Two people were killed and 13 others wounded in shootings Monday across Chicago, including six men who were shot after a fight in Englewood on the South Side.

About 11:10 p.m., they got into a fight on the sidewalk in the 6800 block of South Justine Street, when shots were fired, Chicago police said.

A 21-year-old man was struck in the right foot and a 34-year-old man was grazed by a bullet on his right foot, police said. They were both taken to Holy Cross Hospital in fair condition.

A 44-year-old man was struck in the right arm, a 39-year-old man was struck in the left arm and abdomen, and a 28-year-old man was struck in the torso, police said. They were all taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where the 44-year-old and the 28-year-old are in fair condition, and the 39-year-old is in serious condition.

An 18-year-old man was struck in the left foot, left arm, and taken to Christ Medical Center in fair condition, police said.

In the day’s first reported deadly attack, a man was shot to death in West Pullman on the Far South Side.

Two people fired shots at the 21-year-old about 3:50 p.m. as he ran south in the 12000 block of South Lowe Avenue, Chicago police said. The man was struck multiple times in the body and taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.

The Cook County medical examiner’s office said the man died at the hospital less than an hour after he was shot. His identity has not been made public.

Also, Monday, two men were shot, one fatally, on the South Side, police said.

They were sitting in a parked vehicle about 10:30 p.m. in the 1500 block of West Garfield Boulevard when someone opened fire, Chicago police said.

One man, 35, was shot in the chest and taken to Holy Cross Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said. The other man, 38, was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in fair condition with a gunshot wound to the ankle.

The Cook County medical examiner’s office hasn’t released details on the fatality.

In nonfatal attacks, a 15-year-old boy was wounded in a shooting early Monday on the Near West Side.

The boy was taking out the trash about 5:30 a.m. in the 1300 block of West Washburne Avenue when he heard a gunshot and felt pain, Chicago police said.

He ran inside him home and was taken to Rush University Medical Center with a gunshot wound to his lower back, police said. He was later transferred in good condition to Stroger hospital.

The boy told police officers he didn’t see anyone or any vehicles in the area, police said.

Two men were shot Monday evening in West Englewood on the South Side.

The men, both 20, were standing outside about 6 p.m. in the 6100 block of South Marshfield Avenue when multiple people walked up and opened fire at them, Chicago police said.

One man was struck in the chest, while the other was struck in the leg and abdomen, police said. Both were stabilized at the University of Chicago Medical Center.

At least three other people were hurt Monday in citywide shootings.

Thirty-four people were shot, eight fatally, last weekend in Chicago.

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Six people were shot after a fight Monday night in Englewood on the South Side.

About 11:10 p.m., they got into a fight on the sidewalk in the 6800 block of South Justine Street, when shots were fired, Chicago police said.

A 21-year-old man was struck in the right foot and a 34-year-old man was grazed by a bullet on his right foot, police said. They were both taken to Holy Cross Hospital in fair condition.

A 44-year-old man was struck in the right arm, a 39-year-old man was struck in the left arm and abdomen, and a 28-year-old man was struck in the torso, police said. They were all taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where the 44-year-old and the 28-year-old are in fair condition, and the 39-year-old is in serious condition.

An 18-year-old man was struck in the left foot, left arm, and taken to Christ Medical Center in fair condition, police said.

No arrests have been made, police said.

Area One detectives are investigating.

Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.

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A man was fatally shot Tuesday morning in Roseland on the Far South Side.

About 1:15 a.m., he was standing on the sidewalk in the 10500 block of South Maryland Avenue, when someone fired shots at him, Chicago police said.

He was struck in the back and taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center where he was pronounced dead, police said. The Cook County medical examiner’s office has not yet identified the man.

Area Two detectives are investigating.

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The sport had its dream final Monday with Baylor-Gonzaga, but the NCAA’s days of corruption and exploitation soon might be coming to an end.

College basketball was never about Joe College and roo-rah and diligent, fresh-faced cagers in letter sweaters with textbooks under their arms.

That’s the “Leave It to Beaver’’/Disney image, part of the raccoon-coat lore that delights us yet with its fantasy of virtue and innocence.

We’d just as soon forget the many scandals in the game, the inequities built into its structure. Remember, head coaches make millions of dollars each year, players nothing.

Got another American industry like that?

I’ll answer for you: No.

Gonzaga against Baylor was one of the great college championship matchups until the Baylor rout began. Storylines were terrific.

Gonzaga is the private little Catholic university (5,200 enrollment) in Spokane, Washington, that seems to exist for basketball runs. Clearly, that is not the case, but have you ever heard the school mentioned for anything other than the NCAA men’s tourney or as the birthing ground for John Stockton?

And Baylor. Oh, brother.

Another smallish, private, religiously affiliated school — Baptist, 16,000 enrollment — this one is in Waco, Texas, the heart of football country.

Waco might be most famous for being the home site of the reality TV show, “Fixer Upper,’’ as well as the former home of preacher David Koresh and his Branch Davidian compound that in 1993 was burned to the ground in a fire, killing 76 church members.

But Baylor men’s basketball itself has some nasty history tied to it, and its rebirth from the ashes is one of the great reversals in college hoops programs.

Back in 2003, a player on the team murdered a teammate and hid the body, and coach Dave Bliss basically tried to cover up the whole thing. The player ended up getting 35 years in prison for the murder, and Bliss — without question one of the scummiest college coaches ever, cited by the NCAA for his ‘‘despicable behavior’’ — was fired for a host of violations.

But guess what? Bliss went on to continue coaching elsewhere and was, indeed, coaching at a high school until the COVID plague hit last year.

There’s some of your college sweetness for you. But there’s so much more.

Like the game-fixing scandals in the 1950s that essentially undermined, to this day, the New York City college hoops scene. And there was the betting scandal at Boston College in 1979, part of the Henry Hill tale that became the genesis for the bloody mob movie “GoodFellas.’’ And the 1994 point-shaving scandal at Arizona State, featuring Stevin “Headache’’ Smith, point-shaver supreme.

Lowly Northwestern even got in on the stuff in the mid-1990s with a couple of point-shavers doing their thing and going to prison for their efforts.

We could go on. But the thing here is to remind folks that their wondrous entertainment, this college basketball playoff, with huge TV ratings, provided by students involved in ‘‘an extracurricular activity,’’ like they’re in the Latin club or float-building, is a charade that will, to some degree, be ending soon.

The dam simply can’t hold against the avalanche of player demands and basic unfairness of a product, overseen by millionaires but produced by ‘‘amateurs.’’ It has been building for 100 years, and the NCAA has done everything in its sneaky power to prevent athletes at the highest level from profiting from their work and images.

By next year sometime, players should have at least partial control of their images and subsequent revenue. The issue of image control is being debated in court, and if reason wins, player ownership will happen.

Already market experts are saying that, for instance, Jalen Suggs, the 19-year-old who made that incredible near-half-court shot to propel Gonzaga over UCLA and into the final, could be worth serious money himself, if he can market his image correctly.

Player movement is happening.

The one-and-dones who make a travesty of anything like college as an educational destination now have the G League to go to as well as high-paying gigs in Europe. When a simon-pure coach like Mike Krzyzewski and a respectable place like Duke take on a mercenary like Zion Williamson — the 2019 NBA Draft’s No. 1 overall pick who had zero interest in school and was, indeed, found to be ineligible because his mother accepted $400,000 from a marketing firm — well, the veil has been lifted.

Baylor has risen under coach Scott Drew, Gonzaga under coach Mark Few.

Just don’t forget what this is all about underneath: big-time entertainment and the money it produces.

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Two men were sitting in a parked vehicle about 10:30 p.m. in the 1500 block of West Garfield Boulevard when someone opened fire, Chicago police said. 

Two men were shot, one fatally, Monday on the South Side, police said.

They were sitting in a parked vehicle about 10:30 p.m. in the 1500 block of West Garfield Boulevard when someone opened fire, Chicago police said.

One man, 35, was shot in the chest and taken to Holy Cross Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said.

The other man, 38, was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in fair condition with a gunshot wound to the ankle, police said.

The Cook County medical examiner’s office hasn’t released details on the fatality.

Area One detectives are investigating.

Read More

With two challenge wins and one week of competition left, Alison Victoria lines up her shot in the backyard with a putting green in the fifth episode of “Rock the Block.”

Warning: Spoilers ahead!

In last week’s episode, the four teams of designers tackled the basement. While Victoria and partner Mike Holmes added another bedroom and full bathroom to their home, their design failed to wow judge Tamara Day of “Bargain Mansions.” Instead, Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent of “Nate and Jeremiah: Save My House” snagged a challenge win with their European farmhouse-inspired design that added value as an in-laws suite or rental unit.

In addition to Victoria and Holmes’ two wins and Berkus and Brent’s one win, David Bromstad of “My Lottery Dream Home” and Tiffany Brooks from the upcoming show “50K Three Ways” have also landed one challenge win. Brian and Mika Kleinschmidt of “100 Day Dream Home” have failed to score a challenge win so far, even with their basement bowling alley.

In this week’s episode, the designers headed outside to finish the exteriors and add curbside appeal. Carmine Sabatella and Mike Pyle of “Inside Out” joined them as this week’s judge.

The exterior design actually started back in episode one, so the designers had a head start. Victoria and Holmes chose gray siding to wrap around the home and installed beige stones around the front door and porch as well as the garage.

Victoria kept the front yard “serene” so she and Holmes could put more effort into the backyard, where they added a retaining wall and built a small putting green in front of the basement patio. In addition, they designed a custom outdoor grilling station — an idea partially shared by the Kleinschmidts.

“Our strategy is to maximize the value in the backyard since that’s where we think the potential buyers are gonna be hanging out,” Holmes explained.

“If we win this week,” Victoria said, “we’ve got a real shot at winning the whole competition.”

Their overall design plan hit a minor speed bump when Victoria saw the cypress trees for the front walkway and instantly hated them. Unfortunately, they couldn’t be returned, but she insisted the landscapers get rid of them and replaced them with magnolia trees.

“I’m really not trying to be difficult,” Victoria said. “I just, I know what I like, and that is not it.”

Their loss became Bromstad and Brooks’ gain, as the landscaper offered them up for free to the duo. They planted the trees in front of their “storybook” home, a Tudor-inspired design with a vegetable garden out front.

Over at Berkus and Brents’ home, the front porch became a screened-in affair (but left the bottom railing unscreened), which turned it into a three-season room. They also extended the black and white marble tile from the front room.

To complete their own full outdoor kitchen, the Kleinschmidts built a fire pit and a staircase to connect the patio and deck in the backyard. They also added a pergola to the upper deck.

When Sabatella and Pyle arrived at Victoria and Holmes’ home, they noticed the beauty of the rock work, but overall, they thought the design was pretty understated out front.

• 
  
  

  The front of the home designed by Alison Victoria and Mike Holmes for the second season of “Rock the Block.”

  HGTV

• 
  
  

  The back of the home designed by Alison Victoria and Mike Holmes for the second season of “Rock the Block.”

  HGTV

In the backyard, the design impressed the judges, but for the non-golfer Sabatella, the putting green added little value. Both agreed though that at least having the retaining wall, putting green or not, added usable outdoor space.

In the end, Berkus and Brent won the exterior challenge. The judges loved the three-season porch and the close attention to detail of the designers’ work.

HGTV

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INDIANAPOLIS — Heck, everyone’s entitled to an off night. But that beatdown Baylor put on undefeated Gonzaga with the national title on the line — nobody saw that coming.

The fresh-as-can-be Bears obliterated wobbly-legged Gonzaga’s march to perfection Monday night in an 86-70 runaway that brought this once-downtrodden program’s first national title back home to Waco, Texas.

Jared Butler scored 22 points and MaCio Teague had 19 for the Bears (28-2), who were ranked second or third in the AP poll all year long — but never first, all because of one team.

Pounding the offensive glass and scrapping for — and winning — the lion’s share of the 50-50 balls, Baylor never let this one come down to a Jalen Suggs miracle. The Gonzaga freshman’s buzzer-beater from near the half-court logo got the Zags to the final in a game that stood as their first true test of the season.

They passed against UCLA. Against Baylor? Not even close.

After running to a 19-point lead early, the Bears never let Gonzaga get any closer than nine.

Guard Davion Mitchell — nicknamed “Off Night” because so many opponents encounter one when they go against him — finished with 15 points and did his best on Suggs. The freshman finished with 22 points — most of them after the Zags were well into desperation mode — and likely will be heading to the NBA lottery next.

Gonzaga’s first loss in 32 games this season — 36 dating to 2019-20 — leaves Indiana’s 1975-76 team as the last to go undefeated. If Bob May, Quinn Buckner and the rest of coach Bob Knight’s team were keeping champagne cold to celebrate — a la the perfect ’72 Miami Dolphins — they could’ve uncorked it by halftime.

Or sooner.

Baylor was up 9-0 after 2 1/2 minutes and the Bulldogs faced only their fourth double-digit deficit of the season at 11-1. They faced their biggest deficit of the season — 15 points — with 7:10 gone. By then, Suggs had two fouls and was watching from the bench.

He tried hard to breathe some fire into his teammates, or the Zags fans — who made about as much noise as the cardboard cutouts that were scattered through Lucas Oil Stadium to make it seem full.

“Let’s …. go!” Suggs screamed after he got fouled on a layup early in the second half. He missed the free throw.

But more than anything in the title game, it was Suggs’ memorable basket two nights earlier that laid the groundwork for this one. His bank shot at the buzzer capped one of the most riveting college basketball games ever. Back on the floor about 46 hours after that emotional roller coaster, it was clear the Zags were gassed.

The sequence that best illustrated the energy gap came about six minutes into the contest when Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua slapped the ball out of Drew Timme’s hands and the Bears worked the ball ahead to Mitchell. He missed a layup, but Tchamwa Tchatchoua got the offensive rebound and fed Adam Flagler for a 3.

Gonzaga was practically just standing there for it all.

This was one of the most-anticipated finals in recent history, a meeting of the two best teams from the last two seasons — this one and 2020, when COVID-19 scrapped the action before tournament time. They were scheduled to meet this season in Indy, on Dec. 5, but a COVID-19 outbreak on the Gonzaga team ended those plans.

But the game didn’t live up to the hype, and it was out of hand early.

Baylor had nine offensive rebounds in the first half that led to nine second-chance points, and wore down the Zags on defense. Gonzaga shot 54% from the floor over the first 20 minutes but Baylor had 16 more attempts — the kind of math that doesn’t add up for a team playing in the title game.

One glimmer of hope for the Zags came when Tchamwa Tchatchoua joined another Baylor big man, Flo Thamba, on the bench with four fouls with 14:43 left.

Andrew Nembhard’s basket on the next possession cut Gonzaga’s deficit below double digits for the first time since early. Baylor answered with a 9-2 run punctuated by Mark Vital’s rejection of Corey Kispert, then a fast break that led to an easy 3 from Flagler.

It was over from there. Yes, Gonzaga might have been the year’s most watchable team with its dramatic run at perfection, to say nothing of the shot of the tournament.

But Baylor was cutting down the nets.

It’s the culmination of an 18-year rebuild, the likes of which no program has ever seen.

Coach Scott Drew took over a roster with only seven scholarship players and a team staring at years of NCAA probation in the wake of the murder of player Patrick Dennehy by a teammate in 2003. The Bears won only 21 games over Drew’s first three years.

It took a lot of imagination and more than a little faith to believe a day like this might happen.

It took the same thing to hang a loss on the Bulldogs.

But that kind of loss? Only Baylor could’ve seen that one coming.

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Public Affairs with Jeff Berkowitz

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Watch Berkowitz w/likely GOP GOV Candidate Porter on Dems’ dreary shakedown vision: on Cable in Chicago, tonight & later this week in N & NW suburbs, Aurora & Rockford and 24/7 on Web

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By Jeff Berkowitz,
today at 7:19 pm

Likely Gov candidate Richard Porter (Tonite, 8:30 pm & 12 am in Chicago, ch 21): We are taxed too much. That’s one of the reasons people are leaving [the State]. We are taxed too much because our [pension] liabilities are too high. So, if I bring the [pension]  liabilities down to a more reasonable level, you can also lower the tax cost, and if I lower the tax cost, the whole goal ULTIMATELY is to make Illinois a great place for someone to move, make IL a great place for someone to live, have the government be focused on helping people achieve their dreams instead of being there just to raise money to pay pensions for government workers.

It is such a dreary belief [that the IL Democratic Party has], their vision of government in this State is kind of this weird dreary shakedown scheme where I am supposed to pay people not to work, starting in their mid-50s, at rates that are well in excess of the average income of the typical working Illinoisan.

Richard Porter said the massive IL population loss during the last decade [250,000] is due to residents voting w/their feet against an unholy alliance of Democrats and public sector unions…

–You can also watch 24/7 the show featuring RNC member Porter by clicking here.

********

Watch this evening’s “Public Affairs,” (Recorded on January 19, 2021) with show host Jeff Berkowitz interviewing likely Gov Candidate Richard Porter (R-Northfield) about how to fix IL’s massive $400 billion pension liability problem and inordinately high property taxes, both of which are major factors in Illinois’ dramatic and very deleterious loss of people, jobs and companies over the last decade to both adjacent and far away states.    

You give us 30 minutes and Richard Porter gives you a roadmap on how to make IL more competitive, more hopeful for all of its citizens and a destination and job state again.   

–Tonight’s edition of Public Affairs airs thorough-out the City of Chicago proper on Cable Ch 21 (CAN TV) at 8:30 pm and midnight

–Richard Porter articulates his vision for a new day in IL in Part 1 of a two part interview.

********

Watch Tonight’s “Public Affairs,”  with show host Jeff Berkowitz interviewing likely Gov Candidate Richard Porter (R-Northfield) in Part 1 about how to fix IL’s massive $400 billion pension liability problem and inordinately high property taxes, both of which are major factors in Illinois’ very significant losses of people, jobs and companies over the last decade to both adjacent and far away states.    

Tonight’s  show airs thorough-out the City of Chicago (proper) on Cable Ch 21 (CAN TV) at 8:30 pm and midnight.

You can also watch the show featuring RNC member Porter by clicking here.

Richard Porter is interviewed by Jeff Berkowitz of Public Affairs, as Porter articulates his vision for a new day in IL.

***********************************

Porter’s three decades of legal practice at the Chicago office of the world’s largest (by revenue) law firm (Kirkland & Ellis) and his involvement in politics over the years (including as an RNC National Committeeman from IL and with the New Trier Republican Organization) arguably prepared him with unique insights as to how best to fix IL’s $400 billion pension liability problem as Governor.

Porter said the massive IL population loss during the last decade is due to residents voting w/their feet against an unholy alliance of Dem politicians w/unions that produced both extraordinary Dem political power and a very large percentage of what many view as outrageously, excessive public sector pensions that is a major fiscal drag on the IL Economy and it’s people’s well being.  

Porter contends the solution to the current IL fiscal disaster is to pass federal legislation that returns power to the people, giving the authority to their elected representatives (In accord with Article IV of the U. S. Constitution, the Supremacy Clause and the Commerce Clause) to cut and restructure government pension benefits.

Porter explains how the restructuring will allow local governments to live within a state passed property tax cap (as a per cent of property market value) while also maintaining high quality education where that already exists. Additionally, Porter advocates school choice and other reforms that will improve education, especially in inner city areas across the state that contain many schools that are failing to deliver a quality education to their students, who are often minorities.

Porter also explains how the Republicans could reach agreement with the Dems to pass the above referenced federal legislation.  

Potential Gov Candidate Richard Porter says now might be the time to repeal IL teachers’ right to strike.

*******************************************************

Tomorrow night’s show airs at 8:30 pm on Comcast Cable Ch. 19 or Cable Ch. 35 (See, below) in 25 North and Northwest Chicago metro suburbs:

—Comcast Cable Ch. 19 in Buffalo Grove, Elk Grove Village, Hoffman Estates, parts of Inverness, Lincolnwood, Morton Grove, Niles, Northfield, Palatine, Rolling Meadows and Wilmette and on

—Comcast Cable Ch. 35 in  Arlington Heights, Bartlett, Glenview, Golf, Des Plaines, Hanover Park, Mt. Prospect, Northbrook, Park Ridge, Prospect Heights, Schaumburg, Skokie, Streamwood and Wheeling.

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You can also watch Part 1 of  the two part show featuring RNC member Porter by clicking here.

The show also airs:

–in Rockford and surrounding suburbs this Thursday night on Cable ch. 17 at 8:30 pm

–in Aurora this Wednesday, Saturday and next Monday at 6 pm on ACTV-10, also known as Cable Ch 10 and Aurora Community Television

–in Highland Park next week on Monday and Wednesday night at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 19.

You can also watch Part 1 of the two part show featuring RNC member Porter by clicking here.

*************************

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$400 billion IL pension liabilities, Amend IL Constitution to allow for cutting government employee pension benefits, Article IV of U S Constitution mandates Il be able to cut pension benefits, cut IL excessive teacher benefits, cut IL property taxes, Darren Bailey, Dems' dreary shakedown scheme, Dems' high IL taxes, Gary Rabine, give IL right to file for bankruptcy, give IL villages and cities power to file for bankruptcy, giving IL righ to files for bnakrupty, GOP Gov primary in 2022, Gov Pritzker, Gov Pritzker IL Lock downs, Gov Pritzker IL shut-down, Gov Pritzker's failed fair tax, IL falling property values, IL high property taxes, IL outmigration due to high taxes, lowering teacher salaries and pensions will allow IL suburbs to cut property taxes without impiring education quality, Paul Schimpf, return employees to marketplace safely, return employees to workplaces safely, return kids to in person learning safely, return kids to schools safely, Richard Porter, Darren Bailey, Paul Schimpf, Gary Rabine, $400 billion IL pension liabilities, Amend the IL Constitution, Cut IL state employee and teacher pension benefits,$300 billion in IL unfunded

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Western Illinois opts out of spring football season

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By Dan Verdun,
today at 7:25 pm

Western Illinois University announced early Monday evening that its football program was opting out of the spring Missouri Valley Conference season.

The official university release opened with, “Out of concern for the safety and wellbeing of its student-athletes, Western Illinois will opt out of the remainder of the 2021 spring football season, the athletic department announced Monday (April 5).”

Head coach Jared Elliott said in the release, “As we evaluated our current situation, in terms of the numbers of players available, and specifically at a few key positions, I believe it is in the best interest of our team to forego the remaining two games of the spring season.

“I could not be prouder of how our guys have battled through unprecedented challenges due to COVID and lack of depth. This was not an easy decision, we enjoy every opportunity to compete, but I feel this is the right one for the health and safety of our players. We are excited and committed to putting a healthy and hungry Leatherneck football team on the field this fall.”

WIU has scheduled a virtual media conference at 3 p.m. Tuesday.

Western is coming off its first win of the season, a 27-24 triumph over Youngstown State. The Leathernecks were 1-5 this spring.

WIU joins Illinois State, which opted out March 21, as the second state FCS school to do so. Ironically, ISU was coming off its only win of the spring, a 26-18 over WIU.

Following Illinois State’s opting out, the Missouri Valley issued a statement that games would not be forfeited but rather ruled as no contest.

According to national FCS writer Sam Herder, six teams have now opted out in-season.

SIU reaction

Adding to the storyline, both opt outs directly affect Southern Illinois. The Salukis were scheduled to play Illinois State the following weekend after the Redbirds opted out. SIU was scheduled to host Western Saturday in Carbondale.

SIU certainly wanted to play the game as the 16th-ranked Salukis are clinging to hopes for an at-large into the FCS playoffs. Southern is 4-3 overall and 3-3 in conference games.

SIU head coach Nick Hill released a statement: “I am deeply disappointed — disappointed for our players, our coaches, our fans and for our league. Ten conference schools stood together in January and made an ‘unwavering commitment’ to each other to play a full spring schedule. Our last two opponents have now backed out of that pledge. 

“Here at SIU, our players and coaches remained committed to do the right thing the entire season. No excuses. We had a freak blizzard that kept us from practicing during the 10 days leading up to our season opener at North Dakota. When other teams opted out due to weather, WE PLAYED. We started the season 4-1 and ranked fifth in the country, then lost two starting quarterbacks and two starting defensive tackles. When other teams opted out due to injuries, WE PLAYED. Last Saturday at Missouri State, we were down to five defensive linemen and travelled 11 true freshmen. WE PLAYED. Not one time this season has our team complained or looked for an excuse. We’ve lost two games in a row, and the experts say we’re out of the playoffs, and still not one person has questioned continuing to play. We practiced on Easter Sunday. We could have taken the easy way out. WE PLAYED.

“When the selection committee looks at the resumes of the teams that are still competing this spring, they will see our Top 25 wins over SEMO, Northern Iowa and North Dakota State. More importantly, I hope they see that, regardless of the circumstances, THE SALUKIS PLAYED. I am incredibly proud of our football team.”

Athletic directors weigh in

Both Western’s and Southern’s athletic directors also shared their thoughts on the matter through university releases.

“The health and safety of our student-athletes is top priority, and while I fully support this decision, my heart aches for the program,” WIU Director of Athletics Danielle Suprenant said. “Our student-athletes, coaches, and staff have done everything we’ve asked of them during this uncharacteristic time. I’m proud of what they’ve accomplished this spring and look forward to returning to the field for the upcoming fall season.” 

SIU Director of Athletics Liz Jarnigan said, “I am extremely disappointed for our student-athletes to lose this opportunity to play Senior Day against Western Illinois. Our program has followed every protocol and battled through so much adversity to get to this point, and we hurt for our student-athletes and coaches. My hope is that our community is proud of the commitment they have demonstrated.”

Jarnigan said she is looking to find a potential replacement game that could take place before the playoff announcement.

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Tags:
Missouri Valley Football Conference, SIU Salukis, Western Illinois University, WIU Leathernecks

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Beer Review: Hardywood Park Trader Joe’s Speculoos Cookie Butter Beer

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By Mark McDermott,
today at 8:29 pm

My sense of aesthetics rebelled again such a long headline. But there were so many keywords I needed to work in to make this “social media friendly.”

There are quite a few playlists on YouTube devoted to reviewed store brand Aldi and Trader Joe’s beer; many in other countries. If I started now, I could never catch up to them. I’ve run through a vertical of Trader Joe’s annual Vintage Ale, and had some of their holiday spiced ales. But here we have a beer based on one of their most popular products.

[embedded content]

I’m not talking ’bout their Speculoos cookies, a sweet and crunchy tea or coffee dunking biscuit. I’m talking about their Speculoos Cookie Butter. It’s cookies ground into oil and more sugar. It’s taste is like an unholy sweet combination of peanut butter and crack. With all the trends in milkshake IPAs and breakfast cereal stouts, you think someone would have put Speculoos cookies into a beer.

It fell to Hardywood Park Craft Brewery of Richmond, VA, to do that, with the sanction of Trader Joe’s. Even so, they did not just throw packages of cookies into the mash. They just made a golden ale at Imperial strength (9.5% abv) and added toasted coconut and vanilla beans. Plus those mysterious “Other Added Flavors.”

It seems this gets around to various TJ stores as fast as they can make it, meaning there may not be many more in the Chicago market for a while.

It pours with an amber to golden color, slightly hazy, under a bubbly head. The smell has cinnamon upfront, interesting since that’s not mentioned in the ingredients. Maybe that’s the toasted coconut talking. Or it’s creating the mouthfeel of shortening that goes into the cookie.

The taste is very spicy, and sometimes overdone like other Trader Joe’s spiced Christmas beers. I tried pairing it with Speculoos cookies and cookie butter, but that was too sweet altogether. Alcohol might be adding to the sweetness, but it takes a long time to be felt.

It’s definitely worth finding if you’re a fans of big dessert beers.

Disclaimer: I purchased this beer for the purpose or review.

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