greg775

QUOTE (kitekrazy @ May 6, 2017 -> 05:16 AM) Sport journalism in the digital age has regressed. I can't stomach the NFL anymore because it's littered with ex players and few journalists. It's strange what the world has become. Now disinterest in baseball is being tied in part to decreasing coverage by veteran journalists with sources, great access and knowledge, ones who have been laid off or forced out or taken buyouts. Yet the reason there is decreasing coverage is newspapers are almost dead. Why are they dying and almost dead? The same public lamenting the decreased coverage wouldn't read a newspaper if a coupon for a free steak dinner came with it. So is there interest in journalistic takes on games or not? The newspapers who have lost money hand over fist and are almost out of business are now saying, What? (not that the newspaper companies are blame free; most of those companies are run worse than the airlines). That linked article was pretty amazing. The author had a lot of facts in there about those Chicago outlets like when specific writers were let go, when specific outlets cut baseball coverage, and a lot of stats about specific loss of advertising. Great informative read.

QUOTE (fathom @ May 6, 2017 -> 02:14 AM) Man is he bad defensively this year. Easily has the worst defensive fWAR of any starting SS. Plain and simple, he's just been awful so far this season. He's got a LONG ways to go. He's Lexi before Lexi got good.

I thought the Sox hitters took some cookies in the 8th inning BTW. I like the patience at the plate overall, but it was possible to hit that stiff in the eighth. Oh well. This year is different. I don't get mad cause ultimately Cleveland wins the division and we got no shot at WC. Game.Set.Match.

Bad game. Kind of the game you'd expect on the road against a good team with our roster. Overall the Sox are still overachieving under Renteria.

QUOTE (Tex @ May 5, 2017 -> 10:06 PM) As a long time Boy Scout leader getting mocked was preferable to the usual looks. What do u mean, Tex? Are people all over boy scout leaders? Any volunteer work is cool with me! Congrats on giving your time to the Scouts.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ May 5, 2017 -> 07:14 PM) Employee sponsored HC could be drastically changed if companies are allowed to cap your benefit amount to save themselves money. So you not only have a deductible, but you also have a maximum coverage amount. Anybody bringing a child into the world right now may be doing that child a disservice. I know this is a harsh statement, but we are all doomed and all signs are the economy will never ever be better than it is now! Think about it. We're speeding toward being one lousy disease or condition away from being broke forever! You break a leg, have a heart problem, you have a condition, a horrible disease like MS or something ... you will be BROKE with maximum coverage amounts and companies not insuring any family with somebody with a prior condition! You wait, in five years no businesses will be paying their employees health costs. That's coming. After all, "You're lucky to have a job at all" is a common refrain. This health care note of RockRaines saddens and sickens me. Maximum coverage amounts?? No insurance provided by employers? Everybody who doesn't have a job can't get medicare anymore?? Bernie Sanders NEEDED TO BE ELECTED! Tell me we're not in trouble, folks. You either stay healthy or forget it. better not be playing any pickup hockey or basketball; you might get an ACL or busted leg. Good luck paying for s*** like that in 3 years.

I've been reading the reaction to today's vote and people are pissed saying the health care world is coming to an end. It said doctors, insurance companies and patients and nurses alike and pharm companies all said the new law will be awful. I try to read the articles and nobody can explain it in real English what's so bad about it. So please answer two scenarios for me. 1.) I do have a job and am covered by Aetna and I need surgery and I will be in the hospital for 7 days and then laid up and need meds, etc. Why is this new health care plan bad for me? Thank u. 2.) I have been laid off and have no job. I am on COBRA and need surgery as in example 1. Why is this health care plan bad for me? 3.) I have been laid off and have no job. My COBRA is too expensive so I want to buy the old Obamacare plan. Why can't I do that anymore? What would be the scenario with me trying to get insurance? Explain it in real English please.

QUOTE (chw42 @ May 4, 2017 -> 09:34 PM) Your overstatement was that Christianity is the only religion being ridiculed. That is so far from the truth. Even when Christianity is ridiculed, I wouldn't consider any of it truly harmful or hateful. But when you see people talk badly about Islam, it's usually about how Muslims are terrorists. Imagine yourself as a Muslim who has no intention of committing terrorism yet the people around you probably think that there is a possibility you will. Sucks, doesn't it? There is not something equal to that in if you're a Christian in this country. I'm talking about on the record ridicule. Not anonymous racist crap against Muslims saying they are terrorists. We're talking about different things. There is discrimination against many religions. I'm saying comics see an easy target in mocking Catholics and joking about the pope and abuse, etc. You don't publicly joke about Muslims, etc. Of course there is anonymous hatred of many religions which is truly awful. I'm talking on the record funny stuff from people in the public eye.

Let's face it, the little guy is going to go broke paying for medical costs during retirement. Our country is in deep trouble without free health care for all. The insurance companies are going to pay so little of each major surgery it'll make your head spin. Good luck to all the people out of work getting treated and good luck to those who do have jobs cause their insurance companies will fight SO many charges. Agree? We needed Bernie who woulda given us all this stuff for free.

Great win. 5-2 versus KC? That's crazy good. Davidson has hit some towering home runs this season and hit one today. Avi has been stellar and was today. I'll give Holland credit. I despised his signing but so far he's been very admirable. I still say this is proving how bad Robin was. If only we had Renteria earlier we might have won the division a couple years at least of the Robin era. It's nice to see the Sox score runs once in a while unlike the Robin era. Sox have scored a lot of runs for instance in their wins over KC this season. It's not an automatic horrible game this season with the bats. Sox still suck offensively on most nights but they also break out on some nights.

Avi's already earned his modest salary for the entire season. That base hit to right late was great. But he's arguably been the MVP of the Central Division after 20 games or so.

I'd like to hear ptatc's take on Nate's throwing motion. It looks very hard on the elbow to me the way he moves he arm way away from his body then heaves it home. I will accept ptatc's take on the matter. I think he has always been an injury waiting to happen.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ May 4, 2017 -> 02:19 PM) MORE than christians? Muslims Jews Atheists Scientologists Hindus Buddhists Christianity is the ONLY religion in the US that is ok to worship out in the open. Christianity is prevalent in everything from the government, media and even sports. Directv has 16 christian networks that it broadcasts every day. SiriusXM has 5 religious channels, all christian. But yes, it's tough to be christian... These groups are mocked by comedians? Cmon. I never used the word persecuted, we're talking about mocking a religion on TV, twitter, everywhere. Catholics are a safe group to mock. And I never was arguing it's tough to be a Christian, responding to caulfield's post. Thanks for getting me in trouble here again, Caulfield You knew I'd take the bait. QUOTE (chw42 @ May 4, 2017 -> 03:16 PM) That's because your example is overstated to begin with Greg. You act like Christians are somehow persecuted in this country. Guess what? It's the majority religion and it controls a large portion of this country's political climate. You can't even run for office as an Atheist in a handful of states. Hell I'd say you have to almost run as a Christian to win for office anywhere. When a politician creates an entire campaign with rhetoric against Christianity and wins partly because of it or when hate groups start blaming Christians for everything wrong in the world, then you can have your persecution. Until then, you're overstating things. I don't know what I'm overstating. Just lamenting the fact my Catholic religion gets mocked all the time. That's all. QUOTE (BigSqwert @ May 4, 2017 -> 03:54 PM) The guy listens to Limbaugh and watched O'Reilley. What do you expect? That's pretty cruel. Another one liner to attack my long thoughtful response to Caulfield and then others. I said you guys have defeated me. You have crushed me in a debate. QUOTE (RockRaines @ May 4, 2017 -> 05:09 PM) Trump just passed an executive order to allow christians to discriminate based on their religious beliefs. But yeah, sucks to be a christian. You really are overstating my comments. I never said it sucks to be a Christian. I like it. QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ May 4, 2017 -> 07:33 PM) Maher makes fun of all religions quite equally. He's an atheist. He thinks they are all complete bulls***. If true, I've missed those episodes. Priest jokes, sure. But jokes about specifics of the Jewish and Hindu faiths, etc., really?

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ May 4, 2017 -> 02:13 PM) Greg, saying "why haven't the Boy Scouts been mocked as much as the Catholic Church for pedophile behavior" is a piss poor argument. Seriously one of the worst you have ever had Taken out of context. You guys are good, I already told you that. If most of you guys weren't on debate teams in h.s., you should have been. Excellent job of taking stuff out of context again.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ May 4, 2017 -> 05:08 PM) That is definitely messed up and it looks like the attendant was on a power trip. But from what I read, it does seem like the family was trying to pull some shenanigans and immediately played the victim card when they got busted on them. I disagree on the shenanigans. There's no evidence they were trying to get away with anything except the baby swapped seats with the brother who flew home on another flight for some reason. They said Delta knew what was up. They had a ticket for the 2 year old that had to be showed when the 2 year old got on the plane. If not, they'd have given that ticket away.

One more incident I missed. Heaven forbid you have a bathroom emergency. You either urinate in your seat or in your pants or you get kicked off the flight after a huge incident. "The case of the guy who had a bathroom emergency" which is a no no on Delta. http://delta2035.blogspot.com/2017/04/open...removal-of.html

Whatever happened to this policy of Delta? Paying up to 10,000 when passengers are kicked off planes? Not in the above incident in which the Delta employee said, "You are on your own now." http://money.cnn.com/2017/04/14/news/compa...ight/index.html

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ May 4, 2017 -> 04:29 PM) Both sides were in the wrong there. The employee was an ass and wrong about FAA child seat regulations, but the passengers were off too, you can't just let a different person fly on someone else's ticket. But as the dad said Delta knew the different person was flying on someone else's ticket. And the different person was 2 years old. How petty. Hope Delta gets reamed over this one. I think AA, Delta and United are poor companies if you are a passenger and should totally revamp. SWA has the right idea; not perfect but way better. So much better a person is stupid to fly out of O'Hare if SWA is an option out of Midway even if it's a hassle taking an Uber to Midway or parking at Midway or whatever excuse a person can come up with about not wanting to go to Midway. Trust me, if you fly a lot you are going to be much happier on SWA out of Midway than any of the big three airlines that use O'Hare.

QUOTE (Brian @ May 4, 2017 -> 04:23 PM) It happened again. This time on DELTA, which is the worst airline I've ever flew on. Never on time. NEVER http://abc7.com/travel/socal-family-thrown...eating/1951238/ Bottom line is they don't care. The passenger said it all when he said, "I tend to stand up what I think is right." He also said he was right when he said he paid for the seat. Delta really did not care he was a paying customer. Cmon folks, they had to do something else to satisfy this family. Again, the solution? What happened to airlines saying they'd offer up to 10,000 bucks to customers to get them off the flight to prevent this from happening. We all know this but the airlines treat customers like sheep. Very disappointing. Air travel is very frustrating. I'd like somebody to defend Delta on this one. The passenger was trying to get his way, yes. He was irritated yes, but he was getting some stupid s*** thrown in his face like, "we're trying to be courteous." "This plane will sit here four hours if that's what you want." He paid for the f***ing seats. Hope Delta gets reamed for this one. Even if it was not allowed to have a 2 year old in a seat he did ultimately agree to have the 2 year old sit in wife's lap. Too late, pal, is not a good defense. The airlines had their eyes on the family's seats and booted paying customers off a flight saying they were now on their own. According to the Web article Delta's website says: "We want you and your children to have the safest, most comfortable flight possible. For kids under the age of two, we recommend you purchase a seat on the aircraft and use an approved child safety seat." Hope Delta gets some bad pub over this. Again, what happened to offering more cash to people as an inducement to get off flights. And the Delta person said the family was on their own, now?? What's up with that? No rebooking them? No nothing. Glad these incidents are being taped on cell phones. At least it's making the airlines look like the uncaring entities they can be.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ May 4, 2017 -> 03:37 PM) Speaking of bad customer service: Space between rows is becoming a big deal. People who travel generally seem to be less fat than others but you still have people who barely fit in their seats and if you are 6 foot or taller you are really crammed in most seats. The airlines should expect some rotten customer behavior when you are crammed together like that. You can say people must behave in all settings, but if you are fairly tall you are really in trouble if the flight is more than an hour long. I know the airlines don't care, but like you said it's horrible customer service.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ May 3, 2017 -> 08:02 PM) Come on man. Christians are the only religious group that is mocked? Thats f***ing insanity. I hope you are joking or have you head buried so far in the sand you havent seen a single movie or tv show. Ever. What religions are mocked by comedians, etc? You mock a Catholic/Christian, it's funny. Who else is getting joked upon?? QUOTE (chw42 @ May 3, 2017 -> 10:43 PM) I guess Greg's never been asked to leave this country because of his religion. Nor have neo-nazis on the internet (and real life) blamed his entire religion for everything wrong in the world. But people making fun of his religion? That s***'s persecution. Classic example of overstating my position on this board. You guys just don't want any discussion sometimes. This happens all the time to my posts. My gawd. QUOTE (caulfield12 @ May 4, 2017 -> 03:10 AM) But there's no way you come back from the priest sexual abuse scandal/epidemic without becoming a target of jokes and derision. WRONG! There have been incidents of abuse in the Boy Scouts and no jokes, no nothing but horror expressed. I am against all abuse. But cmon. There have been other cases of abuse and it is not mocked like the priests are mocked and derided. Now somebody go ahead and say I am downplaying abuse. Of course abuse is horrid. My brother, a rich lawyer, disowned his high school over its coverup of abuse. He is so mad. I am so mad but they are individual cases not to be mocked.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Apr 30, 2017 -> 11:55 PM) The Chelsea vs Ivanka election is gonna be epic! I'm convinced had Hillary won, we'd be hearing a lot from Chelsea for 8 years and yes she would have run. If she is politically ambitious she still should give it a shot. Trump has proven you just need a name to win and she has a name. I could see some of the Trumps considering running in the future if Donald does well.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ May 3, 2017 -> 06:21 AM) This is something Greg has talked a lot about, the feeling of being persecuted for his Christian beliefs...so you have the Dems, who largely embrace diversity (mixing of cultures/values), and the Republicans, who largely embrace a WASP religious belief. Republicans, on the other hand, are much less likely than Democrats to believe any minority group faces a lot of discrimination, and they believe Christians and whites face roughly as much discrimination as immigrants, Muslims and gay and transgender people. Moreover, only 27 percent of Republicans say blacks experience a lot of discrimination, while 43 percent say whites do and 48 percent say the same of Christians. Taken as a whole, these partisan portraits highlight contrasting responses to the country’s changing demographics and culture, especially over the past decade as the country has ceased to be a majority white Christian nation — from 54 percent in 2008 to 43 percent today. Democrats — only 29 percent of whom are white and Christian — are embracing these changes as central to their vision of an evolving American identity that is strengthened and renewed by diversity. By contrast, Republicans — nearly three-quarters of whom identify as white and Christian — see these changes eroding a core white Christian American identity and perceive themselves to be under siege as the country changes around them. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/02/opinion/...ol-right-region This is also part of the reason for that seismic shift of Obama voters in 2008 and 2012 moving to Trump in 2016. At the risk of being quoted out of context and being buried by different groups, I was intrigued by this and would like to say Christians and especially Catholics are the only group that everybody is comfortable ridiculing/bashing. Guys like Maher will rail against believers for an entire episode and comics make fun of the idea of God. But it's the Christians/Catholics who get made fun of. The other religions that believe in deities are off the hook. You criticize certain religions you'd be booed/heckled, maybe fired. Catholics? Go for it. I remind everybody that Obama believed in God; Hillary believed in God, but Democrats don't want to talk about that. I even had one person say Hillary knows there is no God but acted like she was a believer to get votes. Some of the more vocal non God people who happen to be liberals don't even like to think their beloved Hillary/Obama/others believe in something so ridiculous as God. So they don't even want to think about it. So I think the Republicans that are believers do take offense at the ridicule. You say Dems "embrace diversity," yeah, but many of them don't embrace those of us who are believers. They mock us freely, the idea that there is a God and priest jokes. p.s. Now in a couple weeks somebody will say I was complaining about Catholics being mocked when in truth I'm merely giving my take on somebody's post. I didn't start this, I'm responding.

Nice win. We're 4-1 vs KC this year. Nice. Ned and the Royals are blowing chunks so far against the Central. This is why I was always against rebuilding. Baseball is full of bad bad teams. Just takes a little tinkering to compete.

You know, the Sox have been playing pretty well against the Central so far. Not saying we're a contender, but we do have a lotta veterans on this rebuilding team. Bring up Moncada and some other pitchers, hang around .500 then try to catch lightning late with a good manager and good pitching coach, hmmmm. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to suggest we can play with KC, Detroit and Minnie. I mean sure if Cleveland is 10 up at the all star break, keep rebuilding, but should the Sox try to hang near .500 and sneak in the playoffs?