Hmmm.
Up?
Down?
Or OUT?
Sneed hears the red downward arrow affixed to the corporate logo of mortgage lender Guaranteed Rate — which would adorn the front entrance of the Chicago White Sox ballpark — is this/close to becoming a disappearing act.
“No one wants it construed as a symbol for losing,” a top sports source said.
“It’s the marquis area; the entrance to the stadium, that’s the concern. That’s where the downward arrow would disappear.
“However, the corporate logo with the downward arrow would still have to be part of all advertisements all over the new Guaranteed Rate Field,” the source added. “Everyone is on board for that; the signs in the park and around the park and the outside of the stadium.
Let’s back up.
OPINION
Follow @sneedlingsSneed is told the arrow flap has caused discussions between the Sox and the mortgage-lending company about the future of the pesky park arrow pointing south.
“And if that logo arrow is pointing down — nobody is going to think about an arrow pointing down as a low interest rate — especially if a team is losing,” the source added.
The logo is gonna be there for the next 13 years,” a second Sox source said. “So we are just discussing the appropriate way to use the Guaranteed Rate name as part of the STRUCTURE of the building, which is at the front of the ballpark near the World Series statue,” added the second source.
“We just have to work that out.”
The 25-year-old ballpark, U.S. Cellular Field — also known as the Cell, will be renamed in November.
Play ball.
Ending the mystery . . .
Sneed hears rumbles former Chicago State University President Thomas J. Calhoun Jr., who mysteriously exited CSU recently with a $600,000 golden parachute after serving only nine months in office — is being credited with one major change before he left.
It involved a paint brush.
Sneed is told Calhoun’s brief residence at the CSU mansion, a 1921 mansion occupied by the university presidents, resulted in a change in the master bedroom — which sports a huge mural ceiling of hand-painted cherubs.
“Not anymore,” a CSU source said. “It was completely painted over while he was there. How insensitive is that,” added the source. “The house is historic!”
“Calhoun also managed to infuriate the CSU board members, who were not happy when they found out he [Calhoun] had put together a massively expensive inaugural budget,” added the source.
“The university was in urgent need of a funding infusion and Calhoun asked them for an inaugural budget which cost a veritable fortune. And the state would have had to foot the bill! They’d had it.”
Trump times three . . .
“The Donald will be ripe for the picking,” Bolingbrook Mayor Roger Claar said. “The press will have a field day.”
• Translation: If Donald Trump, who has already canceled attendance at a Bolingbrook fundraiser twice this month, honors his third commitment to attend the Bolingbrook Golf Club fetes next Wednesday, Sept. 28 — he will be just coming off his first debate with Hillary Clinton on Monday, Sept. 26.
Jack is back!
Sneed hears former Cook County state’s attorney Jack O’Malley is back in town and he’s bringing Hollywood with him.
“It’s been a gas,” quipped O’Malley, who is now working as a consultant on the new Dick Wolf television series “Chicago Justice.”
“It’s lots of fun,” he told Sneed. “The first guy I met at law school at Cornell University, Michael Chernuchin, is now the executive producer of the show — which is part of the new Dick Wolf television series now being shot in Chicago. Michael started out selling scripts to the show “Law and Order.” He called me and asked me to be a technical consultant.”
O’Malley, who served 10 years as a justice on the Illinois Second District Appellate Court, also teaches law classes at Northern Illinois University and the Chicago Police Academy.
Sneedlings . . .
I spy:Chicago Cubs first basemen Anthony Rizzo spotted Sunday at Harry Caray’s eatery on Kinzie signing jerseys and baseballs that will be used at their Cubs rally, Oct.4-8. . . . Chicago Bears head coach John Fox dined at Chicago Cut in a private room and watched the Minnesota Vikings beat the Green Bay Packers Sunday night with family and friends. . . . Cubs catcher Miguel Montero spotted dining late night at Chicago Cut on Monday. . . . Today’s birthdays: Scott Baio, 56; Andrea Bocelli, 58, and Thiago Silva, 32.
