MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

Started by Board Mod, February 28, 2005, 11:18:51 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 4 Guests are viewing this topic.

Gregory Sager

#48480
Quote from: AndOne on August 20, 2018, 04:33:45 PM
Quote from: Gregory Sager on August 20, 2018, 03:40:33 PM
Ah, see, that's where you lost me, Steve. I automatically thought of downtown Chicago -- not because of civic pride but because of a sense of scale. Even though I've been in it, I still have a hard time conceiving of the center of Naperville as a genuine "downtown". To me, it's just the hub of an old village that is now surrounded by a sea of suburban tract developments, similar to much of the rest of suburban Chicagoland.

Ah, another city guy who seldom ventures beyond the confines of the city limits, and who needs to get out a little more and expand his horizons.  ;)

I get out of the city on a weekly basis, Mark. My horizons are plenty expanded.

Quote from: AndOne on August 20, 2018, 04:33:45 PMNaperville has changed immeasurably over the recent years. Should you traverse Chicago Ave. in downtown Naperville on a Saturday night you might think you were visiting Rush Street in Chicago back in the heyday. In fact, the area is often referred to as Rush Street West. A conglomerate of bars almost all with long lines awaiting being admitted, 5 or 6 police cars parked in the middle of the street, and thousands of revelers from the Naperville/Aurora area, and other suburbs like Roselle, Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates, and others up to 15-20 miles away, bar hopping and milling about.

A long strip of bars has absolutely nothing to do with whether or not a location can be considered a bona fide downtown. In fact, the Loop is not known for its nightlife. There aren't many bars there, nor is the Loop a hive of activity after working hours. The fact that the residents of Naperville refer to their bar district as "Rush Street West" only shows how out-of-touch they are with the city, as Rush Street hasn't been a major bar district for a long, long time in Chicago. (Nor is Rush Street downtown; it's in the Near North neighborhood.) The city's big drinking strips now are River North (across the Chicago River from the Loop), Division Street (which has been a major nightlife center for decades) in the Oldtown neighborhood, and Wrigleyville (i.e., the neighborhood of Lake View within a three-block radius of Wrigley Field).

Quote from: AndOne on August 20, 2018, 04:33:45 PMAside from the bars, there are a plethora of chain and independent restaurants and retail stores. And downtown is in the middle of the Historic District of homes built in the late 1800s and early 1900s—anything but a totality of suburban tract developments.

You misread my post. I said that it was:

Quote from: Gregory Sager on August 20, 2018, 03:40:33 PMthe hub of an old village that is now surrounded by a sea of suburban tract developments, similar to much of the rest of suburban Chicagoland.

... not the suburban tract developments themselves. And I'm quite aware of the old-home district in central Naperville; I see those homes every time that I go to North Central for a sporting event.

Quote from: AndOne on August 20, 2018, 04:33:45 PMThere is also the landscaped Riverwalk which meanders through downtown, and the new Water Street District development featuring a hotel and more upscale shops and restaurants is only a block west. A true downtown which has become somewhat of an anchor for all the other area suburbs lacking such diversity.  8-)

A "true downtown"?

This is downtown Chicago:







This is downtown Milwaukee:







This is downtown Indianapolis:







This is downtown St. Louis:







This is "downtown" Naperville:







Cue our friends from Sesame Street:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FClGhto1vIg
"To see what is in front of one's nose is a constant struggle." -- George Orwell

Gregory Sager

Quote from: Mr. Ypsi on August 20, 2018, 05:42:58 PM
Quote from: augie77 on August 20, 2018, 04:44:31 PM
As a former resident of adjacent Woodridge, and having been married in Naperville, I have to say "here here" to AO's assessment of the city (that's Naperville, Gregory--not Chicago  ;D).  There really is life west of Harlem Avenue.

One of my brothers taught math at Oak Park/River Forest HS his entire career.  I think he may have crossed to the EAST of Harlem Avenue 3 times in 40 years! ;D

Your brother must've been an interesting teacher, Chuck, because the entire village of Oak Park -- including the campus of OPRF High School -- is located to the east of Harlem Avenue.
"To see what is in front of one's nose is a constant struggle." -- George Orwell

Mr. Ypsi

Quote from: Gregory Sager on August 20, 2018, 09:50:17 PM
Quote from: Mr. Ypsi on August 20, 2018, 05:42:58 PM
Quote from: augie77 on August 20, 2018, 04:44:31 PM
As a former resident of adjacent Woodridge, and having been married in Naperville, I have to say "here here" to AO's assessment of the city (that's Naperville, Gregory--not Chicago  ;D).  There really is life west of Harlem Avenue.

One of my brothers taught math at Oak Park/River Forest HS his entire career.  I think he may have crossed to the EAST of Harlem Avenue 3 times in 40 years! ;D

Your brother must've been an interesting teacher, Chuck, because the entire village of Oak Park -- including the campus of OPRF High School -- is located to the east of Harlem Avenue.

OOPS!!  He retired more than 15 years ago (now lives in upper-middle Wisconsin). and I'd forgotten my geography.  I think Harlem is the street that divides Oak Park from River Forest.  Is it Austin that divides OP from Chicago?  At any rate, he simply couldn't come up with much interest in Chicago.  Though it was probably more than 3 times - one of his best friends was the son of the lead trumpeter for the Chicago Symphony, so I believe he did attend their concerts from time to time.

AndOne

Quote from: Gregory Sager on August 20, 2018, 09:23:35 PM
Quote from: AndOne on August 20, 2018, 04:33:45 PM


Quote from: AndOne on August 20, 2018, 04:33:45 PMThere is also the landscaped Riverwalk which meanders through downtown, and the new Water Street District development featuring a hotel and more upscale shops and restaurants is only a block west. A true downtown which has become somewhat of an anchor for all the other area suburbs lacking such diversity.  8-)

A "true downtown"?

This is downtown Chicago:







This is "downtown" Naperville:







And this is downtown Chicago too. 😔
⚰️ ⚰️ ⚰️ ⚰️ ⚰️

Gregory Sager

Quote from: AndOne on August 20, 2018, 10:36:48 PM
And this is downtown Chicago too. 😔
⚰️ ⚰️ ⚰️ ⚰️ ⚰️

That's really unnecessary, Mark.

(It's also really inaccurate. The Loop is not one of the Chicago neighborhoods that is notorious for endemic violence.)
"To see what is in front of one's nose is a constant struggle." -- George Orwell

WUPHF

Very interesting to see downtown St. Louis used as an example of a downtown, but we will take it...

joehakes

The Loop is pretty lively after hours. I know because I can watch it out of my window. We live in New East Lakeshore that most people would include as the Loop. It also is a pretty safe place.  We enjoy walking around in the evening, and my wife walks a mile up Michigan Avenue to go to work each day.  I take the L to Bronzeville for my job.  Determining the viability of an area by how many bars there are seems to be a fairly limited perspective.

I can remember Naperville as a very small town with a Swedish smorgasbord as the only restaurant "downtown."  That whole area has changed as has where we are.  If you are old enough to remember the old S curve on Lake Shore Drive, that's where we are. Now tons of restaurants, Millennium and Maggie Daly Parks, as well as Grant Park, the Art Institute, architectural boat tours and the new Chicago Architecture Foundation center, all within a 10 minute walk. It would be less if I didn't need a cane. Pretty good area, to my mind.  If people think it's too dangerous to be there, that's their loss.

Gregory Sager

This didn't get mentioned last week when the press release came out, but Chris Martin is stepping down next spring as CCIW commissioner after 17 years on the job. Chris has served as our first full-time commish, as his two predecessors, Jack Swartz and Merle Chapman, basically did the job on the side while serving as administrators at their schools (Wheaton and Millikin, respectively).

Joe, are you going to be the one to coax Dennis Prikkel out of retirement to take the job?
"To see what is in front of one's nose is a constant struggle." -- George Orwell

Dave 'd-mac' McHugh

Quote from: Gregory Sager on August 22, 2018, 10:51:18 AM
This didn't get mentioned last week when the press release came out, but Chris Martin is stepping down next spring as CCIW commissioner after 17 years on the job. Chris has served as our first full-time commish, as his two predecessors, Jack Swartz and Merle Chapman, basically did the job on the side while serving as administrators at their schools (Wheaton and Millikin, respectively).

Joe, are you going to be the one to coax Dennis Prikkel out of retirement to take the job?

How about Dennie Bridges? :)
Host of Hoopsville. USBWA Executive Board member. Broadcast Director for D3sports.com. Broadcaster for NCAA.com & several colleges. PA Announcer for Gophers & Brigade. Follow me on Twitter: @davemchugh or @d3hoopsville.

Gregory Sager

"To see what is in front of one's nose is a constant struggle." -- George Orwell


iwu70

How about Greg Sager or Bob Quillman?   :)

Getting ready for football . . . "boys of summer" giving way to "Friday night lights" -- today.  High school games launching . . .

IWU opens the football season at home on September 8th vs. UW LaCrosse.  This current group full of confidence, most skill players back.  A new group of LBs stepping up.  Should be fun to watch.

All best to all the football chatsters as we begin another rodeo, another cycle.

IWU'70

AndOne

Quote from: iwu70 on August 24, 2018, 10:53:43 AM
How about Greg Sager or Bob ?   :)

Or, with their combined wealth of historical perspective,........possibly a union as co-commissioners?
A marriage made in heaven 👬❓ ::)  ;)

And, more seriously, wondering if the assistant commish, Mike Krizman might be a viable candidate?

Gregory Sager

"To see what is in front of one's nose is a constant struggle." -- George Orwell

Pat Coleman

Quote from: Gregory Sager on August 24, 2018, 07:59:41 PM
I think that Mike's the logical choice.

Certainly knows the league well. But also, the CCIW is a big enough deal that it could easily attract someone who has been a D-III conference commissioner already.
Publisher. Questions? Check our FAQ for D3f, D3h.
Quote from: old 40 on September 25, 2007, 08:23:57 PMLet's discuss (sports) in a positive way, sometimes kidding each other with no disrespect.