The Aon Tower (left) and the Sears Tower (right), as seen from the top of the Hancock Tower. (I’m back on ground level now.)

The Hancock Tower’s shadow stretches out into the lake.

A window-washer on the top floor of the John Hancock tower.

It’s a gorgeous, summerlike day in Chicago, where I am about to depart on a boat ride up the Chicago River.

The first Bowl Championship Series standings are set to be released tomorrow morning, so it will be like Christmas morning for adoring fans of the BCS, which would be… nobody. Still, it will be interesting to see where USC ranks (and perhaps even more interesting to see where Northern Illinois and TCU rank).

While we wait, check out this funny analysis of the BCS criteria. Excerpt:

“Computer average — Average of Anderson & Hester, Richard Billingsley, Colley Matrix, Kenneth Massey, New York Times, Jeff Sagarin’s USA Today and Peter Wolfe’s rankings. The computer component will be determined by averaging six of the seven rankings. The lowest (worst) computer rankings will be disregarded.”

Prokofiev wrote Peter and the Wolf, Anderson & Hester sounds like a firm tabbed by the White House to ‘rebuild’ Iraq, and who in heaven’s name is Richard Billingsley? Is he related to Peter Billingsley, the actor who played “Ralphie” in the holiday classic “A Christmas Story”? The Colley Matrix? I thought that starred Keanu Reeves, or maybe it’s a new breed of space-age dog. Whatever it is, why is it playing a key role in determining the football champion?

Heh. Read the whole thing. And tomorrow, check out BCSfootball.com for the standings.

Lake Michigan. What a great lake. :)

I just got the following e-mail alert from SpaceWeather.com: “Earth orbiting satellites have detected a powerful X-class solar flare. Radiation storms and radio blackouts are possible.”

The USC football team’s second consecutive 31-point win over Notre Dame wasn’t the only big victory in Trojan Nation on Saturday. The undefeated, #1-ranked, defending national champion women’s volleyball team also earned a key road win, defeating #5 Cal in five games.

As for me… I’ve arrived at Adrienne’s place in Evanston now, where I’ll be staying for the next two nights before hopping on an Amtrak train at 10:30 PM Tuesday. I had a wonderful, exhausting day. Fight on Trojans!

I’m on my way to Chicago (and eventually Evanston) with Chris, Adrienne and her family. We just stopped at a rest area where, as you can see, even Ronald McDonald had an opinion on today’s game. :)

Another pretty picture from the top row of the stadium. The final score was 45-14 Trojans. (Last year’s was 44-13.Heh.) Fight on! Beat the Huskies!

The campus from on high.

Trojans 45, Irish 14! 2:33 left. Check out the view from the top row!

USC 28, Notre Dame 14 at the half. Here is the Trojan Marching Band running onto the field for the halftime show.

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14-14, eleven minutes into the game. Looks like a real defensive battle. :)