We have control over ourselves −−−our thoughts, our words, our actions, and who we become. Some circumstances are certainly beyond us and we will never have command over such, but we do have the power to choose whether to restrain or to respond and how (if) we allow it to affect us. Blaming others only relinquishes our control and gives others authority over us. This is not self-control. Self-control must be mastered over one’s own soul. There are people, processes, and procedures that are unfair and will probably remain that way. If you can’t change it, don’t allow it to control you, but rather choose to rise above it.
I am a simple man So I sing a simple song I never been so much in love And never hurt so bad at the same time
It’s 1971. Graham Nash has become one of the biggest rock stars in the world. A few years earlier, he left the Hollies and joined up to form a new band with David Crosby and Stephen Stills. Their first self-titled album is an all-time classic.
The threesome follows-up by adding Neil Young to the band which leads to another classic, 1970’s “Deja Vu.” The album sold more than eight million copies. Included were Nash legendary songs “Teach Your Children” and “Our House.”
The band was so big that concert promoter Bill Graham called them the American Beatles. What was next for the foursome? Solo albums! Stills and Young made new albums in 1970. In May of 1971, it was Graham Nash’s turn.
Writers tend to write about what they know. That’s exactly what Nash did in writing the songs that made up “Songs for Beginners.” His relationship with Joni Mitchell had come to end. The world was dealing with the war in Viet Nam and the presidency of Richard Nixon. Those topics dominate the tunes of “Song for Beginners.” It’s an album about politcal unrest and lost love. He even wrote songs for his bandmate Stills, who was dealing with his own romantic issues with singers Judy Collins and Rita Coolidge.
It wasn’t only the topics and lyrics that made this such a fine record. The melodies are very sweet. They stick in your head. Even if you don’t know the words, you can hum along to the song. When you add it all together, it leads to an excellent album.
When I listened to the album yesterday, I realized that it could have easily been produced in 2021 instead of 1971. The topics that were relevant than still are today. Who hasn’t had a romance that has gone bad? Even Nash himself, rebounded from Joni into a marriage that lasted more than thirty-five years….and then that ended. The names may be different but the songs still fit. As for the political tunes, let’s not rehash the last four years.
“Songs for Beginners” is an album that is timeless. If you liked it fifty years ago, you’ll like it today.
My so called friends think it’s time to edit this section. After four years, they may be right, but don’t tell them that. I’ll deny it until they die!
I can’t believe I’ve been writing this blog for four years.
It started as a health/wellness thing and over the years has morphed to include so many things that I don’t know how to describe it anymore.
I really thought this was going to be the final year of the blog but then Donald Trump came along. It looks like we’re good for four more years..God help us all!
Oh yeah…the biographical stuff. I’m not 60 anymore. The rest you can read about in the blog.
There are a lot of reasons why the Comedy Central animated series “South Park” has been on the air for so long. First and foremost, they’ve kept in strong since 1997 by keeping it real and topical. They evolve with the times, and focus on what’s trending at that given point.
Last season, they shifted their focus to the fictional Tegridy Farms, and made a new main character, in Stan Marsh. Tegridy is a marijuana farm, and their shifting to this topic is reflective of how big a boom these businesses are seeing. CBD, Hemp, so-called “pot stocks,” it’s a family of industries set to skyrocket. CBD Stocks could be a smart investment play this year.
For a broader view at the industry at large, you got to start at, pardon the obvious pun, grassroots level. Pure Hemp Farms is a premium grower of cannabis plants, established in 2015. That was one year after the Agricultural Act 2014 (farm bill) allowed the use of hemp on an experimental basis. In 2018, the United States farm bill federally legalized hemp production and now they’re a firm that is very nicely positioned as more people have gone back to the Earth, so to speak, during this pandemic.
As has been well documented in mainstream media, individual farming is booming right now, as more of the population takes the social distance requirements outside. It’s important to distinguish that CBD and hemp are very different from marijuana in that they contain no psychoactive component.
In order for these products to be legal, they must not contain any THC (tetrahydracannabidol), the addictive agent in marijuana. With that in mind, you can feel safe and secure finding “growth” in this space. The multifarious healing powers of hemp and CBD have been well documented, and after a year like 2020, most of us could use some help easing our pains.
Yahoo Finance has a good list of 13 potential hemp stocks to buy right now, while Investment U has an article on the top three CBD stocks to watch in 2021. For further reading, the National Investment Council has more on the CBD and hemp revolution.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now and Minute Media. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes regularly to WGN CLTV and ChicagoNow.
He’s been a featured guest in dozens of media outlets including The History Channel. His work has been cited in hundreds of publications including the Wall Street Journal and Washington Post.
Southern Illinois senior cornerback James Ceasar (2) celebrates a key stop in last weekend’s 30-22 victory against Youngstown State. (Photo by SIUSalukis.com)
Playing an all-Missouri Valley Football Conference schedule this spring brings a different challenge each week for Southern Illinois.
The schedule also brings opportunity for the Salukis (3-1 overall, 2-1 MVFC), who are ranked No. 10 in this week’s STATS Perform national poll.
“When you keep winning big games, it allows you to keep playing in big games,” junior linebacker Bryson Strong said. “We’re excited more than anything.”
On Saturday at noon (ESPN+), SIU hosts No. 4 Northern Iowa, which brings the nation’s seventh-ranked scoring defense to Carbondale.
“They always play great defense,” SIU head coach Nick Hill said. “They play extremely hard. It’s going to be a huge challenge.”
In three games, the Panthers (2-1) have allowed only three touchdowns on defense. Only one of those scores has been on the ground.
The Salukis, on the other hand, have scored nine rushing TDs and are piling up 180.5 yards per game on the ground, which ranks third in the MVFC and 25th nationally.
In addition, SIU averages a conference-leading 21.8 first downs per game.
They also have the biggest win in the nation this spring, beating then-No. 1 and defending national champion North Dakota State.
Despite their defensive prowess, UNI’s offense is ninth in the conference at 267 yards a game.
But when it comes to opponents, the Salukis are less concerned with the team across the sidelines each weekend.
“We’re pretty confident in what we do here, and we’re just going to keep trucking,” Strong said. “We worry about us.”
SIU offense on a roll
The SIU offensive attack is third in the MVFC with 27.2 points and 379.8 yards a game.
Sophomore running back Romier Elliott ranks second in the conference with 75.5 yards per game. He is averaging 4.8 yards a carry and has three rushing touchdowns.
Fellow sophomore Javon Williams Jr. is tied for the MVFC lead with five rushing touchdowns.
Quarterback Nic Baker, who is filling in for the injury Kare’ Lyles, has the second-best pass efficiency rating in the league (141.3). Baker’s favorite target, former high school teammate Avante Cox, ranks 12th nationally with 355 receiving yards.
Beware in the air
Saturday’s game will showcase two of the nation’s top pass defenses.
SIU ranks fifth in the nation against the pass, allowing 106 yards per game. Senior cornerback James Ceasar leads the Salukis with six pass breakups.
UNI ranks seventh nationally with 109 passing yards allowed. Eight different players have at least one pass breakup for the Panthers.
Where to find the game
The game will kick off at noon Saturday, March 13 in Carbondale and air on ESPN+. The radio broadcast is available at www.CILFM.com.
Blog co-authors Barry Bottino and Dan Verdun bring years of experience covering collegiate athletics. Barry has covered college athletes for more than two decades in his “On Campus” column, which is published weekly by Shaw Media. Dan has written four books about the state’s football programs–“NIU Huskies Football” (released in 2013), “EIU Panthers Football (2014), “ISU Redbirds” (2016) and “SIU Salukis Football” (2017).
Redshirt freshman Tommy Schuster threw for a career-high 336 yards as No. 3 North Dakota defeated Western Illinois Saturday in Macomb.
Despite its league-leading rusher being shaken up with an apparent injury in the first half, No. 3 North Dakota handled Western Illinois 38-21 in Missouri Valley Football Conference action Saturday in Macomb.
The Fighting Hawks, playing in their debut MVFC season, instead switched to the pass and built a 21-7 halftime lead. North Dakota rolled up 298 yards—211 passing—in building that advantage.
While UND’s Otis Weah left the game following a big hit by defensive back Bryce Cross, Fighting Hawks redshirt freshman quarterback Tommy Schuster riddled WIU with short passing routes and third-down conversions.
Schuster eclipsed the 300-yard passing mark for the first time in his career. The 2018 AP Prep Player of the Year in Michigan completed 29-of-37 throws for 328 yards and three touchdowns.
Weah did return to the field in the second half and scored his sixth touchdown of the season on a 12-yard run in which he broke four tackles on his way into the end zone. Weah finished the game with 99 yards on 17 carries.
North Dakota improved its record to 4-0. It was the first road win for the Fighting Hawks after three straight home victories this spring.
“It was new for a lot of our guys,” North Dakota head coach Bubba Schweigert said. “We had 17 guys that had never been on a trip, so we’re coming to a place they had never been to. A few of our coaches had been here because they had coached in the Valley. I thought our players handled the travel pretty well.”
UND stands atop the Missouri Valley standings heading into next Saturday’s showdown with defending national champion North Dakota State.
“It’s obviously a big game for us, we haven’t been in the same league for many years,” Schweigert said. “We’re looking forward to that. We’re trying to get our fifth win and it would be over a very good football team and a program that we have a lot of respect for.”
Western Illinois fell to 0-3.
Here are three things we learned:
WIU’s defense is on the field way too much
As the Leathernecks struggled on offense, North Dakota controlled the ball for more than two-thirds of the first half.
“We’ve got to do a better job on offense of staying on schedule,” WIU head coach Jared Elliott said in the postgame. “We’re not doing that consistently enough. Whether it’s an untimely penalty or just a lack of execution, all it takes is one play to get you off schedule.”
While WIU’s defense came up with some key run stops and pass break-ups at times, the Leathernecks just can’t spend that much time on the field. Tired players are more prone to missed tackles and a step slow on assignments.
Moreover, key defenders Justin Nutof and Eryk Preston also missed plays with injuries putting more pressure on the Leathernecks’ depth.
2. Third down continues to matter both ways
In the week’s runup to Saturday’s kickoff, Elliott talked about the importance of third down.
North Dakota converted 6-of-7 third down plays as it dominated first-half time of possession. That number includes a couple of third-and-long conversions when WIU players missed tackles that would have stopped the UND player short of the needed yardage.
The Fighting Hawks finished the day 8-for-11 on third down.
Meanwhile, Western’s offense continued its trend of struggling on third down. The Leathernecks entered the game converting just 26% of third downs; Saturday WIU went 3-for-9.
“That was the name of the game today for us on both sides of the ball,” Elliott said. “I know there were way too many third-and-long situations (for WIU). We’ve got to execute better.”
Certainly WIU is hampered by the loss of first-string running back DeShon Gavin who was hurt in the season opener. Since then, true freshman Iosefa Pua’Auli has shouldered the load. The Honolulu, Hawaii native scored both WIU touchdowns Saturday.
On the defensive side, Nutof said, “It’s devastating. You’ve got to get off the field on third down. You’ve got to be able to tackle. We didn’t do that today and that cost us a lot. It’s demoralizing.”
3. It won’t get easier from here on out
WIU has five games remaining in its spring conference-only schedule. Four of those contests will feature opponents that either are or have been ranked in the FCS Top 25 this season.
The Missouri Valley has five teams ranked in Top 10. Two of those teams are upcoming WIU opponents. The MVFC has seven teams in the most recent Top 25.
Playing from behind much of the season, Western has thrown the ball 68 percent of its offensive calls. Senior quarterback Connor Sampson completed 33-of-47 passes for 336 yards and a touchdown in Saturday’s loss.
Dennis Houston led WIU with eight catches for 108 yards. Dallas Daniels, six receptions for 50 yards, caught the fourth-quarter touchdown.
What’s next?
WIU travels to Normal to play in-state rival Illinois State Saturday, March 20.
Blog co-authors Barry Bottino and Dan Verdun bring years of experience covering collegiate athletics. Barry has covered college athletes for more than two decades in his “On Campus” column, which is published weekly by Shaw Media. Dan has written four books about the state’s football programs–“NIU Huskies Football” (released in 2013), “EIU Panthers Football (2014), “ISU Redbirds” (2016) and “SIU Salukis Football” (2017).
The American Civil Liberties Union is in business to defend the constitutional rights of all individuals. There are other organizations to protect and defend the rights and lives of their members, as well as the general public.
The Anti-Defamation League, whose slogan isImagine a World Without Hate, focuses on worldwide antisemitism, but has come to the defense of people of all ethnicities.
The Japanese American Citizens League was formed to secure and maintain the civil rights of Japanese Americans and all others who are victimized by injustice and bigotry.
The fact that these organizations exist clearly demonstrates two things:
1. Injustice and bigotry is a reality for many minorities.
2. It’s inevitable that members of minority groups who feel that they are under attack band together to demand justice for themselves.
Why is it then, that the very name, Black Lives Matter is so infuriating? Do we disagree with the basic premise? Do we take exception with the idea that black lives matter?
Why was it necessary to immediately push back against the BLM movement with the thinly veiled message that All Lives Matter?
We should be at a place where all lives matter, but that isn’t always the case. The religious Right is pro-life, right up until the time they’re born.
Then they’re on their own.
Saying that that all lives matter minimizes the vulnerability of those most at risk in our society. It should go without saying that all lives matter. The problem is that historical evidence refutes that claim.
When a self-appointed vigilante like George Zimmerman can get away with killing an unarmed teenager, then White America has lost the right to say that all lives matter.
When video after video shows black men killed for selling cigarettes or CDs or having a broken tail light, then we have to admit that black lives really don’t matter.
When a Chicago cop empties his gun into the prone body of teenager, we have to admit that there is a systemic failure to respect all lives.
We do not have to choose between respecting the lives of black men and supporting our police. This is not the modern day version of Sophie’s Choice, nor is it a present day version of Thunderdome.
One man does not have to die. The choice is not binary.
All lives will matter when we can actually live it. All lives will matter when the scales of justice swing equally for all.
In the mean time, we could think about mothers knowing that every time their teenage sons walk out the door, they may not return.
Repeatedly telling teenagers to be deferential WHEN (not if) they get stopped by police only goes so far.
Video evidence shows that being in full compliance with an officer’s requests may not save you.
Black lives matter. If they don’t matter to you, they matter to them. They matter to the wives and mothers and sons and daughters of black men.
Some friends in Skokie, Illinois asked why the protestors have to be so violent. They get that black people are upset, but don’t think any of that anger should impact their White lives.
We are no longer a nation of empathetic people. It’s always us or them.
We don’t see why supporting the BLM movement is important to us as individuals and as a nation.
I also support local police departments, many of whose numbers I have on speed dial. Just as most White Americans can’t imagine what it’s like to be Black, most civilians can’t imagine what it’s like to be a police cop.
For me there is no dichotomy, no choice to be made. The police do a difficult and often thankless job. They stand that blue line for us at mortal risk to themselves. They deserve our support and our thanks.
In supporting our police though, we need to ask them to keep one thing in mind. ALL LIVES MATTER.
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Bob “RJ” Abrams is a political junkie, all-around malcontent and supporter of America’s warriors. After a career path that took him from merchandising at rock concerts to managing rock bands to a 27-year stint in the pits of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, he’s seen our nation from up and down.
As Regional Coordinator of the Warriors’ Watch Riders (a motorcycle support group for the military and their families) Bob plays an active role in our nation’s support of America’s warriors and their families.
Send comments and/or suggestions to [email protected]
Architect of Things (AoT) is a network of “architects” searching and providing solutions to new worlds that intersect with science, software, and technologies for the purpose of connecting and exchanging experiences, knowledge, and stories within the physical reality and the virtual reality, over the Internet.
The way architects operate is ever evolving due to the convergence of multiple technologies, social media, machine learning, commodity sensors, and embedded (environmental, biological, socio-political) systems.
The traditional architecture field that is historically performed on physical reality, now converges with intersectionalities that contribute to enabling the Architect of Things.
The AoT includes those who design traditional spaces, buildings, or environments, smart homes, smart cities, virtual spaces, and support one or more common ecosystems in the combined virtual and physical space (metaverse), which can be controlled via devices associated with that ecosystem (e.g. your smartphones, your Artificial-Intelligence-powered virtual assistant devices, Virtual Reality headsets, Augmented Reality fixtures, mixed-reality smart glasses, etc).
This club moderates room conversations around 3 main topics:
Hundreds (and counting) have already connected with this club.
Come for the heady conversations, stay for the mental stimulation!
All things design in and beyond Chicago land. Contributing writers led by Lira Luis, FRIBA, AIA, NCARB, CEM, LEED AP and the ALLL staff including Leapfrog Project Collaborators.
North Dakota State’s Brayden Thomas, right, helps to tackle Illinois State’s Nigel White on Saturday, March 13, in the Fargodome. (photo courtesy Michael Vosburg / Forum Photo Editor)
The last time Illinois State met up with North Dakota State in the FargoDome each team was led by a future NFL standout. While that wasn’t the case Saturday, the result was similar—the game went down to the wire.
In that 2019 FCS quarterfinal, NDSU and this spring’s projected first-round draft pick Trey Lance nipped ISU and Jacksonville Jaguars rookie sensation James Robinson 9-3 as the Bison worked its way another national championship.
While Saturday’s game didn’t feature the name recognition and star power of that matchup, it contained many of the same ingredients—strong defense, power running games and a late big-time play from a freshman quarterback.
Fifth-ranked and once-beaten North Dakota State outlasted No. 22 Illinois State 21-13 in Missouri Valley Football Conference action.
“It was kind of deju vu from the last time we played up here. We had a chance with the last possession to go down and tie the game,” ISU head coach Brock Spack said in the postgame.
True freshman NDSU quarterback Cam Miller weaved his way on a six-yard touchdown scramble to complete a 13-play, 84-yard drive to ice the game with 3:39 left. The scoring drive chewed up eight minutes and 13 seconds on the clock.
“He’s a good athlete,” Spack said of Miller. “He brings the quarterback run game. He’s more of an option for them when he’s playing.”
Miller—who took over for Zeb Noland—ran 11 times for 57 yards while completing 5-of-7 passes for 61 yards. Noland had no rushes and was 6-for-13 passing for 72 yards. Noland was intercepted twice.
The win boosted NDSU to 4-1 overall and 3-1 in conference a week ahead of its showdown with rival and third-ranked North Dakota, which beat Western Illinois 38-21 Saturday in Macomb.
The loss dropped Illinois State to 0-3.
Here are three things we learned:
Defense is still an Illinois State staple.
Spack, a former Purdue linebacker and defensive coordinator, has long relied on his defense to spearhead his team. The 12th-year head coach certainly had to be pleased with the unit Saturday.
ISU’s defense sparked the Redbirds’ comeback.
The Redbird defense has been injury-riddled this spring. Already down two key defensive linemen, ISU linebacker Zeke Vandenburg was also hampered by ailments Saturday yet continued to play.
ISU defensive back Charles Woods had two interceptions and eight tackles. Fellow defensive back Clayton Isbell also proved to be disruptive. The St. Charles East High School graduate had two tackles-for-loss and a forced fumble.
“When I saw the opportunity, I just ripped. The ball came out and I jumped on it,” Isbell said. “When I stripped it, it (the ball) hit my chest and then the ground and then back to my chest.”
ISU’s defense forced NDSU to punt with 1:45 remaining in the game, giving the Redbirds one last chance on offense. However, ISU could only advance to its own 47 before quarterback Bryce Jefferson’s last-second desperation heave was batted down.
2. Special teams doomed the Redbirds.
A punt return for a touchdown and a blocked extra point proved to be major factors that kept ISU from pulling off the upset.
NDSU’s Jake Reinholz broke off an 85-yard punt return at the 11:20 mark of the first quarter.
After ISU rallied to within a point in the fourth quarter, NDSU’s Spencer Waege broke through and blocked Aidan Bresnahan’s extra point attempt.
“We spend a lot of time of special teams, probably more than most teams do. It’s a critical piece to what we do,” NDSU head coach Matt Entz said postgame.
The Redbirds also failed to field NDSU’s final punt and thus started their final drive at their own 17-yard line with no timeouts.
3. ISU got its running game going.
“We found a couple tailbacks,” Spack said of redshirt freshman Nigel White and sophomore Pha’leak Brown.
“The speed you saw with Nigel, that’s the speed we saw in training camp. He’s going to be a good player,” Spack added. “Pha’leak is going to be a good player . . . the running game is much better than the last time we came. It just felt better.”
That’s high praise considering ISU featured Robinson, who set a record for most yards gained by an undrafted rookie this past NFL season. In that 2019 playoff game, Robinson rushed for 94 yards on 24 attempts.
White ran for 87 yards on 15 carries Saturday, including a 32-yard run. Brown added 35 yards on eight attempts.
Yet, it was sophomore Tyler Pennington that scored the quick-hitting touchdown on a third down call to pull ISU to within a point at 14-13 at the 11:59 mark of the fourth quarter.
The failed extra point followed.
“That was a low snap on the extra point and so the holder wasn’t able to tee the ball up and the ball was laying flat,” Spack explained.
What’s next?
Illinois State hosts rival Western Illinois Saturday, March 20 at Hancock Stadium in Normal.
Blog co-authors Barry Bottino and Dan Verdun bring years of experience covering collegiate athletics. Barry has covered college athletes for more than two decades in his “On Campus” column, which is published weekly by Shaw Media. Dan has written four books about the state’s football programs–“NIU Huskies Football” (released in 2013), “EIU Panthers Football (2014), “ISU Redbirds” (2016) and “SIU Salukis Football” (2017).
Linebacker Bryson Strong (31) leads the cheers Saturday after helping the 10th-ranked SIU Salukis knock off No. 4 Northern Iowa, 17-16. (Photo by SIUSalukis.com)
Combine a scoreless first half on offense, an injured quarterback and a defense that gives up 233 yards in the first two quarters.
What do you get?
The second win this season against a top-five team in the nation for Southern Illinois, of course.
The Salukis rallied with 17 second-half points and survived when Northern Iowa’s Matt Cook missed a 29-yard field goal with 11 seconds remaining to give No. 10 SIU a 17-16 triumph against the fourth-ranked Panthers in a Missouri Valley Football Conference game in Carbondale.
The victory provided Southern Illinois with two wins against top-five teams in the same season, a first in school history. The Salukis upset then-No. 1 North Dakota State two weeks ago.
“We just took down two big fish,” said SIU quarterback Stone Labanowitz said, who came into the game as an injury replacement. “They’re going to be right on our wall, hanging.”
The Salukis pulled off the victory after starting quarterback Nic Baker injured his left foot on a first-quarter run. He left the game in the second quarter and was replaced by Labanowitz, who was SIU’s starter at the beginning of the 2019 season.
After halftime, Baker was on crutches on the sidelines.
Labanowitz led the Salukis (4-1 overall, 3-1 MVFC) to 10 third-quarter points, then hit senior wide receiver Jerron Rollins in the back of the end zone with 9:43 left in the game to put SIU ahead for good.
Here are three things Prairie State Pigskin learned about the Salukis in the victory:
SIU has playmakers
Seven different players caught a pass in the victory for SIU, while six different players had rushing attempts. Running back Javon Williams Jr. threw a 42-yard TD pass, while rushing for 41 yards and catching three passes for 17 yards as SIU put up 279 of its 416 yards in the second half.
“We were able to pick up first downs, get some explosive plays,” SIU head coach Nick Hill said.
Leading rusher Romier Elliott had 80 of the Salukis’ 192 rushing yards. Justin Strong and Avante Cox added 33 and 30 yards, respectively. Cox was the leading receiver with four catches for 67 yards and a TD, while Landon Lenoir had five receptions for 59 yards. The Salukis also got key contributions from tight end Levi Mitchell (40 yards on two catches) and Elliott (two catches, 25 yards).
2. Defense proves resilient … again
Down by two scores for the second week in a row, SIU’s defense responded again in the victory.
The unit allowed three second-half points and only five UNI first downs in the final two periods. SIU forced UNI to punt twice in the second half and recovered a fumble forced by safety Qua Brown.
Linebacker Bryson Strong had a team-best eight tackles and SIU’s only sack of the day. Cornerback James Ceasar collected two of the team’s four pass breakups.
“The defense kept us in it and made them keep kicking field goals,” Hill said. Of UNI’s 10 drives in the contest, the Panthers were forced to attempt five field goals.
3. What’s next at QB?
Labanowitz is a former starter and likely will retain the job if Baker and Kare’ Lyles, who began the season as SIU’s top quarterback, aren’t healthy next weekend.
He proved more than capable of handling the role Saturday by completing 11 of 15 passes for 91 yards and a touchdown.
Lyles is nursing broken ribs that were sustained in the team’s season-opening loss at North Dakota.
What’s up next?
Southern Illinois hosts South Dakota State at noon on Saturday, March 20 in Carbondale.
Blog co-authors Barry Bottino and Dan Verdun bring years of experience covering collegiate athletics. Barry has covered college athletes for more than two decades in his “On Campus” column, which is published weekly by Shaw Media. Dan has written four books about the state’s football programs–“NIU Huskies Football” (released in 2013), “EIU Panthers Football (2014), “ISU Redbirds” (2016) and “SIU Salukis Football” (2017).
I continue to paste select highlighted events while I work out how to get my Calendar to feed into the article. Please check my full schedule, which gets added to constantly, at my web app.
Monday, March 15
6:00 pm • St. Patrick’s Day Beer Glass Painting Noon Whistle Brewing, 800 E. Roosevelt Rd., Lombard, IL (630) 376-6895 Map Join us for a St. Patrick’s Day beer glass painting class at the Lombard Taproom. For $30 you will receive a Noon Whistle pint to enjoy while you paint (BA and IMP beers not included), your beer glass, materials and instruction from Tricia at Frost Art Studio. It will be a fun night out and a chance to get creative and make your own personalized beer glass. Spots are limited, so sign up now under events in our web store.
Tuesday, March 16
3:00 – 3:00 pm • Tap House Re-opening! Two Brothers Tap House, 30W315 Calumet Ave, Warrenville, IL 630-393-2337 Map We’re back! The Two Brothers Tap House is re-opening its doors on Tuesday, March 2nd to a new look, new menu and tons of new beer! And, to celebrate our return, we will be releasing a brand new beer every Wednesday in the month of March! 3/17 – 24th Anniversary: we’re celebrating our 24th Anniversary next month with a big, flavor-forward Whiskey Barrel Aged Barleywine! 3/24 – Amplifier IPA – our newest year-round release will be a juicy, citrusy IPA turned up to 11! Available first at the Tap House! 3/31 – Quad Radical – a collaboration with our friends at 10 Barrel Brewing, this Oak Aged Belgian Style Quad was brewed with rum-soaked fruit and recently won a bronze medal at FoBAB!
5:00 pm • Irish Fest Village Vintner Winery & Brewery, 2380 Esplanade Dr., Algonquin, IL (847) 658-4900 Map Join us at 5:00pm or 7:00pm for our Irish Fest at the Village Vintner Winery & Brewery. Chef Jeremiah & his talented staff will make your taste buds DANCE with this delicious 5-course meal. You will begin with our Irish Beer Cheese Soup featuring our Red Head Ale, followed by the cheesy Reuben Dip served with toasted rye bread points, enjoy the tender & juicy Lollipop Lamb Chops, dig into the hardy Irish Stew with homemade soda bread and for dessert Chef is making his version of our Stout Chocolate Cake featuring our Putins Revenge Russian Imperial Stout! Seating is VERY limited and will likely sell out before the day of the dinner. Email our event coordinator at [email protected] or call the restaurant at (847) 658-4900 to save your spot.
5:00 pm • Lounge Lager Release at Bitter Pops! Bitter Pops, 3345 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago 773-857-7677 Map The official sponsor of the Maplewood Lounge, Lounge Lager has never seen distro… until NOW! We’re introducing it to the market with a tapping and package sales at Bitter Pops new location on March 16th! Lounge Lager – American Adjunct Lager brewed with 6‑Row Barley, Corn and Rice resulting in a full flavored and refreshingly crisp lager.
St. Patrick’s Day, March 17
St. Patrick’s Day Release with WILL ROCK Black Lung Brewing Co., 3232 Monroe, Waukegan, IL (847) 340-3320 Map Black Lung Brewing Company will be open on Wednesday, March 17 for a St. Patrick‘s day extravaganza! We will be releasing our collaboration beer with Harbor Brewing, Thin Mint Scout Stout, plan to have 95 WIIL ROCK here from 2 PM until 7 PM and the rockin’ band, Rough Cut, from 7 to 9pm! Then on top of that, food by Brothers BBQ! We will be adhering to all Illinois phased revitalization rules. Social distancing, masks, limited movement about the building. Due to limited seating and Covid restrictions, this will be a ticketed event. Tickets will be for a 90 minute reservation and are on sale at blacklungbrewing.com! 2 tix per person. We will also have growlers to go!
12:00 – 4:00 pm • Work From Here Weekdays Riverlands Brewing Co., 1860 Dean St. Unit A, St. Charles, IL (630) 549-6293 map Work From Here Weekdays! All drafts and can pours are 50% off from 12pm – 4pm every Wednesday and Thursday through the end of March. This is a perfect chance to come try some of our beers, get some work done, and save $$$ at the same time. With free Wi-Fi and plenty of electrical outlets, you can plug in and get things done from the comfort of our taproom.
5:00 pm • Corned Beef & Cabbage Dinner! Harbor Brewing Co., 811 Sheridan Rd., Winthrop Harbor, IL map Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Join us for some great Beer & Corned Beef & Cabbage Dinner w/ Guinness Stew from The Sweet Stop!!
5:00 – 9:00 pm • St. Paddy’s Day BHBC & Capone’s style Black Horizon Brewing Co., 7560 S. Quincy St., Willowbrook, IL (630) 413-4964 map Tone Capone’s Tacos in the house with fresh, made to order tacos! Corned beef tacos, cilantro slaw, homemade churros and more!! * In addition, Blood Moon Prophecy ~ our delicious Red Ale ~ ABV: 5% IBU: 15. Draft, Howler / Growler Kick off your St. Paddy’s Day with us!
8:00 pm • St. Patrick’s Day 2021!! Ballydoyle Irish Pub & Restaurant, 5157 Main St., Downers Grove, IL 630-969-0600 Map St. Patrick’s Day is back!!! Entertainment, Irish Fare, delicious cocktails, and of course beer! Check out the schedule below! 8:00am – Kegs and Eggs 9:00am – Oswego Fire Dept. Pipe and Drum Corps 11:00am – McNulty Irish Dancers 12:00pm – Aidan O’Toole Duo 3:00pm – Mike Courney Bagpiper 4:00pm – McNulty Irish Dancers 5:00pm – Reilly 8:00pm – McNulty Irish Dancers 9:00pm – Knights of Ballydoyle Procession 9:30pm – Semple
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Mark McDermott
Writer, trivia maven, fan of many things. I thought to learn all there is to know about beer as a way to stay interested in learning. It is my pleasure to bring Chicago’s craft beer scene to you.
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