Soapbox: Tough (and caring) guys wear pink
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a fact that has taken on poignant meaning at Fremd High School, where football players Matt, Drew and Adam Mertes recently lost their mother, Susan, after her three-year battle with breast cancer. In a touching show of support and determination to raise money and advance a cure, United Clubs of Fremd organized a "Pink Out" for Friday evening's varsity football game between Fremd and Schaumburg. Fans wore pink; Viking and visiting Saxon players wore pink socks -- and a routine athletic contest suddenly became so much more.
Olympian thinking?
While kicking in $20,000 to help establish the Northwest Suburban Chicago Sports Council, Hoffman Estates officials also revealed they have some Olympic-sized hopes for the Sears Center. They hope the group, which has attracting the AAU women's basketball and karate tournaments at the top of its to-do list, might make the facility attractive as a venue or practice venue in the event Chicago wins the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. Never hurts to think big, of course, but we can't help thinking additional parking would make it an easier sell.
Bears catch a break
The best thing that happened this week to the 2007 Bears is the 2007 Cubs. With no teams in the baseball playoffs, the media scrutiny of the struggling Bears would have been even more intense. The Bears always are big news in Chicago, win or lose, but they become a slightly smaller blip on the sports radar screen with the Cubs grabbing the most significant headlines. But just wait until the Cubs' season ends.
Moving up
Some folks around Barrington are still a bit frosted that a majority of their neighbors voted for a new athletic stadium at the high school while voting down plans to move the early childhood program into a decent facility and after earlier rejecting plans to build a new middle school. Understood. Nonetheless, with the school board naming a stadium contractor this week, it's exciting for BHS athletes and their fans to anticipate finally getting a facility that's more in line with the Mid Suburban League company they keep.
Is there a doc in the House? Senate?
Illinois House Republican Leader Tom Cross joked on Thursday that sparring legislative leaders might benefit from bringing a relationship therapist into the state Capitol. He cited the book by Dr. Kate Wach titled "Relationships for Dummies." Which opens up a whole library full of opportunities, including "Leadership for Dummies" for Gov. Rod Blagojevich and, for all of them "Setting budgetary priorities and serving constituents for Dummies."
Cubs' mantra…
…heading into today's game has to be: "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can…" Just remember guys, there's still time to turn this series around. And nary a goat or fan leaning over the rail in sight.
Well schooled
There are a couple of different ways in which a school may be judged Blue Ribbon material under the federal No Child Left Behind Act. Either way, it's an impressive achievement, and congratulations are in order to the Northwest suburbs' Blue Ribbon honorees: Adolph Link Elementary in Elk Grove Village; Grove Avenue Elementary in Barrington; St. Colette and Willow Bend Elementary schools in Rolling Meadows; River Trails Middle School in Mount Prospect; and Twin Grove Middle School in Buffalo Grove.