Hey Moms and Dads! Spring is here and while most are thinking about adding more color to their wardrobes, The Heath Dolls are going to show you how to Style Spring in Black and White!
There’s nothing better than being comfortable and cute at the same time and these dresses happen to be both! We especially love the unique tulle detail on the sleeves making this dress a must have! Shop this look by contacting Fancy Like Mommy personal Styling and shopping today. Email [email protected]
We spiced up this black and white two piece peplum set by adding a little colorful fur scarf. You can pair it with a colored tee or blouse for a pop of color and more styling options. Shop this style by contacting Fancy Like Mommy personal Styling and shopping today. Email [email protected]
Power suits are certainly a trend that has followed us into Spring and we love it! We especially love ones with a cool pattern like this one. You can pair this set with a colored blouse or tee or even pair each piece separately to create different looks! Shop this style by contacting Fancy Like Mommy personal Styling and shopping today. Email [email protected]
A 1905 proclaiming the healthy benefits of Heurich Beer! (Wash. DC), 1905. Flickr photo by Joe Haupt.
This is likely the first victim of the COVID-19 isolation: Craftworks, the parent company of Rock Bottom, Gordon Biersch, Old Chicago and other restaurant chains, laid off all of its 18,000 employees on March 31. The termination notices, sent by email, also cancelled their health insurance benefits. This was allowed under their bankruptcy proceeding: the company filed for Chapter 11 protection on March 3. The Rock Bottoms in Chicago, Bolingbrook, Naperville and Orland Park had closed down completely under the COVID-19 isolation order, rather than attempt to offer carry-out or delivery service. The chain might still attempt to emerge from bankruptcy at a later time. Westword
Meanwhile, I have managed to cripple some of the functions on this site all by myself. I have a separate blog at markmcdermott.com that I tried to update to the latest version of WordPress, and it broke. While trying to sort out the issue, I managed to separately break the setting that refers to my Google Calendar app that serves these listings. I managed to fix the links for the March 30-April 2 listings, and this one should be good to go. But, well, you really don’t need to look for articles about beer tastings in the past.
Among the events we’ll be missing this weekend is the Tinley Park Brew & Vine Festival.
Fresh Beer Events, occasional bacon, but always spam free, opt out any time.
Meet The Blogger
Mark McDermott
Writer, trivia maven, fan of many things. I thought to learn all there is to know about beer as a way to stay interested in learning. It is my pleasure to bring Chicago’s craft beer scene to you.
Working from home and parenting means mornings full of conference calls, playtime and coffee. Lots of coffee.
Hi guys. It’s been a while. I’m still dancing when I can, and now I even have a little mini me dancer of my own, but that’s not what I’m writing about today. If you were expecting something dance-related, please see this piece from simpler times, when the Joffrey Ballet was still doing their good old-fashioned Nutcracker.
I have a relatively demanding job, as does my husband, and we also have a young daughter. We’ve both been working from home and finding it hard to strike a good balance between work and being good, attentive parents. The stress of constant multitasking for 12-13 hours a day can be maddening. Like us, I know many families are doing things on their own – no daycare, grandparents or nannies to help out. So the other day, I posted a picture of my toddler and me on social media, with a caption asking my network how other parents out there are managing to survive the daily struggles of working from home and parenting. In the post I said things like “demanding jobs” and “conference calls” and “every minute of every day (minus nap time) feels like a choice between being a good mom vs. being a good employee.”
I know, I know, so dramatic! I got an outpouring of messages from friends and family, which, as a non-influencer means 30 comments on Facebook and 15 on Instagram, plus some texts and DMs. Some of my social media friends were feeling the same way, exhausted from the stress of it all, but many others sent heartfelt messages of encouragement like “you’re doing the best you can” and “sending love and good vibes” and “you don’t have it easy!”
I was blown away by all the nice things people were saying. And I felt like a total jerk.
Here’s why. While, yes, my family and I are struggling to adjust to the new normal, we are also employed, healthy, and fed (inserting a “knock on wood” here for my superstitious husband). Not to mention the dog is pretty happy with the 24-hour company. We are the ones who have it good. Despite the fact that there are people who are very sick, dying, losing their jobs, unable to pay bills, putting their lives on the line at hospitals and delivering groceries, somehow I had collected all of these kind messages and sympathy, rather than the people who really deserve it. I wish I could send all of those messages back out into the universe to be distributed to the appropriate recipients.
Will we have to spend some Zoom calls with a toddler flinging herself off the couch in the background? Yes. Will we make some mistakes at work because our minds can’t be in two places at once? Yes. Will we spend weekends trying to entertain our kids with old toys that they’re sick of? Yes. Do I wish I could spend just one entire Saturday binge re-watching Peter’s season of The Bachelor hoping that there would be a different outcome? Ugh, yes! But these are small struggles compared to the big ones going on out there. This is our time – those of us who are healthy, strong, and capable – to step up, suck it up, and all the other motivating “up” phrases that will, um, lift all of us up.
Self-centered thinking is a major part of what has contributed to the continuation of this scary, nonsensical global environment that we’re living in (Spring breakers, I’m looking at you. But also, like, our older parents who were still going to their bowling leagues way too recently…you know who you are). COVID-19, and all the big and little problems that go with it, IS NOT ABOUT ME OR YOU. It’s about coming together to protect lives, and giving up some freedoms and many luxuries, hopefully temporarily, that will help to restore the health of our communities and businesses. It’s bad enough that we’ve already lost so many people in the world to this thing. Let’s protect the people we can while we still have the chance.
So, below is where I’ve landed.
Let go of the guilt. The parent guilt, the co-worker guilt, the bad friend guilt. These are crazy times, and we all have to take it easy on ourselves. Remember to come up for air and feel good about the small wins. (Like finding time to wash and dry your hair every three days!)
Don’t be a jerk. Remember that what we are living through isn’t about you. It’s about everyone. Every time you complain about your current situation, think about giving to a cause that will help others through it. This episode of The Happiness Lab podcast explains how to Help Others to Help Yourself.
Connect. My mother is attending more virtual happy hours a week than I’ve attended in person, like, my entire life. Among all the things that are going to stick after we get through this mess, it seems like video calls will be at the top of the list – we just needed a push from a global pandemic to help us connect face to virtual face as a regular form of communication, and not just to FaceTime your mom.
Stay informed. No, I don’t mean constantly check the rate of illness in your state. I do believe in the power of being an informed citizen, (and holy heck do we need the news more than ever – thank you to all of the outlets taking down the paywall for coronavirus coverage), but one thing I’ve found helpful is to stay informed on a community level. Sign up for your alderman’s e-newsletter or sign up for Next Door – this is how I learned about the teddy bear challenge!
Do something for you. Yoga, meditation, exercise blah blah blah (and yes I admittedly love those things). Just be kind to yourself and find some time to do something that makes you feel like YOU. I’m doing it right now – I used a precious hour of my daughter’s nap time on my only day off to write this. (So I hope that this is something worth reading to someone, somewhere).
And most of all be kind to yourself, your loved ones and the people “around” you. You’ll hopefully get to be with them – and not just virtually – someday soon.
I like long walks on the beach, picnic baskets and telenovelas–oops, wrong profile. I moved to Chicago to follow my dreams and drink 312’s on rooftops.
NEW ORLEANS — Ellis Marsalis, jazz pianist, teacher and patriarch of a New Orleans musical family that includes famed musician sons Wynton and Branford, has died. He was 85.
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Campbell announced Marsalis’ death in a news release Wednesday night. She did not specify a cause of death.
Because Marsalis opted to stay in New Orleans for most of his career, his reputation was limited until his sons became famous and brought him the spotlight, along with new recording contracts and headliner performances on television and on tour.
Four of his six sons are musicians: Wynton, the trumpeter, is America’s most prominent jazz spokesman as artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York. Branford, the saxophonist, led the “Tonight Show” band and toured with Sting. Delfeayo, trombonist, is a prominent recording producer and performer. And Jason, the drummer, has made a name for himself with his own band and as an accompanist. Ellis III, who decided music was not his gig, is a photographer-poet in Baltimore.
The Marsalis “family band” seldom played together when the boys were younger, but in 2003 toured up East in a spinoff of a family celebration that became a PBS special when the elder Marsalis retired from teaching at the University of New Orleans.
Harry Connick Jr., one of Marsalis’ students at the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts, was a guest. He is just one of the many now-famous jazz musicians who passed through the Marsalis classrooms; others include trumpeters Nicholas Payton and Terence Blanchard, saxophonists Donald Harrison and Victor Goines, and bassist Reginald Veal.
Marsalis was born in New Orleans, son of the operator of a hotel where Marsalis met touring black musicians who could not stay at the segregated downtown hotels where they performed. He played saxophone in high school but was also playing piano by the time he went to Dillard University.
Although New Orleans was steeped in traditional jazz, and rock ‘n’ roll was the new sound in the city’s studios in the 1950s, Marsalis preferred bebop and modern jazz. His college quartet included drummer Ed Blackwell, clarinetist Alvin Batiste and saxophonist Harold Battiste playing modern.
Ornette Coleman was in town at the time, and in 1956 when Coleman headed to California, Marsalis and the others went with him, but after a few months Marsalis came back home. He told the New Orleans Times-Picayune years later, when he and Coleman were old men, that he never did figure out what a pianist could do behind the free form of Coleman’s jazz.
Back in New Orleans, Marsalis joined the Marine Corps and was assigned to accompany soloists on the service’s weekly TV programs on CBS in New York. It was there, he said, that he learned to handle all kinds of different music styles.
On returning home, he worked at the Playboy Club and ran his own club, which quickly went bust. In 1967 trumpeter Al Hirt hired him. When not on Bourbon Street, Hirt’s band was appearing on national TV — doing headline shows on “The Tonight Show” and “The Ed Sullivan Show,” among others.
Marsalis got into education about the same time, teaching improvisation at Xavier University in New Orleans, and in the mid-1970s joined the faculty at the New Orleans magnet high school where he influenced a new generation of young jazz musicians.
When asked how he could teach something as free-wheeling as jazz improvisation, Marsalis once said, “We don’t teach jazz, we teach students.”
In 1986 he moved to Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond as coordinator of Jazz Studies, a post he kept until 1989 when the University of New Orleans lured him back to set up a program of jazz studies at home.
Marsalis retired from UNO in 2001, but continued to perform, particularly at Snug Harbor in New Orleans, a small jazz club that anchored the city’s contemporary jazz scene — frequently backing young musicians who had promise.
His melodic style, with running improvisations in the right hand, has been described variously as romantic, contemporary, or simply “Louisiana jazz.” He is always on acoustic piano, never electric, and even in interpreting the old standards there’s a clear link to the driving bebop chords and rhythms of his early years.
He founded his own record company, ELM (taken from his initials), but his recording was limited until his sons became famous. After that he joined them and other musicians on mainstream labels and headlined his own releases, many full of his own compositions.
He often played at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. For more than three decades he played two 75-minute sets every Friday night at Snug Harbor until he decided it had become too exhausting. But even then he still performed there on occasion as a special guest.
The contract details of new ChicagoBears quarterback Nick Foles have been revealed.
When Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Pace brought in former Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Nick Foles by dealing away a valuable fourth-round pick, many fans immediately resorted to confusion and, for some, anger.
The Bears are already without a first-round pick and also enter this year’s draft without a selection in the third. So, leave the team without a pick for over 100 selections in between the second and fifth round was a huge risk by Pace.
It was initially reported that Foles’ contract would be restructured a bit after being traded to the Bears, and now we finally have those details.
It appears that Foles will still make the $24 million guaranteed, but the cap hits are spread out evenly over three seasons.
Sounds like just a plain $8M cap hit in 2020, 2021, and 2022.
If it’s all base salary, that means there’s $12.25M guaranteed after Year 1, presumably the full $8M again in 2021 and then $4.25M in 2022
Doesn’t seem like any retention from the Jaguars. Trade value bit perplexing https://t.co/N1obKRHHOA
Per OverTheCap, the Bears only had roughly $1.5 million of cap space going into today. However, that accounted for over a $15 million hit from Foles’ salary.
Now, he only carries a hit of $8 million, giving the Bears an extra $7 million in space for this year — that’s remarkable.
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Take into consideration that the Bears could still extend Allen Robinson and restructure Akiem Hicks, and Pace looks like a magic man once again.
As for the loss of a fourth-round pick, the money still doesn’t make up for it. Chicago is still without a pick in the first, third and fourth rounds. But, on the positive side, their cap situation looks a lot better now and could only get better from here on out.
Looking at the future years of Foles’ deal, though, it gets interesting. He can reportedly earn up to $6 million in incentives in each year, which would reflect in his following year’s salary. But, that likely means Foles would end up earning the starting job and performing well in order to receive that incentive pay.
If the Bears end up getting a solid starting quarterback who plays well, then so be it. All of the cash is worth it.
Keep this in mind: If the Bears had traded for Derek Carr, they would be looking at over $20 million per season, on average, for the next three years. Instead, they get Foles for a base salary of $8 million per year. That’s incredible, when you think about it.
In another scenario, the Bears could have dealt for Andy Dalton and his $17.7 million salary for this upcoming season. Chicago also could have spent a pretty penny on a free agent quarterback, but in the end, they may end up with a starting quarterback for $8 million this year.
If you’ve gone through and binge-watched all the shows you wanted to, it’s time to head over to movies. Here are some of the best movie franchises you can binge-watch now for the best movie marathon of all time.
Photo Credit: Lord of the Rings
Lord of the Rings
Including the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit series, this movie franchise comes from Peter Jackson’s Middle Earth. These movies are not just popular but have won many awards, as well. Each film is roughly three hours, so this is a lot more daunting than it looks. But you have more than enough time on your hands now to get through them!
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Photo Credit: Harry Potter
Harry Potter
One of the most successful book series also has an extremely successful movie franchise. Harry Potter is everything you want in a fantasy film and has eight movie adaptations to prove it. Plus, there’s the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them trilogy (with the third released in 2021), so even more magic awaits.
Photo Credit: Star Wars
Star Wars
Some of the most beloved films of all times the original six Star Wars movies have a strong following and, with the release of the newer films and spin-offs starting in 2012, there are more than enough movies to keep you occupied for a while. Plus, it’s time to get through The Mandalorian series on Disney+ if you haven’t already!
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Photo Credit: Hannibal
Hannibal
This chilling horror series about a cannibal serial killer is one of the best movie franchises of all time, offering up four films to binge-watch… with the lights on, of course.
Photo Credit: James Bond 007
James Bond
One of the longest movie franchises in history with a rotating lead actor, James Bond continues to attract an audience and has seen some strong, critically acclaimed films during the Daniel Craig era.
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Photo Credit: Jurassic Park
Jurassic Park
With three original movies and two more recent ones, there is no other franchise like Jurassic Park. It tells the story of what life would be like if we brought back dinosaurs to coexist with humans, a terrifying thought IMO.
Photo Credit: Pirates of the Caribbean
Pirates of the Caribbean
One of Johnny Depp’s most notable roles, you will love Captain Jack Sparrow and his eccentric, hilarious character in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.
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Photo Credit: Toy Story
Toy Story
The only animated series on this list, Toy Story is not only for kids. If you’re like many of us, we grew up with Toy Story and have come to love the characters as well. With only four films, you’ll get through this fast but not without some nostalgia.
Photo Credit: Indiana Jones
Indiana Jones
Indiana Jones, the story of an archaeologist who goes on wild adventures is thrilling and exciting and will keep you entertained through all four franchise films.
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Photo Credit: Rocky
Rocky
A film about an aspiring boxer, the Rocky franchise has continued making new movies for more than forty years.
As we self-isolate, many sports fans can’t help but miss the spring sports and tournaments they were used to watching this time of year. Luckily for Xbox One owners, there are plenty of awesome sports games out there to play. We’ve got you covered with our list of the best sports games for Xbox.
Photo Credit: Rocket League
Rocket League*
Rocket League combines soccer and cars together to create some fast-paced gameplay that everyone can enjoy. You can play on your own or with some friends online in casual or competitive modes. Expect to put plenty of hours into this game unlocking all the different vehicle customization designs.
With the lack of NBA games and the March Madness tournament this year, this might be one of the best sports games on Xbox right now. This year’s 2K brings a new storyline to play through in the MyCareer game mode. Fans of the WNBA can also play as their favorite teams for the first time ever in 2K20! Check out that familiar city in the background.
Photo Credit: Forza Horizon 4
Forza Horizon 4*
Although it was released in 2018, Forza Horizon 4 offers hours of racing gameplay. Collect and modify over 450 cars as you explore and race through Britain in this Xbox One exclusive title. Those with 4K TVs even have the option of gaming with those graphics for a better experience.
Get your football fix with EA Sports’ latest edition of Madden. Madden NFL 20 brings two new game modes in ‘Face of the Franchise: QB1’ and ‘Superstar X-Factor.’ Plus, Madden Ultimate Team and franchise modes will keep you busy during the lockdown.
Photo Credit: Just Dance
Just Dance 2020
Just Dance 2020 lets you dance the night away in front of your TV! Your movement is tracked through your smartphone camera, or the Kinect if you have it. The 40 new tracks available this year make Just Dance 2020 one of the best sports games to help you stay moving.
The days are finally starting to warm up, and you might be itching for a way to get outside while still complying with the social distancing rules. If you stay inside your home for the next couple of weeks, you might be missing the new growth and blooms that are finally popping out around the state. Since you likely have nothing else going on, here are some beautiful scenic drives to take around Illinois to help you pass the time.
Photo Credit: Enjoy Illinois
Grandview Drive, Peoria Heights, IL
Grandview Drive is a little under 3 hours away on I-55 South to I-80 West, but it is well worth the journey. Teddy Roosevelt once said it was” the world’s most beautiful drive” in 1910, and the landscape has remained remarkably similar since he uttered that sentence. Grandview Drive is only 2.5 miles long, but you get great visibility of the Illinois River Valley.
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Photo Credit: Morton Arboretum
The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL
The Morton Arboretum is a quick 25-mile trip outside of the city on 290 W. Currently, the Arboretum is still open to both cars and pedestrians, but that is subject to change if people are not following social distancing rules. As long as the Arboretum stays up, it has some of the best scenery in the Chicagoland area and is the perfect place for a quick getaway.
Photo Credit: Enjoy Illinois
Illinois River Road National Scenic Byway, Peoria, IL
From I-55 South to I-80 West, you can take the Illinois River Road National Scenic Byway. It starts in Ottawa and ends in Havana, passing through more than 100 nature destinations along the Illinois River. You can choose to either stay in your car and drive the whole way, or stop and go hiking, fishing, canoeing, or biking. You can check out the wildlife or wetlands along the drive as well.
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Photo Credit: Spoon River Valley Scenic Drive
Spoon River Valley Scenic Drive, Canton, IL
Three hours on I-80W, and you’ll be on Spoon River Valley Scenic Drive in Fulton County. With over 100 miles of scenic routes to follow, you’ll be able to get your nature fix. The Drive goes through 17 villages and other historic sites.
Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway
The historic Route 66 passes through many major cities, and Chicago was where it originally started! Get your kicks on Route 66 by taking I-57 S to I-72 W. Once there, you’ll be able to drive along the historic route and see some of the historic landmarks and markers from the golden days. In normal times, you’ll also be able to stop along the road at the various museums, but for now, you can make do with downloading the maps and brochures on the Illinois Route 66 site, allowing you to customize your driving experience.
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Just because everything is closed in Chicago doesn’t mean you can’t go anywhere. Get out of the house and go for a drive to forget about the pandemic for a few hours! Just remember to practice social distancing if you get out of the car.
Steak 48, easily Chicago’s best steakhouse, has had to close their doors due to the coronavirus but are still open for white-gloved curbside service. Steak 48 is a bustling River North contemporary steakhouse and includes a 3,000-bottle wine vault and stylish decor.
Unfortunately, we cannot go and visit Steak 48 at the moment, but their space has a vibrant ambiance with two-level dining and offers quiet nooks for an intimate, romantic night or larger dining areas for large group parties and gatherings. On the lower level, they have a lively bar where you can sample an extensive selection of wine, whiskey, and cocktails.
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Once they are able to open their doors again be sure to go and visit their outdoor patio that is full of lush greenery and offers a beautiful view of the River North area. But until then, don’t wait to try their extensive to-go menu options.
Photo Credit: Steak 48
Steak 48: Chicago’s Best Steakhouse
While the dining room is currently closed, you can sneak a peek at Steak 48’s vibrant atmosphere and read more about what’s on the menu at the best steakhouse in Chicago!
To ensure the safety of their employees and customers, they have even enhanced their already rigorous health safety and sanitation protocols to ensure the health and well-being of the community.
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They’re offering some of their best items on their to-go menu like the prime steaks and chops topped with truffle butter, foie gras, black truffle green peppercorn, or even black truffle sautéed Maine lobster. You can still also get their raw bar offerings like the fresh seafood tower which consists of the chef’s choice of fresh shellfish.
If you’re looking for something on the simpler side, then you can get one of their fresh salads like the heirloom tomato or roasted beet salad. They also have their full appetizer and side options available including the prime steakhouse meatballs, braised pork belly, fried deviled eggs, and even their Alaskan king crab and rock shrimp mac and cheese.
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And of course, you can’t complete any meal without one of their delicious wines from their wine list, also available for curbside pick-up.
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At UrbanMatter, U Matter. And we think this matters.
Tell us what you think matters in your neighborhood and what we should write about next in the comments below!
With spring practices officially cancelled and so many unanswered questions hovering in the air, the four Illinois Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) programs have found a silver lining in the dark clouds of the unknown.
The impact of COVID-19 has left staffs scrambling to meet the needs of its players, keep track of academic performances, set up workout plans and a myriad of other agenda items. Yet, in a time of uncertainty those staffs have also been granted clock hours to build for the future.
“This is a very unique time that we’re in. We’ve got a great opportunity as a staff to get ahead recruiting-wise, so we’re doing a lot of recruiting and maintaining structure and staying connected with our (current) players,” Western Illinois head coach Jared Elliott said recently.
Knowing recruiting is the lifeblood of every football program no matter the size or level or conference affiliation, Prairie State Pigskin contacted staff members from each of the Illinois FCS schools — Eastern, Illinois State, Southern and Western — to gain insight on this spring’s changing landscape.
With geographically better early spring weather, SIU has traditionally opened its practices sooner than the other schools. That held true this year as head coach Nick Hill’s Salukis were able to get in five such practices before the pandemic shut things down. SIU was also able to hold a junior day for the high school class of 2021.
“We had over 120 kids on campus,” SIU recruiting coordinator Gaizka Crowley said. “That was a really good event for us. Along with those five practices, that gave us a jump start. A lot of programs weren’t able to get any in.”
Crowley added that once Hill’s staff had its current roster set up for distance learning, workouts and other priorities, SIU turned its attention to recruiting.
“For me in my position, it’s hog heaven a little bit, being able to watch a ton of guys and speak to high school coaches and speak to a lot of prospects,” Crowley said.
Changing a negative into a positive
Adam Cushing has entered his second year as Eastern Illinois head coach. Despite not getting a chance to put his young team (which by fall will be 85 percent of his staff’s recruits) through much-needed spring practices, Cushing leans toward optimism.
“Our approach to this whole situation is, what does this make possible? Flip it from a challenge to an opportunity,” Cushing said. “We’ve been given time; nobody ever gives you time. Let’s use that time to be detailed about all the things we really want to be detailed on.”
One of those things that he’s detailed on is his staff’s rankings of potential recruits.
“I generally know about the top five guys on the board by position, but now we’ll have a much deeper board,” he said.
Deeper connections and closer looks
Every coach interviewed discussed the opportunity to establish stronger bonds with possible future players.
“We’ll have much deeper connection if we can stress daily connection,” Cushing said. “As crazy as it it is, (during the past) you’d be fighting to get the prospective student-athlete, the high school kid, that you want to get on the phone with because he’s a football guy, but he’s also in track and he’s a 4.0 student. You don’t want to take a lot of his time, but (now) he’s got a whole bunch of time too. If you can set it up right, you can really be maximizing relationships on a daily basis.”
Khenon Hall coaches running backs at Illinois State. He is also head coach Brock Spack’s recruiting coordinator.
“With Coach Spack we’re usually pretty much ahead, but this has cleared up some extra time and allowed us to reevaluate some guys that fit what we want, what we’re looking for this year. We have a big senior class this year so we’re probably going to have a big signing class. It’s actually been a blessing to sit back, reorganize and hone in on the guys that are our top targets and the guys that fit the ISU program,” Hall said.
No on-campus visits
The NCAA has declared a “dead period,” meaning that no recruits can make visits to campus nor can any coaches take to the road in attempts to land potential recruits. Thus, recruiting may look a little different for those 2021 signees.
“For us, it’s allowed Coach Hill, myself and our other staff to develop relationships with those kids because normally we’d be in spring practice right now,” Crowley said. “While we may potentially miss seeing a kid for in-person evaluation depending on how your (high school) camp schedule lays out, what it’s honestly allowing you to do is to get to know a kid better on a one-on-one basis . . . we’ve been able to watch a ton of film, but even more importantly than the film is getting to know the kids. Getting them on the phone, talking to parents. We’ve been able to do that quite a bit.”
Hall said, “Letters, phone calls, FaceTime, whatever we’ve got to do in order to continue to build that relationship.”
Illinois recruiting analyst “Edgy” Tim O’Halloran said in a Tuesday YouTube video, “Basically March has become the new May, meaning the spring evaluation period is such a busy, busy time for recruiting on a lot of different levels. All this has done is pushed things forward and pushed the calendar back even further. Now you have college coaches looking . . . Something we’ve noticed this past week, all of the sudden multiple, multiple FCS schools are offering a lot more kids. More than I can remember at this time of the year in particular.”
An added bonus?
Nearly all recruiting experts rate the state’s 2021 class higher than the recent 2020 signees. Could the cornavirus actually help keep more of those recruits here in Illinois?
“It helps us a lot. Chicago, especially the ‘21 (class), is better than last year as far as the talent goes,” Hall said. “We take care of our backyard, but now the kids that are getting attention from the out-of-state areas can’t go to those campuses, or they might have early offers from these MAC schools in Ohio or Michigan or wherever.
“Now, they can’t get to those campuses, but they’ve probably been to ours. We are one of the top schools in the state and country, so we’re able to get some of those guys that tend to go to that MAC area. Now we’re going to be able to keep those guys home.”
Crowley added, “We’re in the middle of everything. We’re in the middle of Atlanta, Chicago, Indianapolis, Memphis, St. Louis, so we’re able to get a lot of kids on campus. With potentially the spring and summer camp season being very much in the air, you’ve got a lot of kids that (normally) go to the one-day camps, put on a great performance and that’s when they earn a lot of offers. From our perspective, can you go up and grab a kid who’s a Group of Five kid or even a Power-5 kid? I think that’s very much a reality.
“It’s uncharted territory. How does it (COVID-19) affect commitments? How does it affect the December signing day? Last year we signed a huge majority of our class in December; now does that change? What’s the impact? Are more kids now going to sign in February so they can take more visits? That’s very much a possibility. We’re taking it week by week right now.”
Blog co-authors Barry Bottino and Dan Verdun bring years of experience covering collegiate athletics. Barry has covered college athletes for more than two decades in his “On Campus” column, which is published weekly by Shaw Media. Dan has written four books about the state’s football programs–“NIU Huskies Football” (released in 2013), “EIU Panthers Football (2014), “ISU Redbirds” (2016) and “SIU Salukis Football” (2017).
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