NYPD polishes their cars. Memphis cruisers are clean. Chicago’s cop cars look like they’ve been in a demolition derby. I like ’em a lot. I believe a cop car should look imposing pulling up to a crime scene. Some departments suspend police officers for a wrecked car. In Chicago, cops get a star much like Ohio State football players get a pot plant sticker on their helmets for mediocre tackles.
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Loyola University Chicago wins with buzzer beater
Loyola Chicago buzzer beater vs Butler from ralph braseth on Vimeo.
Loyola beats Bradley with this last second shot at the Missouri Valley Tournament in St. Louis, also known as Arch Madness. This has to be considered one the greatest plays in the modern era for Loyola. Although Loyola University Chicago won the NCAA National Championship in 1963, the school began to refocus on academics only. Three years ago, Loyola University Chicago decided to compete again with passion and commitment as demonstrated by coach hires, recruiting and new facilities. ralph braseth, loyola university chicago, school of communication
Ms. Kimmons and Cheryl “the peril” Kimmons, mom and sister to Keith
The Kimmons women are hanging in there. However, Keith had so many friends that Ms. Kimmons and Cheryl often run into people who don’t know Keith passed away. Both say it’s hard to talk about his death because there continues to be a lot of pain in recounting his story. A former student from Ole Miss and now a reporter in Tulsa stopped by today at work and he saw the photos of Keith in the control room without me pointing them out. He stood there not saying a word. Keith was his mentor. It’s strange to walk downstairs and not see him. My God I miss my friend. Me and hundreds of others.
Chicago Sparkles. View from the John Hancock Building
Stunning View of Chicago From the John Hancock Obervatory
Looking due south.
Lake Michigan Chopping Ice Like Paul Bunyan Did Wood
This is actually a sign that spring is around the corner. The lake is melting its ice in preparation for when I go swimming this summer. My goodness, what a nasty, cold winter. Love the snow, though.
Lake Michigan Chopping Ice Like Paul Bunyan Chopped Wood from ralph braseth on Vimeo.
Oak Beach, Chicago, 18 degrees, 3:30 a.m. and I’m the only beach bum. I think.
Is it a formula or a bad habit by the men who run professional sports broadcasting
I am in no way making any kind of judgment on the CBS floor reporter. She’s likely excellent as CBS has an great record of not hiring mediocre talent. Call me cynical but two or three guys in the booth, often times not all the bright and certainly not always good looking and then a very attractive female reporter on the field or floor. Does this make for ratings magic? Is this the way it has to be? Athletes love competition. How about some competition for the booth? Any brave executive producers out there. Three smart women in the booth and a hot, sexy dude on the field. Now that would be TV magic. Heck, and just for fun for one game, toss the strippers to the opposing bench for one game and replace them with 15 scantily clad men with pompoms. I guarantee you ratings would go through the roof. Football would start attracting the Jerry Seinfeld, Jerry Springer and Jay Leno crowd.
Tap your heels. I want to go home, I want to go home, after we win the NCAA tournament
I’m in St. Louis with five of my favorite students in the world, to cover the Missouri Valley Conference Mens Basketball Tournament. Loyola University Chicago made the decision to begin competing once again in athletics, or at least in men’s basketball. They impressively won one game, a game no one ever expected them to win. Today Witchita State University beat a worthy opponent in Indiana State University. WSU is for real. I believe these guys could make a run for it. Rather than go for the crazy faces and bulging muscles, I decided I liked their shoes. Kansas has to be proud of these guys and their coaches.
The snow cycle
Much like a living thing, snow has a city cycle and while birth is a celebration to hold, death can be harsh and ugly. Even dead, it leaves reminders until the residue is washed away. I used to be saddened, but the city expectancy is two days, three max. It can get interesting. While death lurks just inches below, there can be brand new baby snow hiding the ugliness, but in doing so becomes infected itself and deteriorates earlier than it otherwise would have. Ultimately the impurities are flushed and it’s water to water, just as it is with dust. The net zero sum game provided spectacular visual images and gave us a blanket that while not warm is what we think of when we think of a blanket. 
Ralph Braseth Dot Calm 