College Football Realignment
Russell: Coast to coast – how far will teams travel due to college football realignment?
In 2024, the Big Ten added four new teams: UCLA, USC, Oregon and Washington. The 14 Big Ten teams will have to travel to Pacific time zones; the four former Pac-12 schools will make frequent trips to the Midwest. With 18 teams, not every team will play the same schedule every year, which means some inequities in travel each season. The longest trip is USC to Maryland; the shortest is UCLA/USC, in the same city.
John: A Big 12 West Virginia fan is not thrilled with the realignment, either, traveling all the way to BYU in Provo, Utah. Arizona would have to go to Central Florida. Those trips are brutal. Yes, you have cool matchups like USC against Michigan down the road or UCLA vs. Ohio State. But you could also have Cincinnati against Arizona State or BYU against Texas Tech.
Those kinds of matchups will not get rings, but put a drag on college football fans.
One USC fan has been to every home and away game except one since 1992 because of the pandemic. They even had to move his best friend’s wedding to Friday night to accommodate him. Now, since realignment, he might not go to every game. Think about it: you’re not traveling by Amtrak or bus anymore, you gotta fly. Fans don’t have a couple thousand in a mattress to go from LA to New Jersey, where Rutgers plays. It will do more to hurt the fan experience than to help.
William: I am not really a huge fan of this realignment. I think it was poorly constructed. Big Ten teams have to travel halfway across the country to play other Big Ten teams. It will cost more in traveling expenses, so the cost of tickets will go up. I am wondering how soon it won’t
be on over-the-air TV, but pay-per-view to get money to the teams.
If this is how colleges do things these days, not only has K-12 been badly dumbed down, apparently we’ve dumbed down college too.
Allen: UCLA being part of the Big Ten: that is a long way to travel, say if they play Michigan. That would affect homefield advantage, because a lot of students won’t make that long trip and the stadium will be filled with the home team. And the crowd is like an extra person on the team. But I would like to see UCLA play Michigan.
Speaking of Michigan, I want to mention that head coach Jim Harbaugh led Michigan to the championship, and he used to be quarterback with the Bears. He’s coming back to the NFL with the Los Angeles Chargers. Maybe he can lead them to a championship.
Russell: I like it the old way: Michigan State, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin in the Big Ten. The Rose Bowl being the winner of the Big Ten versus the winner of the Pac-10.
William: I would agree with Russell. This is ridiculous. Why don’t we just go international? Let’s add the University of Dublin to the Big Ten. I am also part German, so let’s add a university from there too. If we are going to get this absurd, go whole hog. I am kind of old-fashioned and here’s what I am going to say to the NCAA: if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it.
Any comments, suggestions or topic ideas for the SportsWise team? Email StreetWise Editor Suzanne Hanney at suzannestreetwise@yahoo.com
Vendors (clockwise): A. Allen, Russell Adams, William Plowman, and John Hagan chat about the world of sports.
Nutrition: Fuel for your body
Much like a car, your body needs fuel to function properly. This fuel comes in the form of nutrition. Nutrition is in the food and drinks we consume. As we age, our bodies change, and so do our nutritional needs.
The three basic building blocks of nutrition are:
1. Carbohydrates: Also known as carbs, these give you instant energy. Examples include bread, rice, pasta, and fruits. However, not all carbohydrates are good for you. Too many carbs can cause weight gain and, if you have certain conditions, such as diabetes, can lead to poor glucose control.
2. Proteins: Proteins help your body grow and repair itself. They keep your muscles strong. Some protein-rich foods include chicken, fish, eggs, nuts, and beans.
3. Fats: Fats are like a back-up fuel. Your body uses them when it runs out of carbs. Foods like nuts, cheese, and oils contain fats.
In addition, your body also needs vitamins and minerals. While you can get many of these through multivitamins and supplements, you can find these in all sorts of foods, especially fruits and vegetables.
Eating right means getting a good mix of all these building blocks. It is important to eat a variety of foods for a balanced diet. Be sure to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains like brown rice and oatmeal, dairy, protein, or dairy alternatives such as soy or almond milk.
Be sure to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.
Try to limit excess sugar, salt, and fat. A diet that contains a lot of sugar, salt, and fat can lead to or worsen existing health problems like high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease.
THE FOOD PLATE
Here are some tips to help you eat healthy:
• Drink water instead of soda.
• Choose whole-grain breads and pasta.
• Eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables every day.
• Try to eat fish once a week.
• Read food labels to better understand what is in the food you eat and choose the healthiest options.
To help you understand how to eat a balanced diet, divide your plate into four parts:
• Half of your plate should be fruits and vegetables.
• One-quarter should be proteins.
• The last quarter should be carbs in the form of grains.
Good nutrition is important because it helps you:
• Stay at a healthy weight
• Protect your heart
• Maintain muscle mass
• Keep bones strong and healthy
• Fight off sickness
• Keep your mind sharp
• Ask your doctor or a nutritionist how to identify the best food choices.
Remember, eating healthy doesn't mean you can never have a treat like ice cream. The next time you sit down to eat, think about what kind of fuel you're putting into your body. Eating healthy is especially important for older adults. It is never too late to start eating healthy. It can make a big difference in our energy levels and, ultimately, how we feel.
Dr. Marina Claudio is a board-certified family physician who has been in practice since 2003. She is currently a Medical Director at Molina Healthcare of Illinois/Wisconsin. She's a graduate of the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago and completed her residency in Family Medicine at the UIC/Advocate Illinois Masonic Family Medicine Residency Program.
by Dr. Marina Claudio
by Declan Canaday
On February 7, 1964, four young men from Liverpool landed at JFK International Airport in New York City to an unprecedented sight: thousands of devoted young fans screaming their names and following their every move. Before they had even set foot in the U.S., the Beatles – John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr – had set off a wave of fanaticism never seen before.
More than 60 years after their American debut and 50 years after their 1970 breakup, the group remains iconic through their songs, which embody the “peace and love” ideology of the era. Today, the band’s legacy endures not only with its generation, but with a new wave of fans discovering the music for themselves.
The Fest for Beatles Fans is described by many attendees as a family reunion. Founded in New York in 1974 with approval from the Beatles, 2024 is the convention’s 47th year in Chicago. On an early August weekend at the Rosemont Hyatt Regency, sellers hawk merchandise of all kinds, including ukuleles, board games, lunchboxes, doorstops, and plenty of Beatle records and CDs. Authors sell books touching on every aspect of the band’s history. In the room next door, allday panels cover topics ranging from interviews with close friends of the band to debate over the image and impact of its members.
Most of all, throughout the entire hotel, there is the sound of music. Whether on the official stages or in the hallways and lounges, improvised bands play old favorites; passing attendees sing along. The celebration is for all ages – seniors and toddlers alike dance together to the music.
The Beatles remain legends for their influence on popular music and the genre of rock-and-roll. They have inspired hundreds of musicians, and others in turn. Their “peace and love” message is even stronger in an era of social upheaval and political activism. Many fans at the Fest agree that, even above the catchy music, it is the ideals of the Fab Four that unite and motivate them to work to spread harmony in the world.
Skylar Moody, a 20-something with almost 23,000 followers on TikTok, is a repeat guest of the Fest. Her Beatles story
began in sophomore year of high school. “I took a music history class because that’s when I was really starting to get interested in just learning about different artists, their impact on the world. My teacher decided to show us their first movie, "A Hard Day’s Night," and that’s when I really got to see their personalities on the screen.”
Seeing the antics of the cheeky young Liverpudlians – or “Scousers” – set Skylar on a new course. Ten years later, her TikTok channel covers topics like the latest Beatle news, updates on “This Week in Beatle History”, or comedic sketches
poking fun at the dynamic between the four. “It’s easier on social media to find other fans that are your age and get excited about it in that same way. I did not think that I would still be doing this or having a channel dedicated to them, or trying to reach out to different fans, but now I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Even though the band’s catalog is decades old, a steady stream of remastered content continues to engage fans. Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr still tour internationally, with Paul’s latest stretch seeing performances in the Americas,
Europe, and Australia. Giles Martin, son of original Beatle producer George Martin, has released a series of remasters of the later albums coinciding with their 50th anniversaries, letting listeners hear the beloved classics in an all-new form. Peter Jackson’s 2021 documentary, "Get Back," featuring hours of previously unseen footage of the band at work on their final album, 1970’s Let It Be, has been streamed millions of times on Disney Plus. And in November of last year, "Now and Then," an entirely new Beatles song, was released, derived from a demo recording made by John Lennon before his 1980 death.
Page 8: Pressings of Beatle albums and singles from Japan (Declan Canaday photo). Left: Skylar Moody is a popular Beatles influencer and repeat guest of the Fest (Instagram).
Below: Milwaukee band The Taxmen perform on the "Apple Jam" stage at the Chicago Fest for Beatles Fans (Facebook).
Skylar can attest to the significance of these new releases.
“With the Beatles, any time something new comes up in the news, or there’s a release to look forward to, everyone’s just clinging onto it, because, you know, this is a band that isn’t together anymore. They’re not all touring together, so we take what we can get.”
For the latest generation of Beatles fans, there are mountains of Beatle items, from the band’s main period and their solo careers post-breakup. Many picked up the music from their family. Autumn Smith, 18, caught the bug from her mother.
“She started me out listening to the Beatles when I was like, itty-bitty. She’s been taking me to the Fest since I was 3. I grew up with their little onesies and listened to them from there. Something about them was so unique, the way they kind of really changed the mindset for rock and roll, how genuine they were, and the stuff they did for others said something for me about them as people.”
While today’s young Beatlemaniacs retain the love and passion for the music and the message, social media has allowed them to share that passion in new forms. Anna, 21, discovered the Beatles through her own exploration of 60s music. “I’ve always been a fan of old music. There’s so much personality in it. Each song just connects to me in a way...I don’t know how to explain it.” Artists on platforms such as Instagram pay tribute to the band through art, animations, and "edits" - compilations of photos and video clips set to music.
“I’ve noticed a ton of younger artists have been drawing the
Beatles a lot recently,” notes Anna. “I’ve noticed a lot of edits on YouTube specifically. There’s a lot of kids making Beatle edits. Some of them get millions of views.”
Lauren, 25, can also attest to the group’s digital star power. “I’ll get an edit of Paul McCartney on my TikTok feed made by some 15-year-old to a Charli XCX song, and I’m like, ‘This is crazy that this is even happening now in 2024’. I definitely think, especially among demographics that tend to make up fan spaces online, especially young women, the internet definitely helps keep [the band] alive and perpetuate it.”
The Beatles carry personal meanings for each fan. Mira Newell, 35, remains connected to her father through the music.
“He passed away when I was 15, and ever since he died, I’ve had the Beatles to remind me of him. He raised me to believe in revolution, and to believe that art and music can change the world... and I became an art therapist because I believe that art can change the world.” For Mira, the Fab Four offer not only comfort, but life lessons. “The Beatles are timeless, and they speak the truths of humanity in easy-to-understand morsels. They’re little rhythms that catch in your head, and they teach you timeless truths like love, peace, understanding, and friendship.”
Robert, a 32-year-old father of two, shares this sentiment. He married into Beatlemania through his die-hard father-inlaw and wife. “I love their message. It’s just people loving
everything about life and other people, and that’s very much my vibe. If you take care of yourself first, then take care of the people around you, the world’s going to be a better place.”
One particular Beatles song holds significance for Robert and his family. “My daughter’s middle name is Jude, because of “Hey Jude”; we really enjoy that song. It just so happens to be that she’s special needs... in the song, it says ‘Take a sad song and make it better’, which is pretty cool in the sense that now we have a setback, and we’re finding ways to make it better.”
The Beatles' message is preserved through these connections of family and friends. The band persists in its own right, and actively encourages the next generation of musicians. Jason Jones, 14, became a drummer because of his love for the group. “I’ve been here since the 2011 Beatle Fest. So, right when I was born. They’re the one reason why I’m in a band.”
Breton, 14, and Nathan, 11, have similar aims. Cousins who picked up Beatlemania from their grandparents, they see the Beatle banner flying high into the future. “Depending on how the world ends up,” says Nathan, “I think they’ll get an increase in popularity, because they’re like, ‘Spread love, make art, not war.’”
Though some modern listeners might consider the rock-androll style to be old-fashioned, these young fans disagree. “I’m already seeing itty-bitty kids dancing to the group and
everything,” says Autumn Smith. “I don’t think they’re going to die down any time soon at all.”
Mira Newell is also confident in the continued legacy. “I was just connecting with the 3-year-old grandson of Mark Lapidos, who started the Fest, and I’m already quizzing him on the Beatles. He’s doing Beatles coloring sheets and taking pictures of all the fans. He’s carrying the torch; 50 years from now, he’s going to be on that stage.”
Lauren agrees that the music is enduring. “I feel like their music is timeless... people take the peace and love thing kind of seriously. When you look into John’s work and his art, his anti-war protesting, I think, is unfortunately always really relevant. I think their music still resonates, and the message behind a lot of it still resonates. I’ll be here with a cane at Beatles Fest 100.”
Declan Canaday first heard the Beatles at the age of 3, when his babysitter sang ‘Octopus’ Garden’ to him as a lullaby. He is a rising junior at DePaul University, where he studies creative writing in hopes of becoming a novelist. Declan thanks StreetWise for his summer internship, where he researched and wrote stories on Black-owned businesses and the DNC attendees’ city guide.
The next Chicago Fest for Beatles Fans takes place August 8-10, 2025, at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare. More information can be found at www.thefest.com
From left, column 1: In the Grand Ballroom of the Hyatt Regency O’Hare, Micky Dolenz, a member of 1960s group The Monkees, tells stories about his personal experiences with the Beatles. Column 2: Three original artworks produced by Ringo Starr, sold at the Fest to benefit Starr’s charity organization, the Lotus Foundation. Column 3: Assorted Beatles-themed buttons from 1964, including buttons referencing the 1964 election between Lyndon Baines Johnson and Barry Goldwater. Column 4: An original drawing from the 1965 Beatles cartoon, which aired on ABC. Beatles-brand underwear in a display case at the Fest for Beatles Fans’ museum exhibit. Column 5: Beatles promotional dolls sold as merchandise in the 1960s. These dolls may depict George Harrison, due to the usage of George’s guitar, a Gretsch, for the paper guitar accessories. All photos by Declan Canaday.
HELP is on the way: Mayor johnson's public policy initiative
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and his administration have undertaken a Public Options Platform so all Chicagoans can live, work and be healthy. Johnson describes “two Chicagos,” and believes that the South and West Sides as well as all city neighborhoods must be able to access economic opportunities and basic needs: rent, groceries, utilities, cash, education, housing, healthcare, and good jobs.
Every neighborhood and all residents need economic stability to survive, Johnson said at the People Powered Policy Panel August 19 at Harold Washington Library. Partnerships with the private sector and philanthropy are necessary to achieve this, according to the panelists, Johnson’s Chief Policy Officer S. Mayumi “Umi” Grigsby; Ruha Benjamin, professor in the Department of African Studies at Princeton University; and Dorian Warren, president of Community Change and co-chair of the Economic Security Project (ESP).
Grigsby stressed that innovation is often pitted against inequality and all programs must include social progress. Warren cited the library as an example of a public option, with the “magical smell of books” and the “true opportunity to
by Judi Strauss-Lipkin
learn.” He also stressed that when the marketplace fails to deliver the basics, then government must step in – similar to Obama Care – so people can live and thrive. Panelists called it the “BIG DREAM,” with Benjamin framing it as a charity model that would benefit everyone (and where inequality makes everyone sick) and Warren calling it economic freedom - from the market, to get a job, to walk to a store and to even get good childcare.
Two major public/private collaborations – a Public Banking Initiative and Municipally Owned Grocery stores – are the Johnson administration’s first steps toward equitable wealth building. There are active public banking coalitions in about 35 cities with majority-minority populations, including Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.
In Chicago, Ameya Pawar (then-47th Ward Alderman and candidate for City treasurer) proposed establishing a cityowned bank in 2019 to focus on affordable housing and economic development. In 2022, mayoral candidate Ja’Mal Green proposed creating a “public Bank of Chicago” to redress the city’s long history of racist redlining. Both candidate Paul Vallas and Saqib Bhatti, co-executive director of the Action Center on Race & the Economy, called on newly elected Mayor Johnson to pursue this.
Interviews with Chicago residents in 2023 highlighted ways they thought a public bank could be used:
• Infrastructure and transportation, including roads
• Housing
• Small business start-ups
• Parks and recreation
• Environmental remediation and pollution
• Education
But community members still wondered: Who runs the bank? Who controls the money? What are the bank’s lending priorities? Are the bank’s deposits insured? Where does the money to capitalize the bank come from?
Mayor Johnson’s administration also is exploring Municipally Owned Grocery store(s) through a partnership with ESP, a national non-profit dedicated to building economic power for all Americans.
Pawar, who is now senior advisor at ESP, said that a cityowned grocery store on the South or West Side would restore access to healthy food in disinvested neighborhoods. Grocery stores also anchor neighborhoods by employing residents, he said.
Johnson (City of Chicago photo).
