Wisch List

Today’s column from CBS Chicago …

(CBS) The signs around campus still read “University of Illinois,” but right now the place is going by a different name: Transfer Central.

And from my vantage point, that’s OK.

On Thursday, the Champaign News-Gazette’s Marcus Jackson reported that Illinois junior-to-be Myke Henry will be transferring, becoming the fourth member of the Illini’s 2011 recruiting class to leave the basketball program this offseason.

“He just decided that he wanted a fresh start somewhere else and decided he didn’t want to go back,” Phil Gipson, an assistant coach at Chicago Orr with whom Henry has a close relationship, told the News-Gazette. “Illinois, that’s a great coaching staff and he loved the coaching staff, but sometimes to get yourself going you need a new environment.

On Friday, Henry himself said to Chicago Hoops’ Cavan Walsh about his transfer, “First and foremost, I want to thank the University of Illinois and the coaches down there, including Coach [Bruce] Weber and Coach [Jerrance] Howard who recruited me to Illinois. I believe in Coach [John] Groce and his staff, but I decided to leave Illinois because I felt I needed a fresh start.

“I have nothing but positive things to say about everything down there. Some of my closest friends play there, and I’m still going to be cheering from afar.”

Continue reading at CBSChicago.com …

Thursday’s column from CBS Chicago …

(CBS) Some athletes just belong in certain uniforms.

Derek Jeter is a New York Yankee. Kobe Bryant is a Los Angeles Laker. Tom Brady is a New England Patriot.

And Brian Urlacher? He was a Chicago Bear.

And now, mercifully, he always will be.

On Wednesday after officially announcing his retirement from the NFL, Chicago’s soon-to-be 35-year-old former linebacker told the Dan Patrick Show, “I decided I didn’t want to play for anybody else. I still have a ton of respect for the Bears. It didn’t work out the way I wanted it to, but I played 13 years for one of the best franchises in NFL history. I’m very proud of that, and I’m happy I won’t have to wear another jersey.”

Chicago is, too.

While Urlacher’s surly demeanor toward the fans didn’t make him my favorite Bears player over the years, there’s no doubt that he’s one of franchise’s greatest players ever. And it’s good that we won’t have to see him wearing another franchise’s colors.

Unfortunately, we can’t say the same for some other Chicago sports icons. Here are five Windy City athletes who looked the weirdest playing for a team other than the one they’re best known for. I’m glad that Urlacher won’t be adding to the list.

Continue reading at CBSChicago.com …

Today’s column from CBS Chicago …

(CBS) They’ve upgraded their offensive line, beefed up their receiving corps and even hired a new head coach whose affinity is actually for scoring points, rather than preventing them.

Yes, as the Chicago Bears begin preparations for the summer, there’s little doubt that they’ve gone all in on quarterback Jay Cutler for the 2013 season.

But, I can’t help but wonder, is Cutler all in on the Bears?

And if he’s not – or if he struggles – where will the team go from there?

On Monday, the Chicago Tribune’s Dan Pompei wrote that, “Bears fans may be more panicked about Josh McCown being the team’s backup quarterback than they were about the Chicago-area water levels being higher than sled hills last month.”

He then added about the iffy McCown, “Understandable.”

But, as Pompei pointed out in his column, most other NFL teams are in a similar boat, as quality backup QBs are in short supply throughout the league. And what I’m actually most curious about is what the Bears’ backup plan is in a potential post-Cutler world, something that could arrive as soon as next season.

Continue reading at CBSChicago.com …

Saturday’s column from CBS Chicago …

(CBS) So, DePaul’s proposed new basketball arena – barring overruns – won’t actually cost the $300 million that was reported earlier this week.

That’s good to hear.

However, the 10,000-seat venue located near McCormick Place still will cost about $173 million – barring overruns – and public taxpayer money will indeed be used to help pay for much of a facility that will largely benefit a private university.

That’s not as good to hear. Especially when we don’t know who will pay for overruns.

Or, rather, that we do.

In any case, however, the question of who ultimately foots the bill isn’t the one I’m interested in delving into today. Rather, it’s this: Is DePaul’s new arena actually a good thing for its students?

On one hand, in terms of proximity, it certainly isn’t a worse thing for them than the Blue Demons men’s basketball team playing its games in Rosemont, which is 15 miles of snarling traffic away from the school’s Lincoln Park campus.

Continue reading at CBSChicago.com …

Today’s Wisch List newspaper column from The Daily Journal (Kankakee, Ill.) and The Times (Ottawa, Ill.) …

The WISCH LIST

By Dave Wischnowsky

For the past eight years, I’ve lived just six blocks from Wrigley Field. Considering that proximity, I can’t recall the last time that I’ve waited until mid-May to attend my first Chicago Cubs game of the season.

But such has been the drought level of my interest this year.

As a result, today – my 37th birthday – will be my first time walking through the turnstiles of the Friendly Confines in 2013. As an (almost) annual tradition, I try to attend a Cubs game to celebrate each birthday.

Clearly, I’m not dead-set ion having “happy” ones.

But much to my surprise, the Cubs have actually crept onto my good side as the game approaches. However, as for Chicago as whole, baseball has its weakest springtime pulse in decades – on both sides of town.

I figured I’d check it today, and weigh in with my thoughts about the sub.-500 state of both the Cubs and the White Sox as summer in the city starts to roll around.

Continue reading “The pulse of the Cubs and Sox? Faint, but beating”

Today’s column from CBS Chicago …

(CBS) And so a darkness has fallen across the land.

The Miami Heat are moving on in the NBA Playoffs.

For the Chicago Bulls, however, there are brighter days head ahead as they lick their wounds following last night’s 94-91 series-ending loss to the team wearing the black jerseys – and black hats – in South Beach.

Rosier ones, too.

Because, Derrick will be back – and so will his cheers. At the same time, I fully expect Bulls vs. Heat to be back too – along with its jeers. If nothing else this month, we saw Miami-Chicago develop all the makings of one of those classic NBA playoff rivalries that will percolate with drama and championship ramifications for years to come.

In many ways, LeBron, Wade & Co. strikes me as Chicago’s new version of the Detroit Pistons’ “Bad Boys,” the hated mountain that the Michael Jordan-era Bulls once had to climb. And while losing to the Heat again is disappointing indeed, just like with the Pistons, this series loss will only make victory all the sweeter when the Bulls finally do beat them.

And in time, I think they eventually will.

Continue reading at CBSChicago.com …

Today’s column from CBS Chicago …

(CBS) So, Mayor Rahm Emanuel reportedly has a $300 million plan to build new basketball arena at McCormick Place and bring the DePaul Blue Demons back into the city after more than 30 years in Rosemont.

But is this place a dream stadium, or just a dream?

And beyond that, could it end up as a nightmare for taxpayers?

On Monday afternoon, the Chicago Sun-Times reported that Emanuel is expected to announce this week his plans to construct a 12,000-seat arena along with two mega hotels on McPier property in the hopes of expanding convention and meeting business in Chicago.

According to the Sun-Times, sources said that the tentative plan is for the arena’s hefty $300 million tab to be divided up among DePaul, a naming rights sponsor, and taxpayer money that would come from a McPier Bond fund and possibly (in other words, surely) city tax-increment financing.

The newspaper reported that DePaul, taxpayers and a corporate sponsor could each be responsible for paying $100 million apiece. It’s startling enough that Emanuel would ask Chicago taxpayers to fund an arena for DePaul hoops when the city just refused to assist the Cubs with the renovation of Wrigley Field. But what really struck me is that the mayor apparently seems to think he really could nab $100 million for this new arena’s naming rights. Because I just have a difficult time seeing that happening.

Continue reading at CBSChicago.com …

This weekend’s Wisch List newspaper column from The Daily Journal (Kankakee, Ill.) and The Times (Ottawa, Ill.) …

The WISCH LIST

By Dave Wischnowsky

Outside the main entrance of Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art just off the Magnificent Mile stands an enormous iron sculpture that measures 48 feet wide and more than 20 feet tall. Rotating a full 360 degrees it boasts white neon letters that spell out a single word.

“MOTHERS.”

This eccentric piece of public artwork – officially named “Work No. 1357, MOTHERS” – was unveiled last August, so it wasn’t designed specifically for Mother’s Day. But it might as well have been.

After all, Martin Creed, the London-based artist behind the project, said the sculpture had to be so large, “because mothers always have to be bigger than you are” and “it feels like mothers are the most important people in the world.”

His artwork also proves that you can actually celebrate Mother’s Day on any day, not just this Sunday. And with that in mind, the following are some great ways to celebrate your mom in Chicagoland this summer.

Since I’m assuming you already have plans for this weekend.

(If not, you’re grounded.)

Continue reading “Celebrate Mother’s Day in Chicago – Any Day”

Today’s column from CBS Chicago …

(CBS) Contrary to the popular belief in Chicago, Dwyane Wade does do more than just whine about the refs.

He whines about his hometown, too.

Back on March 26, the Miami Heat star complained to Orlando Sun-Sentinel writer Shandel Richardson about how the Windy City doesn’t love him like it should – apparently, because he’s a suburban guy.

Because, you know, that has to be it.

“It’s always been a knock on guys who played in the suburbs,” said Wade, who was born on Chicago’s South Side but played his high school ball at Richards in south suburban Oak Lawn. “You didn’t get as much attention because they think it’s not as tough or whatever the case may be.

“I think I represent the city. Guys are proud of that, but it’s something different between guys that go to school in the city and the suburbs.”

Bearing the headline “Wade’s success doesn’t seem to impress hometown Chicago” along with the subhead “Playing high school ball in suburbs might have kept Wade off Chicago’s radar,” the Sun-Sentinel story argued that if Wade wins his third NBA championship ring this season then he should be considered the greatest player to ever come out of the city.

Continue reading at CBSChicago.com …

Today’s column from CBS Chicago …

(CBS) On Wednesday morning, I spotted a guy walking through the West Loop proudly wearing a bright red Chicago Bulls T-shirt. On the backside, it also proudly bore both Derrick Rose’s name and jersey number.

So, hey, at least somebody in the city still likes the guy.

I kid … Well, sort of.

With Derrick Rose continuing to don a suit instead of a uniform, many Bulls fans in Chicago remain highly critical of the former MVP for sitting out the playoffs in May even though team doctors gave his surgically repaired knee the green light for game action way back in March.

On that topic, however, former Bull and current ESPN analyst Jay Williams told Washington Post columnist Mike Wise this week, “From a player that was in his position about nine years ago, I’m not trying to come back off a damn ACL and go against LeBron every night. Not my first game back. It’s a lose-lose scenario for me. You need to work out the kinks before then.”

Indeed you do. And as I wrote this past weekend, if there ever was a time for Rose to play this season, it certainly isn’t now in the boiling heat of battle with the Miami Heat. Nevertheless, on social media I continue to see fans calling for Rose’s return in Game 3 at the United Center on Friday.

Like Jay Williams, that thought makes zero sense to me.

But I also happen to think this: Playing without Derrick Rose in the playoffs could actually be a very good thing for the Bulls in the long run.

Continue reading at CBSChicago.com …