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Daily Cubs Minors Recap: Matt Swarmer turnaround continues; Bryce Windham raking; And that’s about it for yesterday as affiliates go 0-3on August 30, 2021 at 3:12 pm

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Daily Cubs Minors Recap: Matt Swarmer turnaround continues; Bryce Windham raking; And that’s about it for yesterday as affiliates go 0-3

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Daily Cubs Minors Recap: Matt Swarmer turnaround continues; Bryce Windham raking; And that’s about it for yesterday as affiliates go 0-3on August 30, 2021 at 3:12 pm Read More »

Making healthcare choices for a parent: a sad exampleon August 30, 2021 at 3:44 pm

Retired in Chicago

Making healthcare choices for a parent: a sad example

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Making healthcare choices for a parent: a sad exampleon August 30, 2021 at 3:44 pm Read More »

Jacques Rogge, IOC president for 12 years, dies at 79Chris Lehourites | Associated Presson August 30, 2021 at 2:47 pm

LONDON — Jacques Rogge approached the job of running the Olympics the same way he approached his work as a physician: Listen, analyze and consult.

Before taking over as president of the International Olympic Committee, Rogge, whose death was announced Sunday, was an orthopedic surgeon who saw 5,000 patients and performed 800 operations a year at his medical practice in Ghent, Belgium.

Rogge’s medical background heavily influenced his leadership style during his 12-year reign in the most powerful post in international sports, bringing stability and a steady hand to the IOC after its worst ethics scandal. He also pursued a hard line against doping as IOC president.

While his predecessor, Spaniard Juan Antonio Samaranch, operated in an autocratic and secretive fashion, Rogge embraced a more open, democratic and collegial style. Measured and unpretentious, he described himself as a “sober” leader.

“In medicine, you first listen to your patient. You listen to what he has to tell you, then you do the examination, you analyze, then you make a diagnosis, then you come up with the treatment,” Rogge said in an interview with The Associated Press in 2002.

“I’m definitely a listener. I consult with people and try to make an analysis. I won’t do it alone. I’m a team worker.”

The IOC announced his death without giving details. Rogge’s health had visibly declined when he attended Olympic events since his presidency ended in 2013.

“First and foremost, Jacques loved sport and being with athletes — and he transmitted this passion to everyone who knew him,” Thomas Bach, Rogge’s successor as president, said in an IOC statement. “His joy in sport was infectious.”

A three-time Olympian in sailing, Rogge earned praise for his calm in the often turbulent world of Olympic politics but also faced outside criticism for not being tough enough on human rights issues with China and Russia.

He managed a steady growth in IOC revenues, even during the global economic crisis; made peace with the U.S. Olympic Committee after years of bitter squabbling over money-sharing; and — in what he considered his personal legacy — created the Youth Olympics.

Under Rogge’s watch, the IOC took the Olympics to new countries and continents — awarding the first Summer Games to South America (Rio de Janeiro in 2016) and the first Winter Games to Russia (Sochi 2014) and South Korea (Pyeongchang 2018).

“I hope that people, with time, will consider that I did a good job for the IOC,” the understated Rogge said in an interview with the AP before stepping down in 2013. “That’s what you legitimately want to be remembered for.”

Rogge was elected the IOC’s eighth president in Moscow on July 16, 2001, defeating four other candidates to succeed Samaranch, a former ambassador who ran the committee with an authoritarian and imperious style for 21 years. Rogge took office in the wake of the Salt Lake City corruption scandal, in which 10 IOC members resigned or were expelled for receiving scholarships, payments and lavish gifts during the Utah capital’s winning bid for the 2002 Winter Games.

Rogge enjoyed a “Mr. Clean” reputation and moved quickly to break with the IOC’s tainted and elitist image. Within hours of coming to power, he announced that he would stay in the athletes’ village rather than the IOC hotel during the Salt Lake Olympics. (He continued the practice at subsequent games, though he also would stay in the official hotel when he had important meetings).

“He was absolutely the right person at the right time,” Norwegian former IOC member Gerhard Heiberg said. “We had a lot of turmoil. We had to get out of that. We had to get another image. He brought stability to the organization.”

After serving an initial eight-year term, Rogge was re-elected unopposed in 2009 to a second and final four-year mandate. He stepped down in September 2013 in Buenos Aires, where German lawyer Bach was elected.

“I received an IOC in good shape from Samaranch,” Rogge said in an interview before handing over to Bach. “And I believe I will leave an IOC in good shape to my successor.”

Rogge spoke five languages, a big selling point in the multi-lingual IOC. His native tongue was Flemish or Dutch, but he also spoke French, English, Spanish and German.

Rogge presided over Summer Olympics in Athens (2004), Beijing (2008) and London (2012), and Winter Games in Salt Lake City (2002), Turin (2006) and Vancouver (2010).

Salt Lake City came just months after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. Rogge consulted with then-President George W. Bush about security measures for the games, which went off peacefully. Preparations for the Athens Games were dogged by chronic delays. Beijing was surrounded by controversy over China’s record on Tibet, human rights and press freedom.

Human rights groups accused Rogge and the IOC of failing to speak out against abuses in China and Russia. Rogge espoused “quiet diplomacy” and insisted repeatedly that the IOC was a sports organization, not a government or political body.

Rogge said the darkest moment of his presidency was the death of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili, who was killed in a high-speed training crash hours before the 2010 opening ceremony in Vancouver.

While Samaranch and the IOC were criticized for a perceived laxness on performance-enhancing drugs, Rogge initiated a high-profile “zero tolerance” policy on doping. He doubled the number of drug tests at the Olympics to 5,000, instituted rigorous pre-games and out-of-competition checks and retested samples from previous games to catch cheaters retroactively.

Rogge’s views were not always well received: He was criticized as being out of touch when he chided Usain Bolt for showboating in Beijing and questioned whether the Jamaican sprinter was a “living legend” in London.

Rogge came under fire from Jewish groups for refusing to allow a moment of silence at the London opening ceremony to remember the 11 Israeli team members killed by Palestinian gunmen at the 1972 Munich Games. He did take part in special commemorations for the Israelis outside of the ceremonies.

Seeking to contain the size and cost of the Olympics, Rogge instituted a cap of 10,500 athletes and 28 sports for the Summer Games. Still, there were about 11,000 athletes and 33 sports at the Tokyo Olympics that closed this month.

He struggled with the thorny issue of cutting and adding sports. Softball and baseball were removed from the program after 2008, while golf and rugby were included for 2016. Wrestling was surprisingly dropped for 2020 in 2012 but was given a second chance and won back its place a year later.

Lamenting a rise in youth obesity and seeking to get young people off the couch, Rogge developed his pet project — the Youth Olympic Games. The event, for athletes aged 15 to 18, was designed to involve educational and cultural experiences as well as sports competition. The Summer Youth Games debuted in Singapore in 2010.

The IOC’s financial security strengthened under Rogge’s tenure. Revenues from global sponsors grew from $663 million in 2001-04 to nearly $1 billion for the four-year cycle through London. Television rights deals raised billions, including a $4.38 billion deal with NBC through the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The IOC’s reserves rose from $100 million to $900 million over 10 years.

In a major breakthrough, Rogge signed a long-term revenue-sharing deal with the USOC in 2012. Tensions had festered for years over a previous deal that many Olympic officials felt gave the U.S. too big a slice of TV and sponsorship revenues.

Rogge’s health declined in the final years of his presidency. He underwent hip replacement surgery in September 2012 and looked a far cry from the youthful, robust man who came to power.

Rogge is survived by his wife, Anne, and their two adult children.

Rogge was born on May 2, 1942 in Ghent, a medieval Flemish harbor city. By the age of 3, he was accompanying his parents on sailing trips along Belgium’s North Sea coast.

He went on to compete in sailing’s Finn class in three Olympics — Mexico City 1968, Munich 1972 and Montreal 1976. He also played 10 years on Belgium’s national rugby team.

Rogge began his career in sports administration at the age of 34 as an athlete’s representative on Belgium’s national Olympic committee. As Belgium’s team leader for the 1980 Moscow Olympics, he resisted pressure to adhere to the U.S.-led boycott following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. The Belgian team went to Moscow and competed under the Olympic flag.

Rogge headed the Belgian Olympic Committee from 1989-1992 and was president of the European Olympic Committees from 1989-2001. He became an IOC member in 1991 and won praise for his role as chairman of the coordination commission for the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Rogge was made a count by Belgium’s King Albert II in 2002 and received an honorary British knighthood in London in 2014.

The IOC said the Olympic flag will be flown at half staff for five days at Olympic House in Lausanne.

“Following a private family ceremony, a public memorial service will take place later in the year,” the IOC said, “where members and friends of the Olympic Movement will be able to remember his life and his great contribution to sport.”

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Jacques Rogge, IOC president for 12 years, dies at 79Chris Lehourites | Associated Presson August 30, 2021 at 2:47 pm Read More »

Lardon Brings Housemade Charcuterie and Sandwiches to Logan SquareLynette Smithon August 30, 2021 at 2:00 pm

After a year of social isolation, could anything be better than sharing a giant plate of cured meats and cheese with friends at a charming bar? At least in my universe, the answer is no, which is why I was excited the moment I heard about Lardon (2200 N. California Ave.), the new salumeria and restaurant in Logan Square.

The first thing a visitor will notice when they visit Lardon is the charcuterie “cave,” a tiled room complete with a window for observing the deliciousness. That’s where all of Chef Chris Thompson’s housemade goodies — all of the charcuterie served at Lardon is housemade — will be on display. To get ready for the opening, Thompson worked with Salumi Chicago (which generously offered space in their aging room) to hang more than 2,000 pounds of cured meats, everything from genoa salami to nduja.

Thompson has been learning the craft of charcuterie since he was a young chef, picking up old world techniques and recipes along the way. “Years ago, I was working with chefs that didn’t know they were sparking an interest in me; they wanted a task off of their plate,” laughs Thompson. Owner Steve Lewis chimes in, “There’s more to making this than a recipe card and cool spices. There’s a lot of knowledge. You can’t just read it in a book — you have to know when things are done.”

The upside for diners will be a constantly rotating list of cured meats, made from whole pigs butchered and processed in-house. If you’re lucky, you might be there on a day when there’s coppa (cured pork shoulder); if it’s out of stock, try some French-inspired saucisson sec. Since the restaurant is working with whole animals, anatomy dictates, to some extent, what is on the menu every day. “A pig only has two shoulders, so you only get two coppas out of a pig,” explains Thompson. “That’s 15 pounds, and you have to do something with the other 180.” He doesn’t seem to be having any problem figuring out what to do with it.

Its opening menu features salads and sandwiches, and one standout, if you’re an Italian sandwich lover like I am, is the Italiano. “It starts with a smear of nduja across the bread,” Thompson says, “Then a mixture of sopressata originale and sopressata calabrese, some sharp provolone, shredded lettuce, a Mighty Vine tomato, and housemade giardiniera.” Think of your typical Italian sub — but with each of the meats handmade 15 feet away.

Eventually, Lardon will launch a full dinner menu, with a combination of pork-focused entrees (expect things like braised pork belly and porchetta) and French dishes with touches of charcuterie — think mussels with nduja or a classic frisee salad with lardon. You can pair dishes with drinks from the nerdy, funky beverage list, which has a huge selection of amari (bitter Italian liqueurs), orange wines, and easy drinking aperitif-inspired cocktails. Lardon will be a space that a diner can experience however they want — lunch, a drink after work, an indulgent afternoon cocktail, or a full dinner with the family.

Thompson is excited to bring classic curing techniques to Logan Square, especially those that many people don’t get to see up close (or through a window into a charcuterie cave). “All the meats and things on the boards tie into that old world ideology of food preservation,” he says. “It’s about trying to feed your family in the cold dark winter using what’s available in the summer and fall.” Or in his case, trying to feed his new neighborhood.

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Lardon Brings Housemade Charcuterie and Sandwiches to Logan SquareLynette Smithon August 30, 2021 at 2:00 pm Read More »

Chicago Bears: Quote raises suspicions over Nagy’s planPatrick Sheldonon August 30, 2021 at 2:42 pm

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Chicago Bears: Quote raises suspicions over Nagy’s planPatrick Sheldonon August 30, 2021 at 2:42 pm Read More »

Chicago Bears Rumors: Latest Nick Foles trade talk is appalling, unacceptableRyan Heckmanon August 30, 2021 at 2:00 pm

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Chicago Bears Rumors: Latest Nick Foles trade talk is appalling, unacceptableRyan Heckmanon August 30, 2021 at 2:00 pm Read More »

Weekend gun violence: At least 6 killed in Chicago and 49 wounded, including a 14-year-old, two 15-year-olds and two 16-year-oldsSun-Times Wireon August 30, 2021 at 12:11 pm

Weekend gun violence in Chicago claimed the lives of six people and wounded at least 49 others, including a 14-year-old, two 15-year-olds and two 16-year-olds.

Two of the fatal attacks occurred in Englewood on the South Side.

— In the first, around 11:55 p.m. Friday, a 27-year-old man was driving in the 900 block of West 59th Street when a black sedan pulled alongside and someone inside fired, Chicago police said.

He crashed into two unoccupied cars and was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, police said. He has not been identified.

— In the second Englewood shooting, a man was killed in a drive-by around 2:50 a.m. Sunday.

A 30-year-old man was walking in the 200 block of West 71st Street when a black Nissan SUV approached and someone inside opened fire following an argument, police said. He was hit in the chest, arm and shoulder and was taken to the University of Chicago, where he was pronounced dead, police said. He has not been identified.

— Around the same time, a man was fatally shot in Humboldt Park on the Northwest Side. A 27-year-old man was discovered about 2:30 a.m. lying on the sidewalk in the 1000 block of North Lawndale Avenue, police said. He was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said. He has not yet been identified.

— A man was killed and a woman wounded in Back of the Yards on the South Side around 2:30 a.m. Sunday. They at an outside gathering in the 4800 block of South Justine Street when shots were fired, police said.

The man, 42, was shot in the chest and back and was taken to St. Bernard Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said. He has not been identified. The woman, 26, suffered a graze wound to her leg and refused medical treatment, police said.

— A man was shot to death while sitting in a car in Little Village on the West Side Sunday evening. Felipe De Jesus Duarte Trujillo, 26, was attacked about 5 p.m. in the 2700 block of South Pulaski Road, police said. He suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was transported to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said.

— A man was shot in his South Shore home Monday morning on the Far South Side. About 1:50 a.m., the 55-year-old responded to loud knocking at his door in the 7700 block of South Shore Drive and a gunman forced his way, Chicago police said. The man was shot multiple times and was taken to the University of Chicago, where he was pronounced dead, police said. He has not been identified.

— Four people wounded Saturday in Douglas Park on the West Side. The three men and a woman were at a large outside gathering in the 2800 block of West 12th Place when they were struck by gunfire about 10:10 p.m., police said.

A 36-year-old woman and two men, 39 and 46, were shot in the leg, police said. A 21-year-old man was shot in the arm, police said. They all went to Mount Sinai in fair condition, police said.

— Two teens were wounded Friday evening in Chatham on the South Side. About 11:55 p.m., a boy and girl, both 16, were walking in the 8700 block of South Holland Road when they were attacked, police said. The boy was shot in the chin and the girl grazed in the leg, police said.

Both were dropped off by a passerby at Little Company of Mary Hospital, where they were listed in good condition, police said. The boy was transferred to Stroger Hospital, police said.

— A 14-year-old boy was critically wounded Friday evening in West Garfield Park on the West Side. About 10:15 p.m., the teen was outside on a porch with a group of people in the 4100 block of West West End when he was shot in the neck, police said. It was unknown if he was the intended target, police said. He was taken to Stroger where he was listed in critical condition, police said.

— A 15-year-old boy and a 19-year-old man were wounded Friday evening in East Garfield Park on the West Side. They were discovered in a car about 10:05 p.m. in the 2800 block of West Adams Street, Chicago police said. The 15-year-old was shot in the neck and was taken to Stroger in serious condition, police said. The 19-year-old was shot in the chest and arm and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in serious condition, police said.

At least 39 others were wounded across the city between 5 p.m. Friday and 5 a.m. Monday.

Last weekend in Chicago, seven people were killed and 39 others were wounded.

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Weekend gun violence: At least 6 killed in Chicago and 49 wounded, including a 14-year-old, two 15-year-olds and two 16-year-oldsSun-Times Wireon August 30, 2021 at 12:11 pm Read More »

Chicago Bears Roster Cuts: This is the perfect, final 53-man rosterRyan Heckmanon August 30, 2021 at 1:13 pm

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Chicago Bears Roster Cuts: This is the perfect, final 53-man rosterRyan Heckmanon August 30, 2021 at 1:13 pm Read More »

Overtime rules change designed to shorten games, decrease injurieson August 30, 2021 at 1:00 pm

Prairie State Pigskin

Overtime rules change designed to shorten games, decrease injuries

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Overtime rules change designed to shorten games, decrease injurieson August 30, 2021 at 1:00 pm Read More »

At least 6 killed, 49 wounded — including 7 teens — in weekend gun violenceSun-Times Wireon August 30, 2021 at 12:11 pm

Weekend gun violence in Chicago claimed the lives of six people and wounded at least 49 others, including a 14-year-old, a 15-year-old and two 16-year-olds.

Two of the fatal attacks occurred in Englewood on the South Side.

— In the first, around 11:55 p.m. Friday, a 27-year-old man was driving in the 900 block of West 59th Street when a black sedan pulled alongside and someone inside fired, Chicago police said.

He crashed into two unoccupied cars and was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, police said. He has not been identified.

— In the second Englewood shooting, a man was killed in a drive-by around 2:50 a.m. Sunday.

A 30-year-old man was walking in the 200 block of West 71st Street when a black Nissan SUV approached and someone inside opened fire following an argument, police said. He was hit in the chest, arm and shoulder and was taken to the University of Chicago, where he was pronounced dead, police said. He has not been identified.

— Around the same time, a man was fatally shot in Humboldt Park on the Northwest Side. A 27-year-old man was discovered about 2:30 a.m. lying on the sidewalk in the 1000 block of North Lawndale Avenue, police said. He was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said. He has not yet been identified.

— A man was killed and a woman wounded in Back of the Yards on the South Side around 2:30 a.m. Sunday. They at an outside gathering in the 4800 block of South Justine Street when shots were fired, police said.

The man, 42, was shot in the chest and back and was taken to St. Bernard Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said. He has not been identified. The woman, 26, suffered a graze wound to her leg and refused medical treatment, police said.

— A man was shot to death while sitting in a car in Little Village on the West Side Sunday evening. Felipe De Jesus Duarte Trujillo, 26, was attacked about 5 p.m. in the 2700 block of South Pulaski Road, police said. He suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was transported to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said.

— A man was shot in his South Shore home Monday morning on the Far South Side. About 1:50 a.m., the 55-year-old responded to loud knocking at his door in the 7700 block of South Shore Drive and a gunman forced his way, Chicago police said. The man was shot multiple times and was taken to the University of Chicago, where he was pronounced dead, police said. He has not been identified.

— Four people wounded Saturday in Douglas Park on the West Side. The three men and a woman were at a large outside gathering in the 2800 block of West 12th Place when they were struck by gunfire about 10:10 p.m., police said.

A 36-year-old woman and two men, 39 and 46, were shot in the leg, police said. A 21-year-old man was shot in the arm, police said. They all went to Mount Sinai in fair condition, police said.

— Two teens were wounded Friday evening in Chatham on the South Side. About 11:55 p.m., a boy and girl, both 16, were walking in the 8700 block of South Holland Road when they were attacked, police said. The boy was shot in the chin and the girl grazed in the leg, police said.

Both were dropped off by a passerby at Little Company of Mary Hospital, where they were listed in good condition, police said. The boy was transferred to Stroger Hospital, police said.

— A 14-year-old boy was critically wounded Friday evening in West Garfield Park on the West Side. About 10:15 p.m., the teen was outside on a porch with a group of people in the 4100 block of West West End when he was shot in the neck, police said. It was unknown if he was the intended target, police said. He was taken to Stroger where he was listed in critical condition, police said.

— A 15-year-old boy and a 19-year-old man were wounded Friday evening in East Garfield Park on the West Side. They were discovered in a car about 10:05 p.m. in the 2800 block of West Adams Street, Chicago police said. The 15-year-old was shot in the neck and was taken to Stroger in serious condition, police said. The 19-year-old was shot in the chest and arm and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in serious condition, police said.

At least 39 others were wounded across the city between 5 p.m. Friday and 5 a.m. Monday.

Last weekend in Chicago, seven people were killed and 39 others were wounded.

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At least 6 killed, 49 wounded — including 7 teens — in weekend gun violenceSun-Times Wireon August 30, 2021 at 12:11 pm Read More »