Author: staff

Sports

Olympics Q&A: What was the travel process like from Chicago to Tokyo — and what’s it like to quarantine in a hotel for 3 days? And what does aloe-flavored yogurt taste like?

“To be honest, I think a lot of it is just expected at this point,” said American volleyball player Kelsey Robinson, a Bartlett native who won a bronze medal with the team in 2016. “We’re very prepared, we know the protocol, we know what we need to do to be able to perform and to play. … I don’t know that anything will feel that different from what we’ve experienced in the past year.”

Business

Foxtrot accelerates expansion with plans for stores in the Loop next year

Foxtrot’s blend of a convenience store and cafe fits with a trend toward “blurred lines” between different types of dining options that accelerated during the pandemic, when fine dining restaurants offered takeout and some restaurants sold packaged goods along with meals, said David Henkes, senior principal at Technomic, a Chicago-based food service research and consulting firm.

Sports

Which Chicago Blackhawks might get taken in the expansion draft — and who are some players on the team’s NHL draft radar?

It was a given that the Hawks would leave de Haan unprotected, and they also exposed Zadorov. He brings size at 6-foot-6 and 235 pounds and often took on an opponent’s “A” player on defense, but his puck handling was sometimes a liability. The Hawks probably want to bring the 26-year-old back, especially after trading Brandon Saad to get him in October 2020, but if he’s holding out for much more than last season’s $3.2 million salary, then the Hawks might be inclined to let the Kraken take the contract headache off their hands and free up cap space.

Sports

Surfing will make its Olympic debut at the Tokyo Games. Here’s what to know.

Surfing is a $10 billion industry, yet professional surfing, led by the World Surf League, largely remains niche and little understood. Surfing requires a well-rounded athleticism, including immense strength, agility, and grace to pull off maneuvers based on what the big, wild ocean delivers in the moment — think of the vagaries of the ocean as the fourth dimension in this sport many see as a spiritual pursuit. There’s hope now that the visually stunning sport will finally get its due with a mainstream audience at the Games, though some viewers may struggle to follow given the complexity and metrics of competition.

Sports

Climbing will make its Olympic debut at the Tokyo Games. Here’s what to know.

“Speed climbing is very, very different from the other two disciplines,” said Meg Coyne, national team manager and assistant coach at USA Climbing. “First of all, it’s rehearsed. Second, all of the mannerisms, habits and techniques are effectively reversed. For athletes to do well on speed, they need train for something that’s totally outside the habits they have for the other disciplines.”

Lifestyle

Ask Amy: Bad chemistry leads to awkward visits

If he asks you directly, you can respond, “I can tell you honestly that you have never done anything to offend me, and I appreciate my husband’s friendship with you. I know it’s awkward, but this really is one of those, ‘It’s not you, it’s ME’ situations.”