The Critic

That, unfortunately, is true. My idea for a t-shirt: "Sox fans had Wood when Cub fans were still crapping their diapers!" ...and unlike their Wood, our Wood actually WON more than 14 games in a season!!!

I was gonna add Woody on my list, but I thought he was too "sung" to be an "unsung" hero! He was, after all, a FOUR TIME 20-game winner...and a TWO-time 20-game loser....once in the SAME season! WOW! And he was a fat guy, too.....excellent....

Jorge Orta Brian Downing Terry Forster

I wouldn't be all that surprised, either, because Foulke has that weird hitch in his motion, where he kinda stops mid-windup and holds his arm back for a second. I always thought that was strange, and I wonder if it can possibly affect the health of his arm.

I think it will be a tight race - the Cubs have a good shot at it, but the Astros will be right there. If they can convince Clemens to unretire ( or more accurately, not really retire yet ), then they can boast AT LEAST as good a starting rotation as the Cubs'. I'll take Dotel over Borowski, and middle relief seems about even, maybe a little in the Cubs favor. There's no question who I WANT to win the division - it's as easy as ABC - "Anyone But Cubs"!

Couldn't possibly care less if the shower stays or goes. Never felt the need to soak myself at the ballpark. That thing doesn't fall under the category of "treasured tradition" IMHO.

Happy trails, BF, and I'll be right here to give you s*** when you return!! ...IF you return?....

The difference is, if you have a thunderstorm going on behind you, you can kinda be a little ( or a lot ) off-key. If it's softer, piano-based music, the singer's going to stand out a bit more. For the record, I enjoyed what I've heard of Ben Folds on the radio, and he seems to have a good sense of humor from the interviews I've seen, but I wouldn't seek out his music, even by downloading.

I hope the "contract year syndrome" helps out with Koch. Although I am firmly in the "Marte-For-Closer" camp, an effective left-right combo like Gordon/Marte last year is the best case scenario for the Sox. He appears to not be leaving, so hopefully his arm is sound and his mechanics are good ( covering both excuses given for his troubles last year ).

I'm tired of hearing trade rumors, especially with the Dodgers. I'll just wait for an official announcement. Remember, that Konerko trade was "all but done" about a month ago, if not longer.

SIR, that is a STEREOTYPE!!!! I'm sure SOME of them are asking about "Queer Eye For The Straight Guy" instead!! I'm thinking that the s***ty Council wouldn't let me tear down the Urinal, and would slap some kind of landmark status on it - how a shrine to ineptitude can be a landmark is beyond me, but I bet they would do it. That's why the "Testament To Failure" exhibit would be born. There's be a Hall Of Mediocrity for all the mandatory "every team has to have one" All-Stars they've produced ( Steve Swisher comes to mind ). But the Scrubbies themselves would have to get used to a grass-covered shack in Montana, cuz that's where they'd play! They're used to weeds on the walls, so it should be a smooth transition!!

I could still buy the Cubs, regardless of the tax situation! I'd just have the Cubs' lawyers and the judges they are "friends" with "take care of" my taxes and make sure the sale went through LEGALLY...they can do things like that, you know...

A VERY telling quote from Cryford: "It seems that every coach I've played for I've had a run-in with," Crawford said. "But I have so much respect for [skiles] that I'll just take it and keep moving forward." Translation: "If I didn't have respect for him, OR when I LOSE respect for him, I will dwell on it and pout and piss and moan and become a distraction, because AFTER ALL, I have had a run-in with EVERY COACH I've played for." That kid will never grow up...

I've heard just the opposite - I read and heard that Cartwright's biggest frustration was that Curry didn't grip the ball hard enough down low, thereby letting people strip him of it. I don't watch enough Bulls basketball to give a really informed opinion, I'm just going by what I've seen and heard.

I'd buy the Cubs and move them to Montana. I'd turn Chewing Gum Park into a musuem of losing. There'd be a scarecrow of the following people and things: Brant Brown in left field Bartman in the LF stands Giant hypodermic needle in RF Gonzalez dropping a grounder at SS Leon Durham at 1B All these scarecrows would be filled with the ivy that I tore off the walls. Then when I stopped laughing, I'd sell the Cubs but not the park. They can go play somewhere else. Serious answer - I'd buy a KICKASS house for myself, one for my mom, stick some money into all my daughter's, nephews' and nieces' college funds and bank the rest.

BrandoFan?

79 for me. That means the Sox only have 39 more years to get me a World Series title!! I don't think that'll be enough time for the SlackHawks...

So far it's he said/she said. We'll see how it plays out. Doesn't anybody just read the playbook before a big game anymore???

Off today. Monday's gonna be hell. This long weekend had better last me for a while.

I think Rogers drew the short straw, and the punishment was to be the Hawk guy. There's a reason that their pre-game show is only 10 minutes long - there's nothing to talk about with the Slacks. ...at least nothing GOOD...except for the occasional fluke victory over the Red Wings or Blues. Then it's BACK to scoring NOTHING against the Penguins or dumping an OT game to Calgary or Columbus or Anaheim....

yeah, REM has some good stuff on most of their discs, but I also like the earlier stuff better. I think I like the production on the early stuff better - it's not too clean and polished, and Stipe was still mumbling his lyrics, which I prefer from him.

Got home too early to really tie one on. The wife had to work today, so we just went to our friends' house for a few hours. A couple beers, a couple Sky Blue's and a glass of wine. No big deal...

I was a big fan of the Iron Man, Hulk, Captain America, Sub-Mariner and Thor cartoons. 1/2 hour a day, one for each day of the week ( I remember Iron Man being on Thursday, not sure about the rest of the order ). Also liked the Wacky Races, Looney Tunes and the Schoolhouse Rock toons in between shows on ABC.

QUITTER!!!!! People COUNTED on you to have NOTHING BETTER to do on a Saturday night than turn the sound down on the TV and babble into the world's cheapest, most rickety, tape-covered, grimy $5 microphone!!! NOW who will swear up a blue streak at the foibles of such luminaries as Willie Harris and JosE6 Valentin???? Where will I turn now to do my stupid little puppet shows??? I was working on a KILLER Joey Cora impression: "ANDELE, ANDELE, hooooryup, dee throw eez ON DEE WAYEEE!!!!" ..............you selfish little bastard............. LONG LIVE SnR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I claim NO exclusivity to the phrase "TALLLLL VEGAS CABBAGE, BAYBEEEE", so feel free to use it at your discretion! and SUCH finger gestures from a LADY????? SHOCKING.....