Latest news with #MarchMadness-style
Axios
09-04-2025
- Axios
Metro Parks Madness: And the winner is …
Highbanks Metro Park rose above the rest in our March Madness-style bracket, felling Blendon Woods in the final round. 💭 Our thought bubble: We aren't surprised. Highbanks has a lot to offer, with scenic Olentangy River views, a nature center, bald eagle sightings, and over 13 miles of trails. It's consistently one of the area's most popular parks year-round. 🥾 Fun fact: The park is named for its 100-foot-high shale bluff towering over the Olentangy. Park at the Oak Coves Picnic Area and hike the 2.3-mile Overlook Trail to see the view from the top! Plus: Check out some upcoming programs. 🙏 Thank you to everyone who voted!
New York Times
30-03-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Making unexpected late playoff pushes, what are Mavs and Bulls playing for?
CHICAGO — With 5:17 left to play and the Dallas Mavericks ahead by nine, some of the Bulls faithful started to head toward the exits. But many more stayed. 'It's getting ready to get real,' a fan sitting near me said just as Nikola Vučević hit a hook shot to narrow the gap. After the March Madness-style ending of the Bulls game against Los Angeles Thursday night, fans hoped a miracle would happen again. Advertisement Why not? Chicago eventually cut the lead to 118-116 with 8.6 seconds left, but there were no late game heroics to save them. The Mavericks, behind a 20-point performance from Klay Thompson, and Anthony Davis at four-minute intervals thanks to minutes restrictions, pulled out a 120-119 win Saturday night. Davis contributed 18 points, seven rebounds and five assists in his 30 minutes of playing time. But both these teams have come alive lately, right as the season narrows and questions arose over whether a summer draft pick should be a higher priority than a deep playoff seed. The Bulls, having still won nine of their last 12 games, remain in the hunt for the eighth (and potentially seventh) spot in the Eastern Conference. The Mavericks, meanwhile, have leaped to ninth in the West after being given new life with the return of their star big man. 'I think we're 4-0 (with Davis in the lineup). That's a good indicator,' Thompson said of Davis' impact since his return from a six-week absence. 'I love being his teammate. I love playing off of him.' The Mavericks had fallen out of the Western Conference Play-In tournament standings, but now are a half-game above 10th-place Sacramento with Phoenix still lurking on the fringes. With Davis, the team is looking to make a final push to get in. 'It feels good. Obviously the job's not finished,' forward PJ Washington said. 'We just gotta keep going. I think these next couple games we can get a couple wins and just kind of get a momentum going heading into the end of the season. I'm super excited — we did good on this road trip.' Mavericks coach Jason Kidd agreed. 'We're just focused on one game at a time,' Kidd said. 'As you know this group is close, they're fighting for each other, they're executing the game plan. So to end the road trip, to go 3-1, now we get a chance to go home against (Brooklyn and) Atlanta.' In his hometown, Chicago, Anthony Davis recorded his 1,800th career block at the 3:14 mark of the 1st quarter tonight, becoming the 25th player in NBA history to reach the milestone. Davis also becomes the 11th player in league history to total 18,000+ points and 1,800+ blocks. — Mavs PR (@MavsPR) March 30, 2025 On the Bulls' side, the loss to Dallas ended their winning streak at four. But rookie Matas Buzelis, who is important to Chicago's future, said the standings aren't their focus. 'We're just (taking it) one step at a time,' he said. 'We've got OKC next so that's what we're focused on. We were focused on Dallas before the game. We're not looking into the future. We're in the moment.' Advertisement Buzelis scored 28 points Saturday and Vučević and Coby White each added 15. While the standings and playoff implications might not be on the players' minds, Bulls coach Billy Donavan is certainly aware of where they stand and what their potential outcomes look like as the Bulls continue to outperform expectations after trading superstar Zach LaVine to Sacramento near the trade deadline. 'I would think that from Atlanta to ourselves to Orlando to Miami, every single game you're jockeying there. We're all kind of bunched up together,' Donovan said. 'Miami was a game behind us. We were maybe a game behind Atlanta. Everybody's bunched up and all of these games are like that. We've tried to treat it like that. There's emotions that go either way. And if you win a game or lose a game you've got to be able to pick yourself back up.' What would a trip to the playoffs mean for each team? Barring something wholly unexpected, both would likely have a short stay in the postseason. The Mavericks look as if they're trying to outplay the stench of the Luka Dončić trade, though it's likely only a championship could get the organization past that. The Bulls, should they sneak past the early round, would face stiff competition in the East, though they're certainly a team that could be dangerous and cause some problems. Regardless, both teams see possibility looming. 'I can't wait to build, not just for this year but for the future,' Thompson said of the vibes Davis is bringing to the Mavs. 'We've got a really deep talented team and one day Kyrie (Irving) will be back in the lineup too and that'll be a special moment when we can all share the floor again.'
Chicago Tribune
14-03-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Elgin News Digest: East Dundee VB approves new gateway, wayfinding signs; Kane Animal Control holding vaccine, microchip clinics
East Dundee VB approves new gateway, wayfinding signs The East Dundee Village Board has approved new gateway and downtown wayfinding signs designed by Gary R. Webber Associates, and next will seek proposals to have them built and installed, according to the village newsletter. Money for the multiyear project is coming from the Dundee Crossing Business Development District, with work expected to begin in the 2025 fiscal year. The board has earmarked $100,000 from its capital projects budget to start the work. The best locations for the signs, which are meant to help visitors get around town and highlight East Dundee's unique and historic identity, are still under consideration, the newsletter said. For more information, go to Kane Animal Control holding vaccine, microchip clinics Kane County Animal Control has spring and summer dates open for its low-cost drive-thru rabies vaccine and microchip clinics. Clinics will be held at the Kane County Animal Control Facility, 4060 Keslinger Road, Geneva, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 26; 4:30 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 14; and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, June 14. A one-year rabies vaccine with tag costs $30 for neutered animals and $55 for non-neutered pets, a news release said. For county residents 65 or older, vaccines are $15 for neutered animals and $25 for non-neutered. Microchipping is $15. Owners must verify their pets have not bitten anyone in the past 10 days. An adult over age 18 must be present to handle their pet. If a pet requires a muzzle, it must be placed on the animal before entering the clinic, the release said. For more information, go to call 630-232-3555 or email animalcontrol@ Elgin-area products competing in Makers Madness contest Products from four Elgin area businesses are among the 250 nominated for 'coolest thing made in Illinois' in the Illinois Manufacturers' Association's sixth annual 'Makers Madness' contest. Weekly voting take places at to determine which companies move on in the March Madness-style elimination process, a news release said. The field will eventually narrow to determine the winner, which will be honored in a ceremony April 9 at the governor's mansion in Springfield. The Elgin-area nominees are: Weiler Engineering in Elgin for its blow/fill/seal machines and molds used to produce filled containers, like vials to bottles. USACH Technologies Inc. in Elgin for the BoulePro 200AX, a machine that plays a role in the computer chip making process. OTTO Engineer in Carpentersville for Enhanced Spatial Positioning Push-to-Talk technology that allows walkie talkie operators to clearly hear various audio sources. Hoffer Plastics in South Elgin for its P-15 cap, which is used by Big Easy Blends on its pouches for slushie and smoothies. Kane sheriff's, health departments offering free CPR classes The Kane County Sheriff's Office and Health Department will offer free CPR training for the public at the Kane County Sheriff's Office, 37W755 Route 38, St. Charles. Sessions are scheduled for 9 a.m. to noon, 1 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday, March 21, and Monday, March 24, according to a webpage for the program. The classes follow the American Heart Association's HeartSaver CPR course and are designed for educational purposes, a news release said. They do not include certification. To register, go to Early bird registration for Skeleton Trot 5K 2025 now open Registration is underway for the second 5K El Trote De Las Calacas (Skeleton Trot) Race and Walk, scheduled for 9 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 18, at the Gail Borden Public Library, 270 N. Grove Ave., Elgin. The event raises money for the School District U-46 and the Gail Borden Public Library District foundations. The inaugural run in 2024 drew about 1,000 participants, according to a news release. Early registration is $35 per person, with team pricing and youth discounts available.
USA Today
07-02-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Dog wins it all, if Chiefs take down Eagles. Super Bowl 59 to decide NFL picks champion
Dog wins it all, if Chiefs take down Eagles. Super Bowl 59 to decide NFL picks champion Excuse me? There's no way Man is losing to Man's best friend, Luna the Maltipoo. So said USA TODAY's Tyler Dragon when he and the dog met this week in Southern California. They're battling down to the wire – the Super Bowl – in USA TODAY's NFL pick 'em contest that pits Man vs. Machine vs. Dog. The Machine, a computer-run statistic model created by University of Pittsburgh associate professional Kostra Pelechrinis, is out of the running. So is USA TODAY's Jarrett Bell. Luna is 11-1 on her picks. Tyler is 8-4. But with a March Madness-style scoring system in use, Tyler has kept in striking distance. Tyler has picked the Eagles. Luna has picked the Chiefs. The correct prediction will determine the contest champion. 'Luna, it's nice to finally meet you," Tyler told her during a recent meeting. "But there's no way in heck I'm losing to a dog." We'll see about that. Bring on the Super Bowl! Man, machine or dog: Who can pick NFL playoff games most accurately? USA TODAY Sports' Josh Peter pits NFL reporters vs. an algorithm vs. his maltipoo in ultimate test to see who is best at picking NFL playoff games. Sports Pulse Our experts' results, NFL playoff picks How the 'machine' and Luna make their picks Want more? See these data-driven hot picks The scoring system Devised by NFL predictions expert David Glidden, it will work like this: Each week, the competitors will turn in full brackets with picks for games in every round, including the Super Bowl. A perfect bracket from start to finish would earn 1,000 points, but competitors likely will have to adjust those brackets week to week. Thirty points will be earned for each team correctly picked to win a wild card game, 35 points for a Divisional round game, 50 points for a Conference championship game and 75 points for the Super Bowl. Then we'll have an official winner and the answer to our burning question: Is it Man, Machine or Dog who we can trust most with NFL playoff predictions? Let the games and predictions begin! Odds for Sunday's playoff games Below are BetMGM's betting lines for next weekend's games as of Thursday morning. A plus before the number signifies the amount a bettor would win on a $100 bet. A minus signifies the amount a bettor must bet to win $100. Washington Commanders (+240) at Philadelphia Eagles (-300) favored by 6 points Buffalo Bills (+110) at Kansas City Chiefs (-130) favored by 2 points
