Tag: chicago

Gang Related Shooting and Basketball: that's what people associate with Chicago

Gang Related Shooting and Basketball: that's what people associate with Chicago
Before Michael Jordan won the first of his many NBA MVPs and the Chicago Bulls their first of many Championships, an interesting thing happened when you told people around the world that you were from Chicago. “Al Capone! Bang bang!” people said to us when traveling in Europe in the early ’90s; quite a bit... Read more »
By Paul M. Banks,
April 14, 2014 at 7:28 am • 

Chicago a Marketing Success for the Illini; return in the works?

Chicago a Marketing Success for the Illini; return in the works?
"Our presence in Chicago is important to us, we are the state team, we need to bring ourselves closer to them for marketing purposes," said Illini Wide Receivers Coach Mike Bellamy- a former Chicago Bears player, native of the SouthSide (prepped at Kenwood Academy) and Illini wideout who played with Jeff George in Champaign. "And we have a large alumni base in Chicago and sometimes they can't make it down, so why not bring the game to them?" Bellamy continued. On Saturday, the Illini were competing for sports fan interest against the White Sox, NASCAR Nationwide, Northwestern, a Fire match and the BMW Classic. And they still drew 47,312 fans to the lakefront in Chicago. That attendance is higher than what Illinois drew at home for their first two games this season; and a solid figure when you consider how very low expectations were heading into this year...
By Paul M. Banks,
September 18, 2013 at 4:30 pm • 

Chicago Media: Who is Our College Football Team?

Chicago Media: Who is Our College Football Team?
Chicago is the most insane sports city in the world. And it’s a crazy football town. NFL only though. This is a Bears town first and foremost. Even the Bulls and Cubs take a backseat to them. However, in college football, it's not as passionate. Who is the college football team of Chicago? Well, you can answer that question with three different answers and they’d all be right. You could say a.) Notre Dame maybe, sort of. b.) nobody c.) a combination of four teams. Obviously, geography has a lot to do with it. There just isn’t a team here within the city limits; you have to drive to reach all of the four candidates. So let’s examine the strengths and weaknesses for each of the four options who you could consider to be Chicago’s college football team. I ranked them by mileage and driving time from City Front Plaza on Michigan Avenue. That’s where all the big media corporations in this city are headquartered, so we’ll use that as “point A.”...
By Paul M. Banks,
August 27, 2013 at 12:39 pm • 
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CBS Icon Greg Gumbel: exclusive with Chicago's Very Own

CBS Icon Greg Gumbel: exclusive with Chicago's Very Own
Greg Gumbel is the third man to serve as both host and play-by-play announcer for a Super Bowl (the first two were Dick Enberg and Al Michaels). He hosted Super Bowls XXVI, XXX, and XXXII before calling Super Bowls XXXV and XXXVIII. Jim Nantz became the fourth man to join this elusive group after he called Super Bowl XLI for CBS. Greg Gumbel is the older brother of news and sportscaster Bryant Gumbel (although Bryant has been in the broadcasting game for three more years). Greg is the first African-American announcer ever to call play-by-play of a major league sports championship in the United States when he announced Super Bowl XXXV for the CBS network in 2001. He was born in Louisiana but raised in Chicago. Both Gumbels attended De La Salle Institute (same high school that produced Mayor Daley) and grew up in Hyde Park. Greg Gumbel did all his socializing on the North Side while living on the South Side (the same Hyde Park neighborhood as Muhammad Ali). He later lived in Lakeview, just off Lake Michigan at Melrose between Broadway and Sheridan. Greg Gumbel also resided at Edgewater Beach apartments. Bryant Gumbel told Greg Gumbel about an opening at WMAQ-TV NBC 5 in Chicago, and that sports reporter job was how Greg got his first gig. I had an exclusive with Greg Gumbel at NFL on CBS Media Day. Very honored to have him as today's CSMW interview guest...
By Paul M. Banks,
August 25, 2013 at 11:09 pm •