A River North hotel clerk was defending himself when he stabbed a New York City firefighter multiple times earlier this week, the clerk’s defense attorney said Saturday.
Cook County prosecutors and defense attorney Matthew Kaplan painted two very different pictures of the altercation that unfolded Thursday afternoon at the FOUND Hotel, 613 N. Wells St.
Joel Brown, who is charged with attempted murder, was behind the front desk when the 29-year-old firefighter and two others tried to check into a room the group said they had reserved, prosecutors and Kaplan said during a bond hearing.
Brown and a witness got into an argument when Brown couldn’t provide the guests access to a room. The firefighter intervened and asked to speak to Brown.
Prosecutors allege Brown challenged the firefighter to a fight before the two went off to a nearby kitchen area to speak. Kaplan accused the firefighter of going behind the front desk and dragging Brown to the kitchen.
The firefighter asked Brown to apologize to his fiancee, both sides said. Prosecutors said Brown punched the firefighter, though Kaplan claimed the firefighter struck first.
The fight intensified from there. The firefighter, who Kaplan said is “approximately a half a foot taller than my client and much larger in stature and size,” allegedly tackled Brown to the ground. A witness kicked Brown and told him to stop, prosecutors said.
Brown ordered the firefighter’s group to get out of the hotel, allegedly throwing their luggage at them. The firefighter threw the items back at the hotel clerk, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors allege Brown grabbed a knife from behind the desk and approached another person in the group. The firefighter went to the person’s defense and was stabbed six times on the left side of his body, according to authorities.
But Kaplan claimed Brown grabbed the knife from a drawer behind the front desk when he was “on his back being battered.”
Kaplan said Brown initially called 911 when the group of New Yorkers refused to leave. Brown called 911 a second time after the stabbing to dispatch paramedics.
Brown stayed at scene until Chicago police officers arrived, both sides said. The firefighter was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in good condition.
Kaplan said the self-defense claim is corroborated by a video recording from the hotel and a CBS 2 report that featured witnesses’ accounts.
Brown, a Kenwood Academy grad, is studying audio engineering at Columbia College, Kaplan said. He’s worked at FOUND Hotel for the past six months.
A judge set bail at $75,000 for Brown. He’s expected back in court Sept. 27.
Here’s a look at some of Saturday’s top sets at Riot Fest 2021:
Gwar
Early Saturday at Riot Fest was the battle of who could bring the better performance art — and it was quite the matchup. Though it was not raining, the poncho army came out for scuzzy intergalactic provocateurs Gwar.
They started things off like they usually do with a big old bloodbath, their first victim being an impersonator of President Joe Biden, though sounding a bit more like JFK or George W. Bush. He mockingly touted his recent accomplishments, including a comment about ending the war in Afghanistan, quickly followed by an actor dressed as a member of the Taliban “beheading” him to get the blood Olympics going.
Gwar may best Andrew W.K. now as the band that has played Riot Fest the most over the past 15 seasons, and the droves always come out for their uncensored satirical theater that combines elicit 8th grade boy humor and a bunch of tomfoolery that makes a commentary on the current day’s political environment. This set focused its gaze on the pandemic and mask-wearing for a good chunk while the music honed in on their best-selling 1990 sophomore album “Scumdogs of the Universe,” still in the midst of a 30-year anniversary tour. Though the group doesn’t carry the lineup it did in that era, the current band delivered the goods on “Maggots,” “Sick Of You” and “Death Pod,” which frontman Blothar the Berserker declared hadn’t been played in quite some time.
Les Savy Fav
Tim Harrington, of Les Savy Fav, performs on Day 3 of Riot Fest in Douglass Park, Saturday afternoon, Sept. 18, 2021.Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Les Savy Fav was another showstopper that has the corner on immersive art punk and physical comedy. Whereas some bands might rely on minimalism in their performances, frontman Tim Harrington is of the belief that everything and anything can be used as a prop or vessel for his show — like a folding table that became a crowd surfboard, or a large black tarp that was commissioned as a giant blanket to roll around in over the heads of the gathered fans.
Harrington is not only a master of the bizarre but he’s also incredibly engaging with his audience, like a comic who knows just who to pick out to become part of his routine. During the set, the singer stole sunglasses off people’s faces, spit water all over another person’s head (assuring it was no big deal since he’s “fully vaxxed”), made a headband out of pink gaffer’s tape plucked from the sound booth and then, best of all, spotted a person holding a mannequin head with a wig that Harrigton then turned into a tail and proceeded to ride a fan like a horse in the photo pit.
Behind him was a solid assortment of musicians that delivered the soundtrack to the escapades with buzzy post-hardcore bangers like “Hide Me From Next February” and “Hold Onto Your Genre.” Harrington’s body warpaint, fully visible when he stripped down to his underwear, was also a colorful display, but perhaps best of all were his temporary tattoos paying homage to a Chicago red hot on his back and the words “deep dish” above his knees.
On the bill today: Vic Mensa, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Gogol Bordello, Dropkick Murphys and Run the Jewels, among others.
There are plenty of COVID-19 safety protocols in place for the festival including hand sanitizing and hand-washing stations throughout the park, and an onsite COVID vaccination station (courtesy of St. Anthony Hospital; Pfizer and J&J vaccines only). In addition, all attendees must show proof of a full vaccination or negative COVID test results from within 48 hours, along with a photo ID.
A carnival provides a break from the music. And if you’re so inclined, a free onsite wedding chapel is available for those looking to tie the knot.
Sunday’s lineup will include Anthrax, Devo, Slipknot, Gwar, the Flaming Lips and Machine Gun Kelly.
But first, here’s a look at some of the sights and sounds of Day 3, from Sun-Times photographer Ashlee Rezin:
Tim Harrington, of Les Savy Fav, performs on Day 3 of Riot Fest in Douglass Park, Saturday afternoon, Sept. 18, 2021.Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Tim Harrington, of Les Savy Fav, performs on Day 3 of Riot Fest in Douglass Park, Saturday afternoon, Sept. 18, 2021.Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Tim Harrington, of Les Savy Fav, performs on Day 3 of Riot Fest in Douglass Park, Saturday afternoon, Sept. 18, 2021.Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Tim Harrington, of Les Savy Fav, performs on Day 3 of Riot Fest in Douglass Park, Saturday afternoon, Sept. 18, 2021.Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Tim Harrington, of Les Savy Fav, performs on Day 3 of Riot Fest in Douglass Park, Saturday afternoon, Sept. 18, 2021.Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Tim Harrington, of Les Savy Fav, performs on Day 3 of Riot Fest in Douglass Park, Saturday afternoon, Sept. 18, 2021.Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Fans cheer as Gwar performs on Day 3 of Riot Fest in Douglass Park, Saturday afternoon, Sept. 18, 2021.Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Gwar performs on Day 3 of Riot Fest in Douglass Park, Saturday afternoon, Sept. 18, 2021.Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Gwar performs on Day 3 of Riot Fest in Douglass Park, Saturday afternoon, Sept. 18, 2021.Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Gwar performs on Day 3 of Riot Fest in Douglass Park, Saturday afternoon, Sept. 18, 2021.Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Gwar performs on Day 3 of Riot Fest in Douglass Park, Saturday afternoon, Sept. 18, 2021. Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Fans cheer as Gwar performs on Day 3 of Riot Fest in Douglass Park, Saturday afternoon, Sept. 18, 2021. Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Day 2 of Riot Fest got underway Friday afternoon in Douglass Park beneath sunny skies and warm winds before giving way to some rain and lightning by nighttime.
Lupe Fiasco, Beach Bunny, Smashing Pumpkins, Coheed and Cambria, Living Colour, Fishbone and a whole lot more performed for adoring fans.
Looking ahead to the rest of the fest, the lineup boasts Slipknot, Gwar and Run the Jewels, among others.
There are plenty of COVID-19 safety protocols in place for the festival including hand sanitizing and handwashing stations throughout the park, and an onsite COVID vaccination station (courtesy of St. Anthony Hospital; Pfizer and J&J vaccines only). In addition, all attendees must show proof of a full vax or negative COVID test results (the latter within 48 hours of entry date) accompanied by a valid, government-issued photo ID to gain entry each day.
A carnival provides a break from the music. And if you’re so inclined, a free onsite wedding chapel is available for those seeking to get married.
Here are some of the sights and sounds at Day 2 of Riot Fest:
Billy Corgan leads the Smashing Pumpkins in their headlining set Friday night at Riot Fest in Douglass Park.Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Billy Corgan performs on Friday night at Riot Fest in Douglass Park.Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Lupe Fiasco performs in the rain Friday night on Day 2 of Riot Fest in Douglass Park.Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Fans cheer as Lupe Fiasco performs Friday night at Riot Fest in Douglass Park.Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Lupe Fiasco performs in the rain Friday night on Day 2 of Riot Fest in Douglass Park.Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Coheed and Cambria performs in the rain Friday night at Riot Fest in Douglass Park.Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Fans cheer while Coheed and Cambria performs on Day 2 of Riot Fest in Douglass Park.Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Claudio Sanchez, of Coheed and Cambria performs on Day 2 of Riot Fest in Douglass Park.Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Claudio Sanchez, of Coheed and Cambria, performs Friday night at Riot Fest in Douglass Park.Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Festival-goers dance in Douglass Park as storm clouds roll in on Day 2 of Riot Fest on Friday evening.Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Living Colour performs on Day 2 of Riot Fest in Douglass Park.Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Living Colour performs Friday night at Riot Fest in Douglass Park.Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Corey Glover and Doug Wimbish, of Living Colour, perform Friday night at Riot Fest in Douglass Park.Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Sublime with Rome performs on Day 2 of Riot Fest in Douglass Park.Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Fans smoke while Sublime with Rome performs Friday afternoon at Riot Fest in Douglass Park.Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Sublime with Rome performs on Day 2 of Riot Fest in Douglass Park.Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Fans take in a set by Sublime with Rome on Day 2 of Riot Fest in Douglass Park.Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Fishbone performs Friday afternoon on Day 2 of Riot Fest in Douglass Park.Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Fishbone performs Friday afternoon on Day 2 of Riot Fest in Douglass Park.Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Fishbone performs on Day 2 of Riot Fest in Douglass Park, Friday afternoon, Sept. 17, 2021.Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Fans cheer as Anti-Flag performs Friday afternoon at Riot Fest in Douglass Park.Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Justin Sane, of Anti-Flag, performs on Day 2 of Riot Fest in Douglass Park.Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
A fan crowd surfs as Anti-Flag performs Friday afternoon at Riot Fest in Douglass Park.Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Amigo The Devil performs on Day 2 of Riot Fest in Douglass Park.Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Festival-goers attend Day 2 of Riot Fest in Douglass Park on Friday afternoon.Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Amigo The Devil performs on Day 2 of Riot Fest in Douglass Park.Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Fans cheer as Amigo The Devil performs on Day 2 of Riot Fest.Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Meg Myers performs on Day 2 of Riot Fest in Douglass Park on Friday afternoon.Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Meg Myers performs on Day 2 of Riot Fest in Douglass Park on Friday afternoon.Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Festival-goers fan out in Douglass Park for Day 2 of Riot Fest, Friday afternoon, Sept. 17, 2021.Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
There are just 15 days left in the regular season, and I’m -determined to enjoy every one of them as I eagerly await the postseason. We already know the White Sox are in and the Cubs are out, but we don’t know what end-of-season heroics await us from both teams. I love September baseball.
Here’s your weekly Chicago baseball quiz. Show me some heroics on the Chicago Nine.
1. Who of the following had the most three-homer games while a member of the Cubs or the White Sox?
a. Frank Thomas
b. Sammy Sosa
c. Billy Williams
d. Harold Baines
2. (Joe) Tinker to (Johnny) Evers to (Frank) Chance is perhaps baseball’s most famous double-play combination. Who was the third baseman for the Cubs during that combo’s era?
a. Ron Santo
b. Bill Wambsganss
c. Harry Steinfeldt
d. Homer Murray
3. Which of these White Sox managers had the most losses in his career?
a. Tony La Russa
b. Ozzie Guillen
c. Jimmy Dykes
d. Al Lopez
4. The most homers hit by a Cub in September/October is 14. Who holds the record?
a. Alfonso Soriano
b. Sammy Sosa
c. Ernie Banks
d. Hack Wilson
5. Which Law had the most stolen bases in a White Sox season?
a. Vernon Law
b. Vance Law
c. Rudy Law
d. Pierre Law
6. We’d like to think the Sox will win their next World Series in 2021, but when did they win their first World Series?
a. 1959
b. 1917
c. 1907
d. 1906
7. Despite the heroics of Frank Schwindel, the Cubs are on their way to finishing under .500. How many times have they finished under .500 since, and including, the 2000 and 2021 seasons (that’s 22 seasons)?
a. 8
b. 10
c. 11
d. 13
8. I’m a sucker for symmetry. Only one player in Cubs history has had a season with at least 100 hits and the same number of strikeouts. Who is he?
a. Derrek Lee
b. Corey Patterson
c. Aramis Ramirez
d. Kris Bryant
9. In 2020, Jose Abreu won the American League MVP award. -Before him, who was
the most recent Chicago player to be a league MVP?
a. Frank Thomas
b. Kris Bryant
c. Anthony Rizzo
d. Andre Dawson
QUIZ ANSWERS
1. Sosa had six three-homer games.
2. Harry Steinfeldt.
3. Jimmy Dykes had the most losses and the most wins.
4. Alfonso Soriano in 2007.
5. Rudy Law stole 77 bases in 1983.
6. In their first World Series appearance in 1906, the Sox beat the Cubs in six games.
Tony La Russa has a one-of-a-kind feeling about the night the White Sox clinched a postseason berth in 1983.
“It’s forever tied as far as memories of teams that got to October,” he said.
Wait, that doesn’t sound very one-of-a-kind at all.
Because those Sox — and this season’s Sox — aren’t anything all that special to La Russa. Not yet. The man is a three-time World Series winner, after all. Not to mention a Hall-of-Famer.
Whoa. We don’t seem to recognize La Russa for the Hall of Fame thing these days. It bears repeating.
La Russa — Hall-of-Famer — will be 77 on Oct. 4. But we note his age all the time.
He’s about to celebrate his 15th clincher. The Sox are going to wrap up a division title one of these days, and you can bet your bottom dollar it’ll happen Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday while they’re in Detroit. The chances of it happening later than that are infinitesimal. All it’ll take is a Sox win here or there, and an Indians loss here or there. It’s basically a sure thing.
So get ready for a celebration.
And here’s what we can expect from the manager: an unimpressed reaction. Because it’s all about the ring to La Russa. Win the whole shebang, and maybe this will be one-of-a-kind — make that four-of-a-kind — to the skipper who has seen and done it all.
Here’s what’s happening:
SUN 19
Bengals at Bears (noon, Fox-32)
A loss to the Bengals would be calamitous. No, catastrophic. No, cataclysmic. Holy hyperbole, it’s must-win time already.
Waller is Gruden’s No. 1.Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images
Raiders at Steelers (noon, Ch. 2)
Speaking of hyperbole, the Raiders’ Jon Gruden has been pumping up tight end Darren Waller by calling him the best player he has ever coached. Man, what that must do for the guy’s confidence! Couldn’t Matt Nagy have at least tried that with Adam Shaheen?
Cowboys at Chargers (3:25 p.m., Ch. 2)
In a Week 1 loss to the Buccaneers, Cowboys QB Dak Prescott threw for over 400 yards but handed the ball to Ezekiel Elliott only 11 times. And you thought the Bears offense had balance issues.
Chiefs at Ravens (7:20 p.m., Ch. 5)
Not to be unappreciative of this Patrick Mahomes-Lamar Jackson matchup, but would it have killed the NFL to make this a best-of-seven series?
MON 20
White Sox at Tigers(5:40 p.m., NBCSCH)
Is this the night the Sox celebrate? Let’s see Tim Anderson lead off like he means it and go from there.
Lions at Packers (7:15 p.m., ESPN)
If Aaron Rodgers weren’t so great, we’d look at the Packers’ no-show in a season-opening 38-3 loss to the Saints and think: This might be the worst team on the planet. But enough about the Lions.
TUE 21
White Sox at Tigers(5:40 p.m., NBCSCH)
Is this the night the Sox celebrate? Let’s see Jose Abreu not get hit with another pitch while chasing down another RBI title.
Correspondent Jon Frankel checks in with ESPN’s Adam Schefter, with whom he shares an incredible bond: Both men married 9/11 widows and raised stepsons who — 20 years after the unthinkable tragedy — are preparing to graduate together from the University of Michigan.
WED 22
White Sox at Tigers(12:10 p.m., NBCSCH)
Is this the day the Sox celebrate? Look, we’re getting tired of asking. Just get this thing done, Sox, if you haven’t already.
Parker will lead the Sky or no one will.Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images
THU 23
Wings at Sky (TBD)
No pressure, ladies, it’s just a single-elimination first-round playoff game. Not to tell Sky coach James Wade how to do his job, but we’d make damn sure Candace Parker gets to pick the pregame meal.
Panthers at Texans (7:20 p.m., NFL)
What a story it would be if the Deshaun Watson-less Texans were to start 2-0. In a related potential development, it’s either that or a Sam Darnold-quarterbacked team starts 2-0.
FRI 24
Ryder Cup, Day 1 (7 a.m., Golf)
It’s Foursomes and Four-Ball at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wis., where the American team will boast eight of the top 10 players in the world rankings. And you know what that likely means: Europe takes the lead, as usual.
Cardinals at Cubs (1:20 p.m., 7:05 p.m., Marquee)
A doubleheader means two chances for the Cubs to play spoiler against their rivals, who entered the week as the hottest team in the league. And they don’t even have Frank Schwindel.
SAT 25
Ryder Cup, Day 2 (8 a.m., Ch. 5)
More Foursomes and Four-Ball — the team stuff — which Brooks Koepka admits makes him uncomfortable in such a typically individual sport. If you’re wondering why the U.S. usually loses this thing, see: Brooks Koepka.
Notre Dame at Wisconsin (11 a.m., Fox-32)
If you’ve got to be the road team against the Badgers, Soldier Field is a heck of a place to do it. Irish QB Jack Coan going against his former team is the headline of the day in college football.
It’s rather amazing how the absence of a single, simple word — “State” — can make a task for the Wildcats sound so different.
Illinois at Purdue (2:30 p.m., BTN)
Some of us are old enough to remember the Illini’s season-opening victory against Nebraska. We’d wish Bret Bielema luck at avoiding a drop to 1-4, but it just seems too cruel.
If you were to describe Courtney Vandersloot as the backbone of the Sky, you’d only be partially correct. The word “backbone” means support or foundation. While Vandersloot is certainly resolute, her impact on the franchise goes far beyond that.
Vandersloot isn’t just the bedrock, she’s also the oxygen, the heartbeat and the engine that keeps the Sky moving.
Her 9,253 minutes, 324 games and 11 seasons are the most in Sky franchise history. In that time, she has set WNBA records, broken them, and set them again.
She became the first player in league history to average double digits (10) in assists in 2020.
Her passes — dump-offs, behind-the-back, no-look and ones through defenders — have her fourth on the WNBA’s career assists leaderboard. Her 5-8, 137-pound frame has taken her to the rim enough times that she’s second on the Sky’s career scoring list with 3,288 career points. Allie Quigley, her wife, is first with 3,318.
But none of this is new. Vandersloot has been leaving fans speechless, coaches awestruck and teammates with knocks to the head from passes they weren’t expecting since her days growing up in Kent, Washington.
Back then, much like now, Vandersloot was being overlooked.
“She’s a featherweight,” said Jodie Berry, now an assistant coach at Oregon, “but is so gritty and tough, and she had that even back then. She wanted the ball and sought out contact.”
Berry was a young assistant coach on Kelly Graves’ Gonzaga staff when Vandersloot was a junior in high school. After seeing her play, Berry went all-in on the kid from Kent. Vandersloot was the first recruit in Berry’s green coaching career in whom she had that kind of confidence.
Vandersloot had three offers: Montana State, Colorado State and Gonzaga.
She was sold on the Bulldogs almost instantly after meeting Graves and Berry. She said the decision undoubtedly changed the trajectory of her career.
While at Gonzaga, Vandersloot set all kinds of records. She broke Gonzaga’s season assist record as a sophomore (239), and again as a junior (321). When she broke it a third time as a senior (367), it wasn’t just the school record, it was an NCAA record.
And her most notable college record: She became the first player in NCAA history to score more than 2,000 points and total more than 1,000 assists.
While at Gonzaga, Courtney Vandersloot became the first player in NCAA history to score more than 2,000 points and total more than 1,000 assists.Elaine Thompson/AP
Only one player has done it since, the New York Liberty’s Sabrina Ionescu, who was coached by Graves and Berry at Oregon.
It happened on a simple play in a big game. In the second round of the NCAA Tournament against UCLA in her senior year, Vandersloot only needed 10 points to reach the milestone. So, of course, she recorded 10 assists first. With less than 15 minutes left in the game, Vandersloot got a steal for a fast-break layup.
She jogged back down the court with a subtle grin on her face to chants of “Courtney.” Vandersloot never has been one to boast, so even a grin was memorable to her teammates and coaches.
And like Ionescu, Graves said that Vandersloot helped establish a buzz around women’s basketball on campus.
While at Gonzaga, Graves said that the number of fans at “The Kennel” grew game after game and year after year when Vandersloot was on the court.
Her senior year, Spokane Coliseum sold out to watch the women’s team in the NCAA Tournament. There was an undeniable hype around campus and the scrappy, gritty, record-setting point guard.
“She is the female John Stockton,” former teammate Katelan Redmon said. “That’s how Spokane sees Courtney.”
That may be how Spokane sees Vandersloot, but you’d be hard-pressed to hear any acknowledgment of her own greatness from Vandersloot herself. Even in the age of social media, Vandersloot doesn’t share highlights or All-Star nods.
You can forget about her campaigning for postseason awards.
Vandersloot’s pages are filled with photos of family and initiatives she’s passionate about. There are a couple of EuroLeague championship posts. It’s warranted when you’re a part of two of UMMC Ekaterinburg’s three consecutive titles.
Vandersloot capped her senior year at Gonzaga with a run to the Elite Eight, and then came the 2011 WNBA Draft, where once again a young coach didn’t think twice about investing in Vandersloot.
Pokey Chatman was a first-time coach in the WNBA. After leading Spartak to a 16-0 Euroleague record and their fourth straight Euroleague Championship, Chatman was hired as general manager and coach of the Sky.
At that time players weren’t talking to teams ahead of the draft so Vandersloot went into it blind. She had no idea that Chatman was already sold on taking her with the Sky’s pick at No. 3 overall.
“When the court shrinks most people panic,” Chatman said. “[Vandersloot] becomes really calm and a mess to deal with in terms of penetrating the lanes. [When I drafted her] I was thinking along those lines and having that position solidified for years to come.”
Vandersloot was a wide-eyed rookie starting on a team with Sylvia Fowles, Epiphany Prince and Tamera Young.
Vandersloot was named an All-Star her rookie year and made the all-rookie team. But Berry remembers a call from her former player after the season questioning if she had the chops for the WNBA. Chatman recalls developmentally, they had to remind her of her scoring capabilities.
Her second year in the league Ticha Penicheiro signed a one-year contract with the Sky. Penicheiro’s career is one of constant evolution and for that reason, Chatman knew she could mentor Vandersloot. Chatman’s hope was that bringing in Penicheiro would show Vandersloot the confidence they had in her as the future of the organization.
Chatman also wanted Penicheiro to help Vandersloot increase her scoring.
From 2011 to 2012 her scoring average went from 6.5 points to 8.9. In 2015 she averaged 11.4. Her career-high of 13.6 came during the 2020 season.
“Sometimes she passes a little too much,” UMMC Ekaterinburg teammate Brittney Griner said. “I always tell her overseas she should shoot more.”
In 2020 Vandersloot broke the WNBA record for most assists in a game (18), set twice by Penichiero.
A screen from Ruthy Hebard freed Vandersloot up at the top of the key to find Quigley for an open three on the wing with less than a minute left in the game.
This season, for the sixth time in her career, she’s leading the league in assists per game with an 8.8 average.
“She has an innate ability to deliver passes on time and on target,” Diamond DeShields said. “We go through drills in practice where the players’ goal is to deflect passes. It’s challenging for everyone and then Sloot will go and she makes the pass. We all just look at each other like, ‘Damn, she pisses me off.’ “
Everyone who has played with Vandersloot has a career highlight that includes an incredible pass and a subtle look that follows the made basket. For DeShields, it came her rookie year.
They were running a play and DeShields looped up to the top of the key from the corner, flashed down the lane and caught a lob pass from Vandersloot. It wasn’t the play then-coach Amber Stocks had called for, but the two of them coordinated it coming out of the timeout.
The two shared a glance and kept it moving.
There are a lot of qualities of Vandersloot’s game that separate her from other point guards in the league, past and present. Her court vision, her passing and her basketball IQ are a few of them.
Graves, Chatman and current Sky coach and general manager James Wade all have said it’s like having a coach on the floor.
Wade still can recall the first time he saw Vandersloot play and telling his overseas teammate, a Gonzaga alum, about the dynamite point guard he saw in the 2010 NCAA Tournament.
“There’s nobody else on our entire team I want to have the ball in their hand in big moments,” Quigley said.
In 2019, Vandersloot finished the season with the second-best assist-to-turnover ratio (3.13) in the league.
In every Marvel movie, even the most untouchable superheroes prove they are all human and for Vandersloot that moment came at the end of a career-best year.
The game is infamous now. It marked the beginning of a rivalry between the Las Vegas Aces and the Sky. Nearly two years ago to the day, on Sept. 15, both teams were playing for a trip to the WNBA semifinals.
The momentum behind the Sky was like a freight train. After beating the Phoenix Mercury in the first-round single-elimination matchup, they flew to Las Vegas with the confidence that they would earn a trip to the semifinals.
In the waning moments of the game, the Sky had a two-point lead before Vandersloot’s lob pass was intercepted by Dearica Hamby, who then sank the winning three.
“To this day I have never watched [that game],” Vandersloot said. “When I see the highlight I turn my head, close my eyes or change the channel. Not one time have I watched it because it would just break me.”
Wade looks back on that game and faults the officials for not seeing that Hamby had stepped out of bounds.
DeShields has watched the game only twice and faults herself for multiple missteps before that moment.
Vandersloot owns all the responsibility.
The fact is, the Sky aren’t playing for a shot at their first WNBA semifinals appearance since 2016 without Vandersloot. They aren’t in the championship conversation if she isn’t there. The franchise doesn’t remain relevant over the course of its 15-year history if Vandersloot isn’t in a Sky jersey.
Vandersloot recovered from that career moment the only way she knows how, by working harder. She left Chicago and flew overseas to play for EMMC Ekaterinburg. It helped, she said, that Quigley and Wade were there with her.
This year has not gone according to expectations following the signing of Candace Parker in the offseason. The Sky are locked in as the No. 6 seed in the playoffs with one game remaining in the season.
Vandersloot has been here before though. In her fourth season, the Sky took a 15-19 regular-season record all the way to the WNBA Finals, where they were swept by the Phoenix Mercury.
Only two pieces remain from that team, Vandersloot and Quigley.
“We had a very up-and-down regular season that year,” Vandersloot said. “We just turned it on. We won games when we needed to.”
Despite the All-Stars who have been drafted by and signed with the Sky, Vandersloot is the only one who has remained. She’s the constant, and the face the franchise has always seemed to be searching for.
Following this season, Vandersloot will become an unrestricted free agent and loyalty is as much a part of her character as working hard in silence is. If it’s up to Wade, Vandersloot will be back in a Sky uniform in 2022.
Vandersloot is locked in on the remaining 2021 season, but said she never has been much of a free agent. Her first free-agency conversation following her rookie contract lasted no more than two minutes.
“If I’m being completely honest, I think it’s special to win a championship with the team that you’re drafted by,” Vandersloot said.
LAS VEGAS — Several gallops out of the gate, Rose’s Crystal stuttered. The 4-year-old roan filly nearly bumped into the beast in front of her, so jockey Juan Hernandez pulled up a bit.
About 330 miles from that eighth race, a mile on the Del Mar turf on Aug. 29, Justin Mustari stood on a platform here inside Bally’s Event Center. He viewed a giant screen and held his breath.
In the final race of the prestigious National Horseplayers Championship, the Des Plaines native had everything riding on 19-to-1 shot Rose’s Crystal.
“From watching thousands of races, when they pull up like that it usually [isn’t good]. The jockey and the horse usually are not on the same page,” says Mustari. “I thought, ‘Well, I’m out of it here.’ “
Still, he knew the filly could finish, part of why he’d tapped her. She settled. The hiccup helped Hernandez ease her into a comfortable position and pace.
“She came around the last turn, started making a move,” says Mustari, “and that’s when it all basically blurred.”
Rose’s Crystal beat Warrens Candy Girl by three-quarters of a length, paying $41.80 to win, $16.40 to place. It paid Mustari the $725,000 NHC first-place prize. At 26, he became the NHC’s youngest champion.
His uncle Dan spilled a beer as he pushed Justin into the arms of his father, Frank, who kept barking, “Oh, my God!”
As Horse Racing Nation editor and Vegas Sports & Information Network thoroughbred scribe Ron Flatter, and others, began interviewing Mustari, he remained in that blur.
“Laconic, so stunned,” says Flatter. “Rose’s Crystal is a closer, so her start wasn’t as important as her finish. That was probably the most dramatic ending in the 22-year history of the contest.”
MOVIN’ ON UP
Mustari had participated in the last three NHCs. Frank and Dan are regulars, too. His dad owned horses — Justin might have been 5 in his first winner’s-circle photograph — and has returned to that business.
Justin relished days at the track with his paternal grandparents, other relatives and many friends.
He’s somewhat sentimental about Arlington International’s imminent closure and he qualified for the NHC via a Hawthorne contest, but he considers Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida, where his family owns a condo, his home park.
At Maine West High School, Mustari played baseball and golf, in which he made state as a senior. He also golfed for Oakton Community College and Aurora University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration.
He has qualified for the last few Illinois Opens, owns a 1 handicap and has sunk two hole-in-ones. And he helps Frank, under whose roof Justin still lives, run Five Star Insulation Corp. in Des Plaines.
Justin has been saving money for years, to obtain a home for him and girlfriend, Paulina, in a seller’s market. Their eventual zip code has definitely been enhanced.
UNEASY LIES THE HEAD
The three-day NHC began Aug. 27. More than 450 players held 563 entries. Each entry included 52 mythical $2 win-and-place bets, and Sunday’s final round required betting on the same races.
By Saturday night, Mustari had the lead and a queasy constitution. He was unsettled at Tom Colicchio’s Heritage Steak, his favorite Vegas restaurant that features an open kitchen inside the Mirage.
He barely finished half of his filet, cheesy mashed potatoes and spicy onion rings. The meal was typically delectable, but equines raced around the tiny circuit in his noggin.
He retired to his room, studying till 12:30 a.m. He slept uneasily. He rose at 5:45 to study. The contest resumed. He won nothing for a six-race stretch.
“I put myself into a spot,” says Mustari. “I was trying to give myself a chance to get back into the lead, or be close. Going into that last race, there were only a couple of options.”
GOING FOR IT
A horse with slim odds might have ensured finishing fourth, or so, to secure a $100,000 payday. However, in those wee-small hours he had circled Rose’s Crystal, in that 11-horse field, after recalibrating her true odds.
She had last run, at Santa Anita, on Jan. 31. He knew trainer Carla Gaines’ success rate, with a layoff of at least 90 days, had been around 8%.
“Not something a gambler, or handicapper, would say is a good bet,” says Mustari. “But to be 19-1, and for me to think the horse should be 6-1 or 7-1 — assuming she’s in good form coming off a layoff — seemed the logical play.”
Frank often spoke about embracing once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, which helped Justin deliberate. “I might never have this chance again,” Justin told his dad before the race. “I would be sick if I didn’t take this opportunity.”
Rose’s Crystal delivered. He finished with $370.80, nipping 2014 champ Jose Arias, who had amassed $347.20. Mustari also won an Eclipse Award, as the continent’s horseplayer of the year, and entry to the 2022 NHC.
He fetched his winner’s check at a Caesars cashier’s cage. For the return flight to Chicago, he slipped that check into a hidden zipper-pocket in his backpack. The entire way home, on the cabin floor, his feet squeezed that backpack.
His bank needed time to clear the check, but he finally saw the amount reflected in his account upon waking Wednesday morning.
“It’s official,” Mustari wrote in a text. “Now it feels real!”
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — His teammates call him “The Professor,” but small-town legend Jack Kiser isn’t always so studious.
The third-year sophomore rover from tiny Royal Center, Indiana (pop. 833), is majoring in business analytics and has designs on a post-football career in sports management, but his girlfriend since their senior year at Class A Pioneer High School sees a different side to his personality.
“Oh, for sure,” Meagan Chan said. “Anytime he’s not working on football or school, he’s super goofy — and it’s the best part about him.”
Kiser, Indiana’s Mr. Football in 2018, has claimed a prime role in Notre Dame’s defense through hard work and preparation. But he also knows how to kick back when time allows.
“He’s more of a ‘chill’ type of guy,” Chan said. “He really likes to play board games and watch movies and have fun with his friends. He’s really good at ‘Clue.’ That’s his favorite board game.”
Having turned 21 on the eve of last week’s narrow victory against Toledo, Kiser was raised to love Purdue by an extended family with deep ties to the university. Kiser’s assignment this week is to hand the unranked Boilermakers their first loss of the season.
“If you dig into my family history,” Kiser said recently, “I have a lot of gold-and-black blood through the pipeline.”
Aaron Kiser, his father, and uncle Brian Kiser were standout throwers at Purdue in the discus and shot put. Multiple aunts went there as well as older brother Sam.
A couple of Kiser’s cousins are currently enrolled in West Lafayette, about 50 miles southwest of Royal Center, as is Chan. Kiser was able to procure 15 complimentary tickets as a player, and his father purchased another 27 for friends and family.
“All his family members are going to be here, so it will be a special day for him,” said Chan, a junior majoring in economics and finance. “I alone am bringing six or seven Purdue fans. We’re going to be in the stands with our Purdue gear.”
That should make the family tailgate interesting.
“I was going to go in with a family ticket, but you have to wear Notre Dame [gear],” Chan said. “I was like, ‘I’ll just stay with my friends.’ “
Bonnie Motter, Kiser’s grandmother, served as longtime secretary to the late Ara Parseghian after his retirement as Notre Dame football coach. At 79, the resident of nearby Elkhart, Indiana, is recovering from a pair of recent hip surgeries and won’t be able to attend.
The rest of the Kiser clan has made a full conversion to Shamrock Nation, including Sam, who could have walked on at Butler but chose to carry on the family tradition at Purdue as a regular student.
A 2020 graduate with a degree in applied statistics, Sam played in the same backfield with Jack during his brother’s freshman year at Pioneer.
“He was our lead running back and rushed for a ton of yards,” Sam said. “I remember the first play of the year, I scored a touchdown on a long run and he was the first one down there to congratulate me. That was just really cool and special for us.”
Another round of nostalgia is sure to kick in this Saturday as Jack gives a Purdue family a reason to root against the Boilermakers. Indiana made a strong bid during the recruiting process, as did Iowa, but in the end Kiser couldn’t say no to Notre Dame.
Chan, who FaceTimes her boyfriend for 30 minutes or so most evenings after practice, wasn’t about to lay a guilt trip on him.
“I wanted him to pick whatever was best for him,” Chan said. “We knew either way we would try to make it work.”
Older brother Bryce, who played defensive end at Illinois State from 2010-14, provided inspiration. Now it’s the baby of the family, aka the Goofy Professor, who gets to wreck Purdue’s offense on Saturday.
“It’s going to be just surreal,” Jack Kiser said. “I’ve already warned everybody if they wore Purdue gear they wouldn’t be let in. I put my dad in charge of that.”
Zach LaVine was given more than half the season to make it work, but a 20-22 record with a 57% team chemistry wasn’t getting it done.
I fired the team trainer, shopped for a blockbuster deal and scouted all of the shooting guards just in case, but little video-game Zach wouldn’t come off of his demand of a new deal at $37 million a year, so to the trading block he went.
In the end, LaVine and Alex Caruso were Philly-bound, while the new-look Bulls acquired Ben Simmons and Andre Drummond with an unprotected first-round pick in 2022.
However, the wheeling and dealing didn’t stop there.
Come trade-deadline time, former Celtics coach turned suit, Brad Stevens, offered up Jaylen Brown and Al Horford for Lonzo Ball and DeMar DeRozan with a bunch of picks being swapped. Done and done.
Our toe was already in the defense-first pool at that point, so why not jump all the way in?
Besides, Billy D will coach ’em up.
Coach them up Donovan did, with the Bulls finishing 46-36 in the regular season, Simmons earning third-team All-NBA, as well as All-Defensive first team.
The magical season wasn’t finished, though.
After the play-in round, the No. 6-seeded Bulls pulled off the upset, beating the No. 3 Bucks in a Game 7, while LaVine’s new-look 76ers were swept by the Nets in the opening round. The party ended a round later, though, as a red-hot Toronto squad beat the Bulls in a Game 7, ending the joyride of the 2021-22 season.
But what a ride it was.
That’s why NBA 2K22 remains the gold standard for sports video games.
First, the major changes from last year, and that starts with the game play.
The most notable change in the franchise’s latest version is the shot meter, which is directly related to the type of shot you take. Try and play hero ball and launch a three with a defender contesting it? The shot meter for the perfect shot is going to shrink. But pull off a blow-by crossover on a defender and head uncontested to the rim and that shot meter gets nice and fat to work with.
A quick reminder that last season’s shot meter was so bad on the initial launch that 2K had to send a patch out to fix it.
The mechanics overall are much better, from playing defense to dribbling, they just added a smooth lifelike feel to it.
The same can be said for the game modes.
Playing MyCareer the last five years has been like a bad “Rudy” rip-off. Without spoiling too much of the newest storyline, your player — known as “MP,” a social-media star for his on-the-court highlights — is knee-deep in maneuvering through the college experience and the NCAA Tournament.
There’s some great special guests along the way, as well as some decisions that directly impact your career path. And once you have reached the NBA there are side activities and distraction like working on your rap career or being “the guy” that’s showing up on the red carpets of fashion shows.
The reason NBA 2K22 is getting a solid A- this year, though, was the improvements made to the franchise mode.
As described earlier, taking control of a franchise has never been as fun and detailed.
That’s why little video-game Zach had to go, as 2K immerses you in all the inner workings of an organization, from staff decisions, practice schedules and pacing the team, to in-season roster negotiations and trades.
And the beauty part of it all? If Bulls fans don’t like the massive changes I made to a roster that made it to the second round of the NBA playoffs, I can always summon my Jerry Reinsdorf and threaten to relocate to Seattle and an arena that I created from top to bottom.
So whatever happened to little video-game Zach LaVine? Well, his asking price dropped as free agency went on, and in the end he had to bet on himself, signing a one-year, $22.8 million deal with the Grizzlies.
I can see us sitting down for a cup of coffee soon with a four-year, $100-million offer put on the table.
Done without breaking any tampering rules of course.
