Da Coach

Bob Newhart

Bob is coming to town this weekend, and in this interview with Dean Richards he fondly recalls greeting the pennant winning 1945 Cubs.

Trampoline Exploits

Somebody was obviously rolling tape last time I hit the trampoline gym...stole all my moves....

The Economy and The Cubs

Interesting take on the U.S. economy from Marketwatch writer Al Lewis.

He says it's just like the Chicago Cubs.

Woodpecker Warrior

My weekly Suburban Dad contribution to the City Mom blog at ChicagoNow is about my ongoing battle with a neighborhood woodpecker. You can read it here.

Disco Duck

I've always felt like I missed something by not being in America during the Bicentennial. My family lived in Germany and we never stepped foot in the U.S.A. for the entire year of 1976. Then again, I'm happy I wasn't around for this. It was the #1 hit in the country on this day in 1976. Amazing.

Theo to the Cubs

According to this AP report (via the Huffington Post), it's a done deal.

I know we've all been burned before, but if the Cubs really have hired a young whiz kid that already won two World Series in another city that had waited for many decades before winning one...I'm not going to let any negativity bum me out about this.

This is a good thing for the Cubs.

Hymie Weiss

85 years ago today Chicago gangster Hymie Weiss was gunned down right outside of Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago.

The bullet holes are still there.

That location, by the way, is featured in my upcoming novel "The Living Wills". (Details coming soon!)

Marlins Interested in Zambrano

So says a Miami television station.

Of course, Ozzie is the manager in Miami now, and he and his fellow Venezuelan have always gotten along well.

This may help land our new general manager. One less potential headache.

Good Vibrations

"Good Vibrations" was released exactly 45 years ago today. This video from 35 years ago features the Beach Boys performing it live (including Brian Wilson, who almost never made appearances with the band in those days), and it also has some footage from Brian's birthday party that year. Among the guests in the room; Paul and Linda McCartney...

Redd Foxx

Robert Feder's column this morning is about a new Redd Foxx biography, and it sounds like a good one. I had no idea that Foxx grew up in Chicago and went to high school with Harold Washington. The book also goes into his early show biz career, which I don't know a lot about. I may just have to pick this book up. Do they have still bookstores anywhere in your neighborhood?

I always considered Foxx a multi-talented performer. I still remember this Sanford & Son episode when he showed he could sing. He sounds just like Louis Armstrong.

Was that Theo Epstein?

The Chicago Tribune discusses the rumor that Epstein was spotted this weekend in Lincoln Park.

Father Knows Nothing

My latest Father Knows Nothing column has been posted at NWI Parent. This week's column is called "Do the voices, Dad, do the voices."

You can read it here.