Wisch: The Win-Win Of Illiniwek Proposal Lost On University
The Illinois administration long ago should have worked to turn the Chief into something better, broader and more beneficial. It didn't.
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The Illinois administration long ago should have worked to turn the Chief into something better, broader and more beneficial. It didn't.
When it comes to numbers, I don't trust the city of Chicago.
Over the past few years – and months – Notre Dame has taken its share of big hits. But what the university hasn't taken is big responsibility.
The signs around campus still read "University of Illinois," but right now the place is going by a different name: Transfer Central.
Here are five Windy City athletes who looked the weirdest playing for a team other than the one they're best known for.
In any case, however, the question of who ultimately foots the bill isn't the one I'm interested in delving into today. Rather, it's this: Is DePaul's new arena actually a good thing for its students?
In many ways, LeBron, Wade & Co. strikes me as Chicago's new version of the Detroit Pistons' "Bad Boys," the hated mountain that the Michael Jordan-era Bulls once had to climb. And while losing to the Heat again is disappointing indeed, just like with the Pistons, this series loss will only make victory all the sweeter when the Bulls finally do beat them.
So, Mayor Rahm Emanuel reportedly has a $300 million plan to build new basketball arena at McCormick Place and bring the DePaul Blue Demons back into the city after more than 30 years in Rosemont.
Contrary to the popular belief in Chicago, Dwyane Wade does do more than just whine about the refs. He whines about his hometown, too.
But I also happen to think this: Playing without Derrick Rose in the playoffs could actually be a very good thing for the Bulls in the long run.
Banished from athletic events at the University of Illinois six years ago, Chief Illiniwek is now standing on the hypothetical sidelines in Champaign, holding a new proposal for his return.
Nevertheless, with the Bulls a M*A*S*H unit – featuring calf pulls, plantar fasciitis, debilitating viruses and even spinal taps – many Chicagoans are indeed seeing a different kind of red as the team hobbles its way into tonight's decisive Game 7 against the Nets in Brooklyn.
So, what if the Cubs set up their own giant HDTV on the reverse side of their proposed video board?
Growing up, I always believed that besides the Sears Tower, Assembly Hall's spaceship-shaped silhouette is the most recognizable of any building in Illinois. And now, just like how the Sears Tower has become the Willis Tower, the Assembly Hall has a new name as well.
So, what if at some point this season – I'm not suggesting that the Cubs do it just yet – the team moved Castro to third, Valbuena to second and Barney to short?
Is Derrick Rose truly Public Enemy No. 1 among Chicago Bulls fans, or is he just Public Enemy Right Now?
Over the weekend, the Big Ten pulled off a heady play when the league leaked word that it's mercifully dumping the much-maligned Legends and Leaders divisional monikers in favor of geographical names.
Winning will not be easy. Not with the Cubs' dearth of top-line pitching coupled with the changing face of free agency, which will make it all the more difficult for the Cubs to acquire top-line pitching.
I went for a run this morning. Thought about the Boston Marathon with every step.
From 1994-98, I was a student at the University of Illinois, and during those four years I saw a grand total of 14 football victories.
There was no joy in Wrigleyville on Wednesday night.
The state of Kentucky now has two more championships in the past two years than the entire Big Ten Conference has over the past 13.
With the national semifinal games set to tip off in Atlanta Saturday evening, here are some Chicago-related reasons to pay attention to all four teams involved from Michigan and Syracuse to Louisville and Wichita State.
As much as I like the idea of Chicago being part of baseball's Opening Day festivities, the notion of MLB scheduling a later home start for both the Cubs and White Sox each year definitely does have its appeal.
It turned out that the Illini – and, most significantly, athletic director Mike Thomas – were indeed lucky. And in the end, that was good.
Police said the shooting appeared to have happened after two groups of people got into an argument in the mall's food court.
A woman was ordered detained Thursday on charges that she shot and wounded three men on busy Irving Park Road in the Chicago neighborhood of the same name earlier this month.
The second man charged in the "unintentional" shooting death of Chicago Police Officer Krystal Rivera has pleaded guilty.
Evanston Township High School was placed on soft lockdown Thursday afternoon, and security precautions were also taken at other nearby schools, after shots were fired near the school.
Matthew Keirans used William Woods's identity for decades, then manipulated police into prosecuting Woods, who spent 428 days in jail and 147 days in a mental hospital before DNA evidence proved his innocence.
The Justice Department's internal watchdog said it will audit the department's compliance with the law that required the release of the Epstein files.
President Trump intends to nominate David Cummins to lead the Transportation Security Administration, according to a person familiar with the decision.
The order places FDA-approved products containing marijuana and state-regulated medical marijuana products at a lower drug classification.
The Senate adopted a budget resolution after a six-hour "vote-a-rama," with the GOP moving forward to fund ICE without Democrats.
Will Chicago see another surge in immigration raids like last year's Operation Midway Blitz? That was a topic on Capitol Hill as Chicagoans testified at a congressional hearing about their encounters with Border Patrol and ICE agents.
In the legal venue of anti-trust enforcement, the state is not taking on the Trump administration, but rather filling a void that state officials say the Trump administration has vacated.
A passenger on an American Airlines flight from New York to Chicago has been charged with making a false bomb threat that forced an emergency landing at Detroit Metro Airport last month, according to a federal criminal complaint.
Skyrocketing property taxes continue to be a hot-button issue in Cook County — particularly since last fall, when many residents saw their tax bills increase by 100% or more.
Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias this weekend issued a warning about a surge in text messages that falsely claim to come from his office or the DMV within it.
Tenants at a South Loop luxury high-rise that has been plagued with problems like broken elevators are vowing to fight five-day eviction notices.
Several organizations came together on Thursday to celebrate the opening of a new wellness center in Chicago's West Garfield Park community.
La Rabida Children's Hospital went all out for Earth Day on Wednesday, with volunteer cleanup efforts by staffers and activities for patients and families.
It has been several weeks since West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park, Illinois, abruptly shut down — and then on Wednesday, it just as swiftly partially reopened, with some services available.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says more than 80% of deaths related to pregnancy are preventable, and Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women.
The United States has long struggled with understanding and finding ways to help treat mental illness. A new documentary, which is screening Saturday in Chicago, examines the reality of living with mental illness in America.
Investment research firm Morningstar could move into the Thompson Center in downtown Chicago once Google is done renovating the former Illinois state government building.
Trader Joe's is planning to open a new location at the Lincoln Village Shopping Center in Chicago's North Park neighborhood, the office of Ald. Debra Silverstein (50th) recently announced.
The satirical news outlet The Onion has a new plan to take over conspiracy theorist Alex Jones' Infowars platforms and turn them into parodies.
Whole Foods will soon be moving into a vacant space in a relatively new commercial building in Chicago's Lakeview community, a local chamber of commerce group said.
Philz Coffee will once again sport the Pride flag at its cafés after a directive to have them and other flags removed created a backlash.
Tickets for the 2026 Ravinia Festival season went on sale Thursday morning.
The satirical news outlet The Onion has a new plan to take over conspiracy theorist Alex Jones' Infowars platforms and turn them into parodies.
Emily Saliers, one-half of the Atlanta folk duo The Indigo Girls, has revealed that she has been diagnosed with two incurable movement disorders that will forever change the way that she sings.
Blues icon and world music pioneer Taj Mahal will be headlining the Chicago Blues Festival this June.
The United States has long struggled with understanding and finding ways to help treat mental illness. A new documentary, which is screening Saturday in Chicago, examines the reality of living with mental illness in America.
Warm and summery Thursday, with storms moving in overnight. Highs around 80.
Several organizations came together on Thursday to celebrate the opening of a new wellness center in Chicago’s West Garfield Park community.
The Chicagoland Lab Rescue is looking for a forever home for Rambo.
The man who owned the Winnetka house where "Home Alone" was filmed at the time it was made is now facing multiple child pornography charges.
A man was shot and wounded Thursday morning near Union Station in Chicago.
A man was shot and wounded Thursday morning near Union Station in Chicago.
Evanston Township High School was placed on soft lockdown Thursday afternoon, and security precautions were also taken at other nearby schools, after shots were fired near the school.
Police said the shooting appeared to have happened after two groups of people got into an argument in the mall's food court.
A woman was ordered detained Thursday on charges that she shot and wounded three men on busy Irving Park Road in the Chicago neighborhood of the same name earlier this month.
The second man charged in the "unintentional" shooting death of Chicago Police Officer Krystal Rivera has pleaded guilty.
Michaels spent years as an advocate for sexual assault survivors, putting pressure on Congress and speaking out on behalf of Jeffrey Epstein survivors, like herself.
Residents in one part of Chicago's Noble Square neighborhood say they've been dealing with cars careening off the Kennedy Expressway and crashing into their front yard for decades, and the state won't help.
Madeline Morgan said she was repeatedly stalked and abused, even though the man responsible was forced to wear an electronic monitoring bracelet, which was cut off.
Chicago deals with the worst traffic congestion in the U.S., according to the 2025 Global Traffic Scorecard from INRIX, a transportation analytics company.
A specially designed playground in the West Pullman neighborhood is making a difference, addressing flooding and the impact of climate change across Chicago.
A year after his passing, the late Chicago Bears legend Steve "Mongo" McMichael is being honored for advancing CTE research.
Here is what to know about where and when to watch the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Cubs have outscored their opponents 58-20 during the franchise's longest win streak since it also won eight in a row from July 21-29, 2023.
A crew of drivers made a pit stop in Joliet, as the track prepares for its first competitive race since 2019.
Rookie Munetaka Murakami homered for the fourth straight game, Sean Burke won for the first time in 17 appearances, and the Chicago White Sox beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 11-5 on Tuesday night.
A woman was ordered detained Thursday on charges that she shot and wounded three men on busy Irving Park Road in the Chicago neighborhood of the same name earlier this month.
Evanston Township High School was placed on soft lockdown Thursday afternoon, and security precautions were also taken at other nearby schools, after shots were fired near the school.
Matthew Keirans used William Woods's identity for decades, then manipulated police into prosecuting Woods, who spent 428 days in jail and 147 days in a mental hospital before DNA evidence proved his innocence.
Chicago police are searching for a man wanted in an act of public indecency on a CTA 'L' train in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood.
A man was shot and wounded Thursday morning near Union Station in Chicago.
