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It's truly amazing how badly Pujols started the year and now he's on pace to clobber 40 or more homers. Wow. I mean he didn't have a homer the first six weeks I think. man.

Sox seemed like a real team, a real contender again tonight. Team is playing well at home with 7.5 weeks to go.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 4, 2012 -> 12:06 AM) Let me ask it this way...do you think that same sex marriage should be illegal? Should your "preference" be codified in to law? I mean, I prefer heterosexual marriage for myself also, as I happen to be heterosexually married. But the way the laws of this country, and frankly many of the people of this country (not all, just the gay-hating ones) treat gay people sickens me. My whole point a moment ago was...if you're a religious person, and you believe that gay people should have the right to get married, even if it isn't something you "prefer"...then you're letting the people who hate gays speak for you. I believe same sex marriage should be legal. I thought I've made that pretty clear. I really don't understand your third paragraph. Yeah I believe gay people should have the right to get married even tho I prefer the man/woman model. How is that taking the side of those who hate gays? I don't get that. I am for gay rights. I am against gay jokes and gay bashing. But I do prefer, yes I do prefer, the man/woman thing. How does that make me bad? I'm trying to figure that out. I'm also not crazy about seeing men kiss in public but it's obviously their right to do so and if they want to do that, more power to 'em. This is the land of the free. QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Aug 4, 2012 -> 12:33 AM) I'm sure this has been brought up in 42 pages but Greg I assume you go to the church of Ozzie? I think Ozzie is a Catholic as well so we are the same religion I think.

Did you see how berserk Hudson was going after the home run? Maybe this is a season of destiny. To rough up Greinke like that is impressive and Rios is a legitimate MVP candidate if Sox win the division.

My god. Rios has turned into MVP of the league. Wow.

How good is Brett Myers? We shall find out.

The NCAA had to do what it did to get everybody's attention in college athletics. Child rape unreported?? Four years is about right. I just wish all their good players would transfer. If they would, then the program would be truly wrecked. If the best ones don't leave, there's still a chance PSU will be over .500 this year and maybe next year. The final two years should be the awful ones.

QUOTE (DukeNukeEm @ Aug 3, 2012 -> 08:16 AM) Because if Komova doesn't needlessly take 3 steps off the landing she wins the gold. She was so much better than Gabby on the uneven bars and especially floor routine. Honestly, and I have nothing against Gabby Douglas, but she was really lucky throughout this Olympics. First Wieber gets screwed by the judges allowing her to qualify, and then all her real competition for the gold each make one big catastrophic error. Luck, schmuck. The Sox were lucky in 05 as well. I know what you are saying, though. Everything fell in line for Gabby and she took advantage and won it fair and square. That's sports, though. We get the gold. QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Aug 3, 2012 -> 04:43 PM) The Russian girl was clutch on the floor routine. She did a great job knowing she had to be nearly flawless to get the gold. She still fell short, but it was an impressive performance under pressure. I agree. I felt sad for her. I was just pointing out the tears were poignant as she sat in the corner on the floor crying. I'm surprised nobody consoled her. She should be proud. I guess it's gold or nothing in Ruskieville still.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 3, 2012 -> 10:45 PM) Frankly, yes. It doesn't impact you in any way whether or not gay people can get married. No one is going to force you to get gay married, no one will force your church to get gay married, why do you get to impose your "preference" on a group of people you're not part of? That is what all of this is about. Someone's "Preference" is not a good reason to deny people the same rights you or I have. And that doesn't even count the multitude of rights that the lack of marriage denies to that group. Why do you think that a gay couple shouldn't be able to visit their partner in the hospital? Why should they be denied death benefits given to straight couples? Why shouldn't they have the same right not to testify against their spouse in court that a straight couple gets? There are some 1100 different rights at the federal level conferred on to married couples, in addition to hundreds more at the state level. But I keep saying over and over I am for gay rights. I want all the things you suggest in your second paragraph. I just said I do rank my preferences: 1.) Man/woman marriage because without it there is no population. 2.) gay marriage; people can do what they want to do in America as long as it is not a criminal act. I want them to have the same rights, but at the same time, why can't I support traditional marriage as well? And even make it known that is my preference considering I am for all the things you state.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 3, 2012 -> 11:33 PM) My specific question to you then is...if you believe this is a positive thing for your church (and you seem to genuinely do so)...what have you done this week to show that the hate dumped at CFA does not stand for you? What has your church done? I get pastors on my news at night supporting CFA. Has yours gone on the news and opposed this kind of hate? Called it out? Has your congregation stepped forwards and publicly showed that they don't speak for you? If not, then no matter how welcoming your congregation is...you're still letting the people in the line at CFA speak for you. Because they are getting out and doing all those things to express their intolerance. Good question. It takes a news crew to approach my priest however for him to comment on anything. The news here won't touch religious issues. I know my priest would be against the hate in the air. This may sound naive of me, but don't some of the CFA appreciation day patrons merely support the CEO's stance on traditional marriage? I mean I am for gay marriage and gay rights, but I do prefer the man/woman thing because of the fact this is how life is formed. Without men/women relations there are no kids and no regeneration of the human race. So my point is I am for the CEO's position on man/woman marriage, but I also support gays' right to marry. If I had to rank them 1-2, the traditional man/woman marriage would definitely top my list. Does that make me bad?

I read a good article in USA Today today about all the medical bills of the survivors of the attack. Some of the hospitals are not charging a penny to the uninsured, which is nice. Some people however and going to be buried in bills the rest of their lives. This is another reason it might be nice to have socialized medical care. These people's lives are ruined because of some guy who painted his hair orange and bought a lot of guns to shoot at innocent people who in some cases have no insurance. Read the article. It will sadden you that these good people are now in trouble financially.

QUOTE (Quinarvy @ Aug 3, 2012 -> 10:08 PM) The season I'm an atheist is because when I was 14 I had three family members all die sudden, unexpected and painful deaths. Then went to a Yom Kippur service where I was supposed to ask for an omnipotent God's forgiveness...for not really sinning all that much...while the world suffers, presumably because a woman ate an apple which is the basis for all the suffering in the world. I can't be bothered to praise that type of deity and the other couple thousand don't matter to me. When I see visual proof there's a God, we'll be good. Till then, Yahweh has to compete with the other thousands of gods to prove who is right and actually exists. And I also don't need a book to tell me how to be a good person, especially one written 2000 years ago. You've had some tough things happen to you and your family. Hopefully the next 4/5s of your life will be dandy compared to some of the problems you've had in the first 1/5th.

QUOTE (Tex @ Aug 3, 2012 -> 09:25 PM) Perhaps it is just the pews I have been sitting in, but what is being preached in the churches on Sunday is vastly different than what is being reported in the media. Great post. If you believe in God and believe in community worship, church is a good place to be on Sunday. If you believe in God and you look around for a month, you will find a church that is awesome for you. All you have to do really is believe in God and you'll find the right church. I consider church pretty much the highlight of my week because I consider it uplifting to be with a community of strangers who for one measly hour are doing something uplifting and good. Like I said, my priest is very accommodating to all groups, welcoming straights, gays, poor, wealthy, all colors, treating them all the same.

He's back. Now we have to bring back the other half of "the catch."

QUOTE (Quinarvy @ Aug 2, 2012 -> 11:20 PM) It's not glamorous because there is no need for a large amount of priests. My generation is increasingly unreligious, because that's a viewpoint and way of life. There's a downturn in Priests because they live as very poor in a time where you NEED to have money for bills, housing, and living expenses. I wonder why in the world your generation is anti religious. I shudder to think of a generation that can't take time out on a Sunday to go to church with the family. IMO it's yet one more thing that will make it a "me" generation which is not all good. There are a lot of good things about worship that IMO add to the benefit of society and family and community. You say it's a viewpoint and way of life. Well how did we get to this point? I guess parents didn't bring their kids up stressing religion at all or God at all or faith at all. And soon we are going to have a society that never worships. Great. If your generation is not going to have community worship, then I wish it would change to where people organzize Sunday or Saturday outings to go help the poor or something, because IMO the concept of community worship on a Saturday or Sunday or Wed. night is a very positive thing. Going to church on Sunday as a family unit to pray to something bigger than themselves is a good thing for kids instead of sitting in front of the f***ing computer all day playing video games. Perhaps somebody in your generation will organize more community service outings. For some reason I think that is hugely doubtful. People generally need to have their arm twisted to go volunteer. === On the CFA front, seriously, do we need a "kiss-in" today at all the CFA stories of gay and lesbian community? The CFA appreciation day was in response to the boycott of CFA. Now we have to have men kissing each other in front of stores? I want men to be able to marry men. Fine. But do we have to have today's public display? Wasn't the boycott enough? So in response to today, we'll have another CFA Appreciation Day next week?

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Aug 3, 2012 -> 01:17 AM) I'll do this. But you have to drink (i.e. get drunk) and allow me to record it with my phone. Drunk greg? Oh yes. That's viral stuff right there. damn jordan u must be rich to pay my plane fare.

QUOTE (Quinarvy @ Aug 3, 2012 -> 06:32 AM) I'll agree that half the time the discussion is terrible. Greg's actually been enjoyable to talk to in this thread. But some posters who I never see out of this forum, you know their argument before they post. I wonder if I am a lightning rod for discussion. It seems this season I tend to fire up people more than seasons of the past.

QUOTE (Quinarvy @ Aug 2, 2012 -> 11:30 PM) They're going down. New meds are certainly helping, and the old ones (just recently off of) caused crippling depression. I have heard a lot of stupid things. Heading back to college next week? Should be fine. Who knows? As long as I don't bleed out my face again I should be fine. Yay. Doctors are helping cure you.

Gabby Douglas was a joy to watch tonight. It was a compelling show with the Russian runnerup devastated when the results were announced.

QUOTE (mmmmmbeeer @ Aug 3, 2012 -> 03:04 AM) Personally, if the Sox offer Jake a reasonable deal (3/40 plus his 4M buyout) and he walks for more money, I'm going to have a tough time still rooting for him. This season is his first real contribution to this team.....he's made a ton of money the last couple years to rehab. To take the money and run, well, it would piss me off. That may be completely unfair but, as a Sox fan, that's the way I'll feel. I just can't see him signing for less than four years if he's healthy at season's end. I'd say three years 17 million a year would be an offer he'd laugh at in this market.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 2, 2012 -> 11:08 PM) Even I would not say that the entire profession is scum. What I would say is that the catholic church turned itself into a criminal enterprise to cover up for the child abusers. That isn't the fault of the individual priests, but it is the fault of a whole lot of people who actively covered things up, the fault of a whole lot of people who turned blind eyes, and of course, the fault of the abusers themselves. I have trouble believing that the number of incidents the church has seen does not imply that the problem was vastly greater there than in general society. Otherwise there would be very few children who aren't molested. I would be happy to see data if anyone has this. Yeah, good post. It is rare and perhaps unprecedented, however, that actions of a small percentage of people in a profession (I agree one is too many, but ...) kills the profession entirely. And it is a profession that if done right can do good for many people on many levels.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Aug 2, 2012 -> 11:06 PM) I bet neither of us know the definition of "unfair" quite like those kids who were left in the protection of the church. The percentage doesnt matter, these other professions dont try and cover it up, that we know of. And if they do, and get caught, you know damn well they will be ridiculed just the same. Well the church paid for it because the Catholic Church basically is dead once these aging priests die. There are no young ones coming through the ranks. Individually I agree all the assholes deserve what they get, but as a profession it saddens me that priests are going to soon be extinct and I know priests can do good for a lot of people. I've seen it.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Aug 3, 2012 -> 12:03 AM) Well, we can't say he's not worth $18 million, because he might be our #1 starter (along with Liriano) for the remainder of the season. 21/22 Quality starts/Total Starts....you can't argue with that. He's slipped a bit from the first 2-3 months, but that's simply because of the weather changing and the ball carrying more...long fly outs are now homers. I'd say if the Sox think he can be a No. 1 or 2 next season again then it'd be better to just give him the 18 million because like I said, thinking the Sox can sign him for 2-3 years at 12 million a year is insane. You agree he'll get 4-5 from the Angels or Yanks or Dodgers or somebody at 15-20 mill a year, right?

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 2, 2012 -> 10:37 PM) Oh, and just as a reminder, Hollywood actors don't get a pass when they decide to let off a hate filled rant about the gays either. Interesting stuff. QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Aug 2, 2012 -> 10:53 PM) What exactly do you want, greg? You go from one point where you say you are sick of the media sensationalizing it with the Catholic church, and now what are you trying to say, you want them to move on to sensationalizing it about all youth athletics? Well here is where your argument falls through a hole, there isnt a systematic coverup within all youth athletics that allows these rogue POS coaches to continue doing these horrible things like there was within the catholic church. There was ONE university with ONE sicko that got away with what he did due to about 4 people(depending on what you believe) and their inaction. There was hundreds maybe thousands of priests that got away with what they did because the Catholic church covered it up. The comparison is horrible and it shouldnt even be made anymore. It doesnt fit. And before you even ask, I was born, raised and confirmed Catholic. I was absolutely horrified by what has been revealed and absolutely ashamed. I don't know what I want. I just think it's unfair a whole profession got labeled as scum when I know there are tons of good priests. Basically there are no more priests coming through the U.S. ranks. The profession has been ruined and I think it's unfair because the percentage of abusers is probably similar to the percentage of abusers in all professions where adults are in a position to prey on kids.

QUOTE (flippedoutpunk @ Aug 2, 2012 -> 11:09 PM) Ill only go if greg goes. I'll go if somebody pays my plane fare and buys me a seat in the fabled club level or whatever the middle level is called. Kidding. I actually was planning on coming back in August or a weekend in Sept. to see family, hopefully when the Sox are in town. I'm past the days of getting bad seats, though. I'd want to sit in a primo section.