From the Saturday, Sept. 14, editions of The Daily Journal (Kankakee, Ill.) and The Times (Ottawa, Ill.) … The WISCH LIST By Dave Wischnowsky You already know that it ends in the Emerald City, but what you might not know about the Yellow Brick Road is that it actually began in the Windy one. And […]
Category Archives: General
Groce Is The Coach Illini Fans Have Been Waiting For
Today’s column from CBS Chicago … (CBS) Mike Krzyzewski, Rick Pitino and John Calipari. Roy Williams, Tom Izzo, and, yes, Bill Self. You know their schools, of course. But more than that, you know their names. The old saying goes that in college you play for the name on the front of the jersey, while […]
Tim Beckman Can Win – With A Great O-Coordinator
Today’s column from CBS Chicago … (CBS) If Tim Beckman’s coaching career at Illinois really does go from knocking on death’s door to cracking – or even kicking – it open for his return in 2014, he’ll probably be able to thank heavens for one person. Namely, Bill Cubit. Through two games (and wins) this […]
Can Illini’s Cincinnati Shocker Spark A Big Season?
Tuesday’s column from CBS Chicago … (CBS) What a difference a week makes. Seven days ago in this space I was lamenting the lackluster quality of the Fighting Illini’s 42-34 Week 1 football victory over Southern Illinois – and worrying about what it portended for rest of the season. Today, however, I’m still somewhat in […]
Illinois at Soldier Field: What you need to know
This weekend’s newspaper column from The Daily Journal (Kankakee, Ill.) and The Times (Ottawa, Ill.) … The WISCH LIST By Dave Wischnowsky In one week, Illinois football is coming to Chicago. But is winning football coming to Illinois any time soon? That’s still TBD. Although, judging by last Saturday’s shaky 42-34 season-opening victory over Southern […]
Big Ten Needs B1G Games Every Week
Saturday’s column from CBS Chicago … (CBS) It’s Week 2 of the college football season. And it’s weak, too. On Thursday, Mike Hlas of the Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Gazette wrote, “Only three games nationally qualify as marquee status: Notre Dame-Michigan, South Carolina-Georgia and Florida-Miami. After that? Ick. The fourth-best game of the day might be […]
Illini’s Groce Burning Up The Recruiting Trail
Thursday’s column from CBS Chicago … (CBS) They say where there’s smoke, there’s fire. If that’s true, then right now John Groce is the Human Torch. This past weekend, Leron Black, a 6-foot-7 Top 50 forward out of Memphis, pledged his allegiance to Groce’s Illini program during an official visit in Champaign, canceling trips to […]
Illinois Football – Where Even Wins Don’t Feel Good
Tuesday’s column from CBS Chicago … (CBS) Thank goodness for that Labor Day holiday. After all, it’s hard work watching the Illinois football team. On Saturday under a sweltering sun in Champaign, Tim Beckman’s Fighting Illini managed to snap a nine-game losing streak. But they hardly shined while doing it against FCS foe Southern Illinois, […]
In Chicago, summer sticks through September
This weekend’s Wisch List newspaper column from The Daily Journal (Kankakee, Ill.) and The Times (Ottawa, Ill.) … The WISCH LIST By Dave Wischnowsky Hot enough for ya? Throughout the summer, I’ve been writing each month in this column about how the warm weather had to arrive in the Land of Lincoln at some point. […]
What Does Tim Beckman Need To Do To Survive?
Friday’s column from CBS Chicago … (CBS) Eleven months ago, I put the heat on Tim Beckman. And, in turn, I drew some considerable fire. On Sept. 25, 2012, three days after Illinois was humiliated 52-24 by Louisiana Tech at Memorial Stadium to fall to 2-2 on the young season, I published a column entitled […]