5 Questions with…Shannon Ryan

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Want to know more about your favorite Chicago media celebrities? CSNChicago.com has your fix as we put the citys most popular personalities on the spot with everyones favorite local celeb feature entitled 5 Questions with...

On Wednesdays, exclusively on CSNChicago.com, its our turn to grill the local media and other local VIPs with five random sports and non-sports related questions that will definitely be of interest to old and new fans alike.

This weeks guestone of the best college sports reporters around who has had the interesting task of following the Fighting Illinis roller coaster football season this yearif shes not covering an event (which is ALWAYS by the way!), you can catch her running in marathons, working out and enjoying the sights of our fine cityoh, and you can also catch her on Comcast SportsNets Chicago Tribune Livewhat are we waiting for, its "5 Questions withSHANNON RYAN!

BIO: Shannon Ryan arrived at the Chicago Tribune in 2007, after working the previous seven years at The Philadelphia Inquirer. Beginning in 2000 at The Inquirer, she covered preps before moving on to the Philadelphia Eagles, Villanova basketball, and enterprise and general assignment reporting in Philly. Her time with the Eagles included the Terrell Owens era (yes, during the situps-in-the-driveway saga) and their run to the Super Bowl. She also covered the start of Villanovas reemergence under coach Jay Wright, where his four-guard lineup advanced to the Elite Eight. Her first time writing about the Philliesfilling in for the main beat reportershe covered a no-hitter. (She takes no credit for the feat. Just there and excited to write about the rare occurrence that some lifelong baseball beat reporters never witness.)

At the Tribune, she covered the local, Big Ten and national college basketball scenes, covering the NCAA tournament nearly every season. She also assisted in the Tribunes coverage of the NHL Finals when the Blackhawks won the Cup.

As an Ohio native, she grew up in BrownsCavsIndians territory, so she is amazed she still loves watching sports.

1) CSNChicago.com: Shannon, as the beat reporter for the Fighting Illini, youve been there for all the highs and lows this season. They started off so strong start at the beginning of the season (6-0 no less)to the point where now they might be looking for a new coach next year. In your opinion, what would you say was THE defining moment of their recent tailspin and what bowl game do you anticipate theyll be playing in this season?

Ryan: The complete turnaround has been astounding.

There was a glimpse of trouble when Illinois fell behind 10-0 early to Indiana before pulling away for a 41-20 victory, which made the Illini bowl eligible in back-to-back seasons. The lead to my game story the next day was the image of coach Ron Zook running off the field with six fingers thrust into the air to signify the 6-0 start.

But that hiccup early in the game carried over. Ohio State, Purdue and Penn State were all beatable teams. Some would argue Michigan was as well. But the Illinis once potent offense has lost its spark. Theyve failed to score in the first half in four out of their last five games (they did score 17 pts. in the second quarter in their last game vs. Wisconsin, but ultimately lost 28-17). While players say they dont have a here-we-go-again attitude, coaches have said they tense up early in games, which is a problematic reaction when teams fall behind. It disrupts the plan of getting their run game going, which has been a major struggle lately.

The bowl game, of course, may largely hinge on whether Illinois beats Minnesota and what other Big Ten teams do. The conference has eight bowl tie-ins but more than eight Big Ten teams may become eligible. Illinois has traveled well in the past, but if they enter the post-season trending downwardand only have one sellout on record in Champaignthat isnt too appealing to bowl representatives. The last three Big Ten bowls are the Meineke Car Care Bowl in Houston, the TicketCity in Dallas and the Little Caesars in Detroit, so dont be surprised to see Illinois in one of those. Some experts have Illinois in New Orleans, playing Louisiana-Lafayette.

2) CSNChicago.com: Naturally, as a college sports journalist, youre fully aware of the horrific details about what went on at Penn State. Going forward, from a recruiting standpoint, how difficult will it be for this once dominant football institution to acquire the same high-level, athletic talent that would actually want to be associated with this now-marred program?

Ryan: I think it will be difficult for the university as a whole to move forward and it will be a serious undertaking to remove this stain permanently. Penn State was Joe Paterno and what people believed he stood for. That perception has changed for many.

With the NCAA and FBI now both investigating, this will scare away not only big-name coaches, but big-time recruits. Without a high profile coach, the recruits will look elsewhere, unsure how Penn State will be able to rebuild its image and its winning ways.

3) CSNChicago.com: Lets shift to some college hoops for this next one. From a Big Ten standpoint, Thad Matta has put together a pretty darn good Ohio State team this year led by super-sophomore forward Jared Sullinger. Does this team have ANY challengers in the Big Ten this season and, if so, who?

Ryan: Youre absolutely right that Ohio State is the class of the Big Ten and has a legitimate chance to be the best in the nation by March Madness. Sullinger surprised many people, except for coach Thad Matta, by making good on his promise and returning for a sophomore season. Along with Sullinger, sharp-shooter William Buford, skilled point guard Aaron Craft and big-bodied forward Deshaun Thomas, Matta brought in some promising freshmen who should contribute. If the Buckeyes have a weak point, its their depth. This team cant afford a serious injury or two.

But I would not count out Wisconsin. Jordan Taylor is probably one of the most overlooked guards in the country. He has a terrific assist-to-turnover ratio and is a savvy veteran. I saw him drop 27 points on Ohio State last season at a wild game in Madison. Somehow everyone always overlooks Bo Ryans teams but they still manage to usually surprise us.

Michigan State slumped last season but theres no denying Tom Izzo is an excellent coach with a proven track record. Despite their loss to North Carolina on the aircraft carrier, I wouldnt be surprised to see the Spartans improve as the season progresses.

4) CSNChicago.com: Name your Top 3 favorite sports-themed books (fiction or non-fiction) of all time.

Ryan:

1) Unforgivable Blackness. The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson, By Geoffrey C. Ward.

Boxer Jack Johnson was far ahead of his time. In the early 20th century, he confronted harsh racism head onliterally in the boxing ring and figuratively in the way he lived his life with no apologies. He knew he was so good that white fighters would eventually have to fight him if they wanted to claim they were the best (because obviously Johnson was the best and refused to stop challenging the best fighters regardless of race). He later won the heavyweight championship, but it is a shame that through much of his early career and some of his prime he was denied being named the champion or given the access to fight for the belt. I would love to see him receive a pardon for his unjust and racist conviction. He lived much of his life in Chicago and is actually buried in Graceland Cemetery under a very simple plot, which I visited after reading this biography.

2) To the Edge, by Kirk Johnson.

I read this non-fiction story about the 135-mile footrace from Death Valley to Mt. Whitney before I ran my first marathon in 2001. I just kept thinking to myself that 26.2 miles through Cleveland was nothing compared to what I read in this book. It was actually written by a New York Times reporter who was a neophyte at ultra-marathons. It would be great to try something like this and write about it, but Im afraid it would be a bit of an embarrassing tale given my slow marathon pace.

3) Friday Night Lights, A Town, A Team and A Dream, by H.G. Bissinger.

While most kids today know the title as a T.V. show, I urge anyone growing up in a high school football-crazed town or statelike much of my native Ohioto read this. It seems clich now but this behind the scenes look at the season of a Texas high school team and its football-obsessed town sparked a genre of sports books. To me, this remains a classic.

5) CSNChicago.com: If you werent a sports writer, what alternate career path would you have loved to have been associated with?and how do you think you would have realistically fared in that role?

Ryan: Everything! The best part of being a journalist is meeting people of various backgrounds and with an array of skills and experiences. Usually, I think, Wow, I would have loved to have .. lived there or tried that or do whatever it is my interview subject is telling me about. But I absolutely love traveling and learning about new people and places. Im also very intrigues by various social justice issues. So I feel like in another lifeor maybe my future oneI would be traveling and trying to help through some type of charitable organization. I have a bit of an adventurer spirit and have enjoyed volunteering so I think I would do well and enjoy it. But for now, sports writing is my gig. And I love it.

Ryan LINKS:

Chicago Tribune sports home page

Shannon Ryan on Facebook

Shannon Ryan on Twitter

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