Lost in the shuffle of March Madness, spring training and Brett Favre's long-overdue retirement, The Hound has been bereft in pointing out we're less than six months to the Beijing Olympics. To mark that countdown, the Chicago 2016 committee bidding for that year's Olympics has opened an online store to raise funds for the effort.
Of course, some of the money raised should find its way into Lake County in support of the planned equestrian venue for the horsey set. That is if NIMBYs don't try to ruin that, too.
The committee's pitch is that in an Olympic year, we'll be able to show our support for the Chicago bid by wearing Chicago 2016 apparel. The store’s merchandise includes T-shirts, coats, vests and hats available in different colors and sizes, mainly black and white.
Chicago 2016 apparel features the “Chicago Star” logo is available to the public. Most of the clothing also has the advisory: "Applicant city". That sounds like the wearer might be wanting a job in streets and san. The clothing also features the committee's slogan for applying: "Stir the soul." That sounds like they ripped off a Bob Marley tune.
Lake County officials apparently have changed their original favorite location for the equestrian venue from Lakewood Forest Preserve near Wauconda to Raven Glen Preserve near Antioch. We'll see what objections opponents can come up with stymie those plans.
In the meantime, wear your Olympic bid wear with pride. Access to the online store is available through the Chicago 2016 Web site at www.chicago2016.org.
Me thinks the hound is out of synch with the rest of the nation, with the phrase "long over due retirement of Brett Favre". Being one of the very few in the nation with that feeling (Bear's fans excluded) perhaps he is mired in the 17 years of jealousy as he watched the Bears march through the throngs and stables of mediocre bums while Favre stayed on his watch. The hound ought to think before such weird and unnecessary phraseology.
THE HOUND SAYS: OK, Cheesehead, why don't you lobby the Wisconsin General Assembly for a Brett Favre memorial. You obviously missed my post when Brett tearfully called it quits. Here it is:
"While fans in Packer Nation are crying in their beer and brats because of the abrupt retirement of Green Bay Packers uber QB Brett Favre, The Hound is happy as getting new straw in the dog house. Thanks for the memories, Brett --- not! Thanks for the nightmares, you mean.
All you Packer fans can trade in your brand new No. 4 jerseys for what'shisname, your new quarterback. Favre called it quits Tuesday after 16 seasons with Green Bay and as many tormenting Bears fans. Farewell and good riddance, Favre.
And don't tell The Hound that the game is going to be worse off because another superstar is gone or that he was the best of all time. Maybe to Packer Backers. Bears Backers, though, saw him as what he was: A Bears stalker, who in his career threw 53 touchdowns against the Monsters of the Midway, including Nov. 12, 1995. That's the game in which he threw five touchdowns at Lambeau Field in a 35-28 drubbing of the Bears. With Favre at the helm, it was disappointing season after disappointing season in the NFC's Central Divison for the Bears.
So there's no crying here like there is in Titletown. Begone, Bad Brett.
Spend the rest of your days washing dishes at Brett Favre's Steakhouse on Brett Favre Pass _
just a long punt from Lambeau _ for all we care. Go Bears!"
What many overlook because Brett was a media darling, is that he is the leader in interceptions. That's not weird. That's fact.
Here's another fact: The Bears went through nearly 100 quarterbacks during Favre's 17-year tenure in Titletown. That did wonders for the football factories.