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Thursday thoughts: Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino took the cake at the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony Wednesday at Hawthorne Race Course. Literally. Then again, it was his birthday. Pitino also received the Ray Meyer College Coach of the Year award. He gave a horse racing-themed acceptance speech, which certainly seemed fitting given the site of the event.
Loop Rock Girl Shannon has nothing to do with today’s posting — other than to beautify it.
* Best acceptance speech of the evening? Most observers (OK, it was three other people whom your humble correspondent chatted with after the festivities) said former DePaul and NBA standout Mark Aguirre. Word has it that Aguirre will be working with the DePaul athletic department while he is back at school finishing up his degree.ckey),
* Recipients of awards at the event that featured Corey McPherrin as emcee were Johnny Lattner (George Connor Lifetime Achievement Award), Chet Coppock (Jack Brickhouse Media Award) and Bob Foster (Humanitarian Award).
* Inductees also included the 1963 Loyola University basketball team that won the NCAA championship, Don Beebe (football), Pete Bercich (football), Kevin Bracken (wrestling), Al Carius (cross-country), Tommy John (baseball), Jim Johnson (football), Ed Olczyk (hockey), Joel Quenneville (hockey), Frank Quilici (baseball), Antoine Walker (basketball) and Renaldo Wynn (football).
* At some point, the Hall needs to find a way to induct executive director Howie Fagan, who again produced an entertaining event.
* One of the highlights of the evening (non-award-related) was sitting at the same table with Notre Dame’s senior associate athletics director John Heisler. If memory serves (which it occasionally does), it has been a few years (OK, possibly decades) since we both were at the University of Missouri where he toiled for legendary sports information director Bill Callahan. It’s not quite clear how John has been able to avoid aging.
* A reliable source says the Hall someday could find a home in the vicinity of the United Center. And I would bet if the Hall approached Rosemont mayor Brad Stephens about finding a location in his suburb, he could figure out a way to make that happen.
* Speaking of Hall of Famers, former AFL and NFL receiver Don Maynard — a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame — will be the guest on Thursday’s “Sports & Torts” with co-hosts David Spada and Elliott Harris at noon Central time on Talkzone.com. The highly acclaimed program (well, it’s held in such regard in the Spada and Harris households, as well as reported elsewhere) will be available on podcast later Thursday at Talkzone.com.
* Still speaking of Hall of Famers (well, he is in my book), happy birthday to Bill McCormick. Without his help, I would not know how to post the photo of Loop Rock Girl Shannon that adorns today’s page.
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