| Daily Herald Business Columnist
Just in time for this months home opener, the Chicago Cubs Clubhouse Shop opened at the Schaumburg mall. Shoppers will find an array of merchandise with the Cubs logo from a $6 toothbrush to a $3,500 pool table. Perhaps the only Cubs item shoppers wont find is the team itself. We try to be a haven for Cubs fans, said Jeff Collins, owner of Sports Avenue, the company that operates the baseball retailer. The Rock Island-based company has a licensing agreement with the Chicago Cubs organization to run the store. Collins explained that his company has about 40 stores across the country representing various teams including the New York Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, Minnesota Vikings and New York Jets. We specialize in managing brick-and-mortar stores, said Collins, president of the 22-year-old company.
Baxter Auto Parts Portland Historic Races to include special guests
PORTLAND, Ore. - April 11, 2007 - The Baxter Auto Parts Portland Historic Races is pleased to welcome special guests Tony Adamowicz and George Follmer to the 31st annual event, taking place July 6 through 8 at Portland International Raceway, 1940 N Victory Blvd. The event will highlight the classic Porsche sports car as the featured marque, along with a grid of historic Trans-Am cars. In 1968, Adamowicz won the under-2-liter Trans-Am championship in a Porsche 911 that started out as a shell from the New York City impound. At the time, Porsche considered the 911 to be only a Rally car and a Hill Club car in Europe; Adamowicz quickly changed that mindset. He followed his Trans-Am championship by winning the 1969 Formula-5000 Series championship in a Chevy-powered Eagle. He played a vital role in the legendary battles between Ferrari and Porsche in the 1970s, and is one of the few drivers living today who drove both the 240 mph Porsche 917K, and its archrival, the Ferrari 512M at LeMans.
(8) New York Islanders (0-1) at (1) Buffalo Sabres (1-0), 7:30 pm
(Sports Network) - The New York Islanders hope to have their top goaltender Rick DiPietro back between the pipes and the Buffalo Sabres will try to take a two-game lead when the clubs meet this evening at HSBC Arena for Game 2 of the best-of-seven Eastern Conference quarterfinals. DiPietro, who has been sidelined with post-concussion syndrome, hasn't played since March 25, but has been cleared by team doctors and will be a game-time decision tonight. The No. 1 overall pick by New York in the 2000 draft, DiPietro was signed to an unprecedented 15-year, $67.5 million contract in the offseason. He was 32-19-9, with a .919 save percentage and 2.58 goals against average this year. The Islanders were able to make their successful late-season run to the playoffs with Wade Dubielewicz in net, but would prefer to have DiPietro back.
Looking for the Cubs Clubhouse? Head over to Schaumburg.
Just in time for this months home opener, the Chicago Cubs Clubhouse Shop opened at the Schaumburg mall. Shoppers will find an array of merchandise with the Cubs logo from a $6 toothbrush to a $3,500 pool table. Perhaps the only Cubs item shoppers wont find is the team itself. We try to be a haven for Cubs fans, said Jeff Collins, owner of Sports Avenue, the company that operates the baseball retailer. The Rock Island-based company has a licensing agreement with the Chicago Cubs organization to run the store. Collins explained that his company has about 40 stores across the country representing various teams including the New York Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, Minnesota Vikings and New York Jets. We specialize in managing brick-and-mortar stores, said Collins, president of the 22-year-old company.
(6) New York Rangers (1-0) at (3) Atlanta Thrashers (0-1), 3 pm
(Sports Network) - After ending a lengthy playoff drought in Game 1, the New York Rangers will try to take a two-game lead this afternoon, when they visit the Atlanta Thrashers at Philips Arena for the second test of a best-of-seven Eastern Conference quarterfinal series. The Rangers won their first playoff game in nearly 10 years on Thursday, as Michael Nylander tallied a goal and two assists to lift the Blueshirts to the 4-3 triumph in Atlanta. Jaromir Jagr notched a goal and an assist and Marcel Hossa and Michal Rozsival each had a goal for the Rangers, who are looking to bounce back from last year's sweep at the hands of the New Jersey Devils in the first round of the 2006 playoffs, which was the first time the Rangers had made the postseason since the 1996-97 campaign.
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