North By Nordwestern

People need to learn how to use language.

For instance, Nordstrom told me I'd have a jacket coming from another store in 5 days. I didn't. Then they said it actually takes 3-8 days.

There was a time Nordstrom was known for its unparalleled service, not for making excuses. Once I get that jacket delivered, they're going to lose a good customer.

Me.

***

So I'm reading Chicago Magazine and in a response to a criticism of their "Power 100" edition, they mention that "...Chicago [Magazine] does not accept free meals at Next or any restaurant it reviews."

Fair enough, and I certainly hope so. But does that mean they do accept free meals at restaurants they don't review? Or that they accept free meals at restaurants and then just don't review them? C'mon guys, get the lingo down right.

BTW, Grant Achatz way ahead of Dick Durbin in the city's "Power 100?" Really? Durbin could probably find a way to shut Achatz down if he really wanted to, but I doubt Achatz could knock Durbin out of the U.S. Senate. Time to change the name to "Influential 100."  Maybe "Popular 100," ya' think?

***

Is it true, the Dolphins were considering cutting Brandon Marshall just before the Bears swooped in and served up a couple of draft choices for him?

So, the Bears fired a GM (Jerry "Whistle Dixie" Angelo) who screwed up and signed an alleged drug dealer (Sam Hurd) so they could hire a new GM (Phil Emery) who could trade for a wide receiver (Marshall) with a documented police record of domestic battery and assault.

A Chicago Tribune reader, sizing up the team on offense, commented that Marshall's addition to the Bears means "...the possibilities are awesome."

Yeah, that's what Marshall's wife said.

***

Ace reporter Warren Sapp of the NFL Network says former Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey is the "rat" who spilled to the league on the New Orleans "bounty" program administered by now-suspended former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams.

Call it the "Invasion of the Bounty Snatchers" or the "Invasion of the Body Snappers," but whatever you call it, Warren Sapp is hardly the investigative reporter I trust to break the story on who the "rat" is.

At least, that's what Drew Brees told me.

***

In the great traditions of Brandon Roy, Sam Bowie and even Arvydis Sabonis, yet another star Portland Trailblazer has been released or retired prematurely due to injury in the person of Greg Oden.

How did Yao Ming not end up on this franchise?

***

The Arena Football League has opened its season amid player unrest on the labor front and organizational  finances in question, or so ace investigative reporter Warren Sapp is saying.

And I keep asking myself, "Yeah, so what?"

Howard Schlossberg is editor of the Journal of Sports Media, with his first edition due out this year. He's an associate professor of journalism at Columbia College Chicago, where creativity and learning are embraced hand-in-hand. And he still writes sports for the Daily Herald in Chicago's northwest suburbs. http://journalsportsmedia.blogspot.com; www.colum.edu; http://www.facebook.com/pages/CCC-Journalism-Columbia-College-Chicago/115604591875424  

NBA, NCAA, NFL Nonsense Knows No Ends

My notebook's getting stuffed...


Recently read a column in Sports Business Journal declaring the moments that "...built the modern NBA." One of them was the original 1992 "Dream Team." Rocked the world. Creamed everyone at the Olympics.


Three Olympics later, Argentina won it all, we finished third. Didn't take the rest of the world long to catch up, did it?


                                ***


Same column also claimed the creation of and absorption of several ABA teams into the NBA helped invent an atmosphere of "free-wheeling...style."


Only four teams were "absorbed" and as to that free-wheeling style? It's called, no one plays defense anymore.


                                ***


Recently read a headline declaring that the Chicago Bears should select a quality receiver quickly in the upcoming NFL draft and sign a talented, veteran wide receiver ASAP in free agency.


Let's see, the Bears' divisional rivals, the Detroit Lions, drafted wide receivers in the first round in three of the four drafts between 2004-2007. Five years later, with only two of those three receivers still on their roster, they finally appeared in a playoff game.


Without needing tickets.


                                ***


The University of Illinois has fired (bought out) its football coach and its men's and women's basketball coaches this academic year. It required a total buyout of $7.12 million. Million. To require them not to work.


So far, while Ohio State was bringing in Urban Meyer to become its head football coach, Illinois has brought in some guy from Toledo. Speaks for itself...


                                ***


AARP The Magazine recently did a wonderful, in-depth profile on Sharon Stone, walking us through the adversities she has faced and either overcome or is in the process of overcoming. A terrific piece. Inspirational. I admire her. Respect her.


BTW, AARP The Magazine, you forgot to ask if she's bisexual. Just saying...


                                ***


The Ricketts family, which owns the Cubs, wants money from Illinois to fix up Wrigley Field and money from Arizona to fix up HoHoKam. This after two years of ownership and two fifth-place finishes in its division.


The more I read stuff like this the more I am convinced that pro franchises are nothing more than toys for rich people to manage with other people's money.


And welcome to Chicago, Theo. Good luck. Even if the Ricketts don't get all the money they want from respective government bodies, don't worry, I'll buy ya' a beer. No, really. OK, a Starbucks.


                               ***


The more I see of the Super Bowl aftermath, the more I'm convinced the only ones there were sponsors, their clients, celebrities, retired players who can almost still walk and a bunch of NFL security personnel. The latter spent all their time seizing everything from unlicensed merchandise before someone showed up wearing it on TV to all the illicit drugs they could find in the pockets of NFL players, in the game or not.


Should have confiscated Jim Irsay's cell phone or shut down his Twitter account. Or both.


Can't wait for SB 47. Uh, XLVII.


                              ***


Howard Schlossberg is editor of the Journal of Sports Media, with his first edition due out this year. He's an associate professor of journalism at Columbia College Chicago, where creativity and learning are embraced hand-in-hand. And he still writes sports for the Daily Herald in Chicago's northwest suburbs. http://journalsportsmedia.blogspot.com; www.colum.edu; http://www.facebook.com/pages/CCC-Journalism-Columbia-College-Chicago/115604591875424