It Helps to Take a Village: Performing at Midwest

The Midwest Clinic is known the world over as a premier place for music. It is therefore an absolute honor to be accepted to perform here. This afternoon I sat in on a chat room with several directors who took bands to the Clinic this year. The first step in their Midwest journey was the audition itself. Midwest has very strict parameters for auditioning groups, and they must be adhered to exactly. Bands need to submit recordings on both audio and video of them performing two songs, one of which must be a march (which can only be chosen from a list of approved composers). Then the director must solicit letters of recommendation from 3 colleagues. All of this must then be uploaded to Midwest's website by the middle of March. Then they sit back and wait for Midwest to make their decision. The real work begins once a band is accepted though. First, accepted directors have to come to Chicago for a one day meeting in June. Then there are the requirements for the performance itself. Half the music on the program must be no older than 2 years, and nothing that has been played at Midwest for the last 3 years can be played. Difficult pieces have to be balanced with easier ones, the program has to be submitted 3 months in advance and cannot be changed, and did I mention that the performing group is responsible for all costs of traveling, lodging, and incidentals? That is where engaging the community is key. Each director shared stories of successfully doing just that. They each said that finding ways to 'take the community along' was a surefire way to give the program a shot in the arm. Even things as simple as getting some programs printed up and using them to solicit donations more than makes up for the costs of printing them up. Performing at Midwest is a worthwhile effort that will stick with students for a lifetime. Involving the community just makes it that much sweeter.

More Big Reeds!

Remember the big reed I posted about yesterday? Well, it has some company. This time I spied with my little eye a bigger-than-normal box of them. These may not belong to Godzilla, but they sure belong to someone big. Once again, you'd better find their rightful owner, cause Hell hath no fury like a musician whose reeds have gone missing.

Fundraising For the 21st Century

Gone are the days of boring old candy sales or useless gift wrap that ultimately gets tossed into the wastebin. The future of fundraising has arrived, and two exhibitors at Midwest are on the cutting edge of that future. The first company, smartcell, provides organizations with cellphone accessories that they can sell to raise money. The accessories are offered for very competitive prices, and the bundles easily come in at under market value. They are able to offer this because their operation involves very little overhead, allowing them to enable organizations to bring in large margins. The second company is Snap-Raise. This takes selling completely out of the hands of organizations by turning to online fundraising and texting campaigns. The average group raises roughly $11,000. These two companies succeed in offering innovative fundraising solutions.

So, You Wanna do Music in College?

Last night, The Skyline Ballroom at McCormick Place West was crawling with high school students and their parents all trying to figure out what their little darlings would do for themselves for the next 4 years. Ever since 1988, the Midwest Clinic has been helping out with that via its annual College Night. A litany of different schools that offer music degrees are in attendance and are ready and willing to help high schoolers with this most important of choices. Additionally, College Night has been held on the same day as the High School Institute ever since the latter started in 2011. This makes it even more convenient for those students to stop by and start planning their futures. For those interested in attending next year's edition, registration opens in October 2017.

Music to Midwest's Ears

As attendees were streaming out of the exhibit halls at McCormick Place West, they were greeted by the festive sounds of the season. For the 4th straight year, members of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia(a national Music Fraternity) gathered to perform a holiday Step Sing. For this affair, the Brothers sang selections from a holiday songbook, as well as a few other fraternity songs. The concert was well received by all, marking a fulfilling end to Day 2 of the Midwest Clinic.

Music For All, Hazing For None

One of the most frequent refrains that arises about the Music Education sphere is that it is a perpetually underfunded, disrespected, and neglected victim that only exists by the grace of God and after hard lobbying. Sometimes that is true, but one panel at Midwest addresses concerns that this humble mindset is becoming permanent. The panel was led by Robert Morrison, one of the most prolific music education advocates of our time. In addition to being the founder of Music For All and being the first CEO of the Save The Music Foundation, he helped create the Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation during his time with NAMM. His lifetime of advocacy work has earned him an Emmy, a Peabody Award, and the gratitude of Music Educators everywhere. In his talk he shared a story of a particularly memorable experience at VH1's Concert of The Century in 1999. At one point he asked President Clinton to go onstage and say a few words. Without any script at all, he went on to tell an impassioned story about how much his music teachers helped him develop as a musician and as a person. It was a very compelling address. He then talked some about how students can feel more welcomed into programs. For those of you who don't know, the way school music programs work is a lot like a professional baseball team. Students are drafted into the program at a young age (typically 4th or 5th Grade), and then they advance up through the grades and ranks till they hit High School. Along the way, plenty leave the 'organization', but there isn't a really easy way for late-comers to get in the system and not feel out of place. And this is something I can attest to from personal experience. I started in 5th Grade, and though a lot of people quit band, fewer people came into it from the outside. Morrison advised making it easier for kids to enter later. He brought up many good points, but they all came back to one idea. How can Music Educators reach out to all kids and make them feel welcome? One way to not welcome new kids into the fold is Hazing, which brings us to the next panel: 'The Dark Side of Tradition: Strategies for Eliminating Hazing and Bullying in the School Band Program'  As you all doubtlessly know, hazing and bullying are only getting to be bigger problems, even in the Band Room. This panel shared some pointers on ways to detect hazing and how to stop it. You know the traditional signs, but there are more subtle ways of Hazing too. Anything that physically or mentally harms a person can be hazing, and that is a pretty broad definition. They recommended developing a supportive culture, one that resembles a family. The more the students care about each other, the less likely hazing is. The point of both of these sessions is to be vigilant, attend to your student's needs, and to advocate for your kids, yourself, and your program.

Music From a Galaxy Far, Far, Away.

Last year at Midwest, a fascinating spectacle was present at the Hal Leonard booth. A score for Star Wars: The Force Awakens sealed under lock and key till the movie came out. While I have not seen anything like that this year, I have seen a sign at that booth advertising the availability of music from Rogue One. Another year, another highly anticipated Star Wars release.

Master of The March

The unquestioned guru of the March is John Philip Sousa. And the unquestioned biggest appreciator of Sousa is the United States Marine Band, who has been playing Sousa marches since Sousa himself directed the ensemble over 130 years ago. Therefore it is only fitting that the Marine Band should be the featured ensemble in 'Making the March King: The Sousa March in Form, Style, and Performance'. The first thing that should be mentioned is that the Marine Band already performed 3 times yesterday, and here they were back in clinic at 8:30 in the morning. Clearly they're the real MVPs here. Onstage with the Band was Patrick Warfield, a Musicologist and biographer of Sousa. With the assistance of the ensemble, Mr. Warfield proceeded to take us though Sousa's history with marches. Early on, Sousa's marches were strictly functional, used while the Band was parading and utilizing a lot of repeats and looping back in the piece so that all of the spectators along the parade route would be able to hear a good majority of the pice being played. But eventually the Marine Band (as well as Sousa himself) because extremely busy and reduced the number of parades that they did. Sousa was now faced with a problem: how do you take a music form that is meant to be very functional and played in a parade setting and make that same piece fit into a concert setting? This quandry led Sousa to make several unique tweaks to the form of his marches over the next several years. The first and most prevalent of those was making several un-notated changes in his pieces,  making then sound different from their as-written counterparts (a difference then demonstrated by the Marine Band). Another innovation he put into play was the extended trio, making the light parts between the heavy brass sections longer and more dynamically contrasted. As you might imagine, this change captivated audiences. All of these changes culminated in 1896, when Sousa wrote The Stars and Stripes Forever (the greatest American March). Audiences loved it. One contemporary reviewer said that the song was "stirring enough to rouse the American Eagle from its crag, and send a shriek exaltedly while he hurls his arrow at the Aurora Borealis!" You may think that an overstatement, but get back to me after you've played the trumpet on the triumphant ending to the song. It is practically a religious experience. The current Marine Band is doing its part to preserve Sousa's legacy of marches. Since 2014 they have been on a mission to record every single Sousa march. The recordings are being released online free of charge on the Marine Band's website.

That's a Big Reed!

This year Midwest features 75,000 square feet of exhibit space, so you're sure to find some interesting stuff. Like this giant reed I saw at an exhibitor's booth. It's either part of an absolutely massive instrument, or part of their sales pitch. I'm not 100% sure, so if you see Godzilla running around Chicago in a panic, tell him he left his reed at Midwest.

The Football Team vs. The Band

It's the age old question that has flummoxed students, athletes, coaches, and directors: The Big Game is this weekend. Meanwhile, the biggest performance of the year is this weekend too(Maybe at Midwest). The first chair Trumpet player and the star of the team happen to be the same person. Just what do you do? That question is hopefully answered in Mike Morgan's presentation 'Tearing Down the Wall between Music and Athletics' Mr. Morgan comes from a small town in Washington state, where he is both the Band Director and the Head Football Coach. This gives him a unique perspective on the topic. In 2010, he wrote an article in the Music Educators Journal, which he has since parlayed into a presentation he has given to both music educators and coaches across the country. He lead off the talk by asking us to ponder stereotypes of both athletes and musicians. That lead into a comparison of different attributes that athletes and musicians both use in plying their trades. He even invoked Plato, referencing the great philosopher's belief that people needed to partake of athletics and the Fine Arts to be well-rounded. This in turn lead to statistics showing that athletes and musicians both finished in top percentiles in positive attributes that will help them later in life. The talk ended with an entreaty against the growing trend of over-specialization at younger ages. If Kenny Chesney, Doug Flutie, and Pete Carroll can excel in sports and music, so can our children.

'Fireside' Chats

The 70th Midwest Clinic features a lot of tried and true sessions, but also some new experiences. One of those new features is the Chat Room, designed to give attendees a more intimate experience with clinicians. It builds off a format that was used at Midwest in the 50s, but has been updated. The first such Chat this year just wrapped up 45 minutes ago, and featured composing great Frank Ticheli. For those of us knowledgeable in music, this is a "Randolph Scott" moment for us(see: Blazing Saddles). The chat was supposed to be capped at 20 people, but attendance far exceeded that number. Luckily, there was plenty of overflow space. Ticheli soon came in and started his chat, beginning with mentioning his forthcoming methods book, which is the product of two years of work. As opposed to other books, Ticheli's is divided into lessons, and at the end of each lesson there is an actual excerpt from a song, some of which are by Ticheli himself (hey, can't blame the guy for self-promotion). This provides a great way to apply the techniques learned in each lesson. Ticheli then offered some advice on composing and band-leading. When asked how aspiring composers could find their voices, he advised to not so much look for it, as to let it find you. He then gave tips for those emulating a role model in their compositions. The trick isn't so much to 'steal' from them, but to get yourself so you see like them. As for working with a group as a conductor, the most interesting tip he gave pertains to conducting oneself while leading. Specifically, ensuring your actions match the mood of the piece being played. He gave the example of not issuing an abrupt cutoff at the end of a slow, melodic piece so as to not disrupt the headspace of the students playing it. The first Chat Room of Midwest's modern era was a success, thanks to the knowledge of Frank Ticheli.

Winter Music Fun and Fellowship

Starting today, thousands of people will converge upon McCormick Place West to participate in the 70th Annual Midwest Clinic. This gathering of Band and Orchestra directors has been fostering the exchange of ideas since 1946. Over the years, the Clinic has expanded to multiple days, performance opportunities for ensembles the world over, and opportunities for High School students to get a taste of a day at the Clinic. Over the next 3 days, Chicago 365 will be here at Midwest, giving all of you a taste of things as they are here at McCormick Place West. Ready, Set...GO!

Chicago 365 Playoff Central: Score Early and Score Often

     After a Halloween weekend at Wrigley, the World Series picked back up in Cleveland for Game 6. The Cubs may have received quite a fright by the time they went down 3-1 in the Series, but they didn't show it tonight. Josh Tomlin led things off for the Indians, and things were going pretty well for him...right up until he gave up a Kris Bryant home run with two outs in the top of the 1st inning. Then Rizzo followed up by a hit. Then Zobrist got on base. Then Addison Russell hit a ball that looked like it would be caught to end the inning, only it wasn't. The right fielder went for the ball, the center fielder went for the ball, they both missed it, ran right past each other, and the ball dropped harmlessly in between them. In the commotion, Rizzo made it easily home, while Zobrist beat the throw to the plate as well, knocking down the Indians' catcher in the process. Wilson Contreras finally flied out, ending an inning where the Cubs sent 7 men to the plate and scored 3 runs.

     Then Jake Arrieta got to work. Arrieta threw a great game, going 5 2/3 innings while only giving up 2 runs. Meanwhile, as Jake was mowing through Cleveland's lineup, the Cubs did even MORE damage. In the 3rd inning, Kyle Schwarber marked his return to the lineup by walking. Then he was advanced by a Rizzo single. Then Rizzo and Schwarbino were both advanced by Zobrist's single. Then Terry Francona decided he'd seen enough and pulled Josh Tomlin. Then Addison Russell stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and a new pitcher. Very next pitch: into the stands. GRAND SLAM! (for those of you keeping track at home, that was good for the first World Series Grand Slam since Paul Konerko's in Game 2 of the 2005 World Series). At that point, we were up 7-0. The rest of the game just featured us holding the line, allowing one more Cleveland run to score, and watching Rizzo shoot another 2-run bomb into the stands. End result: Cubs win 9-3.

     Yes folks, you read that correctly, the Cubs won to force a Game 7 after being down 3-1 in the Series. Between now and game time, mountains of ink(both digital and non-digital) will be spilled about the groundbreaking significance of Game 7, the meaning of it, and how the lives of one fan base will be changed overnight. And not one single drop of that ink will be too much. We're talking a combined 176 years of misery here people! One more win tomorrow and Cubs fans or Indians fans will be telling their grandchildren 60 years from now where they were and what they were doing on the night of November 2, 2016. For purely selfish reasons, I hope that I'm the one able to do that. But we won't know for sure till the game ends. So for that reason and so many others, let's do this. Let's bring on the 2 most treasured words in all of sports: Game 7.

Chicago 365 Playoff Central: The Bash Brothers Start the Party.

     Going into Game 5 of the World Series, we had our backs against the wall.  Regardless, Wrigleyville was once again a flurry of activity as game time approached. Fans of all varieties wanted to be there to take in the final game of the season, as well as the final game that David Ross would ever play at Wrigley. Things didn't start off great against Trevor Bauer, as the Cubs couldn't get on the board through 3. Even worse, the Indians managed to tally one off of Jon Lester(but a few more runs were saved by a couple of good defensive plays, including one by Jason Heyward where he had to climb the wall and reach into the stands to make the catch. By the 4th Inning, it looked like Terry Francona was getting ready to put in his lights-out team to seal up the game and the series. Luckily, that was the precise time the Cubs decided to start doing something. Kris Bryant steps up and hits a ball into the outfield basket(landing not far from where Javy Baez's shot landed in Game 1 of the NLDS). Then immediately afterward, Rizzo got on base with a double. Then Zobrist advanced him to 3rd. Then Addison Russell got Rizzo home with another hit. Then Baez gets on thanks to a bunt. Then Grandpa Rossy comes out and brings another run in with a sacrifice fly. By the time the dust settles, the Cubs score 3 runs in the inning and lead the Indians 3-1. Later on in the game, the Tribe makes it interesting when they take one of those runs back.

     After pulling Lester, Carl Edwards Jr. gets a very brief outing in the 7th. Then things get really interesting when none other than Aroldis Chapman walks out of the bullpen to take the ball for the Cubs. Remember when I said earlier that Chapman was good but he just didn't do 6-out saves? This was going to be an 8-out save. I was wondering if Maddon had hit his head or had too many shot/beer combos at the Cubby Bear. But I'll be damned, it actually worked. Chapman held it together, recorded the last 8 outs, and the Cubs won the game. Of course, this was but the first step. We still have to win 2 more in Cleveland. But all of that is for another time. For now, we'll just have to focus on Game 6. Let's get it done.

Chicago 365 Playoff Central: Crunch Time(aka DEFCON 1)

     Last night the residents of Chicago were out partying for Halloween. They were also out partying at Wrigley Field for Game 4 of the World Series. The Cubs started off the affair with a run off of Corey Kluber. Unfortunately, the Indians soon followed with a couple of runs off of John Lackey. Those runs that the Cubs got would be the only ones that we would get for the next few innings, by which time the Indians had piled on even more. One of those outbursts was a 3-run bomb courtesy of Jason Kipnis, the local kid. For what it's worth, Jason Kipnis hails from the same Northern Suburb(Northbrook) as Steve Bartman. Anyway, by the end of the affair the Cubs had lost 7-2. This isn't good. This really isn't good. For the first time this postseason, we have our backs against the wall. Win or go home.

     But this isn't as bad as it would have been in the other two series. It's not like we have to face Johnny Cueto or Rich Hill, or the Dodgers in LA. All we have to do is beat Trevor Bauer, who looked awfully beatable when he last pitched in Game 2. And who do we have pitching for us? Only Jon Lester, who has been awfully reliable for us this post season. 4 starts, all of them great outings. We have an excellent chance to win tonight. As far as games 6 and 7 go, those are discussions to be had later on. For now, we have to take things 1 game at a time. The first of those affairs starts now. Let's get it done. Go Cubbies.

Chicago 365 Playoff Central: The Bill Murray Game

     After a 71 year absence, the World Series returned to Wrigley Field tonight for Game 3 between the Cubs and the Indians. Josh Tomlin faced off against Kyle Hendricks. Both of them turned in functional (if not lights-out) performances. Eventually, the starters yielded to their bullpens, and the game went from there. Carl Edwards Jr. ultimately allowed the go-ahead run for the other team. The Cubs tried by sending a few hitters to the plate, but ultimately all efforts were in vain as the Cubs succumbed to the Tribe 1-0. What this means: It means that the Cubs are now down 2-1 in the Series. This also means they can't win the Series at Wrigley. But what this means too is that the Cubs are down, but not out. We were down 2-1 to the Dodgers, but came back to win the Pennant. So keep the faith, Cubs fans. And now on to the other big story of the night. Bill Murray. He was around yet again, this time to lead the 7th Inning Stretch. And what a rendition it was:

     I'm just gonna come out and say it. This was the best version of the Stretch I've ever heard in my life. And it comes to us from Bill Murray of all people. So rest up Cubs fans, and get ready for tomorrow. Time to even this series again.

Chicago 365 Playoff Central: The Clobbering

     After a 6-0 loss to the Indians in Game 1 of the World Series, the Cubbies were back at it for Game 2. Trevor Bauer was throwing for the Indians, while Jake Arrieta was on the mound for us. A degree of uncertainty followed both starters into the game, Bauer had injured his finger fixing a drone and was still on the mend, while Arrieta has come down a ways from his other-worldly 2015 version. Still dominant, but slightly less consistent. And that showed in his first two postseason starts, when he went from turning in a solid performance against Madison Bumgarner and the Giants, to when he struggled against the Dodgers. As things got started, we quickly learned that things would go different for the Cubs. Bryant got on base, and then Rizzo brought him in with an RBI. That pretty much set the tone of the game offensively, as the Cubs would go on to score a total of 5 runs. It should also be noted though, that two of those runs came courtesy of RBIs from Kyle Schwarber. That's right, the Schwarbino himself. After getting his first hit all year in Game 1, he proceeded to grab 2 more in Game 2. The man had gone 200 days without seeing major league caliber pitching, and all of a sudden he's hitting .429 in the World Series? This is absurd! Ridiculous! Extraordinary! Whatever you call it, it's another chapter in the Continuing Legend of The Schwarbino.

     But enough about the hitting for now, let's talk about the pitching. The feared inconsistency from Arrieta never showed up. In fact, he took a no-hitter into the 6th inning(at which point Joe Buck & Co. start talking it up like a bunch of amateurs. Seriously, fuck that guy.). And of course, right after they start blabbing about it the no-hitter gets broken up. But Arrieta still did very well. Definitely his second-best postseason performance ever(with the undisputed top outing still being the complete game shutout in the 2015 Wild Card game). Mike Montgomery and Aroldis Chapman came in to close out the victory, a 5-1 win that knotted the series at a game a piece headed back to Wrigley for Friday's Game 3. Game 3 will also be the first World Series game at Wrigley Field since 1945. Anticipation and ticket prices look to be astronomically high. It's gonna be a nutty weekend in Chicago. Get ready for it.

Chicago 365 Playoff Central: The Klubering

     Last night was the first World Series game played in by the Chicago Cubs since (you guessed it) 1945. And if this is the year we truly go all the way, things got off to an awfully inauspicious start. To the tune of a 6-0 loss at the hands of the Cleveland Indians. Even though the score looked pretty nasty, there were a few silver linings. Kyle Schwarber looked GREAT coming back from his injury. In the process, he also became the first MLB player to appear in fewer than 10 regular season games and then not again till the World Series. He also became the first position player to record his first hit of the season in the World Series. We may not have won, but Schwarber's return made a huge impact.

     Another good point from the game was our chance to check out their pitchers. Corey Kluber was very good against us, and we couldn't really get anything going against him. But the same thing happened the first time we saw Clayton Kershaw, and we lit him up for 5 runs the next time we saw him. After Kluber left, Andrew Miller walked out. Miller was the Indians' big free agent pitching acquisition at the deadline. But here's the thing: Miller looked pretty mortal last night. He needed 40 pitches to make it to the closer, and he loaded the bases twice. We were unable to capitalize on that, but considering that's how he is in Game 1, we should be in good shape after a few times seeing him. If there's one thing we've been good at all year it's been adapting to and wearing down opposing pitchers. We will see if that holds true tonight. The game starts...right now. Go Cubs!

Chicago 365 Playoff Central: The Schwarbino Returns

     The Cubs are in the World Series. That fact alone is shocking enough, but a set of developments that started percolating Saturday afternoon have culminated in something even more surprising. Back in the 3rd game of the season, Kyle Schwarber tore his ACL going after a fly ball. After examining the knee, doctors determined that he would be out for the rest of the year. Month in and month out, Theo Epstein stood in front of reporters to reiterate that Schwarber would indeed not play for the Cubs again this year. Then in the run-up to Game 6, a story came out that Schwarber had in fact been cleared to hit and might be with the Cubs if they went to the Series. We all know what happened on Saturday night, so Schwarber went to the Mesa Solar Sox to get his groove back. After turning in a few good showings, he was on a plane to Cleveland. Then today it was made official: Schwarber will be our DH in Cleveland and will bat 5th tonight. This HAS to he a big boost for the Cubs. We've won 108 games without him so far, but the intangibles of this move are off the chart. We'll see how this move pays off when the game starts in jjust over 90 Minutes. Go Cubs.

Chicago 365 Playoff Central: Sure as God Made Green Apples

     Wrigley Field. Saturday night. Game 6 of the National League Championship Series. Kyle Hendricks takes the mound for Chicago in an attempt to become the first Cubs pitcher since Hank Borowy to propel the Cubs to the Pennant. Opposing him, was Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw. The last time we saw him, he threw a masterful game against us leading to a 1-0 Dodgers win in Game 2. This time things would be different. We got off to a great early start, putting up 2 runs in the 1st inning. Evnetually, we added on a third, and from there it was smooth sailing. Wilson Contreras and Anthony Rizzo added on solo home runs later on in the game. Meanwhile, Hendricks was over on the mound tearing it up. He would go on to pitch into the 8th inning, when he gave up only his 2nd hit all night and was pulled for Aroldis Chapman. After that, Chapman wound up pitching quite well for himself. We come to the 9th inning. The Dodgers have their last 3 chances. Their first batter gets out. Their second batter gets on base and another guy comes up. All of a sudden he hits into a double play, the Cubs get the last out, the game goes official, and THE CUBS WIN THE PENNANT!!!!!!!!!!

     Meanwhile, while all this is happening I'm outside. I, along with several hundred thousand other fans, are all swarming the streets of Wrigleyville. Tickets into the game were impossible to come by, and all the bars were packed. That didn't stop the Cubs faithful from gathering in the street in a Sea of Humanity. Waveland Avenue was packed. People were sitting on lawn chairs in the Ballhawk Alley. The area at the entrance to the bleachers was FULL of people. Some watching the game on big screens outside of Murphy's Bleachers, some gathered in front of the Fox Sports booth on the other side of the street. Ultimately, I joined a small army of fans who were posted up outside of Casey Moran's watching the game on one of their big screens that was facing the street. It was thrilling. As the game wound down, We were counting the outs left. 8 outs away, 7 outs away, 6 outs away, 5 outs away... As soon as we got to 4 outs away, I knew we had it. We had finally shaken the specter of 2003 and were now ready to circle past that and make our own history. Then comes the double play. Cubs win. Utter pandemonium on the streets. People singing "Go, Cubs, Go", people standing on barricades, people flying W flags, and the trusty Chicago PD making sure things didn't get too crazy(they didn't). As I migrated through the party, there were folks climbing on street signs, banging on street signs, and an air of revelry permeated the air. Walking down Waveland, giving strangers high fives(an ironic act actually, given the history of said gesture), and finally making it to the back of the ball park. Waveland and Addison. There are still hordes of people in the ballpark, some taking it in from the back of the bleachers. Meanwhile the crowd below is going nuts. I got showered by beer and champagne more than once. It was the best kind of revelry. I ended up leaving to catch a train around 11:40(about two hours after they won it) and the streets were still packed. There were even some people left in the bleachers.

     I feel it's appropriate to end this post with a video clip. It's from the end of the 1991 season, and it's where this post takes its name from:

We did it Harry, we finally did it. Game 1 starts in just over 14 hours from now in Cleveland. Go Cubbies.

Chicago 365 Playoff Central: One More To Go.

     Coming into Game 5 of the NLCS, the Cubs had the series all tied up. Jon Lester was on the mound. The Cubs struck first, with a hit by Anthony Rizzo in the 1st. But the Dodgers eventually got that one back. After that, the scoring calmed down a bit. It stayed tied at 1-1 until the 6th inning, when Addison Russell stepped to the plate. After breaking out of his scoreless slump the night before, he went deep again! All of a sudden it was 3-1 Cubs. After a few more innings, the team struck again in the 8th. This time we got 5 runners across home plate in the inning, running up our lead to 8-1. Then of course, we proceeded to give 3 of those runs back, before eventually holding on for an 8-4 victory. This upheld yet another patented 2016 Cubs trend, running up the score and then letting the bullpen cough up some of those runs. An alarming trend, but it works as long as you've got the early lead.

     So after that victory, where does that leave us? It leaves us within striking distance of our first Pennant since 1945, that's where it leaves us. Now I know everyone always talks about how 'it's personal now', but for me it kind of is. Back in 2003 the Cubs came this close as well, only to fall to the Marlins by dropping the last two games at Wrigley Field. That season also marked my awakening as a Cubs fan. Since then I've followed the team through thick and thin, late season collapses, upsetting playoff upsets, and just some bad baseball. At times it feels like I've taken a 13 year graduate course in how it feels to be a Cubs fan. And now I'm finally caught up with the beginning. I will be in Wrigleyville for Game 6. I may be able to get into the game, I may not. Whatever happens, I will be there to see it, and then report back. Till then, Go Cubs.

Chicago 365 Playoff Central: There's the Offense!

     After devoting a good amount of digital ink yesterday to the need for our offense to perk up, guess what happened? Our offense came back! And it came back in grand fashion. For the first 3 innings, things were pretty calm. Julio Urias was doing pretty well in his playoff debut. His pitch count was getting high, but he was otherwise doing well. Then Ben Zobrist came up to bat in the 4th. He ended up laying down a bunt to get on base. Then another guy got on. Then an RBI happened. Then another run scored. Then Addison Russell came to the plate. So far he'd been in a pretty profound slump, but he picked right now to come out of it. He lifted a ball over the wall that was good for a 2-run homer. All of a sudden it was 4-0 Cubs. Then in the 5th,  Anthony Rizzo is up. He hits a shot the clears the wall in back. A home run! But the real treat was waiting in the wings. In the 6th, we tacked on 5 more runs through a combination of good hitting and Dodger errors. By the end of it, we emerged victorious by a score of 10-2.

     What this means for the series: things are now all tied up 2-2. Game 5 is tonight in LA. Lester is pitching, and while we're heading back to Chicago either way, this one determines whether we go back up 3-2 with two shots to win the pennant at home, or on the edge of elimination with Clayton Kershaw going in Game 6. Either way, this one is important. Let's win it.

Chicago 365 Playoff Central: More Setbacks

     Going into Game 3, I was fairly confident in the Cubs' ability to win the game. After all, we had Jake Arrieta going up aganst Rich Hill. It looked like a no-brainer. Turns out it was one. For the other side. Arrieta did not have one of his better outings, and our bats fell silent for a second game in a row. Between Hill and Kenley Jansen, we only managed 4 hits all night. We've now been shut out in two straight Postseason games, which hasn't happened to anyone in at least 100 years. Worse yet, we're now down in the series 2-1.

     This brings us to tonight's game. More specifically, it brings us to how important it is. Win, and we tie it up while guaranteeing the series goes back to Chicago. Lose, and we're down 3-1 with the Dodgers able to clinch at home tomorrow. The man we're handing the ball to so that doesn't happen? John Lackey, who boasts 22 career postseason starts (more than any other active pitcher). This moment is what we were anticipating when we brought him to Chicago. As for the Dodgers, they are countering with Julio Urias, making his first postseason start at all of 20 years old (for those of you keeping track from home, that will indeed be a new record for youngest postseason starting debut). As for what we have to do to win, the answer is simple: start hitting the ball. Do that, and we even the series. Don't do that, and I'm gonna have to pull that 'DEFCON 1' title out of mothballs.

Chicago 365 Playoff Central: Setbacks

     After a marvelous outing in Game 1, the Cubs were back at Wrigley Field to face the Dodgers in Game 2 of the NLCS. Clayton Kershaw was on the hill for the Dodgers, while Kyle Hendricks was on the mound for the Cubs. Things started out just fine, with each pitcher trading a scoreless first. Then Hendricks allowed a Home Run in the 2nd which put the Dodgers ahead 1-0. It would prove to be all the offense the Dodgers needed, as Kershaw pitched flawlessly through 7 innings. We had a couple of chances in the game, including a marvelous shot by Javy Baez with a man on that ALMOST went out, but ultimately it was to no avail. The Cubs wound up losing to the Dodgers 1-0, the series is now knotted at a game apiece, and things pick back up on the West Coast in just over 2 hours. For Game 3, we've gotta wake up our offense. As far as the pitching matchup goes. I like it. Jake Arrieta against Rich Hill. Yes, that's the same Rich Hill who used to pitch for the Cubs way back in the day. He's had something of a career resurgence. But I've still gotta go with Jake here. The man has 4 more wins in the last 2 seasons than Hill does in his entire career. And that's not even mentioning the fact that Arrieta has made 6 starts in the state of California since the beginning of last season, and he's only given up two earned runs. I'm liking our odds for this matchup.

Chicago 365 Playoff Central: Another Grand Ending

     After seemingly endless hype, the Cubs finally started off their NLCS tilt with the Los Angeles Dodgers last night. As with the last round, Jon Lester got the ball for Game 1. Lester started out the game by allowing 4 hits and only 1 run. Meanwhile, the Cubs were busy tacking on runs, leading 3-0 by the end of the 2nd, and 3-1 in the fifth. One of those scores mind you, involved Javy Baez stealing home. I know, right? Baez is just tearin' it up this postseason! After a few more innings, Maddon signals to replace Lester. At this point Lester had only thrown 77 pitches and was still doing great. My sources tell me that this was all done merely so that Lester could be switched out for a different bat in the lineup. If that's why, it was a flop because the next batter for the Cubs still struck out. Regardless, Lester was pissed about the whole thing.

     Moving right along, Lester was replaced by a corps of relievers, until we reached the 8th inning, when Mike Montgomery was pulled for Aroldis Chapman. Now let's think about this for a second. Joe Maddon is a baseball genius. Way too much of a genius to be pulling crap like this. This is the exact same thing we tried in Game 3 against the Giants, and Chapman ended up blowing the six out save, which led us all to stay up till 1:45 AM to watch an ultimately losing effort. Why would he do this again? Chapman goes in, gets the first two outs, and then what happens? He serves up a bases-loaded single that drives in 2 runs and ties the game at 3-3. Chapman may be one of the best relievers in the game, but THE MAN DOES NOT DO A SIX OUT SAVE. I'm wondering how long it'll take Maddon to get that fact into that fantastically gifted head of his.

     Anyway, we finally get out of that inning without any more damage, then the bottom of the 8th dawns on us. Zobrist gets on base, Heyward gets intentionally walked, then Coghlan was intentionally walked. All of a sudden, we've got the bases loaded with two outs for Miguel Montero. He takes one strike. He takes another strike. And then he swings and hits a GRAND SLAM! 4 runs come in, and while Wrigley is still losing its shit over that one, Dexter Fowler steps up and cranks one for another Home Run. All of a sudden the 3-3 tie is an 8-3 lead. A lead that would hold up through the end of the 9th as Hector Rondon would allow only one run to lock down an 8-4 victory in our first ever postseason victory over the Dodgers.

     We're back at Wrigley tonight for Game 2 as Kyle Hendricks goes up against Clayton Kershaw. For the record, I am no more intimidated by facing Kershaw than I would be for any other pitcher. We've faced Bumgarner. We've got to Bumgarner. There's no reason to fear Kershaw. By the end of the night, we'll know just how true that sentiment was. Till then, GO CUBS!!!!!

Chicago 365 Playoff Central: The Giant Killers

     As I was watching the end of Game 4 Tuesday night, I was getting ready to title this post 'DEFCON 1'. I was ready to write all sorts of inspirational, saccharine language to try and talk all of us off the ledge. I was preparing my heart to handle going back to the bar, watching a Game 5, and knowing that Johnny Cueto was waiting for us. I was getting ready for all of that, but then I was saved from all of those thoughts. I'm sure you've all heard the tale of the tape by now. After 8 innings of not playing ball the way we knew they could, the team's bats all of a sudden lit up in the top of the 9th. Between good hitting, even better plate discipline, and some flat out good luck, the Cubs scored 4 runs in the inning to turn a 5-2 deficit into a 6-5 lead. After that, I was PUMPED. But we still hadd to close it out. For that job, the team once again turned to 105 MPH man Aroldis Chapman. The previous night he had blown an attempt at a 6-out save, so this moment was not without apprehension. Luckily, he was his normal dominant self, and mowed down the side 1-2-3. The game ended, and just like that the Cubs had sent the Giants packing(and along with them, all of their even year mojo).

     Two days later, we all had the luxury of sitting back and watching a Game 5 as opposed to having to fret over one involving the Cubs. At the end of it, the Los Angeles Dodgers emerged victorious, which means that we will be playing them starting tomorrow. It also means that we get to avoid facing Daniel Murphy for a second straight October. Not just that, but since Clayton Kershaw came out of the bullpen to close out the Nationals, he won't be able to pitch again until Game 4. Which puts us in a pretty good situation. We shall see just how good it is for us when the National League Championship Series begins tomorrow. Till then, sweet dreams, good thoughts, and GO CUBBIES!!!!!

Chicago 365 Playoff Central: A 13 Inning Marathon

     Going into last night's game against the Giants,  the Cubs had a solid 2-0 lead in the NLDS. But we also knew that we needed to win those first two games so that we could handle what Game 3 would have in store for us. Namely, Madison Bumgarner. If we'd even dropped one game in Chicago, a Giants win would have put them on the brink of taking the series in Game 4 at home. But we had Jake Arrieta on our side. As the game started, both pitchers traded scoreless offerings in the 1st. Then Arrieta decided to help himself out by going yard for a 3 run homer. That was the 4th postseason home run by a pitcher in Cubs history. 2 of those have come since Saturday. The home run also ended Bumgarner's 23-inning scoreless streak in elimination games. By the time the 5th Inning came around, Bumgarner was at over 100 pitches and out of the game. Arrieta would give up two isolated runs, but left the game ahead 3-2. In the 8th, we were close to wrapping up the sweep when Aroldis Chapman came to lace up a six-out save. He got the first out, but then wound up surrendering 3 runs by the end of the inning. At the top of the 9th, the Giants were up 5-3. But then Kris Bryant came up to bat. He took the pitch, and dinged a 2-run homer over the wall. The Cubs would get no more runs though, and the 9th inning ended with the teams tied. Time for Bonus Baseball! The teams traded chances through several extra innings(David Ross missed a great chance to further cement his legend by striking out with two men on base), but the Giants finally broke through in the bottom of the 13th with a deep RBI double. That's 1:45 AM for those of you who were curious.

     What this means is that the Giants stood tall and staved off elimination for one day. While the Cubs' history of heartbreak and the whole even-year thing might tempt some to worry, don't do it. Follow the lead of Joe Maddon. He's the chillest guy in all of baseball. He's probably in the visitor's clubhouse at AT&T Park filling out tonight's lineup while drinking wine and listening to smooth jazz. We have John Lackey and all his postseason expertise on the mound tonight. And it would be best to finish them off tonight. If we don't, Wrigleyville will likely be at DEFCON 1 for Thursday's Game 5. Let's win tonight and give ourselves a nice rest before the NLCS.

Chicago 365 Playoff Central: A Bullpen Game

     Going into Game 2 of the NLDS, the Cubs had already taken an early lead thanks to Jon Lester's Dominant performance and Javier Baez's timely home run. After the introductions, the game began. Jeff Samardzija was coming back to pitch against his former team, and let's just say that things didn't go so well for the Shark. Right away in the 1st inning, the Cubs got a run on the board. After a scoreless bottom of the inning by Kyle Hendricks, the Cubs jumped on the Shark again for 3 more runs. After a few more innings, the Cubs had to make their first change. Hendricks got hit in the arm by a ball. He is okay, but the change was necessary. He was replaced by Travis Wood, who then became the first relief pitcher since 1924 to hit a postseason home run. The Cubs wound up riding a combination of Mike Montgomery, Carl Edwards Jr., and Aroldis Chapman to secure the win. Cubs play the Giants tonight, and are now 1 win away from advancing. Let's go Cubbies!

Chicago 365 Playoff Central: Javy Hits the Home Run Basket

After weeks of anticipation, the Cubs finally kicked off the playoffs last night against the Giants. It was a star-studded affair, with appearances by Da Coach, Theo Epstein, Eddie Vedder, Ryne Sandberg, and Bill Murray(more on him later). By the time Jon Lester threw the first pitch, EVERYONE was ready to play ball. To oppose Lester, the Giants offered up Johnny Cueto. The affair quickly turned into a pitcher's duel, as Lester and Cueto matched each other pitch for pitch. At one point in the 4th, the Giants got two men on base and were threatenng to break the game open. But Lester got things back under control, and the game moved on. A few innings later, the Cubs threatened too, but that too was extinguished. By the time the 8th Inning rolled around, the fans were anxious to see who would blink first. Lester made it through the top half without much undue hardship. Then the Cubbies are up to bat. Cueto shows no sign of slowing down, and it looks like this one is going down to the wire. At the same time, the camera pans over to Bill Murray, hanging out in the stands just like you'd ezpect him to. No sooner than when they return to the action, Javier Baez slugs a savage shot into left-center. The ball drops right into the basket surrounding the bleachers. It's a HOME RUN!!!  The place goes wild, Javy gets a curtain call, and the party is afoot. You can all come to your own conclusions as to whether the sudden appearance of Murray on our screens was a good omen. The Cubs come out to close it out in the 9th with Aroldis Chapman on the mound. He makes quick work of the first batter, and gets some pitches in on the second before giving up a double that looked like it had all the makings of a home run. Eventually he calms down and retires the side for a Cubs VICTORY. After that, Wrigley went nuts. 1 win down, 10 more to go. Tonight's Game 2 starts in about an hour.

Chicago 365 Playoff Central: It's almost Time.

     For the last 3 weeks(and really for the last 6 months), Cubs fans have been waiting for this moment to arrive. The moment that the Chicago Cubs take the field for the real season. The moment that the Chicago Cubs embark on their journey to notch 11 more victories-and end 108 years of heartbreak. There are so many things that could be said about this, but frankly, I think I'll let someone else do the talking for a change. Michael Norton over at Scorecard Sports put together this GREAT hype poem. I'm re-blogging it here, but please go and give him a look too:

Twas the night before Game One, when all through Chicago

Every stomach was turning, with all thoughts on tomorrow;

The W Flags were hung through the City with care,

In hopes that Saint Maddon’s boys soon would be there;

The Cub fans were nestled, all snug in their beds;

While visions of champagne corks danced in their heads;

And some in their jerseys, and I in my cap,

Were tossing and turning, unable to nap.

When all of a sudden, I remembered this season,

I remembered the games back in May that were freezin’

Away to my iPhone I flew pretty fast,

To relive some moments, and dwell on the past;

The moonshot, the pickoff, the walk-off base hit,

The feeling of comebacks, this team never quit;

When what to my wondering eyes did appear,

But a team that made all feel that “this year” is here.

With a little old manager, so lively and quick,

Who pressed all the right buttons, and made everything click;

More rapid than eagles, they ran all the bases,

Things were great, you could tell, by the smiles on their faces;

There was Jon, and then Jake, Kyle, Jason, and Hector,

And then Carl, and then Javy, Addison, Ben, and Dexter;

To the top of the scoreboard! To the top of the wall,

To left field, and right field, they hit the baseball;

There was Addy off Jumbo, the no-hitter by Jake,

The wall catch by Rizzo, that made Wrigley shake;

And wherever they went, the baseballs, they flew,

In Pittsburgh, St. Louis, and Milwaukee, too;

I remembered when Fowler came back to the team,

And how Heyward and Zobrist fit right in Joe’s scheme;

I thought about Javy, his glove and his bat,

And Rondon and Strop – with his slightly turned hat.

Not to mention Contreras, what a lovely surprise,

And the skills he picked up from Rossy the Wise.

I then closed my eyes, I could hear and could see,

The crowd chanting loudly for their “M-V-P”

His eyes – how they twinkled, made for the silver screen

The crowd would go wild, for good ol’ seventeen.

And then there’s his buddy, his partner in crime,

With clutch hits and putouts, he was there every time.

His defense was great, nothing to underscore,

He’s tops in our books and he wears forty-four.

So tonight when you’re squirming, and thinking oh no!

Know that this team is different; put your faith in dear Joe,

He’s got that broad face and a little round belly,

That shakes when he laughs like a bowl full of jelly,

But he’s also the smartest, and brings out the best,

In his hitters and pitchers he’ll take care of the rest;

And if you are doubting, pessimistic this Fall,

Take a deep breath, just enjoy it, that’s all!

Just eleven more wins, all they need to achieve,

Forget the last 1-0-8, now it’s time to believe,

And tell all San Francisco, we’re afraid of no Giant,

You can keep your BUMgarner, we’ve got Rizzo and Bryant.

     First pitch of Game 1 is in just over 19 hours. Get Ready.

The Ballad of Brianna and Jaelin

     Earlier this month Chicago was rocked by the release of yet another controversial video online. Was it another police shooting? More exposes of corruption on the 5th Floor of City Hall? No. It was something much more earth-shattering:

     For those of you who didn't feel like sitting through all 16 minutes of the video, let me tell you the tale of Brianna and Jaelin White. Two young (and married) whippersnappers, they struck out on their own with only their undying love for each other large piles of Daddy's money to try and flip houses in Chicago, that toddlin' town that it is. But once they got there, they found out that not all that glitters(or smells like piss in this case) is gold. They got into town that first night, crawled out of their Volkswagen Jetta, and stayed in a hotel for their first night in the city. The next day they bravely drove over to their new apartment in one of the roughest neighborhoods in the city: Edgewater(I'm telling you, you can't make this shit up). While Jaelin braved the rough streets to buy a fully-customized bedroom set at Ikea, Brianna was back at the place going all Snapchat-crazy. Jaelin finally makes it back and Brianna embraces him like a proud wife welcoming her man back from the war. Apparently finding(at Ikea) and Snapping(at the apartment) the perfect piece is exhausting, because our brave little couple is famished. So they decide to hop on the 'tram'(that's Red Line in Dumb Twit Language) to get some food at Chipotle. But while waiting at the Granville stop, they're beset by a sinful mortal bum who engages Jaelin in conversation. In a terribly rookie mistake, Jaelin then engages the bum in conversation. The couple quickly realizes that the situation is getting out of hand, and they bail on the Red Line plan in favor of Ubering it up to Chipotle. But then, like a bad penny, a boomerang, or the antagonist in a bad horror movie, CreepGuy emerges from the station behind them. The Whites then take refuge in a Subway.

     I would go on from there, but transcribing 16 minutes worth of entitled white teenager-speak is probably one of the Seven Deadly Sins. If you're really that curious, watch the video. Suffice it to say, by the end of it all they're back home-and homeless to boot. Tommy and Gina went through less turmoil than this. Oh the humanity! Anyway, the way things were going, you know they were gonna crucify these two. And have the citizens of Chicago delivered. Aside from being universally panned on every forum available, one enterprising Chicagoan has even set up a walking tour to pay tribute to these two and their brave yet brief stand against the tyranny of random creepers. As of now the event has more than 4,600 people interested on Facebook, with more bound to see it before the walk on September 6.

Hey There Delilah(and about 27,000 other people)

     Back on May 26, 27,000 runners came together in Grant Park to celebrate the 40th year of the J.P. Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge(and the 35th running of the Chicago race). The event is sold as a race distamce so simple that even high-level corporate executives can find time to train for it. And at just 3.5 Miles, it is certainly manageable. Starting out close to the historic Buckingham Fountain, the runners pounded the pavement north on Columbus. Then right before reaching the river, the course goes in to a loop on Wacker Drive. After getting back to Columbus, the course finishes out in the open right next to Buckingham Fountain.
     
     Owing to its ease of entry, runners of all occupations finished, from employees of the Shedd Aquarium, to the second place female finisher-a Deloitte employee named Delilah DiCrescenzo. If that name sounds vaguely familiar to you, it should. Way back in 2004, DiCrescenzo met a singer named Tom Higgenson through a mutual friend. As a result of that meeting, he was inspired to write and record a song about her. Two years later, Higgenson's group(Plain White Ts) released the song as a part of their third album. They titled it Hey There Delilah. The song achieved more than its fair share of success, steadily building on the charts until it finally peaked at #1 on the Hot 100 in July 2007. But that isn't where our saga ends. The next year was an Olympic year. DiCrescenzo(who if you'll recall, is a runner) was competing in the U.S. Olympic trials. That, coupled with the lingering popularity of the song, led folks to put two and two together. Eventually everyone realzied that Delilah was THE Delilah. This led to some increased recognition, as well as DiCrescenzo attending the 2008 Grammys as Higgenson's date. Since then, both DiCrescenzo and Higgenson have had continued success in their chosen endeavors.

The Ice Crew

     With all of the fun going on at the Chicago Auto Show, even the Blackhawks had to get involved. The team is sponsoring a family fun area in the Northwest corner of the South Hall. It features a B96 stage, games, cars, and even a table where Chicago sports stars are making appearances throughout the show. Daniel Carcillo was there earlier in the week, and Dan Hampton will be there coming up. Also making appearances throughout the show are the Blackhawks Ice Crew. The Ice Crew is a team of "creative, energetic cheerleaders who want to give [Hawks] fans the ultimate hockey experience". They make appearances at home games throughout the year, as well as special events(like the Auto Show for instance). They were also posing for pictures and I got one:

     Along with the appearance being made, there was a specially branded Blackhawks vehicle on display as well. The Auto Show continues through Sunday, with much more to see and experience.

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Getting Smart at the Show

     Tucked away in one corner of the Mercedes-Benz exhibit are curious little vehicles going under the smart brand. They look kind of like this:

     These vehicles have been in production since the 1990s, but they've only been available in the American market on a large scale since 2008. At the beginning of 2009, interested buyers were required to pay a $99 reservation fee and spend 12 months on a waiting list in order to buy one of these vehicles. 6 months later, there was no waiting list, and buyers could purchase a vehicle right at the dealership. smart has had a presence at the Auto Show for the past few years, further exposing consumers to the benefits of owning such a car.

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Fun with Ford

     One of the major exhibitors at this year's Chicago Auto Show is Ford. And while they have all the normal auto show stuff you'd expect (cars and other displays) they also have two interactive experiences for attendees to enjoy. The first one is a custom-designed pinball machine celebrating 50 years of the Ford Mustang(an anniversary that came around last year). Here's what it looks like:

     You can play it at the show to your heart's content and enjoy the narration provided by an actual professional race car driver, but here's the cool part: You can take the experience home with you! That's right, Stern Pinball is selling these bad boys. They'll send you your very own model for the modest price of $5,995! What a steal!

     Also featured at the show is the Ford Performance Simulator. This gives attendees the chance to experience what it is like to drive one of Ford's High-Performance vehicles. Here is a video from the simulator being used at last year's show:

     These cool experiences are just two more of the many things that you'll find at the 2016 Chicago Auto Show, which runs through Sunday at McCormick Place.

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Toyota Goes Back To The Future

     The biggest hype over Back To The Future in the past year has been October 21, 2015 and it's prediction about the Cubs. Back To The Future Day came and went with many a commemoration, and the Cubs failed to win the World Series. But 2 elements from that movie are present at this year's Auto Show. First off, let's look back at an iconic scene from the movie(pardon the double vision):

     If you ever wondered what kind of truck Marty got at the end, turns out it was a black Toyota Tundra. And yes, Toyota is displaying an updated version of that same car at this year's Chicago Auto Show. Sitting right next to it is a concept vehicle, one that is supposed to be quite environmentally friendly. It is set up like the DeLorean from this scene up above, right down to the gull-wing doors and Mr. Fusion generator. Alas, the production vehicle does not include the Mr. Fusion or the gull-wing doors, but it still makes for a cool tribute. Stay tuned for more cool things going on at the Chicago Auto Show, which continues on through this Sunday.

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Kicking Things Into OverDryve

     When you think of Rand McNally, you probably think of maps. Or those big honkin' road atlases that your parents always used on road trips. Well, not anymore. Like everybody else who is looking to run a profitable business in 2016, Rand McNally has stepped into the 21st Century. Nowadays the company offers a full line of GPS devices that do everything that we've come to expect them to do. But Rand McNally has just upped their game. At the Media Preview for the Chicago Auto Show back on Thursday, Rand McNally announced...OVERDRYVE. OverDryve is a car-connected tablet that gives directions, recommendations, and SO much more. The following is only a small list of what OverDryve has to offer:  

* A voice-controlled smart assistant 

* Hands-free calling and texting 

* Music from drivers' favorite sources 

* Audible news, weather, traffic and sports 

* Forward collision warnings 

* A dash camera and available high-resolution wireless backup camera 

* Customizable gauge clusters and vehicle information 

* Available tire pressure monitoring 

* Award-winning trip planning and navigation 

* An FM radio 

* Wired and wireless connectivity to in-dash radios 

* And available roadside assistance and accident notification

     One of the more unique things about the OverDryve is its unique dual-use potential. When in use in the car, it is magnetically attached to a mounting base on the dashboard. But for 'away missions' it can be detached from its base and be transformed into a state of the art entertainment tablet, with all of the amenities we've come to expect(video capability, the internet, etc...). Rand McNally has been driving innovation forward in the world of maps and mapmaking for 160 years, and the arrival of OverDryve leaves them well-positioned to do that far into the 21st Century and beyond.