We headed back to Chicago over the weekend for my little sister’s wedding, and on Friday, I took the train into the city to watch the first match of the World Cup with my good friend, Pete.  Just so happens, there was a “little” celebration going on downtown for the Chicago Blackhawks being the newly christened Stanley Cup champions, which I conveniently got to attend.  The news reports say there were 2 million people at the parade, and while I seriously doubt the city has that many hockey fans, there were indeed a ton of people lining the streets to catch a glimpse of the cup.  Clearly, Chicago has been starved for a champion ever since the White Sox won the World Series in ‘05.  That and people just love any excuse to party in the Windy City once  summer rolls around, and I can’t blame ‘em!

Side note: for those of you that might have noticed, my posts have certainly fallen by the way side in the past month or so.  I’ve been pretty slammed editing this film for ESPN, and while it’s been an incredible experience and quite the creative challenge,  unfortunately, it hasn’t left much time for photography.  That said, I have managed to take a few new shots of late and do hope to get them uploaded sooner than later.  I appreciate your patience and hope all is well in your world.  -rs

“Chicago” by Carl Sandburg

Hog Butcher for the World,
Tool Maker, Stacker of Wheat,
Player with Railroads and the Nation’s Freight Handler;
Stormy, husky, brawling,
City of the Big Shoulders:
They tell me you are wicked and I believe them, for I have seen your painted women under the gas lamps luring the farm boys.
And they tell me you are crooked and I answer: Yes, it is true I have seen the gunman kill and go free to kill again.
And they tell me you are brutal and my reply is: On the faces of women and children I have seen the marks of wanton hunger.
And having answered so I turn once more to those who sneer at this my city, and I give them back the sneer and say to them:
Come and show me another city with lifted head singing so proud to be alive and coarse and strong and cunning.
Flinging magnetic curses amid the toil of piling job on job, here is a tall bold slugger set vivid against the little soft cities;
Fierce as a dog with tongue lapping for action, cunning as a savage pitted against the wilderness,
Bareheaded,
Shoveling,
Wrecking,
Planning,
Building, breaking, rebuilding,
Under the smoke, dust all over his mouth, laughing with white teeth,
Under the terrible burden of destiny laughing as a young man laughs,
Laughing even as an ignorant fighter laughs who has never lost a battle,
Bragging and laughing that under his wrist is the pulse, and under his ribs the heart of the people, Laughing!
Laughing the stormy, husky, brawling laughter of Youth, half-naked, sweating, proud to be Hog Butcher, Tool Maker, Stacker of Wheat, Player with Railroads and Freight Handler to the Nation.

Look, I get it.  The company, Sears, hasn’t been in the Sears Tower in some time, so it does make sense that they probably shouldn’t continue to benefit from the free advertising.  We live in an age where there’s hardly a new building or sports stadium in the country that hasn’t sold its naming rights to the highest corporate bidder, but that doesn’t necessarily make it right.

As still the tallest building in the country, Sears Tower (ie. Willis Tower, though it’s gonna be some time before I ever call the building that) is a national monument.  Not only does it define the City of Big Shoulders’ skyline, but it’s a modern architectural achievement of the most amazing proportions.  And it just doesn’t make sense to me that the name would be so easily changed to try and lure a new tenant into three floors of the 108-story building, and apparently at no additional cost.

Wrigley hasn’t owned Wrigley Field in almost three decades, but the newest owners of the friendly confines have decided not to sell the naming rights.  It would seem that they (and the other non-Wrigley owners before them) realize that you can’t put a price on everything.  That in the long run, maybe taking the easy cash up front isn’t always the best decision.  That there’s actually value in tradition.  It’s just too bad that owners like them are clearly in the minority these days.  And so, Willis Tower it is…until it isn’t.

Somehow, the Chicago Bears managed to beat Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings last night, clinching the 36-30 victory in dramatic fashion with a touchdown in overtime and in front of full crowd of very cold fans.  It was my first football game at the not-so-newly renovated Soldier Field, which is gorgeous on the inside, but an atrocity to look at from outside.  Why they didn’t just tear the whole thing down, except for maybe the columns out front, is beside me.

Now, I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not much of a football fan these days, but the game was a lot of fun, albeit a tad chilly.  It does kind of amaze me what people will pay to stand outside for several hours in the Chicago winter cold to watch a bunch of dudes play football, but fortunately, my ticket was free (thanks again, Dave!).  Myself, I would never pay that kind of money to watch just about anything.  But that said, I won’t apparently flinch at paying $8 a beer (several times over), so to each his own.