On Chief Illiniwek, Free Speech and Curious Decisions

ChiefFrom the Saturday, Feb. 3, editions of The Daily Journal (Kankakee, Ill.) and The Times (Ottawa, Ill.) …

The WISCH LIST

To me, freedom of speech is a serious thing.

But I also find it funny.

Funny in how people can twist it. Funny in how some seem to feel it only applies to arguments with which they agree. And funny in how many will howl when they believe that their free-speech rights are being trampled, but in the next breath will gleefully trample on those same rights of others.

From my viewpoint, all three of those things happened last week on the campus of the University of Illinois in the Curious Case of Jay Rosenstein.

Jay Rosenstein
Jay Rosenstein

For those unfamiliar with what I’m talking about, let me give you a recap. During the Jan. 22 Fighting Illini men’s basketball game vs. Michigan State, Rosenstein – a 57-year-old U. of I. journalism professor, documentarian and longtime Chief Illiniwek critic – was arrested after he followed a pro-Chief group into a State Farm Center restroom while videotaping them with his phone.

Despite Rosenstein reportedly admitting to police that he did videotape in a public restroom without the subject’s permission – usually a Class A misdemeanor – State’s Attorney Julia Rietz declined to file charges. Rietz is also an adjunct professor at U. of I., which would seem to be a conflict of interest, but that’s a whole other issue.

Curiously, Rosenstein defended his actions, according to police, by telling officers at SFC that “he felt a journalistic responsibility to record what was happening at the time.”

In a restroom.

Just as curious, Rosenstein issued a statement the next day in which he crowed, “I am a nationally recognized and international award winning documentary filmmaker and investigative journalist. I believe I was wrongfully detained because of my efforts to investigate whether employees of the State Farm Center are taking an active role in facilitating the appearance of the unapproved Chief Illiniwek.”

Now, that’s funny.

Continue reading “On Chief Illiniwek, Free Speech and Curious Decisions”

Feel the love (of all kinds) in Chicago this February

AutoShowFrom the Saturday, Jan. 27, editions of The Daily Journal (Kankakee, Ill.) and The Times (Ottawa, Ill.) …

The WISCH LIST

It’s almost February, and in Chicago, love is in the air.

Love of food. Love of science. Love of spirits, ales and ciders. Love of cars. Love of chocolate. Love of nature …

What, you thought I was just talking about Valentine’s Day?

If you’re looking to feel the love in the Windy City, here are some events that may set your heart aflutter both before and after Feb. 14.

Chicago Restaurant Week

Through Feb. 8

Now in its 11th year, the annual Chicago Restaurant Week is actually two, which means you have extra time to find to take advantage of great deals at more than 370 restaurants in the city and suburbs.

Here’s how it works: Restaurants offer a three-course lunch (or brunch) for $22, and/or three- or four-course dinner for $33 or $44. Some restaurants feature lunch only, or dinner only, while some offer. In nearly every case, the restaurants’ regular menus also are available.

To research your options, visit eatitupchicago.com for a searchable list of participating restaurants and links to their respective Restaurant Week menus.

Free MSI Days

All Month

Every weekday in February, except for the 19th (President’s Day), the Museum of Science and Industry is free to Illinois residents. All you need is to show a state ID.

Whiskey, Beer & Cider Festivals

Feb. 3, 10 & 17

You can pick your poison this month in Chicago with a trio of festivals celebrating whiskey, beer and cider.

On Feb. 3, Old Crow Smokehouse (149 W. Kinzie St.) will host the Chicago Whiskey Festival (formerly the River North Whiskey Festival), offering more than 30 varieties of whiskey, bourbon and scotch from 1 to 4 p.m. For details, visit rivernorthwhiskeyfestival.weebly.com.

A week later and a few blocks away on Feb. 10, Rock Bottom Brewery (1 W. Grand Ave.) will host the Polar Beer Festival – taking place outdoors on the brewery’s rooftop deck. From noon to 4 p.m., the event will feature strong winter – and also feature a warming area. For more information, visit eventbrite.com.

Lastly, on Feb. 17, more than 150 artisanal ciders from around the world will be on the menu, along with food samples, during Cider Summit Chicago in the Grand Ballroom at Navy Pier. The event offers two sessions, beginning at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. For more information, visit cidersummitnw.com.

Chicago Auto Show

Feb. 10-19

Chicago again is offering up its annual wintertime opportunity to witness everything that’s new in the world of cars during what’s billed as the largest and longest-running auto show in America.

Continue reading “Feel the love (of all kinds) in Chicago this February”

Never mind the Cubs, Sosa owes better to baseball

SosaFrom the Saturday, Jan. 20, edition of The Daily Journal (Kankakee, Ill.) and The Times (Ottawa, Ill.) … 

The WISCH LIST

I used to love Sammy Sosa.

But these days? I don’t miss the guy. At all.

And while many Cubs fans appear to want Sosa back in the organizational fold based on the social media uproar following last weekend’s Cubs Convention, I have zero interest in seeing the pompous slugger back at Wrigley Field.

But last weekend during what was generally a sleepy fan fest at the Chicago Sheraton, the hottest topic – besides Kyle Schwarber’s waistline – was whether the Cubs would ever again embrace their all-time home run leader, who’s been persona non grata at the Friendly Confines since he was traded to Baltimore following the tumultuous 2004 season.

When asked about Sosa, Cubs owner Tom Ricketts said during a panel that Sammy needs to “put everything on the table” regarding his alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs, a stance that Ricketts has maintained since the issue first arose. He explained, “Players of that era owe us a little bit of honest, too. I feel like the only way to turn the page is just to put everything on the table. That’s the way I feel.”

That’s generally the way I feel too, Tom. Although, I don’t think it’s so much that Sosa (and his fellow PED ilk) owe the Cubs, Major League Baseball, or even the fans, honesty so much as they owe it to baseball. Because, while the Cubs, Major League Baseball, and even the fans to some extent, may have all been complicit in the Steroid Era to varying degrees, the sport itself wasn’t.

And it deserves better from those who abused it.

Continue reading “Never mind the Cubs, Sosa owes better to baseball”

It’s the time of the year to just weather it

ChicagoColdFrom the Saturday, Jan. 13, editions of The Daily Journal (Kankakee, Ill.) and The Times (Ottawa, Ill.) …

The WISCH LIST

Four years ago, statistician Nate Silver attempted to rank the most “unpredictable” weather cities in America by comparing the daily conditions of 120 municipalities to their long-range averages.

What his research found was that Rapid City, S.D., is supposedly the most unpredictable weather city in the country, while Chicago rates a mere 58th – 42 spots behind Springfield, Ill., of all places.

Now, I don’t know that Chicago’s weather is so much unpredictable – it gets cold in the winter and hot in the summer – as it is volatile.  That, it most certainly has been the past few weeks when the Windy City (and the rest of Illinois) fell into a prolonged deep freeze, only to be followed by a near-record warm-up this week that spiked into the upper 50s.

With the chill now back, I thought I’d try to warm your cold, cold hearts with a lighthearted look at the weather that was (and, well, is again).

Cracking the history books

From Dec. 26 through Jan. 6, the mercury in Chicago never escaped the teens, with the high on many days registering only in single digits, and on some not even that. That frigid 12-day run tied the record for the city’s longest stretch below 20 degrees, which occurred only twice before – in 1936 and 1895.

New Year’s Day in Chicago did set a record with a high of only 1 degree and, according to WGN-Ch. 9 meteorologist Tom Skilling, the period of Jan. 1 through Jan. 5 was the city’s fourth coldest on record with an average temperature of just 3.6 degrees, a level more than 20 degrees below normal.

I think the only thing colder this winter is Major League Baseball’s so-called Hot Stove League.

Continue reading “It’s the time of the year to just weather it”

Wisch Lists are for New Year’s

sparkling trails of light drawing out the numbers 2018 in glowing light to welcome in the new year
sparkling trails of light drawing out the numbers 2018 in glowing light to welcome in the new year

From the Saturday, Jan. 6, editions of The Daily Journal (Kankakee, Ill.) and The Times (Ottawa, Ill.) …

The WISCH LIST

Wish lists are for Christmas.

But Wisch Lists? Well, just like every year, they’re for New Year’s.

My “Wisches” for 2018 are a bit belated as my wife and I spent the holidays out of state, first in Florida (visiting family for Christmas) and then in Charleston, S.C., (where we celebrated the New Year).

The weather was far from warm while we were in Charleston – the city was blanketed with near-record 5-inch snowfall the day after we left town – but it was, of course, still far warmer than it’s been in frigid Illinois the past few weeks.

And as we enter icy 2018 following a 2017 that featured too much fiery political rhetoric and too many chilling allegations against powerful men from D.C. to Hollywood to many points between, here are some things that I hope to see in what’s hopefully not just a New Year, but ultimately a better one too.

I Wisch that I didn’t start 2018 with a nasty cold.

I Wisch that Illinois – and, really, the entire country – didn’t do the same.

I Wisch every year could see Bill Murray stroll into my hotel bar and sit down near me, which is exactly what happened last weekend in Charleston, where Murray has a home. If he’d been alone, I would have dropped him a “Go Cubs,” but Murray was with a trio of friends and I didn’t want to intrude.

I Wisch I knew what a Golden Cadillac tasted like, which is the after-dinner cocktail that Murray ordered – at 4 p.m. I’ll have to find out this year.

I Wisch to see Jake Arrieta in Cubs pinstripes for 2018.

I Wisch to see Bryce Harper do the same a year from now.

I Wisch anyone could be confident that the Bears and Bulls know what they’re doing.

Continue reading “Wisch Lists are for New Year’s”

Unwrapping Chicago’s holiday fun facts for Christmas

CHICAGO, IL - NOVEMBER 07: A general view of Macy's on State Street 108th Annual Great Tree Lighting Ceremony on November 7 on November 7, 2015 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images for Macy's)
CHICAGO, IL – NOVEMBER 07: A general view of Macy’s on State Street 108th Annual Great Tree Lighting Ceremony on November 7 on November 7, 2015 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images for Macy’s)

From the Saturday, Dec. 23, editions of The Daily Journal (Kankakee, Ill.) and The Times (Ottawa, Ill.) …

The WISCH LIST

It’s almost Christmas, and Chicago isn’t only filled with all sorts of holiday fun this time of the year – it’s also filled with all sorts of fun holiday facts. And to do my part in helping get you in the spirit of the season, I thought I’d share with you some of my favorite ones.

It’s still Marshall Field’s to me

Nothing says Christmas in Chicago quite like the windows at Marshall Field’s on State Street – even if the store is now Macy’s.

Back in 1897, Marshall Field’s new display manager, Arthur Fraser, pioneered window design. Particularly popular were his Christmas toy windows, which continued through World War II until the visual team at Field’s devised a new plan. They designed themed windows that spanned the length of State Street and allowed passersby to see an entire holiday story unfold as they walked from one end to the other.

In 1946, to compete with Montgomery Ward’s holiday creation, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Field’s also introduced the character Uncle Mistletoe, who you can still spot today sitting atop “The Great Tree” inside the Walnut Room restaurant.

Shaking the trees

Speaking of “The Great Tree,” that iconic Christmastime centerpiece dominating the seventh-floor Walnut Room stands 45 feet tall and sparkles with 3,000 ornaments and 6,000 LED lights. That’s dwarfed, however, by Chicago’s municipal Christmas tree, in Millennium Park, which this year is a 62-foot Norway Spruce donated by Darlene Dortier of Grayslake.

The tree is the 104th in the city’s history, dating back to 1913 when, on Christmas Eve, Mayor Carter H. Harrison lit the first in Grant Park. That inaugural conifer was a 35-foot Douglas Spruce made to look much larger when it was placed on 40-foot poles and studded with smaller trees.

Decorated with 600 multi-colored lights and topped with the Star of Bethlehem, that original tree was a gift from an associate of Captain Herman Scheunemann and was lit in his honor. Scheunemann was the captain of the Rouse Simmons, known as the “Christmas Tree Ship,” which became famous for traversing the icy waters of Lake Michigan each year to bring trees from northern Michigan to Chicago.

The Rouse Simmons was lost in a storm on November 23, 1912, but today is immortalized in the touching stage performance, “The Christmas Schooner,” performed annually at Music Box Theatre in Lakeview.

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Wisch List on the Air … in Champaign

Tay-Carp-FB-BanThe Hot Stove has been fairly tepid for the Chicago Cubs this winter, but it’s liable to warm up at any time. Same goes for the Illini basketball program.

And I shared my thoughts about both – as well as the (gasp!) St. Louis Cardinals – this week when I joined my pals Lon Tay and Mike Carpenter on the Tay & Carp radio show in Champaign this week. Give it a listen.

The best-laid plans of mice, men … and Chicago sports

Jerry-reinsdorf-tribune-photo-2From the Saturday, Dec. 16, editions of The Daily Journal (Kankakee, Ill.) and The Times (Ottawa, Ill.) …

The WISCH LIST

It’s one thing to have a plan.

It’s another thing to stick to one.

The Cubs had one, and they stuck to it. The White Sox have one and … well, will they stick to it?

I’d say that very much remains to be seen.

This week during Major League Baseball’s Winter Meetings in Orlando, the stunning news broke that Sox had offered up a package of top prospects to trade for Baltimore’s All-Star third baseman Manny Machado, despite the fact that the slugger is slated to become a free agent after the 2018 season.

Just 25 years old, Machado is a monster talent and would be a great addition to a great many teams. But I struggle to see how he makes sense for the Sox at this stage of the team’s rebuild – which, like the Cubs’ successful plan, is expected to involve a lot of youngsters, a lot of losing and a lot of high draft picks.

Machado is a guy you add if you’re looking to win – both now and later, not just later. Unless the Sox are extremely confident that they can sign him to a long-term deal before he hits free agency – a huge gamble considering Machado’s agent is Scott Boras and other deep-pocketed organizations covet him – it’s illogical to give up top prospects for a guy who could be nothing more than a rental during what’s supposed to be a rebuilding season.

Whether the Sox land Machado or not, the team’s pursuit leaves me wondering if 81-year-old Jerry Reinsdorf really has the stomach to follow through on a long rebuild. Doing so can certainly result in a lot of indigestion, but there’s also nothing more filling than successfully seeing it through.

Just ask the team on the North Side.

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Where could a high-speed O’Hare train boldly go?

Screen Shot 2017-12-12 at 6.51.07 PMFrom the Saturday, Dec. 11, editions of The Daily Journal (Kankakee, Ill.) and The Times (Ottawa, Ill.) …

The WISCH LIST

I like big, bold ideas – especially when they involve Chicago.

I was supportive of the city’s pursuit of the 2016 Summer Olympics. I thought the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art could have been a great attraction along the lakefront. And, as I wrote in this column in September, I’m hoping that the Windy City wins the high-stakes derby for e-commerce giant Amazon’s HQ2.

Yes, I do like big, bold ideas involving Chicago.

And, as it turns out, fast ones too.

That’s why I’m rooting for Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s vision of a high-speed train that would whisk passengers between O’Hare Airport and downtown to become a reality. But not only because of what such a train could offer travelers, but also because of the potential that a proven high-speed rail service could ultimately portend for the greater Chicagoland region – and the entire Midwest.

Last week, Emanuel announced that the city was issuing a formal Request for Qualifications for companies interested in designing, building, financing and operating a superfast rail link between downtown and the airport (visionary billionaire Elon Musk is among those who have already expressed interest).

Continue reading “Where could a high-speed O’Hare train boldly go?”