Tuesday’s column from CBS Chicago … (CBS) From Kansas’ Naismith tradition to North Carolina’s Jordanesque pedigree to Duke’s Coach K-fueled dominance, every “basketball” school in the country has something special to sell. But none of them offer the same opportunity that Illinois does. Especially to in-state recruits. “They put forward something that was pretty much […]
Monthly Archives: September 2012
The price of tagging: Graffiti hitting Chicago harder
My Sept. 15 Wisch List column from The Daily Journal (Kankakee, Ill.) and The Times (Ottawa, Ill.) … The WISCH LIST By Dave Wischnowsky Chicago politics are dirty. Chicago homicide stats are ugly. And Chicago teacher strikes are messy. But Chicago itself? It’s clean. Or, at least, it long has been. Far more so than […]
‘Leading’ Off, Big Ten’s Start Is ‘Legendarily’ Bad
Today’s column from CBS Chicago … (CBS) Its Leaders are lagging. And its Legends? Well, they look like anything but. But, hey, the Big Ten still has a full slate of football games to play Saturday. So, aren’t you just teeming with excitement? If not, and instead you’re thinking, gee, I sure seem down in […]
How Will Notre Dame’s Big Move Impact The Big Ten?
My Sept. 13 column from CBS Chicago … (CBS) It passed on the Big Ten’s TV millions. It passed on aligning itself with the familiarity of many of its most traditional rivals. And it passed on the region where its campus is based – although some Fighting Irish fans might tell you that, you know, […]
Blowout Loss Sparks Concerns About Illini, Beckman
My Sept. 11 column from CBS Chicago … (CBS) When it comes to Illinois football, I’m not hitting the panic button just yet – even though the Illini themselves apparently were this past Saturday night. “Guys were panicking, everybody yelling, trying to get the (play) call,” Illinois junior defensive tackle Akeem Spence told the Associated […]
At City Winery, it’s Crush Hour in Chicago
My Sept. 9 Wisch List column from The Daily Journal (Kankakee, Ill.) and The Times (Ottawa, Ill.) … The WISCH LIST By Dave Wischnowsky Boasting popular breweries such as Goose Island, Revolution and Half Acre, Chicago is known far and wide for its beer offerings. But for its wine? Well, not so much. That, however, […]
Beckman looking to buck first-year trend at Illinois
My Sept. 1 Wisch List column from The Daily Journal (Kankakee) and The Times (Ottawa) … By Dave Wischnowsky The WISCH LIST The place hasn’t claimed as many managerial careers as that famed burial ground at Clark and Addison in Chicago, but down at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, things rarely end well for Fighting Illini […]
Why Illini Football Fans Can Thank Ron Zook
My CBS Chicago column from Aug. 31 … (CBS) His management of Illinois’ special teams was, well, special. His ability to keep track of the score wasn’t exactly something you could count on. And if he wasn’t making a bad clock-management decision, then the guy probably wasn’t making any decisions at all. Nevertheless, in spite […]
A Loss of I-dentity
My piece for ChicagoSide on Aug. 31 … Ron Zook is in the CBS Sports Network studios. Bruce Weber is in Manhattan, Kansas. And Chief Illiniwek? He’s in absentia. Former AD Ron Guenther is in retirement. His successor’s competency is still in question. Meanwhile, the football program is in the hands of a coach we […]