chicagotribune--2020-01-24--Brad Biggs’ 10 thoughts on the Bears’ offseason priorities and the buzz at the Senior Bowl

“ We were kind of starting off with the basics of NFL protections in long snapping , ” Wirtel said @ @ @ @ @ the basics now and as I progress and get more experience , learning the harder @ @ @ @ @ writing stuff down on the board , identifying the rush , identifying who I have @ @ @ @ @ minutes we went out there and I was snapping and I was able to snap @ @ @ @ @ what I was just visualizing and then I was able to go out on the @ @ @ @ @ block him .
I think it ’ s going to prepare me well for this @ @ @ @ @ just really thankful to work with him .
”

MOBILE, Ala. — 10 thoughts on the Bears’ offseason road map and the Senior Bowl after a week of chilly practices at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.
Want 10 thoughts delivered to your inbox? Sign up here. | Join our Bears Fans group
Advertisement
1. Draft preparation has hit full swing as the college all-star scene wraps up with Saturday’s game at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.
The NFL scouting combine is a little more than four weeks away, and by then teams will have a plan of attack for free agency, which opens March 18. Before heading to Indianapolis, teams will at least have an idea about which players they have interest in and at what level. As always, free agency is the first piece to the roster puzzle with the draft providing an opportunity to fill in remaining pieces.
Advertisement
With the Bears not picking until No. 43, the second-round pick they have from the Raiders, it’s going to be challenging to find potential Day 1 starters in the draft. Not impossible by any stretch but certainly a little more challenging, especially when considering the team’s inventory of picks. More on that in a bit.
Because of their draft outlook, the Bears could put a greater emphasis on free agency, but that’s somewhat complicated because they have only about $15 million in available salary-cap space, based on a $200 million cap. The Bears rank 27th in available cap space, meaning nearly every other team has more room, and some have tons more.
That’s why general manager Ryan Pace must develop two plans for free agency.
Plan A will be contingent on a new collective bargaining agreement being finalized before the new league year begins. In this scenario, the salary cap likely would get a considerable bump and provide the Bears additional room to operate. Another NFC general manager said there’s optimism for a deal to be struck in time, but “we’re all just waiting to see what happens.”
That unknown will force Pace to put together two road maps for the offseason. He can’t get caught by surprise if a last-minute deal is struck before March 18. He needs two distinct itineraries, and the time to prepare those is now.
Plan B will be to head into the 2020 league year without a new CBA in place, meaning the Bears would be tight against the salary cap considering their needs. That doesn’t necessarily put them in a dire situation with the cap because that’s a constantly moving number, and cap space can be created to accomplish just about anything. It’s a matter of determining how much money a team wants to slide forward into 2021, 2022 and so on. You more or less take today’s problem and turn it into something you’ll deal with a year or two from now.
Bears general manager Ryan Pace speaks at a news conference at Halas Hall on Dec. 31, 2019. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
Doing that isn’t ideal, and eventually the Bears will want to balance things out. But Pace credits salary-cap manager and contract negotiator Joey Laine with doing a good job. Last offseason the Bears felt it necessary to kick things down the road a bit, so they tinkered with contracts for Khalil Mack, Eddie Goldman and Charles Leno to create some operating room for 2019. There’s no question, however, that without a new CBA, the Bears will be more limited in what they can accomplish.
The good news is there is optimism for a deal to be done well in advance of the current CBA expiring at the end of the 2020 season. If the Bears want to add a veteran quarterback with tangible starting experience, they likely would need a new CBA and a bump in the salary cap to accomplish that, not to mention multiple other needs.
Advertisement
How much the cap will go up with a new CBA is anyone’s guess. But a 10% increase over the projected cap of $200 million would add another $20 million. It could rise even more than that. The Bears would still rank near the bottom of the league in available space, but they would have operating room. The minutiae of collective bargaining isn’t nearly as much fun to follow as the game on the field, but it’s an important storyline for the Bears in the next two months.
2. The final bill on the Khalil Mack trade comes due in April, when the Bears will be without their first- and third-round picks.
The Bears were delighted that they were able to get a 2020 second-round pick from the Raiders in the Mack deal, and that sets them up with two picks in the round — Nos. 43 and 50.
The challenge for Ryan Pace and his staff is those are the only two picks the team will have in roughly the first 130 selections. The Bears aren’t projected to pick again until a likely compensatory pick at the end of Round 4. Considering there will be 128 picks through four rounds before tacking on compensatory picks at the end of Round 3, you get an idea of where that compensatory fourth-round pick will land.
The franchise went through this a little more than a decade ago — consecutive drafts without a first-round pick — after trading for Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler. The biggest story coming out of the 2009 draft, weeks after Cutler arrived, was that the team’s top pick — defensive end Jarron Gilbert, a third-round pick from San Jose State — could jump out of a swimming pool.
While Gilbert didn’t pan out and the team got nothing from its next pick, wide receiver Juaquin Iglesias, the Bears got solid value out of the class. It produced defensive tackle Henry Melton, wide receiver Johnny Knox, nickel cornerback D.J. Moore, guard Lance Louis and safety Al Afalava, who started for one season before falling out of favor. That’s a pretty solid group when your draft doesn’t start until Round 3.
[ Bears Q&A: Does Matt Nagy’s new staff have too many cooks in the kitchen? How long will they stick with Mitch Trubisky? Would HBO’s ‘Hard Knocks’ come to Halas Hall? ]
The Bears didn’t pick until Round 3 again in 2010 with the first-rounder going to the Broncos and the second-rounder belonging to the Buccaneers after a trade for defensive end Gaines Adams. That was a less impactful draft class for the Bears. It included safety Major Wright, defensive end Corey Wootton and tackle J’Marcus Webb.
Advertisement
As aggressive as Pace has been in recent drafts, trading up at times for players the team targeted, I believe this is the year Pace stands pat or looks to trade down. The thing about that 2009 draft was the team had nine picks. The Bears have had that many only once since, getting nine players in 2016, when they followed the Leonard Floyd selection with offensive lineman Cody Whitehair, linebacker Nick Kwiatkowski and running back Jordan Howard. The Bears also got two pretty good special teams players in Deon Bush and DeAndre Houston-Carson. Not a great draft but a decent one.
Pace didn’t get a lot out of his 2019 draft class. Running back David Montgomery looks solid, but he lacks high-end speed and don’t forget the team spent draft capital to move up for him. Wide receiver Riley Ridley and cornerback Duke Shelley barely got on the field, and cornerback Stephen Denmark spent all year on the practice squad. Running back Kerrith Whyte is now a Steeler. And there wasn’t a lot of depth to the group as the Bears were short on picks.
Having more volume this year — the Bears project to have eight picks if they get the compensatory pick, as expected, for losing safety Adrian Amos in free agency — will help. A trade down could net another pick or two and allow the Bears to be quite active on Day 3 of the draft (Rounds 4-7).
The Bears stand to get one more pick from the Raiders, no better than a fifth-round selection. The team hasn’t said, but it’s my hunch it will be a sixth-round pick based on the fact Mack was an All-Pro selection in 2018. I have not been able to confirm this, and no one has released the full terms of that blockbuster deal. If the Bears indeed get a sixth-rounder from the Raiders, here’s what their draft picks look like:
Round 2: (from Raiders) No. 43
(from Raiders) No. 43 Round 2: No. 50
No. 50 Round 4: compensatory pick (projected)
compensatory pick (projected) Round 5
Round 6: (from Raiders)
(from Raiders) Round 6
Round 6: (from Eagles in Jordan Howard trade)
(from Eagles in Jordan Howard trade) Round 7
3. What are the top needs for the Bears as they consider possible fits in free agency and the draft?
It has to start at quarterback. The Titans hit a home run last offseason when they added Ryan Tannehill via a trade with the Dolphins, who wound up paying $5 million to the quarterback to pull off the deal.
It’s difficult to say who the Tannehill of the 2020 offseason could be because, well, who figured Tannehill would step in for Marcus Mariota this season and perform so well? He posted a spectacular 117.5 passer rating, throwing for 2,742 yards with 22 touchdown passes and six interceptions. He benefited greatly from the bruising running game led by Derrick Henry and the emergence of rookie wide receiver A.J. Brown, a second-round pick who had 1,051 yards, averaging 20.2 per reception, and scored eight touchdowns.
Advertisement
Tannehill was looking for a spot where an opportunity could open, and the Titans looked like a good bet because Mariota had an injury history and the Titans had yet to pull the trigger on a second contract for the No. 2 pick of the 2015 draft. It ended up being a perfect storm of scenarios for Tannehill and the Titans, who reached the AFC championship game after qualifying for the playoffs as the No. 6 seed.
Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill, left, talks with backup quarterback Marcus Mariota on Dec. 8, 2019. (Ben Margot/AP)
Some have wondered if Mariota, whom the Bears liked when he was coming out of Oregon during Ryan Pace’s first season at Halas Hall, could be an option. I don’t think he’s a fit because Mariota and Mitch Trubisky share the same agency — Rep1 Sports. Regardless of how the Bears view Mariota, it seems unlikely that the agents would want to place one client in a spot where he’s in position to take the starting job from another client. That would automatically mean one of them is on the bench. The agents want Trubisky to start and flourish (so do the Bears) and Mariota to have a shot to win a starting job and jump-start his career.
It’s possible the best route for Pace is to trade for a quarterback because luring a top free agent will be difficult with the team’s stated goal to have Trubisky be the opening-day starter. The sales pitch that “we really like you, but Mitch is our guy” won’t be super appealing to guys with other options and clearer shots at playing time.
A trade could be figured out (even though trades cannot become official until the start of the new league year) well before March 18. A number of factors would be in play, including Matt Nagy’s evaluation of the quarterback, the contract the Bears would be taking on and the necessary compensation needed to land a backup option who would give the Bears a legitimate No. 2 in the event Trubisky doesn’t bounce back from a poor season.
Several other positions need to be closely examined on offense. Tight end Trey Burton has $4 million guaranteed in his $6.7 million base salary, so he will be back. If his recent hip surgery solves lingering health issues, perhaps he can regain the form he showed in 2018, when he caught 54 passes for 569 yards with six touchdowns. But the Bears can’t count on that, so they’re going to have to either sign a free agent, draft a tight end or both. A pass-catching tight end is a must in the offense.
Rashaad Coward received 10 starts at right guard, which might have been enough tape for the Bears to deem him a better backup option right now than a starter. If so, signing a starter in free agency likely will be a goal unless the team is confident it can identify a Day 1 starter with one of the second-round draft picks. It would be a considerable roll of the dice to think they could land a rookie starter on the line on the third day of the draft. More on Pace and later-round picks at offensive tackle below.
Advertisement
[ Who will the Bears sign as Mitch Trubisky’s backup? Breaking down the quarterback market. ]
I don’t believe offensive needs end here. The Bears will closely look at the future of wide receiver Taylor Gabriel. He’s due a base salary of $5.5 million, and none of it is guaranteed. Gabriel is kind of a one-trick pony. His one trick, speed, is special, but he’s small for an outside receiver, and if the Bears release him, they would create $4.5 million in cap space. Gabriel also battled concussions last season and has had at least four documented concussions since joining the NFL.
It’s a deep draft for wide receivers, so the Bears could get the type of talent in Round 4 or 5 that typically would come off the board late in Round 3. If the Bears find a young receiver who can get on the field quickly (unlike last year’s fourth-round pick, Riley Ridley), they could be much more dynamic at the position, provided Anthony Miller returns from yet another shoulder surgery.
4. As far as defensive needs, the Bears must figure out who will start next to Roquan Smith.
The Bears have three inside linebackers coming out of contract, and all of them — Danny Trevathan, Nick Kwiatkowski and Kevin Pierre-Louis — provided value. I’ve operated with the idea that the team cannot lock up too much cap space at the position with Roquan Smith a building block for the future who could eventually command a very big payday.
Smith’s 2020 cap hit is just above $5 million. There are just too many offensive needs to pay big money to a starter next to Smith, and considering how the defense performed with Kwiatkowski and Pierre-Louis in the lineup, can the Bears justify paying Trevathan close to $7 million per year? Even with the intangibles he brings to the locker room? Maybe I’m wrong, but I think a lower-budget option is most likely.
Bears inside linebackers Roquan Smith, left, and Danny Trevathan during a game against the Packers on Sept. 5, 2019. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)
The Bears have two needs in the secondary, and you can make a case that getting improved high-caliber depth at cornerback is more important than signing a safety to start alongside the recently extended Eddie Jackson. Some have suggested the Bears should replace Prince Amukamara, who is due to earn $9 million at age 31 and is entering the final year of his contract. Sure, removing Amukamara from the roster would clear $9 million in cap space, but that’s the easy part. Then who starts?
The going rate for good starting cornerbacks isn’t less than that, especially if the salary cap bumps up with a new CBA. The Bears don’t have depth at the position. Could the team consider approaching Amukamara for a salary reduction as it did with Kyle Long a year ago? I guess that’s possible, but the team would have to be prepared for Amukamara to say no, which would then mean cutting him. You can’t approach a player about a pay cut without being ready to move on from him.
Advertisement
Finding a Day 1 starter without a first-round draft pick is also challenging, but don’t be surprised if the Bears are looking for a group of cornerbacks to consider with a second-round pick. They need an infusion of young talent at the position. Applying the logic I used at inside linebacker, the Bears can shop for a box safety who can come in on a smaller contract and put Jackson in a position where he can remain at free safety. It’s easier to find draft picks who can start as a rookie at this position, especially if they identify a bright guy, which the Bears did with Adrian Amos.
Don’t forget depth on the defensive line. That’s always a priority, and with Nick Williams headed to free agency, this is another area that cannot be overlooked.
5. Vanderbilt’s Jared Pinkney and Florida Atlantic’s Harrison Bryant stood out as pass-catching tight ends at the Senior Bowl.
Pinkney had an underwhelming senior season, catching only 20 passes for 233 yards. That’s largely attributable to very poor quarterback play. A scout made an interesting comparison when talking about Pinkney and pointing out he was really good as a junior, when he had 50 receptions for 774 yards (15.5 average) with seven touchdowns.
He drew a parallel to O.J. Howard, who had more buzz as a junior at Alabama than he did during his senior season, when his yards per catch dropped in a super productive Crimson Tide offense. Howard came to the Senior Bowl, had a really good week and wound up going to the Buccaneers with the 19th pick.
Vanderbilt tight end Jared Pinkney runs after a catch against Purdue on Sept. 7, 2019. (Michael Conroy/AP)
“I’m not saying Pinkney is a first-round pick, not at all,” the scout said. “But with a good week, I think people will pay a lot more attention to that junior tape. He’s the kind of kid that can help himself here.”
Advertisement
Bryant, who measured 6-foot-4¾ and 242 pounds, was the John Mackey Award winner as the nation’s top tight end at Florida Atlantic. He caught 65 passes for 1,004 yards with seven touchdowns and performed well against Ohio State in the season opener with six catches for 79 yards.
“I have him as a good two,” a scout said. “Good in the pass game. Surprisingly good as a blocker. I don’t love his short arms (31⅜ inches).”
Bryant said a flu bug after the college season cost him some weight, and he hopes to be close to 250 for the combine.
“I feel like I am capable of that and can still move really well,” he said.
He knows blocking is a key consideration for him to improve his draft stock.
“First off, just being willing,” he said. “I feel like that is the biggest thing with tight ends, just being willing. Just taking the technique that they’re teaching us this week and showing that I have technique, I’m capable and I will finish on every block."
Advertisement
Notre Dame’s Cole Kmet, a junior who declared for the draft, might be the most polished two-way player at the position. The St. Viator alumnus could be a second-round selection. Some believe Missouri’s Albert Okwuegbunam, a Springfield native, is the best pass-catching prospect. Like Pinkney, his production dipped last season because of inconsistent quarterback play. Dayton tight end Adam Trautman has had a good week, but you wonder if the Bears would hesitate to look at small-school programs three years after picking Adam Shaheen from a Division II school.
6. It’s a really good draft for wide receivers, and talented players will be on the board on Day 3.
The top prospects at the Senior Bowl are Arizona State’s Brandon Aiyuk and USC’s Michael Pittman Jr.
Aiyuk won’t participate in the game as he is dealing with an undisclosed injury. A scout said he has a hip issue that could affect his draft stock, but he was super productive last season with 1,192 yards and an 18.3 average. Pittman had a big senior season for the Trojans with 101 catches for 1,275 yards and 11 touchdowns. He has a great frame at nearly 6-foot-4 and 219 pounds. His draft stock will be very dependent on how he runs at the combine.
“I feel like they don’t talk about the fact that I am actually faster than what they want to give me credit for,” Pittman said. “I don’t want to put numbers on it, but let’s just say that I think people are going to be shocked at the combine.”
USC wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr., left, sprints with the ball past Utah defensive back Tareke Lewis on Sept. 20, 2019. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
What do the doubters think Pittman will run?
Advertisement
“I’m thinking that they’re thinking 4.6, 4.5, like a high 4.5,” he said.
So he thinks somewhere in the 4.4 range?
“Like I said, I’m not going to put numbers on it,” he said.
It’s such a deep class, with other talented players such as Baylor’s Denzel Mims and Texas’ Devin Duvernay and Collin Johnson.
“We’re all just trying to separate, and everybody is so talented that they’re making it pretty hard,” Pittman said. “You just have to keep on doing things to put yourself forward and you have to focus on working yourself. I’m not going to rank myself, but I think I am pretty good within those guys.”
Mims has had a particularly good week of practice and has helped himself as much as any player in Mobile. If he runs well in Indianapolis, he could solidify himself as a Day 2 pick. He’s productive as a deep-ball receiver and still a little raw when it comes to setting up cornerbacks. Johnson is a big target at nearly 6-6 and 221 pounds. He’s coming off injuries and, like the others, will need to run well to boost his profile.
Advertisement
“I want to show that I have straight-line speed for a big guy and the ability to go in and out of breaks,” Johnson said. “Obviously when you’re 6-5, high-pointing and 50/50 balls, you are expected to catch those. I can do some other stuff as well.”
[ Why did the Bears draft Mitch Trubisky over Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson? ]
Johnson has been working with former Bears receiver Ricky Proehl as part of his pre-draft preparation with Rep1 Sports in Irvine, Calif.
“It’s all competition here, but at the end of the day, it’s all love,” Johnson said. “We want each other to succeed. We all want to be the best. I’m not going to hate on someone else. It’s about finding that balance between working to be the best and also trying to support the person to your left and your right.”
7. Bills coach Sean McDermott sat with Bears coach Matt Nagy during the South’s afternoon practice Tuesday.
Good friends Matt Nagy and Sean McDermott could commiserate over plenty, including the parallels to the beginning of their head-coaching stints.
McDermott guided the Bills to a 9-7 finish in 2017, his first season, as they ended a 17-year playoff drought, not just the longest in the NFL at the time but the longest-running in American professional sports. The Bills went backward in McDermott’s next season, sputtering to a 6-10 record before bouncing back this season to win 10 games and once again reach the playoffs.
Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 3 Chicago Bears head coach Matt Nagy speaks during the Bears100 Celebration Weekend at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont on Friday, June 7, 2019. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune) (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
“I just think lessons you learn in football, they’re like life lessons, you learn more the longer you are coaching in this league in different capacities,” McDermott said. “We just applied those lessons that we learned. Mistakes were made and we tried to grow from them.
Advertisement
“Expectations take a jump a little bit when you make the playoffs the first season. I think that’s natural. But when you’re trying to do it the right way, there are also some necessary growing pains that must continue to take place the second year and that’s what took place. Our salary cap, every situation is different, our draft situation, from what we took over was probably different from Chicago and what Matt encountered.
“We just sat down for a little bit. We know each from working under Andy Reid. I think the world of Matt. He’s done a great job.”
[ Matt Nagy makes more changes to his offensive coaching staff, adding John DeFilippo as quarterbacks coach and promoting Dave Ragone ]
Nagy said he’s planning to review everything that took place last season. At some point, perhaps he will shed some light on the lessons learned and we’ll see how he applies change as the Bears seek to bounce back like the Bills did.
One of the changes McDermott made after the 2018 season was to fire his offensive line coach, Juan Castillo. Nagy recently hired Castillo, who served as an analyst on Jim Harbaugh’s staff at Michigan last fall, as his new offensive line coach.
8. When Panthers owner David Tepper fired coach Ron Rivera in early December, he said he wanted to get a head start on his coaching search.
It didn’t take Ron Rivera long to realize getting let go early by the Panthers also provided him with a chance to begin plotting his own future.
Soon, that led to a phone call to former Redskins coach Joe Gibbs after Rivera learned team owner Daniel Snyder had interest in him as a free agent. Gibbs had been a guest at a few practices in Carolina over the years and as Charlotte, N.C., residents, he and Rivera occasionally crossed paths at charitable events.
Advertisement
They talked for an hour and Gibbs invited Rivera to his home the next day, where they chatted for another four hours, even talking about the divisional-round playoff meeting between the Bears and Redskins in 1988, a game that swung on Darrell Green’s 52-yard punt return for a touchdown in the third quarter. Rivera was on the punt team on that bitterly cold day at Soldier Field.
Redskins coach Ron Rivera speaks during a news conference on Jan. 2, 2020. (Alex Brandon/AP)
“We laughed a little about a couple of those meetings over the years, yes we did,” said Rivera, who flew in for Tuesday’s practice with many of his new assistants and left that night on one of Snyder’s jets. “We laughed about the punt return by Darrell. That was funny to him. I am one of the guys, I believe, that got blocked in the back on that play.
“Coach was phenomenal. I called and we talked an awful lot. He told me straight, ‘Ron, (Snyder) is a different guy. I know in his first 10 years, 12 years, he was different. But those last years, he’s really paid attention, he’s really learned, he’s really listened. I think you’re going to find a different guy when you go meet him.’ Because I called Coach Gibbs before I went and met with (Snyder).
“We’re sitting there talking football and he pulls out this notepad and he starts drawing these plays. He’s drawing plays and I am sitting there thinking to myself, ‘How can I take that?’ It was so frickin’ cool. We sat there talking and we kept going and going. It was such a positive experience. And it really just kind of prepared me and helped enlighten me as we were getting ready to meet with the owner.”
Rivera hired former Bears safety Chris Harris as defensive backs coach. Harris got his start in coaching with the Bears in 2013-14 as a quality-control assistant before working as the assistant defensive backs coach for the Chargers for four seasons beginning in 2016. Rivera also hired former Bears offensive line coach Pete Hoener, a Peoria native, as tight ends coach.
9. There is a local flavor to the Senior Bowl as Mount Carmel’s Steven Wirtel of Iowa State is the long snapper for the North squad.
Steven Wirtel, from Orland Park, might be the only long snapper invited to the combine next month.
Advertisement
Wirtel met with former Bears long snapper Patrick Mannelly two weeks ago in Lake Bluff for a coaching session. At Iowa State, Wirtel was one of three finalists for the first Patrick Mannelly Award, given to the nation’s top long snapper from an FCS school. Wirtel’s brother John spent time with the Bears last offseason.
“We were kind of starting off with the basics of NFL protections in long snapping,” Wirtel said. “Just going over the basics now and as I progress and get more experience, learning the harder looks. We were just writing stuff down on the board, identifying the rush, identifying who I have, and then after 15 minutes we went out there and I was snapping and I was able to snap, block and go over what I was just visualizing and then I was able to go out on the field and then snap and block him. I think it’s going to prepare me well for this next process. I am just really thankful to work with him.”
Wirtel weighed in at 227 pounds and he’s hoping to put on some good weight to be at 235 or close to 240 before the combine.
“Any guy that is here in Mobile, that is their goal, to be drafted,” Wirtel said. “I have a lot of faith in myself. I think I’ve set myself (apart) from other long snappers around this country and to be honest I think I have a good opportunity to get drafted.”
[ How the Bears kept Eddie Jackson’s 2020 salary-cap number low in giving him a new 5-year, $60.55 million contract ]
Southern Illinois safety Jeremy Chinn is also on the North roster. He’s taller than most at the position at 6-foot-3 and weighed in at 219 pounds. He’s looked fluid in coverage, and change of direction and lateral-movement skills are always a question with a taller defensive back.
“I want to show them the type of competitor I am, show them the type of learner I am and how much I love the game and how tough I am,” Chinn said. “The biggest questions teams have about me is definitely my running, my 40. They don’t really understand how well I will run. I’m going to run a good time.”
Advertisement
Injuries during Chinn’s junior season at Fishers (Ind.) High School limited his exposure in recruiting and allowed the Salukis to land him. The benefit to going to a smaller school was that he was able to get on the field early, playing in eight games and starting six as a freshman. Now he’s proving that the step up in competition isn’t too much for him.
10. The Saints have done as good a job as any team in mining the draft for offensive line talent in the middle and late rounds.
The Saints drafted Jermon Bushrod out of Towson in the fourth round in 2007. He was a very good left tackle and had some fine seasons with the Bears. Terron Armstead, a Cahokia, Ill., native, was a third-round pick from Arkansas-Pine Bluff in 2013. He became a starter in the final month of his rookie season and has developed into one of the better left tackles in the league. Then there were guards Jahri Evans and Carl Nicks and right tackle Zach Strief (Northwestern).
Bears general manager Ryan Pace and director of player personnel Josh Lucas came to Chicago from New Orleans after the Saints made those picks. They’ve had a hand in selecting really good linemen later in the draft. All but Strief and Nicks (Nebraska) came from small programs. That’s why they lasted in the draft. They had really good traits and measurables, but there was a question about how they would adapt at the professional level. I imagine the Bears are putting an extra emphasis on evaluating linemen after deeming a coaching change necessary at the position. Who they find, we’ll have to wait and see.
10a. Houston left tackle Josh Jones is an intriguing prospect here. He’s not from a small program and he’s not going to last until Day 3. He’s quite athletic for being 6-foot-7, 310 pounds. He will need to get stronger, and it remains to be seen if he can play left tackle in the NFL, but Jones might be a possibility in the middle of Round 2, if he’s still available.
10b. The Senior Bowl has been lauded for improvements in talent the last two years under director Jim Nagy. Ninety-three players who were on the rosters last season were drafted, the second-most in the history of the game and Nagy is hopeful that figure will rise this season.
10c. After winning the NFC championship game Sunday, the 49ers broke out T-shirts in their locker room celebration that read “Mobile to Miami,” a nod to the fact that their staff was coaching in this game last January. That doesn’t mean the Lions or Bengals, the teams coaching in the game this season, can stamp their ticket to the Super Bowl a year from now, but it’s another reminder of how quickly teams’ fortunes can shift in the NFL. Another reminder? Of the four teams that played on championship weekend, three didn’t make the postseason in 2018.
Advertisement
10d. The best player at the Senior Bowl is South Carolina defensive lineman Javon Kinlaw. He has a chance to be selected in the top half of the first round.
10e. Another defensive lineman who has helped himself this week is North Carolina’s Jason Strowbridge. He has excelled on the inside and outside. His college teammate Charlie Heck, an offensive lineman, is also on the North squad. Heck is the son of former Bears offensive lineman Andy Heck, currently a Chiefs assistant under Andy Reid.


chicagotribune--2020-01-24--West Side shop owner given 7 years in prison for selling synthetic weed laced with rat poison

Doctors initially thought it was kidney stones , but it was later determined he ’ d ingested high concentrations of @ @ @ @ @ testified Thursday in federal court .
Wracked with pain and bleeding uncontrollably , he nearly @ @ @ @ @ The ordeal cost him his job as a union carpenter and led to bouts of @ @ @ @ @ years later , he ’ s still trying to get back on his feet .

King Mini Mart at 1303 S. Kedzie Ave. in Chicago is shown on April 3, 2018. Synthetic pot laced with a toxic substance often used as rat poison was being sold at the West Side convenience store, according to court records. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
One victim started urinating blood soon after smoking illegal synthetic pot he bought at a West Side convenience store.
Doctors initially thought it was kidney stones, but it was later determined he’d ingested high concentrations of rat poison, the victim testified Thursday in federal court. Wracked with pain and bleeding uncontrollably, he nearly died in the hospital. The ordeal cost him his job as a union carpenter and led to bouts of depression. Now nearly two years later, he’s still trying to get back on his feet.
Advertisement
“After having almost lost my life, I am now fearful of the unknown,” the man, identified only as Victim A, told U.S. District Judge Manish Shah in a hushed voice.
The damage caused to victims of synthetic marijuana — often referred to as K2 — was the focus of an emotional sentencing hearing for convenience store owner Fouad Masoud, who pleaded guilty last year to selling the illegal substance from his King Mini Mart on South Kedzie Avenue.
Advertisement
In sentencing Masoud to seven years in prison, Shah said the emergence of “greedy black-market profiteers” selling K2 was a “recipe for disaster” and likely contributed to a public health crisis that included dozens of hospitalizations in central and northern Illinois and at least two deaths.
While no deaths were tied directly to drugs sold at Masoud’s store, Shah said it was clear he was taking advantage of unsophisticated addicts who were looking for a cheap high.
“You didn’t know there was rat poison in it, but you also didn’t care what you were selling,” Shah said. “You didn’t care whether it was safe or healthy. ... It was just about money for you.”
Masoud, 49, pleaded guilty in September to drug conspiracy, admitting in a plea agreement with prosecutors that he sold up to 80 packages a day of unregulated synthetic pot that was often manufactured overseas and branded with names such as “Matrix,” “Crazy Monkey” and “Scooby Snax.”
In asking for a sentence of 10 years in prison, prosecutors said that over a 2½-year period beginning in late 2015, customers would line up outside the King Mini Mart every morning waiting for Masoud to arrive with a garbage bag filled with the illegal pot.
Masoud knew the drugs were banned and had even been cited for selling it before by the Chicago police. Employees told investigators he’d since kept the K2 hidden in a bucket buried in the ground behind the shop to avoid detection.
At least three customers — including the victim who testified Thursday — experienced severe symptoms after buying what was believed to be a “bad batch” of K2 from Masoud’s store, causing them to “nearly bleed to death,” prosecutors wrote in a court filing earlier this month.
The victims required blood transfusions and prolonged treatment to keep the poison at bay, including daily high-dosage shots of Vitamin K that cost nearly $400 apiece, Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Hernandez wrote.
Advertisement
“Essentially they were being poisoned to death like rodents,” Hernandez said.
Many more victims likely got ill but were either unwilling or unable to testify, according to prosecutors.
Masoud’s attorney, Glenn Seiden, argued for a three-year prison term, saying “no nexus” existed between the rash of hospitalizations and drugs sold at Masoud’s store.
Seiden also noted that Masoud “risked his wealth and his health” to run his store in the disadvantaged Lawndale community for nearly 20 years.
Before he was sentenced, Masoud, dressed in an orange prison jumpsuit and shackled at the ankles, made a brief statement to the court. He acknowledged that "maybe I got a bad batch” of K2 at some point but said that many more customers would have been sickened if it were as bad as prosecutors said.
“Only two people got sick. ... Where are the rest of them?” said Masoud, who has been in custody since his arrest in April 2018.
Advertisement
The Jordanian national, who will likely be deported once he’s done serving his sentence, did not apologize to several victims sitting in the courtroom gallery.
Masoud’s store came under investigation amid an escalating outbreak of K2-related sicknesses in 2018. At the time, nearly 100 people had reported symptoms, and the Cook County medical examiner’s office had confirmed that rat poison was found in the body of a 22-year-old Chicago man found dead in an Oak Lawn hotel room.
Meanwhile, after allegations surfaced about someone who had experienced adverse side effects after using synthetic pot purchased at King Mini Mart, an undercover officer was sent into the store and bought the drug. It was later found to contain rat poison, according to the criminal complaint filed against Masoud.
When authorities went to arrest Masoud at his Justice townhouse, he was carrying a paper grocery bag filled with $344,000 in cash. Police searched his home and recovered about 6.4 pounds of suspected synthetic cannabis labeled “Purple Giant,” according to prosecutors.
Two of Masoud’s employees, Jamil Abdelrahman Jad Allah and Adil Khan Mohammed, were also charged and agreed to cooperate with the investigation. Both pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
Jad Allah told agents that customers — who sometimes ordered K2 by asking for “Starbucks” — started to complain in 2018 about the quality of the product, according to an investigative report by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration included in court records.
Advertisement
After agents shut down the store, Jad Allah told Masoud he had shown law enforcement where the synthetic pot was stashed, according to the DEA report.
"You ruined my life!” the report quoted Masoud as telling Jad Allah.
Later, while in a lockup awaiting a court hearing, Masoud allegedly told Jad Allah, “Don’t worry, we will get out. No one dies from K2."
jmeisner@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-01-24--In a race against terminal illness, former Obama staffer with ALS and his wife find new hope

“ As a patient you want to see something measurable , and I don ’ t mean measurable in days @ @ @ @ @ “ If I ’ m a patient , I want to see something , and @ @ @ @ @ and my family .
I want something that is going to slow the disease down @ @ @ @ @ kids growing up , I can watch them graduate from college , I can watch @ @ @ @

Husband and wife Brian Wallach and Sandra Abrevaya sit together in their home on Jan. 6, 2020, in Kenilworth. Together they created I AM ALS, "A patient-led, patient-centric community that reshapes public understanding of this disease, provides key resources to the community, and creates opportunities for patients to lead the fight against ALS and search for a cure." Wallach was diagnosed with ALS in 2017. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)
Brian Wallach wasn’t supposed to live to see his younger daughter’s first birthday.
Diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a terminal disease with no cure, doctors told him in 2017 that he might have six months to live.
Advertisement
Today, he’s focused on being there for his daughter’s future firsts: kindergarten drop-off, middle school dance, wedding day.
More than two years after his diagnosis, he has been lucky, he said, to experience relatively limited progression of his disease. After some balance issues, the Kenilworth resident now uses a cane — or, as he is careful to specify, a “cool walking stick” — to get around.
Advertisement
When Wallach was diagnosed, neither he nor his wife, Sandra Abrevaya, knew much about ALS, a neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord, eventually paralyzing even the body’s ability to breathe.
In response to Wallach’s diagnosis, the couple, both 39, launched I AM ALS in January 2019. Former staffers in the Obama White House, they marshaled lessons learned while campaigning — gathering information, forming consensus, considering the impossible possible — to build a force to mobilize hope and change for those facing a disease they say can and should be cured.
Hope is beginning to emerge.
On Wednesday, an innovative trial at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston received FDA approval to test several drugs at the same time. In June, a bipartisan congressional caucus was created, which led to federal funding toward research being doubled. And in September, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative gave the couple’s organization a $453,000 grant to develop digital tools to connect patients, caregivers, doctors and scientists.
“Last year we made hope a word that was OK to use,” Wallach said. “This year we have to make hope real.”
Audaciousness is the only option, the couple says, in their race against the clock.
Wallach logged 120,000 miles in the air last year, including traveling to Washington, D.C., in April, where he testified before Congress and asked legislators to amp up funding.
“Last year, every time someone said, ‘Do you want to speak to us,’ I said, ‘yes.’ Every time someone said, ‘There’s a meeting,’ I said, ‘I’m going.’” he said. “Every time there was anything, I said, ‘Great, I’m on the plane.’”
Advertisement
Until October, when Wallach fell while exiting a Lyft in Boston after swinging a heavy backpack onto his back. Thirteen staples in his head later, and after terrifying Abrevaya with a phone call, the two agreed he wouldn’t travel alone anymore. He’s maintaining momentum for the cause with more hours in his home office and fewer in airports.
In December, I AM ALS debuted billboards around Times Square as part of its #CuresForAll campaign aimed at informing the public about the impact a cure or better treatment for a neurodegenerative disease can have on other diseases such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. ALS patients and their families from states including Michigan, Maine and Colorado were in New York for the launch.
The billboards noted the number of people lost to ALS each day — 16 — with photographs of those who died in 2019. Days earlier, Pete Frates, a founder of the viral fundraiser the Ice Bucket Challenge, which raised $115 million, had died. He was 34.
The campaign was also shared on social media. The posts expressed the suffering and loss nationwide: a mother wrote about her son who was diagnosed at 20 and died at 28; a son posted in honor of his dad; Colorado Rep. Jason Crow posted a message honoring his cousin.
It’s time, the couple said, to switch ALS conversations from a diagnosis rooted in darkness to the faces of people bravely moving forward. They want to speed development of potential cures and give patients more access to experimental treatments.
That’s not an unreasonable goal, said Sabrina Paganoni, a physician scientist at The Sean M. Healey & AMG Center for ALS at Mass General in Boston, which plans to test at least five different medications for ALS at the same time, a first for the disease and something she said could be a huge turning point.
Advertisement
On Wednesday, the Healey Center announced it received FDA approval to move forward with testing the first three drugs: Zilucoplan, Verdiperstat and CNM-Au8. Similar to how cancer drugs are already tested, this gives patients access to more treatments and allows researchers to quickly collect data and accelerate the pace toward a cure.
“This is a very exciting time in the history of ALS,” Paganoni said. “I think this is going to be the decade when ALS is changed from a rapidly fatal disease to a more chronic disease that we can manage.”
For years, Steve Perrin, the chief executive officer at the ALS Therapy Development Institute, has monitored clinical trials for ALS. So far, he said, the two drugs approved by the FDA, Radicava and Rilutek, are “a very marginal slowing down of disease.”
This year, he said the quality of drugs going into trials seems improved. He is excited about several trials, including one studying stem cells and another testing a drug to potentially slow progression in some patients.
“As a patient you want to see something measurable, and I don’t mean measurable in days,” he said. “If I’m a patient, I want to see something, and I want hope for myself and my family. I want something that is going to slow the disease down so I can watch my kids growing up, I can watch them graduate from college, I can watch them marry.”
But that takes resources.
Advertisement
“We are in a time when we can reasonably say that there’s going to be new treatments available,” Paganoni said. “But we need more funding and support, so all of this can happen, and happen soon.”
Nearly every moment feels like a push-pull for Wallach and Abrevaya.
Do they spend more precious minutes with their two daughters, ages 4 and 2, or do they spend time away, among strangers — on a plane, in a researcher’s office, walking the halls of Congress — with the hope that those minutes will, someday, result in time banked to create more family memories.
“The hardest balance, if I’m honest, is, I love every minute I have with them,” Wallach said about his daughters, “but I also feel this pressing sense of, I need to be working towards a goal of actually finding a cure.”
“We’re doing that so we have a shot at a real future together,” Abrevaya said about their time spent traveling and advocating.
At home, when the family heads for the door, the toddlers reach for their father’s shoes, and they get his walking stick.
Advertisement
“While that both fills your heart with joy and appreciation, it’s also painful that your toddlers are being put in this position,” Abrevaya said.
The parents guard normalcy. They take their daughters to swim at the neighborhood pool and on vacation with friends. Wallach wishes he could lift them above his head to touch the ceiling, like their uncle can. But he can lie on the floor and play with them; he can listen to them belt out songs on their purple karaoke machine.
They find ways to lighten a heavy subject. On New Year’s Eve, the two danced in a video on the foundation’s Instagram, singing into hairbrushes, and Wallach promised to get an “ALS: You Gone” tattoo if 20,000 people donated $10 to a Healey Center research fundraiser. It raised $40,000 in 24 hours, Wallach said. No matter the outcome, he plans to get the tattoo.
The couple, who both work full-time jobs — Abrevaya is the president of nonprofit Thrive, Wallach works at law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom — want more research, to create a patient navigation system, and to gather signatures for a letter asking new FDA commissioner Stephen Hahn to speed ALS patients’ access to possible treatments.
And they keep looking for light. But it takes work.
Changing life with ALS for Wallach, and for other patients and their families, requires bold action from people with the power to make change: politicians, researchers, philanthropists.
Advertisement
As they meet others with ALS, they welcome new friends and face the pain of losing some.
“It does make you uniquely urgent in what you do,” Wallach said. “You push because you have to. You push because you know that the time that we have is precious, and that you want to see 20 years from now. And know that you can make that happen.”
Wallach often shares moments about his ALS journey on Twitter with his 40,000 followers. Recently, he shared something he wasn’t sure he should. It was a time he was unable to find light.
On a recent night, he woke up to pain he’s had for the past few months, radiating from his right hip to his right calf.
He clutched a stuffed llama his daughter gave him. And he began to cry.
“I cried because of the pain. I cried because I couldn’t be the father to my girls I dreamed of being,” he wrote. “I cried because I couldn’t be the husband to my wife I dream of being. Because I saw the future zooming ahead, and for a brief moment I wondered if I would be a part of it.”
Advertisement
His wife heard him crying that night. She asked what was wrong. And he said maybe they would be better off if he left, living instead in an assisted living facility. Their daughters, he told her, could have a dad who could do everything he dreamed of doing.
She looked at him in the dark. “You are my light,” she said. “You are their light. The only way you are leaving us is if you die in my arms, and we aren’t going to let that happen for a long, long, long time.”
Finally, he smiled.
abowen@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-01-25--Chicago police take 4 into custody in Calumet Park, recover vehicle in connection to string of robbe

Chicago police take 4 into custody in Calumet Park, recover vehicle in connection to string of robberies

About 11:40 p.m. , officers pulled over a vehicle in the 12800 block of South Bishop Street that was wanted @ @ @ @ @ in the city , according to Chicago police .

Four people were taken into custody and a vehicle was recovered late Friday in Calumet Park as Chicago police were on a search for robbery suspects.
About 11:40 p.m., officers pulled over a vehicle in the 12800 block of South Bishop Street that was wanted in connection to several robberies in the city, according to Chicago police.
Advertisement
Four people of interest were found in the vehicle and taken into custody, police said.
The robberies they were possibly connected to were not immediately revealed by police.
Advertisement
ayin@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-01-24--51-year-old woman shoots 3 men, killing one, at Lisle cigar lounge, authorities say

Although the motive behind the attacks was currently unknown , Wilkes said there was no longer any danger to the @ @ @ @ @ was dead .

The parking lot of Humidor cigar lounge in Lisle, where a shooting on Jan. 24, 2020, left several current and former Illinois State Police troopers dead or wounded. The shooter, a 51-year-old woman, died by suicide at the lounge, according to police. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)
Gregory Rieves wanted to become an Illinois State Police trooper since he was a boy.
“I don’t know why,” his mother, Hattie Rieves, said Saturday. “He always wanted to be a state trooper. ... He loved his job, he was always happy.”
Advertisement
Retired Illinois State Police Trooper Gregory Rieves was killed in a shooting at a Lisle cigar lounge on Jan. 24, 2020. ( Illinois State Police)
Rieves retired last year after a 22-year career with the Illinois State Police. Friday night, he was in a cigar lounge in Lisle with another retired trooper and an off-duty trooper when a woman behind them stood up and started firing, according to police.
Rieves, 51, was shot dead. The two men with him were seriously wounded: retired Trooper Lloyd Graham, 55, and off-duty Trooper Kaiton Bullock, 48.
Advertisement
The shooter, Lisa V. McMullan, 51, turned the gun on herself and died at the scene, police said.
“We have no idea why this happened,” Lisle’s acting police chief, Ron Wilke, told reporters outside the Humidor, at 1600 Ogden Ave., hours after the shooting. “I believe they know each other.”
McMullan, of Hyde Park, has no known criminal history, according to the Lisle Police Department. She had a valid firearm owner’s identification card and concealed carry license through the Illinois State Police.
McMullan and Rieves went to Proviso East High School in Maywood together in the 1980s. Police still have not determined if they were ever more than just acquaintances, but they also both have been known to frequent the Humidor of Lisle at the same time, according to officials.
Brendan Kelly, director of Illinois State Police, right, confirms the death of retired Trooper Gregory Rieves, who was shot and killed by a woman Friday night at a cigar lounge in Lisle. Kelly spoke at a news conference at the DuPage County coroner's office in Wheaton on Jan. 25, 2020. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)
Surveillance video shows McMullan sitting behind the three men in a “media room,” watching a big-screen television. Around 10:10 p.m., she stands up, draws a handgun and fires shots at the three “without apparent provocation,” according to the Lisle Police Department.
McMullan shot one of the men in the back of the head and then fired several rounds at the two others before shooting herself.
Seven bullets, including one she used on herself, were fired by McMullan during the incident, police said.
Advertisement
Lisa V. McMullan, 51, has been identified as the suspect in a shooting that killed retired Illinois State Police trooper Gregory Rieves and wounded another retired trooper and an off-duty trooper in Lisle Friday night. (Lisle Police Department)
Rieves was pronounced dead at a hospital. Graham and Bullock were taken to Edward Hospital and Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in serious condition. State police Director Brendan F. Kelly said Saturday that they were recovering and were “surrounded by loved ones."
He said Rieves was “well-loved by all those who worked with him." Rieves was the father of a 23-year-old son.
Rieves' mother said she does not know McMullan or why she would have shot her son. "I only know what I saw on the news. I have no idea what happened," she said. "I never knew him to have anything against anybody.
“He had a tough job, I was very concerned about it,” she added. “But he didn’t worry.”
Rieves said she last saw her son three weeks ago. “The last time I saw him was on my birthday when he brought me a bouquet.”
She said his friends have been calling the family home all day Saturday. “He was a very, very good guy,” said Rieves, 81.
Advertisement
Her son had another passion in life: baseball. “When he was little, I would take him to games.” Rieves continued to play on teams after finishing school.
“He did have a good life,” she said. “A life that he loved.”
Chicago Tribune’s Paige Fry contributed.


chicagotribune--2020-01-24--Ask Amy: Political differences puzzle and muzzle friend

Instead , you should behave as you always have , and watch and listen for cues from her .
You @ @ @ @ @ , `` We 'd like to visit , but we understand that you are going @ @ @ @ @ I hope you do n't feel an obligation , but please understand that if you @ @ @ @ @ us , just say the word and we 'll jump into the car .
Regardless @ @ @ @ @ know that we care about you and would like to keep in touch . ''

Dear Amy: This summer, I chose to invite lifelong friends for a week at a mountain cabin.
Knowing that they are ultra-conservative and evangelical, I decided to keep my mouth shut and listen.
Advertisement
Listening became difficult when I was sitting at a table in the main room and the other two, not far away in the sitting area, engaged in a critical dissection of a former neighbor's marriage to another woman (and their new son).
I said nothing, but I found it puzzling, as well as offensive, since the woman discussed happens to be my cousin.
Advertisement
Why would anyone do such a thing? I was sitting six feet behind them. I said nothing. It still upsets me.
— Puzzled in North Carolina
Dear Puzzled: I support your idea to engage in some active listening, which can help to promote tolerance and understanding.
The "shutting up" part of your program makes no sense to me, however.
Your scenario presupposes that remaining silent while overhearing people critically "dissect" a family member is somehow worse than passively listening while the same people express bigotry toward strangers.
Why didn't you speak up? Why didn't you ever speak up?
"Ultra-conservative and evangelical" people are tasked with the same duties, burdens and privileges as you are: to love and respect fellow human beings. If your friends choose not to recognize, love and respect the basic humanity of people they disagree with, then they should be called out and challenged on their beliefs and behavior.
Plus, gossiping about and armchair-critiquing others while lounging in comfort in someone else's vacation home is bad form. They don't sound like good or gracious guests but -- because of your silence -- they've been denied access to your point of view and a possible course correction.
Advertisement
Dear Amy: I'm having trouble figuring out how to proceed in my relationship with my uncle's widow, "Barbara."
I like Barbara and have found her to be an interesting and intelligent person.
We didn't see a lot of them because we all live quite a distance away, but in the past couple of years we visited them several times.
Barbara always seemed to welcome our visits, and sometimes it was phone calls from her that led to our choice to travel to see them.
Yet at the same time, she often seemed to read ill intent where there was none, and sometimes made rather cutting remarks aimed at me.
This happened again after my uncle's funeral. I know that she was under a great deal of stress and sadness at the time, but I'm wondering if she would rather discontinue our relationship now. She has a lot of family around her who seem very supportive, so I don't think she really needs us to visit, and it seems like quite possibly now that my uncle is gone, she really would rather we didn't.
Advertisement
Do you have any suggestions?
— Wondering
Dear Wondering: I don't think it's wise, or helpful, to ask your uncle's widow outright if she would like to abruptly and completely discontinue this relationship with you and your family.
Instead, you should behave as you always have, and watch and listen for cues from her. You should contact her and say, "We'd like to visit, but we understand that you are going through a challenging transition. I hope you don't feel an obligation, but please understand that if you'd like a visit from us, just say the word and we'll jump into the car. Regardless, we want you to know that we care about you and would like to keep in touch."
Dear Amy: The note from "Seen it All" centered on how to respond to irate customers.
Many years ago, while working for the nation's largest airline, all public contact managers and frontline customer agents were provided with several training sessions, which focused on the difference between sympathy and empathy when responding to difficult, mishandled or irate customers. This also applies to everyday staff interactions within a company ... or even at home.
Advertisement
For example, a sympathetic answer would be, "I'm sorry you were asked to do that."
Ask Amy Daily No-nonsense advice for better living delivered to your inbox every morning. By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our Subscriber Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy >
On the other hand, an empathetic response tends to calm things down before asking, "What would you like me to do?"
Here's an example: "I don't blame you for feeling that way. I'd probably feel the same. How can we resolve this to your satisfaction?" Or, "How can we handle this differently in the future?"
— Steve in Tulsa, OK
Dear Steve: I agree that these approaches would work well at home, too. Thank you!
Get the latest no-nonsense advice for better living delivered to your inbox every morning with our Ask Amy newsletter. Sign up here.
(You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.)
Advertisement
Copyright 2019 by Amy Dickinson
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency


chicagotribune--2020-01-24--In their 1st game without Lauri Markkanen out, the Bulls struggle to score in a 98-81 loss to the Ki

In their 1st game without Lauri Markkanen out, the Bulls struggle to score in a 98-81 loss to the Kings

The absence of Markkanen , who has a stress reaction in his right pelvis , will make life difficult for @ @ @ @ @ has been decimated by injuries .
The Kings took advantage by making their first nine @ @ @ @ @ and scoring 30 of their 54 first-half points there .
That might be the game @ @ @ @ @ a Bulls team missing four key frontcourt players : Markkanen , Wendell Carter Jr. , @ @ @ @ @ Jr .

Bulls guard Zach LaVine felt it almost immediately as he drove to the basket in the first quarter of Friday’s 98-81 loss to the Kings. An extra body stood in the middle, clogging up the paint. In fact, it seemed like there was always an extra defender swarming him every time he touched the ball.
As the Bulls’ leading scorer and one of the leading scorers in the entire NBA this month, LaVine is accustomed to the extra attention. But without Lauri Markkanen, who is out for the next 4-6 weeks because of a stress reaction in his right pelvis, things are going to get even more difficult for LaVine and the scoring load his team expects him to carry.
Advertisement
Here are three takeaways from the Bulls’ loss to the Kings as the team begins life without one of the most important pieces of its core.
1. The Bulls already were struggling to find scoring help for Zach LaVine. That problem just got much worse.
LaVine adjusted after his poor-shooting first half (3-of-10) and stormed out of the gate at halftime with 10 straight points in an attempt to will the Bulls back into the game, but he couldn’t carry the offense by himself. He scored 21 points on 8-for-21 shooting, but the next highest scorer on the Bulls, Chandler Hutchison, scored just 11 points.
Advertisement
Finding a second scorer alongside LaVine already had been an issue before this injury to Markkanen, especially considering some of his long scoring droughts. But this Bulls offense looked stagnant in its first try to fill that void.
“We got to find one, maybe we do it by committee, maybe it’s a different guy every night,” coach Jim Boylen said. “I don’t know, we’ll find one. We’ll figure it out.”
This game was played just hours after the team announced the news about Markkanen, so perhaps some improvement can be expected in coming games. But this was a bad offensive team with Markkanen on the floor. Without him, the spacing was at times nonexistent.
It seems almost certain to put a higher onus on LaVine, who already has been carrying this Bulls offense for most of this season. This was his 13th consecutive game with at least 20 points, dating back to Jan. 2.
“I just got to try to create,” LaVine said. “Sometimes you look to be more assertive like I tried to be at the beginning of the third quarter, really strong and be more aggressive. Just pick my spots on when to try and pick us up in the scoring column or try and help each other and get dudes open.”
2. The rotation expands as Jim Boylen tries to find productive lineups.
Bulls coach Jim Boylen already had been piecing together lineups for the last few weeks, searching for ways to replace the loss of centers Wendell Carter Jr. (ankle) and Daniel Gafford (thumb), but this deals another blow to the team’s big men.
Thaddeus Young has been one of the few consistent performers among Bulls reserves, but now he gets moved to the stating lineup, sending the bench into flux.
Expect the Bulls to play small more frequently with their reserves out of necessity, frequently using Hutchison, who went 5-for-6 from the field, at power forward.
Advertisement
On Friday, the Bulls remained committed to using a deep bench, with 11 players getting into the game for Boylen, including Denzel Valentine, who had been banished to the bench aside from garbage-time action for nearly a month. Valentine played more than six minutes in a game for the first time since Dec. 30 as he and Shaquille Harrison were inserted into the rotation.
“They’ll be ready to play, and we’ll see how it goes,” Boylen said before the game. “We’ve been playing 10 guys, we’ve been playing 11 when there’s foul trouble, injury, or somebody goes back to the locker room. Everybody has to be ready to roll.”
3. This season could spiral out of control quickly.
The season already had been a massive disappointment for the Bulls, and things don’t appear any easier on the horizon. After a back-to-back in Cleveland on Saturday, the Bulls begin a stretch of games against teams fighting for playoff spots, hosting the Spurs on Monday before a three-game road trip at Indiana, Brooklyn and Toronto.
Injuries make life difficult on any team, and after a plethora of them such as the Bulls have endured, it can be easy for a team not headed for the playoffs to start checking out. Boylen was not concerned with that Friday night, but it’s something to be cautious of as the Bulls try to turn the page from this latest setback.
“I don’t think about that; I don’t premeditate that stuff,” Boylen said. “I’m going to keep coaching these guys hard, just like I always have. They’ll work and they care. We’re in a difficult stretch in the schedule and we’ve had some issues with our injury bug, but we’re just going to keep working at it. I’ve never had a problem with these guys working or caring.”
Here’s more coverage from Friday’s game.
Advertisement
The Bulls have struggled to score consistently this season even with forward Lauri Markkanen on the floor, so overcoming his absence for at least the next month will be a daunting task. Especially judging by their performance offensively on Friday night, when the Bulls labored without one of their most important players en route to a 98-81 loss to the Kings at the United Center.
Hours after the team announced Markkanen is expected to miss the next 4-6 weeks, the Bulls followed by shooting just 39% from the field and 21.6% on 3-pointers. They struggled to space the floor or to provide another reliable option to go with Zach LaVine, who seemingly was swarmed by Kings defenders every time he touched the ball.
“You got to keep playing because nobody’s going to feel bad for you,” LaVine said. “They’re just going to try and take advantage of it. We got guys that can step up. … We just got to pick each other up and keep fighting.”
Chicago Tribune Sports Weekdays A daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute. By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our Subscriber Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy >
LaVine attempted to pull the Bulls into the game with 10 straight points to start the second half, but they could not overcome an off shooting night from LaVine, who went 8-for-21 from the floor and finished with a team-high 21 points. The next highest scorer for the Bulls was Chandler Hutchison, who scored 11 points off the bench.
A frustrating night for the Bulls spilled over to the court in the fourth quarter when they were hit with a pair of technical fouls — first when LaVine argued with an official on a non-call, then when coach Jim Boylen continued yelling from the sideline on the next possession.
The Bulls scored just 12 points in the fourth quarter. With about two minutes remaining and the Bulls preparing for a back-to-back Saturday night in Cleveland, Boylen pulled his starters to concede the loss.
Advertisement
“We struggled to make shots in key moments, and they made some big shots to spread the lead,” Boylen said. “You can’t have a 12-point fourth quarter and hang in there.”
The absence of Markkanen, who has a stress reaction in his right pelvis, will make life difficult for the Bulls, whose frontcourt has been decimated by injuries. The Kings took advantage by making their first nine field goals in the paint and scoring 30 of their 54 first-half points there. That might be the game plan for teams to attack a Bulls team missing four key frontcourt players: Markkanen, Wendell Carter Jr., Daniel Gafford and Otto Porter Jr.
But Friday’s game made it clear the Bulls will miss Markkanen most on the offensive end. They already had been searching for a reliable option to go alongside LaVine, a role they hoped Markkanen would be ready for this season, but this setback could serve as a crushing blow to a season that began with such high hopes.
“We got to get somebody to step up,” LaVine said. “And I think we’ll find it.”


chicagotribune--2020-01-24--Man found beaten to death inside vacant West Englewood home, police say

About 5:10 p.m. , the male about 40 years of age was discovered inside a vacant house in the 6400 @ @ @ @ @ , according to Chicago police .

This website stores data such as cookies to enable essential site functionality, as well as marketing, personalization, and analytics. By remaining on this website, you indicate your consent.


chicagotribune--2020-01-24--For years Chicago police rated the risk of tens of thousands being caught up in violence. That contr

For years Chicago police rated the risk of tens of thousands being caught up in violence. That controversial effort has quietly been ended.

“ It is a big deal , ” said Andrew Ferguson , a visiting professor at American University Washington College @ @ @ @ @ extensively on big data policing risks .
“ It finally puts the brakes on a @ @ @ @ @ policing that was largely flawed at the outset .
I think there is a clear @ @ @ @ @ spent dealing with the underlying social and economic issues that cause violent crime .
But @ @ @ @ @ cost to the individuals who were on these lists or targeted by these lists .
@

Chicago police process a crime scene after at least five people reportedly were shot at Pulaski Road and Maypole Avenue in Chicago on Jan. 16, 2020. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune)
Chicago police have quietly ended a controversial data-gathering effort that rated tens of thousands of residents on who was most likely to be caught up in violence — either as a victim or criminal.
A report last week by the city’s government watchdog disclosed the demise of the eight-year program — referred to by police as the “Strategic Subject List” or SSL — while raising concerns about its operations on a number of fronts, including the accuracy of the ratings and the sharing of the data with other law enforcement agencies.
Advertisement
The Police Department had revised the SSL numerous times since its inception in 2012, including a significant overhaul last year that included a name change.
In quietly dumping the program in November, the department acknowledged that the data-scraping effort hadn’t reduced violence, citing a national study released last year that found the SSL ineffective.
Advertisement
The reversal follows a similar move by Los Angeles police last year.
One national expert said CPD’s decision was long overdue, considering the inherent bias in a department targeting people based on its own data as well as the risk of violating individuals’ civil rights and concerns that such lists lead over-policed communities to distrust the police.
“It is a big deal,” said Andrew Ferguson, a visiting professor at American University Washington College of Law who has written extensively on big data policing risks. “It finally puts the brakes on a system of targeted person-based predictive policing that was largely flawed at the outset. I think there is a clear financial cost — money not spent dealing with the underlying social and economic issues that cause violent crime. But there is also a personal cost to the individuals who were on these lists or targeted by these lists.”
‘We know who they are’
The SSL program was borne out of Chicago’s experimentation in the 2000s with predictive policing, a scientific approach to figuring out which “hot spots” would see spikes in violence so more officers could be deployed there to help out. Chicago ultimately became the only big-city police department to win a federal grant allowing it to place increasing emphasis on those behind the violence.
Using a computerized algorithm developed by the Illinois Institute of Technology, police scored people on the list from zero to more than 500 by looking at myriad factors, including their criminal histories, especially for weapons or drug offenses, as well as if they had ever been shot or affiliated with a street gang. The higher the score, the greater their risk to be involved in violence.
Similar to other department databases, the SSL was accessible to street cops — and soon became integral to their daily operations. For a time, then-Superintendent Eddie Johnson noted “we know who they are” in discussing the city’s criminal element — a reference to the SSL.
Police brass often cited the data in response to high-profile crime incidents, telling reporters if suspects scored high on the SSL.
But it was never clear that it provided a practical way to reduce violence. A 2019 study by the Rand Corporation concluded as much.
Advertisement
In the report, the public policy think tank concluded that the Police Department’s last version of the SSL was "operationally unsuitable” for several reasons, including that the data used to determine individuals’ risk assessments was too out of date to keep up with the quick pace of Chicago’s violence.
The report also found a “level of public fear” about the program that overshadowed its efforts to reduce violence. Those public concerns stemmed from the Police Department’s failure to be fully open about the program’s inner workings, the report said.
The study noted as well that being on a “bad guy list” tarnished shooting victims.
In addition, since arrest data was a key factor in determining those most at-risk of violence, anyone with a recent arrest was automatically subjected to “additional scrutiny and punishment,” Rand said.
The Police Department touted its use of the SSL by police officials, clergy and community leaders during door-to-door visits with some of those with the highest scores, warning them about the dangers of a criminal lifestyle while offering social services to try to help steer them away from trouble.
In its report released last week, the city inspector general’s office found fault with the Police Department for, among other things, not properly training its officers on their use of the SSL.
Advertisement
The IG report also criticized the Police Department for sharing the data with the Cook County sheriff’s and state’s attorney’s offices as well as the mayor’s office without providing guidelines on how to use information.
The report also faulted police officials for improperly factoring individuals’ arrest histories into their scores without considering whether they had been convicted.
“If an individual was released without charges or was charged and acquitted, or if the charges were dismissed, that individual would have had a risk score … which factored in an offense which they were never found to have committed,” the report said.
Ferguson, the law professor, noted that what he calls “targeted people-based” predictive policing also raises problems because it is based on arrest records generated by the department, resulting in a built-in bias. For example, drug arrests can be a product of over-policing, possibly undercutting the validity of such data to determine an individual’s true risk.
Ferguson said using such data in developing policing strategies can be effective, but he criticized CPD — facing pressure to reduce violence — for pushing the idea without an effective plan for how it would be used.
“Chicago felt like they had to do something, and this was their answer,” he said. “All of these things are a failure of imagination, of vision at the front end.”
Advertisement
Last year a similar list kept by Los Angeles police of the city’s “chronic offenders” drew criticism in a police oversight report for being poorly maintained and inconsistent. This led the department to announce major changes, Ferguson said.
A shift in strategy
In late September, the nearly $4 million in federal grant money that CPD used to develop the SSL ran out, leading to its cancellation on Nov. 1, according to the inspector general’s report.
In an interview Friday, Anthony Guglielmi, the Police Department’s chief spokesman, said the decision to end the effort also reflected a shift in strategy to rely on technology centers inside police districts and detective areas as well as support for a growing network of community organizations that provide street outreach, social services and victim advocacy across the city.
The tech centers, funded largely by a $10 million private donation, offer a wide array of computer programs and specialized tools — including gunshot detection technology called ShotSpotter and an extensive network of surveillance cameras — for officers to track violence in real time.
The centers have been expanded to all but two of the city’s 22 districts, providing critical information in solving shootings, the department said.
But Ferguson warned that, just like the SSL, the tech centers’ expanded use of surveillance needs to be monitored to protect the constitutional rights of citizens.
Advertisement
“We can’t take our eyes off the ball," he said.
In response, Guglielmi said the tech centers gather data mostly on the places and times that crimes happen to help commanders deploy officers to respond. The centers are used to quickly gather any relevant video footage. The city, he said, has a long history of depending on surveillance cameras, and he stressed they capture crimes taking place in public spaces only, not private homes.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois, which has been critical of the Police Department’s emphasis on predictive policing, praised its decision to end its use of the SSL as well as the inspector general’s report for shining a light on its problems.
In a statement, Karen Sheley, director of the ACLU of Illinois’ police practices project, called for continued transparency on the Police Department’s part for the “predictive policing tools” it is still using.
“Transparency is critical to the ongoing effort to create faith in policing in Chicago," she said. "Unregulated, sophisticated, powerful databases involving hundreds of thousands of names only harm that trust.”
jgorner@chicagotribune.com
Advertisement
asweeney@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-01-24--Cubs reportedly close to signing veteran outfielder Steven Souza Jr.

While injuries have marred his last two seasons , Souza did hit 30 homers and drove in 78 runs in @ @ @ @ @ in 2017 .
If he can come close to replicating those power numbers , the @ @ @ @ @ .
If not , they will go back to the drawing board .

With spring training closing in, the Cubs finally appear ready to make their big move.
Whether the imminent signing of free-agent outfielder Steven Souza Jr. is the move Cubs fans have been waiting for all winter is a different story.
Advertisement
Souza, who suffered a catastrophic knee injury in spring training with the Diamondbacks last year and missed the 2019 season, is close to signing a major-league deal with the Cubs, according to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal.
It’s a low-risk signing that fits in their tight budget and gives the Cubs a corner outfielder who can also play center.
Advertisement
Souza, 30, who was non-tendered by the Diamondbacks, is a career .233 hitter with 70 home runs and 198 RBIs in 471 career games with the Nationals, Rays and Diamondbacks.
Chicago Tribune Sports Weekdays A daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute. By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our Subscriber Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy >
While injuries have marred his last two seasons, Souza did hit 30 homers and drove in 78 runs in 148 games with the Rays in 2017. If he can come close to replicating those power numbers, the Cubs will have a steal. If not, they will go back to the drawing board.
Last year Souza had season-ending surgery to repair an ACL tear, LCL tear, partial PCL tear and posterior lateral capsule tear in his left knee. He collapsed after stepping awkwardly on home plate.
The addition of Souza will be the Cubs’ first free-agent signing in a quiet offseason dominated by rumors of trading star third baseman Kris Bryant. Last year their only free-agent additions were infielder Daniel Descalso and reliever Brad Brach, both of whom has subpar seasons. Brach was let go during the season and signed with the Mets.
Souza will join a crowded outfield picture with starters Jason Heyward and Kyle Schwarber as well as Albert Almora Jr. and Ian Happ.
The Cubs have declined to re-sign free-agent outfielder Nicholas Castellanos, who didn’t fit into their 2020 plans despite being their most consistent hitter the final two months of 2019 after being acquired at the trade deadline from the Tigers.
As much as the Cubs liked Castellanos, his signing would’ve pushed them over the $208 million luxury-tax threshold. The Cubs paid a $7 million penalty for exceeding the $206 million threshold last year and would face more significant penalties for exceeding it in back-to-back seasons.
Earlier Friday the Cubs announced left-hander CD Pelham cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Iowa. Pelham was claimed off waivers from the Rangers in November.


chicagotribune--2020-01-24--Does Eloy Jimenez want to DH? ‘No, (bleep) that.’ 4 takeaways from the first day of SoxFest

“ I want to come back and manage , yes , ” Guillen said .
`` But ( do ) @ @ @ @ @ that ?
No .
One of my biggest reasons I want to come back is @ @ @ @ @ and my grandchild can watch me .
Or leave the way I want to leave @ @ @ @ @ my head up .
Sometimes I think about it , I feel I did something @ @ @ @ @ .

White Sox players, coaches and alumni arrived Friday at McCormick Place West for the first day of SoxFest.
Here are four takeaways from the players’ session with reporters.
Advertisement
1. Eloy Jimenez is very happy in left field and definitely does not want to DH.
Count Eloy Jimenez among the players very happy to see the White Sox sign Edwin Encarnacion.
The veteran slugger signed a one-year deal Jan. 9.
Advertisement
Encarnacion will bring stability to designated hitter for the Sox after their DHs combined for just 17 home runs in 2019.
Jimenez plays left field, and he said he’s working very hard to improve defensively.
“It’s going to be better,” Jimenez said.
He occasionally served as the designated hitter, primarily when he was returning from injuries, and hit .156 with three home runs and three RBIs in eight games in the role during his rookie season. He hit .275 with 28 home runs and 76 RBIs in 113 games as a left fielder.
When asked if he wants to DH, Jimenez smiled and said, “No, (bleep) that."
Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 54 Yoan Moncada cuts a ribbon to open SoxFest. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
2. Dylan Cease is getting down to the “nitty-gritty.”
Fastball command and the sharpness of his off-speed pitches are areas starting pitcher Dylan Cease will focus on this spring.
“All the little nitty-gritty things you have to be able to do to be able to succeed as a big-league pitcher,” Cease said.
Cease went 4-7 with a 5.79 ERA after joining the team from Triple-A Charlotte on July 3.
Advertisement
He said he picked up a lot in his 14 starts.
“The biggest thing is if I execute pitches, I’m good," Cease said. "But if I waste pitches early, you can’t go deep in the game, you can’t have a lot of success having 40-pitch innings all the time.”
Cease will look to build off a solid September. He went 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA in four starts.
“A big thing about it was a mechanical adjustment,” Cease said, “but at the same time, it’s really just continuing the process of what I was doing and not getting too high or too low.”
3. Ozzie Guillen would like to manage again.
The Astros, Red Sox and Mets had managerial openings recently as part of the fallout from the Astros sign-stealing scandal.
Ozzie Guillen’s name did not come up as a candidate.
Advertisement
Guillen said it was actually his “kid” who sent out a tweet pointing out that he wasn’t on an MLB Network list of managerial options.
But the former White Sox skipper, who guided the Sox to the 2005 World Series title and is part of the team’s pre- and postgame television shows, would like to get another crack at managing some day.
“I want to come back and manage, yes,” Guillen said. "But (do) I lose sleep because of that? No. One of my biggest reasons I want to come back is to win another championship hopefully and my grandchild can watch me. Or leave the way I want to leave. Leave this game with my head up. Sometimes I think about it, I feel I did something very wrong in the game.
“I didn’t do anything very wrong in the game. I just say (it) the way it was. I just say (it) the way it should be said, but we’ll wait and see. Do I want to manage again? Yes, I do. But I have a great job."
4. Dallas Keuchel looked beyond last year’s record when evaluating the Sox.
Sox manager Rick Renteria said on Thursday he’d be “disappointed” if the Sox didn’t make the postseason.
Starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel agreed with Renteria on Friday. Keuchel sees a team heading in the right direction.
Advertisement
“The record last year really didn’t portray it, but you could see the talent,” Keuchel said. "It’s been a big overhaul in guys and free-agent signings, which is really great to see.
“When you look at the division, you look at everything, you look at the trajectory, it really bodes well for the South Side. The signing of (Yasmani) Grandal was kind of a mind-blowing one especially with (James) McCann having such a great year. But it fortifies two of the best backstops in the league, and that’s really where you build from.”
Chicago Tribune’s Phil Thompson contributed.


chicagotribune--2020-01-24--Where was Bo Jackson when college football’s greatest were honored at the national championship game

Where was Bo Jackson when college football’s greatest were honored at the national championship game? Taking care of business, he says at SoxFest.

ESPN unveiled the 11 greatest players of college football ’ s first 150 years between halves of LSU ’ s @ @ @ @ @ 13 in New Orleans , capping a list of 150 former stars as selected by @ @ @ @ @ all but two were either present or represented .

To answer a lingering question from halftime of the college football national championship game: Bo Jackson was taking care of business.
ESPN unveiled the 11 greatest players of college football’s first 150 years between halves of LSU’s win against Clemson on Jan. 13 in New Orleans, capping a list of 150 former stars as selected by an expert panel, and all but two were either present or represented.
Advertisement
Conspicuously absent from the on-field ceremony were Illinois and Bears great Dick Butkus and Auburn’s Jackson, who went on to a two-sport pro career that included 1991 and ’93 hitches with baseball’s White Sox.
I can’t be the only one wondering...but where is Bo Jackson?! #CFPChampionship — Larra Overton (@LarraOverton) January 14, 2020
Butkus, according to a source, was suffering from a mild stomach ailment and advised not to fly to the ceremony.
Advertisement
Jackson said he did not have enough time to reschedule his prior commitments.
“When I found out about it, my schedule was already packed, and I couldn’t give up business even though I wanted to,” Jackson said Friday at McCormick Place while attending the opening of SoxFest. “I had other obligations that supersede that.
Chicago Tribune Sports Weekdays A daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute. By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our Subscriber Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy >
“It’s not my fault. They wanted me to be there and I told them I couldn’t. The simple way to put it is I had business meetings with my company that were more important."
Jackson declined to say where his meetings were or what specifically they concerned.
“That doesn’t matter,” he said. “My job is to pay my bills. I was in business meetings.”
Jackson was ranked No. 3 by the panel of 150 experts (including the Tribune’s Teddy Greenstein) ESPN brought together to rank the 150 greatest players. Butkus was No. 8.
No. 1 Jim Brown, No 2 Herschel Walker, No. 4 Archie Griffin, No. 7 Earl Campbell, No. 9 Barry Sanders and No. 11 Roger Staubach were on hand for the Superdome ceremony.
The late Jim Thorpe (No. 5) and Red Grange (No. 6) had relatives stand in as proxies.
Advertisement
“I didn’t know that I could send anyone else,” Jackson said.


chicagotribune--2020-01-24--Robert Archibald, an Illinois center on 2 Big Ten championship basketball teams, dies at 39

Archibald scored 25 points in that 87-81 loss to Arizona then moved into the starting lineup as a senior .
@ @ @ @ @ 5.5 rebounds as the Illini went 26-9 ( 11-5 Big Ten ) and advanced to @ @ @ @ @ he had 15 points and 10 rebounds in a 73-69 loss to Kansas .
The @ @ @ @ @ 38-26 in Big Ten play in Archibald ’ s four years in Champaign .

Former Illinois center Robert Archibald, a member of the Illini’s 2000-01 and 2001-02 teams that won a share of the Big Ten championship, has died at age 39, the university confirmed Friday. The cause of death remained unknown.
A native of Scotland who attended high school in the St. Louis area, the 6-foot-11 Archibald played 130 games in four seasons at Illinois (1998-2002). As a junior, he averaged 7.2 points and 4.5 rebounds as a key reserve for a team that finished 27-8 (13-3 Big Ten) and reached the Elite Eight of the 2001 NCAA Tournament under coach Bill Self.
Advertisement
Archibald scored 25 points in that 87-81 loss to Arizona then moved into the starting lineup as a senior. He averaged 10.6 points and 5.5 rebounds as the Illini went 26-9 (11-5 Big Ten) and advanced to the Sweet 16, where he had 15 points and 10 rebounds in a 73-69 loss to Kansas. The Illini went 89-45 overall and 38-26 in Big Ten play in Archibald’s four years in Champaign.
Illinois center Robert Archibald defends San Diego State's Tony Bland during a first-round NCAA Tournament game on March 15, 2002. (JIM PRISCHING / CHICAGO TRIBUNE)
The Grizzlies drafted Archibald in the second round in 2002, and he played 44 games over two NBA seasons with the Grizzlies, Suns, Magic and Raptors before continuing his professional career in Europe.
Advertisement
He retired as a player after competing for the British national team in the 2012 Olympics in London.


chicagotribune--2020-01-24--What’s hot, what’s not, and why the new home design trends are Chicago-friendly

Antiques and vintage : As millennials continue to decorate first homes or upgrade their apartments , interest in vintage pieces continues to rise .
Thirty-two percent of the designers in the 1stdibs survey said they use predominantly vintage pieces in their interiors , up from 26 % in 2018 .
Gordon , whose parents are the antique dealers behind Chicago ’ s Old Plank Antiques , has had a lifelong love of vintage pieces .
“ I can ’ t think of a single home or space or room that couldn ’ t use a bit of patina , character @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Antiques or vintage pieces always improve the room .
You ’ re not going to find that exact thing in somebody else ’ s house.
” And , of course , antiques are sustainable .
“ We ’ re reusing , ” Gordon says , “ and we ’ re not shipping it in from China.
” Her one don ’ t in the vintage department ?
The classic Milo Baughman-style , midcentury wood armchair .
“ I feel like those chairs became popular right when design was really starting to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s just oversaturated now .
We need to put those away for a while .
”

Remember when you couldn’t wait to paint the living room Millennial Pink? As 2020 gets underway and the annual itch to refresh our spaces hits, that color might not be feeling so fresh. Millennial Pink, like most trends that show up everywhere, all at once, has receded like a splashy (yet subtle, dull, almost beige) pink wave washing out to sea.
Some of us aren’t too torn up about it. “I have never been a pink, purple, girly girl,” says Lauren Buxbaum Gordon, who in 2019 was named Nate Berkus’ first partner at Nate Berkus Associates, his Chicago-based design firm.
Advertisement
These days, a lot of other designers aren’t feeling it, either. When online marketplace 1stdibs released its annual designer survey this week, the once-ubiquitous shade of pink wound up on the “out” list.
Which leaves room for something entirely different — like the new trends that designers are calling out for 2020.
Advertisement
Studio Shamshiri’s office in Los Angeles makes watery greens a focus. (Trevor Tondro Photography/Studio Shamshiri)
Green in every shade: What’s taking off as pink and purple fade? Nature-inspired green, which can be dark and mysterious, or modern and bright. “I have always felt good about green,” says Gordon, who chose apple green for her 4-year-old daughter’s room in her Chicago townhouse. “I’m drawn to a bunch of different shades of green, and have them throughout my home,” she says. Dark greens in particular, she notes “go with just about anything” because they’re so often found in nature.
Warm wood and green houseplants cue a natural vibe in this interior by Grammercy Design. (Matthew Placek/Grammercy Design)
Warm wood: Designers in the 1stdibs survey said the industrial look was out, giving way to more natural wood. Wood furniture may have never disappeared, but wood has been showing up in light fixtures, kitchen countertops and even modern paneled walls. It’s part of an emphasis on nature that also includes overscale floral patterns and the color green (think not only paint and upholstery, but houseplants). “It’s that idea of bringing the outside in,” says Gordon.
Lauren Buxbaum Gordon, a partner at Nate Berkus Associates, believes vintage pieces "make every room better." (Heather Talbert/Nate Berkus Associates)
Antiques and vintage: As millennials continue to decorate first homes or upgrade their apartments, interest in vintage pieces continues to rise. Thirty-two percent of the designers in the 1stdibs survey said they use predominantly vintage pieces in their interiors, up from 26% in 2018. Gordon, whose parents are the antique dealers behind Chicago’s Old Plank Antiques, has had a lifelong love of vintage pieces. “I can’t think of a single home or space or room that couldn’t use a bit of patina, character or warmth,” she says. “Antiques or vintage pieces always improve the room. You’re not going to find that exact thing in somebody else’s house.” And, of course, antiques are sustainable. “We’re reusing,” Gordon says, “and we’re not shipping it in from China.” Her one don’t in the vintage department? The classic Milo Baughman-style, midcentury wood armchair. “I feel like those chairs became popular right when design was really starting to be popular on the internet, and it’s just oversaturated now. We need to put those away for a while.”
Finding design everywhere: “Everything is more accessible these days,” says Gordon, “whether you have a huge budget or not, because there are all these resources, even including Etsy, where you can find things that let you get a little more creative and adventurous with design.” The 1stdibs survey noted that designers are finding items online, including on social media platforms such as Instagram — though Gordon warns that she has rarely sourced items on Insta, mainly because “you’re not really sure how things are made or where they’re coming from.”
Welcoming Midwest style: We’ve all heard that the Midwest doesn’t worry about trends quite as much as the coasts, and it’s true, says Gordon. “I love my funky, colorful projects,” she says, “but in general, people in Chicago like a more neutral palette and a clean, warm look.” Luckily, in 2020, the trends are on our side: Warm woods and vintage pieces feel cozy, and natural elements fit right into clean-lined interiors. Looks like this could be a good year for changing up your Chicago space.


chicagotribune--2020-01-24--Boka chef Lee Wolen opening rotisserie-chicken shop in Revival Food Hall

“ I ’ ve always wanted to do a rotisserie restaurant , ” Wolen said , “ but restaurants are @ @ @ @ @ with a fast-casual spot will be a good test , and I think Revival ( @ @ @ @ @ , whose portfolio includes Longman & Eagle , Dusek ’ s Board & Beer , @ @ @ @ @ among others ) does it right . ''

Anyone who’s had Lee Wolen’s roasted chicken at Boka or his fried-chicken sandwich at Somerset knows he loves chicken. (Bill Hogan / Chicago Tribune)
“I love chicken, as everybody knows,” said chef Lee Wolen. And anyone who’s had Wolen’s roasted chicken at Boka restaurant or Wolen’s fried-chicken sandwich at Somerset, knows this to be true.
And now Wolen, a Michelin star winner for his work at Boka, in partnership as always with Boka Restaurant Group, is opening a place that will be all-chicken, all the time.
Advertisement
GG’s Chicken Shop and Rotisserie will debut in March in Revival Food Hall (125 S. Clark St.). Open for lunch and dinner, Monday-Friday, GG’s will sell rotisserie chicken by the quarter, half-bird or whole bird, and the Somerset fried-chicken sandwich. Soups, salads and sides — including a roasted cauliflower vegetarian option — will fill out the menu.
GG’s takes its name from Wolen’s mother, Geri, who, Wolen says, “has been GG forever.”
Advertisement
“I’ve always wanted to do a rotisserie restaurant,” Wolen said, “but restaurants are hard to run. Starting with a fast-casual spot will be a good test, and I think Revival (operators 16” on Center, whose portfolio includes Longman & Eagle, Dusek’s Board & Beer, Thalia Hall and Moneygun, among others) does it right."
Wolen said that GG’s Chicken Shop should open sometime around March 18 to 20.