The Critic

FSJim, I can see your side as well, thanks for the insight. What's right for some is not right for others, and I understand the other side of the coin a little better now. I will also be at the 6/24 Sox/Indians game with my 4-year-old daughter, and I expect to have a great time with her. It's the first time that just she and I are going, without the Mom. Other than "lavatory adventures" , it should be a rockin' good time!

If you're paying regular price, that's something different. I'll pay face value to watch anyone, except the Spankees, who I have ZERO interest in paying one thin dime to see, ever. I guess I'm asking why someone would fork over ridiculous money to see the Cubs, while the park sits half-empty most other games. Wouldn't it make more sense to buy a ticket for 4 or more Sox games against AL clubs than to waste that money on ONE ticket for a game against a team people here claim to not care about? Just doesn't seem like enough "bang for the buck" to me. When I see a Cubs game ( and I DO see them, since the Mrs and my cousin/best friend are both die-hard Cub fans ), I pay regular price and see them at Wrigley. I'm not paying a scalper or eBay or whatever for anything, I don't care what it is.

I honestly can't believe anyone would pay that much to see a team they hate. I have never, and WILL never, see a Yankee game. I don't like them, so I stay away. Even if (when?) the Sox destroy them, it's still not worth $76 or $83 or $____ per ticket just to watch a team I claim to be unable to stand. I really don't get it....

HEY, no ganging up on me!!! I didn't say it COULDN'T happen, I just said that his aunt is not mixed.... GRRRRRrrrrrrrrrr.......

I'm not sure, but I know his aunt, and she's not mixed.

Jody Gerut. ( Going to be one soon, anyway... )

I'm shocked to see so many "anti drunken brawling" apologists here... I, for one, would be ALL FOR a section with no vendors at all roaming the aisles, stopping in front of me while I'm trying to watch the game, etc. I'll take the walk to the concourse if I want a beverage, it's not that hard to do.

ELO is a guilty pleasure of mine. I always enjoy hearing "Living Thing" or "Do Ya" when they pop up on the radio.

I'll see it. I find Moore to be an interesting filmmaker, despite his biases and slants. His movies are a good example of how bits and pieces of information can be skewed to reflect a certain viewpoint.

True, but even more beautiful would be a reliable veteran starter to get the Sox to the Damaso and Shingo Show. I'm fairly confident in these two to take care of innings 8 and 9, I'd LOVE to see someone in that 5th spot to get them to the 8th inning.

There's also a direct link to it on whitesox.com. Pretty good stuff.

uh oh.....

They were laughing out loud on SportsCenter at Hawk's HR call. They would say the player's name who hit the homer and then say "and more Hawk..." - then you'd hear the call and the laughter. It was pretty funny to hear "He looks up.....you can PUT IT ON THE BOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRD.............YES!!!" 6 times in a row. Then they played his very low-key call of Thome's 9th inning HR and the anchor says "they ran out of 'put it on the board's". Good stuff.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/playoffs2004...artnersite=espn The Tampa paper had prepared a winning editorial and a losing one, and guess what happened???

Let's find out. Fearing that he might fail is not a good enough reason to hold him out at this point. He seems to be working an inning at a time lately anyway, why not have that inning be the 9th? He's making guys take REALLY bad swings right now - I feel good about giving him the role and let's see if anyone figures him out.

At this point, Koch is of no use as the closer either, so there IS no other choice but to try another option. I would feel MUCH better with Jackson in the 7th than I do right now with Koch in the 9th. Shingo has earned the opportunity by getting hitters out consistently, while Koch has pitched himself out of that role. I really can't find a valid reason to continue using Billy in the 9th inning. No lead is safe from him right now....it really is a shame, I wanted him to do well and I thought he had turned a corner a while back....

I agree with this post 100%. No anger here, Ozzie was showing confidence in his guy and it failed. I wanted him to keep putting Billy out there until it became obvious that it wasn't going to succeed, and I think tonight was evidence enough for me that it isn't going to. Ozzie needs to give Shingo a try at the closer role - and I don't mean one opportunity. He needs to get the role until further notice. He's been getting everyone he faces to pop up on the infield or reach out and tap little dribblers. I can't remember the last time Shingo got hit hard. Billy can grab a mop and wait for a blowout. He won't be released or demoted because of his salary, but in my mind he just became the league's most expensive 12th pitcher. It's too bad, too, because I thought Billy showed a couple flashes of growth and maybe being able to live without those missing MPH, but things are falling fast for him and the Sox cannot afford to have him blow save ops when the Twins are playing mediocre ball too. This was a golden chance for the Sox to put some distance between themselves and Minny, and Billy blew two key games to prevent that from happening.

Frank has been outstanding, and I am VERY glad to see his resurgence. If he just worries about getting solid swings, his power numbers will be there. I thought he kinda cheated himself last year when he focused on homers.

He won't get the chance. The owners are gonna try to change hockey, and the changes will be painful.

I voted for my main man Topsy, even though I just bought a SWEET Mitchell & Ness Billy Hamilton throwback.... Truthfully, Rickey was power and speed and always dangerous.

Second guessing is easy... If the move works, it's GENIUS and everyone would talk about how Ozzie KNEW that Willie struggles against lefties and how well Guardado has handled lefties, and how wise and mature Oz is for a rookie manager. It doesn't work out, and Oz is dumb and Willie needs ABs against lefties, and why why why Burke, and Randall Simon would have saved us all, and etc etc etc. Second guessing is easy....

I remember watching Game One of the Stanley Cup Finals when the Hawks pulled that awful choke vs. the Penguins. It's a horrible feeling to know after Game One that your team has NO SHOT at winning that series. I'm rooting for Tampa on Monday, just because they've never won a Cup before and Calgary has. Plus, how cool would it be for your team to win Game Seven of the Finals at home? Excellent....

The Sox can't afford to keep hoping the Twins lose. They'd better start winning some games on the days the Twins drop one.

Ahhh, that "Closing Time" show ending has been done to death. Mac, Jurko & Harry close their show with it every night on AM1000. You should close with Skid Row's "Get The f*** Out": "You're standin' too close, what the f***'s with you? You ain't my old lady and you ain't a tattoo, No need to whimper, no need to shout, This party's over so GET THE f*** OUT!" A decent leftover from the hairband era.

Blowrowski and Billy Bob give up the lead. Mesa coming in to try to close it out.