Congrats KU

Congratulations on winning the NCAA Tourney this year Kansas. Yes, this is a Chicago blog, and yes,there are Chicago Connections. Derrick Rose played on Memphis, missed a key free-throw with 9 seconds remaining, which gave the Jayhawks a final shot - and yes, they sunk the 3 to tie the game and went on to win in OT.

Congrats to Bill Self, former coach of the University of Illinois. Self was a great coach, great recruiter too, Derron Williams, Luther Head and Dee Brown were all his recruits from the 2005 team who lost to NC in the championship game a few years ago.

World Travelers

I just got back from Dublin, I had went over for Saint Patrick's Day. It was huge, much bigger then the Chicago Loop and the Chicago South Side parade combined. Reports say that there were 870,000 people in attendance....imagine the Guinness that poured that day!!!! I did my fair share to help.

But, low and behold, who was the first band in the parade? None other than the Marching Illini! Since there wasn't going to be a NCAA tourney appearance this year....alas, neither a NIT appearance....they were spectacular! They had the flag corps there, followed by the full band. They sounded good. They played some popular parade patriotic songs while they passed me, (I was situated on Dame St. just across from Temple Bar district. What a joy. I saw them in Pasadena at the Rose Bowl in January and now in Dublin. Ironically, I didn't see them in Champaign this year. How funny. Enjoy the video clip.