The Critic

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Nov 20, 2006 -> 12:50 AM) I don't want to speak for other people, but I think why alot of see this as a bad deal is not only the years and $$, but what the needs are for the Cubs. Any team wants/needs a guy that can steal 40 bags and hits 40 HR's. That an obvious. HOWEVER, it's very, very obvious that there are more pressing needs on the Northside, the starting rotation being very high on the list. The Cubs have alot of money to play with, but at the same time, they aren't the Yanks. The cash only goes so far. The rotation right now for the Cubs looks something like Zambrano Hill Prior Marshall/Miller Cotts/Guzman/O'Malley? Not exactly world beaters. Now I understand Hendry still has alot of time to get some deals done, and he will, but it just seems like negligence on the Cubs part to really address the biggest need. That seems to be the pattern on the Northside. 2 years ago, they needed a leadoff hitter more than anything and they didn't get one. Last year, they needed depth at starting pitching and they didn't get it. This year, they AGAIN (as of yet) haven't addressed the rotation, which is even weaker than last offseason, since Prior was expected to be there on Opening Day, Woody and Wadey were expected back by June, and they still had Maddux. Hendry's been living off the Hundley deal and the generosity of the Pirates organization for a long time now, although the bullpen signings and the deals this winter have been decent, if overpaid.

The part about this that should worry Cub fans is the fact that they will have to pay Zambrano soon, and they just boosted the salary level themselves. With all the money they have tied up in Lee, Ramirez and Soriano, will they be able to match the ridiculous offers Zambozo will get if/when he tests the market? BTW, how pissed must Artie Moreno be about now? He's lost out to Chicago teams on his last three "top priority" free agents (Konerko, Ramirez and Soriano).

I bought my mother-in-law's Christmas gift today. Got her a Kodak 5MP digital camera at Office Depot for $49.99. Not bad at all.

QUOTE(Brian @ Nov 19, 2006 -> 10:32 PM) Saw genesis tonight. Vince Russo writing is starting to shine through and I hope they ditch him before it is too late. Sting losing the title on a DQ because it was the refs decision? Guys going heel to babyface back to heel in one week? title changes galore? Joe vs. Angle was ok. Good ending. Good drama. Styles and Christian was ok. Not as great as it could of been as it seemed to just push the Styles vs. Danielson storyline. Other matches were pretty garbage. Whatever Vince Russo touches turns to s***, and I too hope that TNA realizes that before they become a complete joke. The DQ title change is ridiculous, and I wonder how short a reign Abyss will be given. I can't imagine it would be more than through the next PPV. Stripping LAX of the tag belts make SOME sense, at least (more of the "gringos" keeping them down or whatever), but it's kind of weak. VKM is awful, as usual. The Movement is just the usual Raven deal - brainwash some midcarders and abuse them when they lose. Kevin Nash needs to PLEASE just go away. Far far away. I shouldn't find Eric Young entertaining at all, but strangely, I do, in a pathetic "Eugene" kind of way. Oh, and one last thing - if TNA is serious about competing with Vince, they need to send Don West back to hawking NASCAR decorative plates on QVC. That guy makes Mark Madden sound like Gordon Solie.

QUOTE(SnB @ Nov 19, 2006 -> 11:57 AM) My brother already has an ipod/itunes installed on his computer. My mom is now saying she wants an ipod for christmas. For her to use it and import music on her ipod, she would have to do it through my brother's computer. Now, my question is, is there a way to have two accounts or profiles in Itunes? So that when she plugs in her ipod, she won't import my brother's songs and vice versa. You have to set up another account on the computer. Log off, switch users, log into the other account, install iTunes on that account, and load the songs for the new iPod.

QUOTE(T R U @ Nov 19, 2006 -> 11:48 AM) I agree with you, I am not impressed by him.. Also.. I thought watching Angle in TNA didnt quite compare to him in WWE.. I didnt see the end of the match though, someone fill me in Angle made Abyss tap to the ankle lock, Joeverrated ran in, some double-teaming occurs, Sting comes down to get some batting practice in on Abyss, Samoverrated puts an unconscious Angle in an ankle lock and rear naked choke to end the show.

QUOTE(LowerCaseRepublican @ Nov 18, 2006 -> 05:40 PM) Brian Pillman: Loose Cannon DVD is pretty damn entertaining. Just got it today. The matches were good and the character was pretty damn entertaining. And Critic, check out some of Joe's stuff in ROH (i.e. Punk/Joe etc.) and you'll see why he's seen as pretty damn good. I've looked online for a bunch of his stuff to try to find something that justifies his highly-regarded position among "smarks", and I just don't see it. I watched that match of the year candidate you posted a while back and he just does nothing for me. Not terrible, mind you, just nothing special in my opinion.

Roddy Piper is out of the Survivor Series due to kidney or disc problems. He will be replaced by an out-of-shape old dude to be named later.

I love reading the trade rumor threads, because they usually spark interesting talk/debate about what would be best for the Sox, but I never, EVER, put any stock in the rumors. I don't bother getting upset about a trade until it actually happens. It's not like the Sox brass would read a message board and say "Uh oh, the Internet Sox fans don't like the deal, call it off!"

QUOTE(Purdue129 @ Nov 18, 2006 -> 11:08 AM) i think you forgot the green I NEVER forget the green. I'm not impressed by Joe at all. Nothing he does sets him apart in my eyes.

QUOTE(SoxFan1 @ Nov 17, 2006 -> 06:10 PM) Who wins more games: 2006-07 Chicago Bulls or 2007 Chicago White Sox? Who wins more games: 2006-7 Chicago Blackhawks or 2007 White Sox? ...I couldn't bring myself to type that without the green...

QUOTE(Mr. Showtime @ Nov 17, 2006 -> 06:25 PM) Come on Critic, VKM = Vincent Kennedy McMahon. IT'S A SHOOT~! Nash is awesome, I don't want to see him work, but I find him funny. LAX is the hottest act in wrestling bar none. For TNA to become big, they need to create interest in their own product. In addition to getting themselves out more. They've got the hardcore internet audience, but that's it. C'mon, Show, I know why they chose the acronym, I'm just saying that they chose a LOUSY acronym. Hell, even "Violent Killing Machines" would have been a better name. I can see why Brian Armstrong would use HHH and HBK's real names, but his sidekick, good ol' Monty Sopp, might want to avoid shooting on peoples' real names. I don't find Nash funny or entertaining in any way - his act was tired by 2000. I enjoy LAX, the Border Toss is my current favorite move, but that skit didn't help them in any way. And I am not buying that slob with the tit-high workout shorts being a "killer", either.

I was pretty impressed with the debut prime time iMPACT! last night. The Rhino/Cage match was fairly brutal, the setup for Cage/Styles was effective enough, if a bit contrived, and Angle always puts on a good show. Abyss was even pretty good, and I always like James Mitchell. Even the Old Age Outlaws cut a halfway decent promo, although that new name is brutal. VOODOO KIN MAFIA???? What did they do, throw darts at words that started with V, K and M? Why not Violent Kitten Molesters? Virgin Kahlua Mudslides? Velvet KISS Mousepads? Viking Kite Makers? The LAX flag burning crap was useless, as was Kevin Nash. (No surprise about Nash being useless, that's the last 6-8 years for him) Overall, a good show, and a decent buildup for the Sunday PPV.

QUOTE(maggliopipe @ Nov 17, 2006 -> 12:27 AM) For long drives, there's generally no way I can stay awake listening to music. I try to find some talk radio or often listen to books-on-tape. I've been going through the Chuck Palahniuk books the last year or so. As for talk radio, it's great listening to right wing radio for its entertainment value (Matt Drudge, Michael Savage) and also some Art Bell. I'm the exact opposite - if I tried to listen to talk radio on a long drive at night, they'd find me in a ditch. I find that metal (old school Metallica, Testament, Raven) and punk (Suicidal, Methadones, Dead Boys) work best to keep the toes a'tappin'.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Nov 17, 2006 -> 11:43 AM) Well, it's another one(What!?) In the gutter one(What!?) Ghetto runnin' 'em Troublesome - Extra double dum; I come to beat 'em Defeat 'em and mistreat 'em - so what if that I'm cheatin'? Now everyone wanna say I'm grimy (Yeah, I know!) I'm-a show ya' how; Come on! (All in together now!) Yeah, ooh, yeah - YEAH! - That's how it's gotta be, so Stop tryin' to be loud as me, 'cause you can't do that! Think about it! Playin' Russian roulette with an automatic, I put my ass against the line, the last bullet is first - on line Toughest step, and I rep and I run; Packin' a weapon is wild! Peace to the brothers on Ryker's Isle - Toughen up; A-tremble-em-ba-lin Like a crimin-a-million puffs I took: I - ooh, my god, I'm so high! Just they say, "Hey, Rodney," say, "You look like a - - Grem-a-lin!" A What!? Just they say to make a kid Make a million children slam! Slam! SLAM! SLaM!!! (doo DOO DOO, doo DOO DOO) Let the boys be boys!! SLaM!!! (doo DOO DOO, doo DOO DOO) Let the boys be boys!!

I'd be okay with it being the S L a M Forum.

QUOTE(BobDylan @ Nov 17, 2006 -> 09:44 AM) Don't think I've seen that on Comedy Central yet. Sometimes it's a DJ, sometimes it's a band, but Lord knows no one can get through the 45 seconds it takes for a comic to walk off stage without some sort of musical distraction until the host starts talking again.

I'd be perfectly okay with the Sox adding a backup CF who can catch the ball and a new hitting coach. They had two players whose approach at the plate never seemed to improve in Uribe and Anderson, and an entire team that was unprepared for even marginal left-handed pitchers for the entire season. That, to me, falls on Walker's shoulders. There was no noticable improvement in these areas over 162 games - why not? I say, get a new voice and method in there. I like the Sox's roster, even Podsednik if he could go back to doing the things he needs to do to be successful. (bunting, getting better reads on pitchers and flyballs)

He tried to charge by the hour, but when the bell went off on his timer......well, bad things happened....

so I'm channel-flipping, and I catch this......THING.....on the U. It's the first episode of something called Comics Unleashed. At first, it seems like that same old kind of comic feature show, like the ones they run on Comedy Central on Friday nights. You know the type - they have a DJ scratching in the background, some unknown guy hosting, that overexcited Arsenio Hall Show audience. UNTIL..... It turns out to be a panel interview show, and the unknown guy starts introducing his guests - any "street cred" this show might possibly have VANISHES immediately. First out is.....David Brenner! Next......Carol Leifer!! Then....George Wallace!!! And finally.....Dane Cook!!!! I think the funniest thing about this show is going to be the panel, and I don't mean their acts!!!

QUOTE(Texsox @ Nov 16, 2006 -> 06:35 PM) http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/1116061deer1.html Wisconsin motion argues sex with animal carcass not a crime It's okay to love animals, it's just not okay to LOVE animals.

If airline passengers can no longer nuzzle each other's vaginal areas, the terrorists have truly won. This is an outrage.

Decent deal for a decent player. Nice, solid, minor move.

QUOTE(Queen Prawn @ Nov 14, 2006 -> 07:25 AM) Am I supposed to feel different now that I am 30? I don't know, let us feel you and find out....

QUOTE(T R U @ Nov 16, 2006 -> 05:15 PM) I really do not like TNA, but ill prolly check out the show tonight.. what time does that start 8 or 9? Depends on where you live.... 9PM Eastern, 8 Central