clyons

"October 1964" by David Halberstam is excellent. Halberstam was extremely smart and a terrific writer. The book tells the story of the 1964 pennant race, which culminated with the Cardinals/Yankees World Series. There's also an interesting (but not too heavy) historical subtext that puts the race in the context of the era, with the Cardinals and their young, Black stars taking over from Mantle's aging, and nearly all-White, Yankees. "Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy" is also a good read. The author is a woman who's name I can't remember.

QUOTE (SoxFan1 @ Dec 13, 2008 -> 01:02 AM) Here's a little comparison...a really scary comparison... Daniel Cabrera: 5 seasons, 60 wild pitches Greg Maddux: 23 seasons, 70 wild pitches Tom Glavine: 22 seasons, 65 wild pitches Curt Schilling: 20 seasons, 72 wild pitches Pedro Martinez: 17 seasons, 62 wild pitches Jose Contreras: 6 seasons, 64 wild pitches Freddy Garcia: 9 seasons, 74 wild pitches Just sayin'

QUOTE (The Critic @ Dec 12, 2008 -> 02:13 AM) He could petition the Guiness Book of World Records for the earliest "glory days" ever. That guy can't be too proud of his attributes, or else he would have recreated that cover photo more accurately.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Dec 12, 2008 -> 05:06 AM) I've been talking to my girlfriend for a while to try and go down the Hershey Highway, and she finally agreed to do it on one condition: that I take her out to a restaurant. Where should I take her and what should I suggest she gets? Hot and spicy food makes for hot and spicy romance! Dinner at a quiet Mexican restaurant will really set the mood. Order for her (chicks dig that) and get her something laden with lots of beans, peppers and chiles. Since you both obviously like chocolate, something with that flavor will be nice for dessert.

QUOTE (CanOfCorn @ Dec 11, 2008 -> 11:04 AM) False. But I did puke on a Dean once. The person below me thinks The Matrix is real. True, I hear its gets pretty good gas mileage. http://www.toyota.com/matrix/ The person below me thinks that the only "star" actor worse than Keanu Reeves is the dude who plays Peter Petrelli on "Heroes."

My brothel no longer takes checks, and I'm just not comfortable carrying large amounts of cash. Any suggestions?

QUOTE (Texsox @ Dec 10, 2008 -> 04:44 PM) The key is finding someone who looks kind of like the person being replaced, if they have a celebrity father, even better. I have an off the wall question. There is this guy in the neighborhood who really seems to love kids. He has a ranch and the kids are always hanging out there. He wants my kids to spend the night and says he'll look after them real close. It's not weird or anything, he's married and has kids of his own. There is one weird thing, he's white but dances like he isn't and is always singing "beat it". Signed Thriller I'd let the kids stay with him, but since kids sometimes have trouble sleeping away from home, be sure to give them a little 'ol sleeping pill and some hot buttermilk and rum before you send them off.

QUOTE (knightni @ Dec 10, 2008 -> 03:36 PM) Dear Soxtalk, I've got a job opening up soon where I work and a lot of people want it. I'm supposed to appoint the best person for the job, but lately, I've had a lot of potentially lucrative offers for it. My wife really had her heart set on that 2009 Porsche and we could sure use that 7 bedroom lake house that I've been wanting. Some of the interested parties say that they can get me these things. What do you think? Sincerely, "Tod" PS - Go Cubs Go! PPS - Boy, there have been a lot of guys with sunglasses on around the captol building lately. I wouldn't worry too much. If the job is as golden as you say, you can always just take it yourself. But, whatever you do, be sure to speak slowly and distinctly when discussing the offers with colleagues, and don't be afraid to enliven those discussions with a few well-placed f-bombs. No one likes a prude.

Now I'm starting to feel bad for Ron Santo. Not because he hasn't gotten in, but because of how he continues to debase himself. http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3756458

Here's the indictment. Its contains shockingly recent stuff (See paras 70 +) http://www.chicagotribune.com/media/acroba...12/43789434.pdf

Sorry for the hijack, but what's with that "Colonel Tribune" character wearing the paper hat on the Trib's website? God, that's silly and lame.

To quote Mr. Potter from 'It's a Wonderful Life,' "Merry Christmas to you, IN JAIL!" (Even though he certainly won't be behind bars for the actual holiday). Even though I welcome this news, all things considered, it is embarassingly and depressingly bad. Illinois' last governors are now 2 for 2, continuing a long, disgusting tradition. Our state is vile cesspool, seemingly without equal.

Versteeg suspended one game; Quenneville got fined. http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=258967&amp...=headlines_main

QUOTE (jasonxctf @ Dec 8, 2008 -> 02:52 PM) i just would like BOA to come out and say why they declined they renewal of the company's line of credit and what kind of notice they gave them. Agreed. Everyone (with access to a microphone and camera that is) is all over this company for not giving their workers the required 60 day WARN Act notice, but WARN excuses such notice when a company is confronted with unforeseen circumstances, such as the unexpected loss of a customer or, as is potentially the case here, a lender's unexpected revocation of credit. Were there protracted negotiations with BOA, did the Bank just yank the rug out, or is anybody necessarily "at fault"?

QUOTE (Texsox @ Dec 8, 2008 -> 02:06 PM) What would you standard be? To me, its a little like pornography; hard to define, but I know it when I see it. I'd keep it pretty closely tied to some of the "sacred" numbers: 300 wins; 3000Ks, 500 Hrs, 3,000 hits; etc. Guys who fell short of those marks due to injury, etc. would still have to have performed at a similar pace over a good period of time. Intangibly speaking, I'd also look at guys who dominated and/or led their leagues for consistent periods, who could change the face of game or a series, and who you'd absolutely hate to face in crucial situations. I'd pay significantly less attention to All-Star nods or Gold Gloves (things you hear brought up all the time in the case for Santo), as too often those are jokes.

QUOTE (Texsox @ Dec 8, 2008 -> 02:05 PM) Pick a number for the "best of the best". It's a moving target. As it is, the list continually increases. With players constantly surpassing the achievements of players, if we truly want the "best of the best" shouldn't some players be removed as other pass them in stats? Perhaps there should be a shrine to the greatest 25 players of all time that changes with time, then the rest of the Hall. Would your visit to the HoF be ruined because Baines or Santo were included? Admission standards are always moving targets. Today, I don't know that I could get in to the college of my choice with my ACT and grades. That doesn't change the fact that I was worthy of entry at the time I was admitted, and ain't no one in Hell gonna take my degree away me! I earned my admission and earned my degree. I am entitled to that distinction forever, regardless of whether future graduates surpass what I achieved. I see the HOF kind of the same way. Just like the guys who won the Masters in the 50's; they get to keep their Green Jackets and tee off at Augusta forever, even if Tiger can hit the ball 150 yards farther than they ever could.

QUOTE (Texsox @ Dec 8, 2008 -> 01:40 PM) Isn't the voting standard 75%, would you want that raised? But wouldn't there always be a "borderline" until it takes 100%? Not at all. I'm merely talking about how I would cast my hypothetical vote. If I saw somebody as a 50/50 case, I would vote "No."

QUOTE (Texsox @ Dec 8, 2008 -> 01:28 PM) If it is suppose to designate only the greatest of players, why aren't players removed when other players surpass those achievements? It's a museum that celebrates the history of the game. If it was all about stats, just list the stats necessary to achieve membership and forget about voting. Are you suggesting a Hall of Fame should designate less than "the greatest of players"? Sort of a "Hall of Pretty Good for Their Time?" Yes, the HOF is a museum, and yes, it celebrates the history of the game; but it also celebrates much more than just that. Specifically, with respect to individual player enshrinement, I believe it not only celebrates, but separates and honors, the best of the best. The most traditional way of gauging that has generally been statistics, but not always. Human voters can weigh and assess intangbiles in a way computers can not. Have some inductees been less than "the best of the best?" Unquestionably. Does that mean we should gauge everyone's admission by that lowest common denominator? I think not. I'm not sure I get your other point. I happen to think "The Godfather" surpassed "Citizen Kane" as a film, but that doesn't diminish my admiration for "Citizen Kane" on its own merits, or warrant Kane's removal from any pantheon of cinema.

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Dec 8, 2008 -> 01:24 PM) So, are we really going to wait till Santo’s dead to admit we made a mistake with him? The guy averaged .277 25 Hrs 96 RBis, while playing good defense, suffering from a horrible case on diabetes, and while playing on terrible teams. I really can’t understand what the hate is about: he’s the Cubs equivalent of Hawk Harrelson, and while truly, a poor announcer, his unbridled love for his team is quite charming. The only thing that I can see happening to change Santo’s fortunes is the Cubs winning a World Series while he’s watching (like that’s going to happen.) Ideally, the Cubs' future should have nothing to with Santo's past. He should be in or out based on his career alone. Santo's is obviously a close case, as he has (IIRC) almost made it several times. I just happen to think "borderline" cases should be kept out.

QUOTE (Texsox @ Dec 8, 2008 -> 12:47 PM) It would seem that some people would like about 25 players in the Hall and no one else, as high as they set their standards. It's a fricking museum for the game of baseball. It isn't holy, it isn't offering immortality. It's a museum. A Santo display would be very interesting. More interesting than some 1915 shortstop that no one has ever heard of. Not literally it isn't; but it is in the sense of being baseball's pinnacle of achievement. When "interesting-ness" is deemed an official, Hall-worthy criteria, they can let in Eddie Gaedell. Unless and until they do, Santo should be kept out. I have no problem with their being 290 or so members, but you have to draw the line somewhere. Every time its been drawn with respect to Ronnie (and regardless of who has done the drawing), he's been on the wrong (but correct, imo) side. That, I have no problem with at all.

If I had a HOF vote, I'd be a real hardass. Imo, you should be able to decide whether a guy is HOF material within 5 seconds of hearing his name. If you have to even look at a player's stats to decide how he "compares" to other members, he shouldn't get in. I'd use the unofficial "first ballot" criteria as my main admission criteria, and screw that whole BS distinction. Santo has had his chances and hasn't been deemed worthy by umpteen panels of voters (both writers AND veterans). He should remain out. I felt the same way about Nellie Fox.

Mike Locksley is leaving Illinois to take over as head coach at New Mexico. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3754006 The Illini will miss his recruiting. His offense, not so much.

QUOTE (The Critic @ Dec 7, 2008 -> 09:38 AM) I think Huet needs a break. Giving Crawford a start is a good idea to me right now. Have a great time! Remember, no cotton candy form the kids at the UC, but they do have 5-dollar ice cream bars! The Black unis, 7 goals, a few fights, and, yes, $5 ice cream bars, helped ease the kids' disappointment that the UC didn't have Lemon Chills (they didn't notice the absence of cotton candy). A good time was had by all.

Taking the kids to the first game of the season at the UC tonight vs Phx. Wondering if Crawford might get the start in goal. Wondering further if that's a good thing or not.

Yes, you most definitely are (but thanks all the same).