Drama, scandal or scores: What takes a sports team down?
It’s no secret that last year was the worst year in Chicago sports. Last episode we got into what that means for future fans.
But 2024 wasn’t the absolute worst for every individual Chicago team. Sometimes a bad season isn’t defined by a long losing streak or a record number of losses. Sometimes it’s the internal turmoil and drama on the team.
Today, we take a look at the individual worst years for our beloved Chicago teams with legendary sports journalist Cheryl Raye-Stout and Chicago sports superfan and host of Quita Loves Sports, Quita. We get into how some of these teams redeemed themselves … only to end up back here.
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15:51
What happens when your team keeps losing?
Collectively, 2024 was the worst year for Chicago sports teams. Chicago fans are used to remaining faithful to some loveable losers. But the younger generation of sports fans aren’t as forgiving.
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6:50
What does it take to put together a traffic report?
Travel times and transit delays are part of the daily commute. There's a lot of chaos and information to sift through to bring you those traffic reports.
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5:00
Why telling “the proper stories” is vital to understanding the Piasa
Roadside attractions aren’t always the kitschy photo op we imagine them to be. Some have a complicated history that you can’t see from the side of the road.
Last episode, we took a road trip to Southern Illinois to look into a metal, firebreathing dragon. Today, we’re looking at a different landmark in nearby Alton: the Piasa. Unlike the Kaskaskia dragon, the Piasa has a centuries-old history that starts with the Indigenous people of what is now the Mississippi River.
The Piasa — as most people know it — is a mythical creature painted on the bluffs of the Mississippi. The image depicts a winged figure with antlers, fangs and talons. It’s a recreation of the original image which was destroyed in the 1850s because of quarrying on the bluffs. Through the centuries, different stories have been told about the meaning and origins behind this creature, including one that is popular but fabricated. Dr. Mark Wagner, director of the Center for Archaeological Investigations at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, talks about the layered history of the mural. Logan Pappenfort, director of tribal relations for the Illinois State Museum, talks about why it’s important to uplift true cultural artifacts and says the real history behind them isn’t hard to uncover if you know where to look.
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15:59
Why is there a fire-breathing dragon in Illinois?
As many as 40,000 people have come to see this downstate roadside attraction: a metal dragon, as big as a school bus, with a flamethrower in its mouth. Curious City takes a road trip out of Chicago to get the story behind this dragon.
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