact that the Cubs still don’t have their TV broadcasts settled for 2015, I just don’t trust the guy.
I Wisch that January and February could be as mild as December generally was. The Polar Vortex can steer clear of us until 3015. Or 4015.
I Wisch that Illinois football had a Jim Harbaugh who could come home.
I Wisch Tim Beckman luck. He’s going to need it.
I Wisch that Illinois basketball wasn’t looking like an NIT team again.
I Wisch that Illini football and basketball wasn’t a combined 19-42 in Big Ten games over the past three years since Beckman and John Groce were hired. Don’t think that Illini fans haven’t noticed, Mike Thomas.
I Wisch there was an answer to the violence that plagues Chicago’s South and West sides, but I honestly don’t know what it is. Unfortunately, no one else seems to either.
I Wisch that I got to see my 1-year-old nephew down in St. Louis more often. (And I can’t wait to meet his little brother come March.)
I Wisch Marc Trestman had stayed in Canada.
I Wisch that Jay Cutler could go there.
I Wisch Cutler also wasn’t a modern-day Jeff George. As one of my friends recently put it, Jay – like Jeff – has all of the tangibles, none of the intangibles.
I Wisch gas prices were this low back when I used to commute as much as 70 miles a day to work.
I Wisch Bill Cosby was a lot more like Cliff Huxtable.
I Wisch that as a nation we could start holding individuals responsible for their own actions and stop using said actions as a broad brush to paint entire groups of people, including races and professions.
I Wisch for Derrick Rose two healthy knees – for the entirety of the season.
I Wisch for Jon Lester a healthy left arm – for the entirety of his Cubs contract.
I Wisch for the Blackhawks a Cup that overfloweth – for perpetuity.
I Wisch ISIS was still just the name of an Egyptian goddess, but also that we take its threat as serious as any America has faced.
I Wisch that the Miami Marlins would, in fact, switch to the American League for 2015.
I Wisch that at Wrigley Field this is “Next Year.” But I’ll be just fine if it finally comes a year or two after that.