maggsmaggs

Maybe we can get the Derrick Rose magic lottery balls again this year and get Evan Turner. Then, pick up the elite PF we've needed and be set. It's been very depressing watching the Bulls the last seven games, but granted we have been missing the three best players in various games and played a tough schedule, but it only goes to show how weak our team is besides the Big Three. EDIT: I think we get the Bucks pick this year instead, right? If so DAMMIT.

Hopefully this will get on ESPN. I told my buddy from school who interned as a PA at ESPN last summer and he sent it to a producer at ESPN. He wrote back wanting wanting an article to verify the authenticity. So we will see.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Mar 9, 2010 -> 06:54 PM) To put it another way...if the difference between Broxton and Jenks was 2.6 wins... Does anyone out there think that, if Nathan's gone, the Twins would be angry if they got the exact performance this year out of their closer's spot that we got out of Jenks last year? Yes, it was a down year for Jenks, but I think they'd be perfectly fine with getting that out of someone. In other words, completely understand how losing Nathan could be the equivalent of 3-4 losses, or maybe even more. If the Twins wind up in the mess that several teams wind up in every year, where it seems like they dread having the game get to the bullpen...that's really not an uncommon occurrence in baseball, and that's probably 4+ losses. And the division the last two years has been decided by one game. So this loss is HUGE with how close the Sox and Twins were probably going to be.

For all the Illinois fans out there, Chris Duvalt is getting some good interest from the Carolina Panthers. If he runs well at his Pro Day, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Panthers take him late or def. as a FA.

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Mar 9, 2010 -> 10:10 AM) This doesn't change that much. I’m not trying to make this issue a referendum on my opinions of the closer position, but I fail to see how losing a closer accounts for the large gap in offense between the two teams. This is good news for us, just not the biggest news we could have hoped for. Well if moves everyone in the bullpen up one inning and inserts an unproven for arguably the best closer in baseball. Matt G. may have had a great year last year, but closing and relieving in the 7th are so radically different. Rauch is a stiff who gives up hits and doesn't K people like Nathan. Outside of the M&M brothers, he is the the next guy they could not afford to lose. I think this is a HUGE injury, not just what you will see on the field in lack of results from the Twins' bullpen, but also the blow mentally it does to the team knowing the 9th is locked down.

Never like seeing guys get injured, especially good people, but I ain't shedding a tear.

The free agent list isn't that impressive next year as far as goalies after Nabakov: Turco, Theodore, Toskala, Mason (Chris), Dan Ellis and Emery. You gotta think Nabakov will go back to San Jose if he decides to take less money for a better chance to win, but who knows maybe he doesn't like San Jose that much. I would love to sign him to a two-year deal worth Huet's remaining contract. Send Huet to Rockford and eat his salary, but clear the cap space. Hopefully Nabakov sees how cool Chicago is to play in and would take a nice discount.

There is no doubt in my mind, the Hawks will put Huet in the minors next year to get his salary off the cap count.

Man, our goaltending is getting worse by the day. While they aren't giving a ton of goals, the save percentages are horrible. I really wish the ref didn't call that s*** goaltending interference on Buff.

QUOTE (The Beast @ Mar 6, 2010 -> 05:32 PM) It's really too bad that I had the long-distance relationship because it truly screwed up my first two years of college, where I could have spent that time figuring out where I REALLY wanted to go to school, what I REALLY wanted to study, and who I REALLY wanted to become. I really missed out on a lot, which included my high school senior prom, something that I gave up for her since she wasn't able to go. After spending all of those resources at an institution that I was not fond of, continuing to study what I thought would make me happy and trying to maintain the image that I professionally projected for all of that time, ultimately I felt like a failure. By worrying about everything and never being able to feel at ease, I never met like-minded individuals and just kind of prayed that eventually I would find what I was looking for, which was a variety of people that would genuinely like me for me. I have found that closer to home and at different universities, but I never found that at my original school and now I'm trying to make up for all of the missed opportunities. Some are nice here, others are not so nice. But hey, that's one of my favorite quotes that I'm going to use if I'm ever a high school guidance counselor: "You know what I was taught about the assholes in the world? f*** them. You have to deal with them." The plans that I had were vague and were naive dreams. I am no longer hungry enough to become Corey McPherrin, Dan McNeil or [insert a popular sports writer from the Tribune]. I would LOVE to do some marketing or promotions for 670 the Score or AM-1000, but that's all in my vague plan to graduate from college with a degree in Marketing and go to the Illinois Center for Broadcasting in Lombard to get training and try and get noticed. I'm not really talent, I'm more of a PR guy. The problem with the industry that I was interested in is that I am not willing to spend my 20's or 30's in small towns. It's just not going to happen - I want to be back in the city of Chicago as soon as possible. I realize that it sounds like a Hollywood production, but the city is where I feel happiest. I'd love to wake up in the morning, go run along the lakefront, go to work, make a difference, and who knows, maybe have a woman in my life. Many of you are echoing what the ex said, "Don't plan for anything. Live in the moment." Funny, when I didn't plan and just naively went into things the way I saw fit, I selected the wrong university, I changed schools, changed majors and the uncertainty grew to a point where any time I felt I was making a mistake I felt like failure was closer upon me. TO ME (Not to all of YOU) failure is not finishing college (or something that you've started), having to go work in an undesirable place, not being happy, and not completing your life goals. My goals? Finish the BA, get a job, find out what the f*** I WANT TO DO FOR A LIVING (sports management, PR/Marketing, web design, firefighting, high school guidance counseling, being a cop), keep expanding friend base, find purpose in life, date, date, date until I find someone, and eventually live the american dream with a wife and kids. That's not planned, that's just what I want. I repeat, THAT IS WHAT I WANT. Am I confident? Not really. Ever since college started I haven't felt the way I did in high school, I feel different, scared, behind all of my peers and like I'm not good enough for the world. In regards to your example, I couldn't do all of the things that I wanted to do as a sports journalist. You literally have to kiss so much ass and work for nothing to get to the top, which wouldn't leave me with much time to make a difference (Habitat for Humanity, Student Government) or do things I wanted to do (run the marathon). I ask everyone I know, what are you going into, how do you know that's what you want? I think, well my idea is vague, but let's try working with the White Sox, even if I'm from a no-name school that isn't UIllinois or Northwestern or of the larger public universities of IL. I'm going to take Boyer's words to me to heart, "I don't care where you went to school, what the major was in, if you have a MBA, I just care if you can sell." So we'll see what happens in that respect. Right now, I would really like to finish my degree, work and be independent of my family by getting a car, apartment and living on my own or with roommates. It'd be great to be independent and not depend on anyone while ROCKING THE GAME OF LIFE. Lastly, I think I would be more confident if I had a little bit more to say to people. Though I'm probably overanalyzing a conversation, I generally have a hard time trying to figure out what I want to know about a person, especially when engaging in a conversation at the bar with a group of people. I'm not comfortable with that scene at all. I'm comfortable with a more quiet engagement. I can continue to do the clubs, meet people and do the whole underground scene, though I think it is going to take some more trial and error before I find where I belong. That's probably just what life is, a game of trial and error. And when you don't come up with an error, maybe that is when you are happiest and successful. Have fun with this post. Seriesly. This will kind of be off the topic of relationships, but good general advice overall. But first of all, it's ridiculous to want to know what you want to do for the rest of your life at 18 when picking school/majors, so don't fret over that. As for a job, you really have to do what you love and not worry about money. If you do something you like, you will work harder at it and be promoted and make a living. For example, with me I have always been worried way too much about money. Up until a month ago, I was dead set on going to U. of I for law school and making $100,000-plus as a 25-year-old. Then I realized (while working at a sports agency at a law firm right now) that no amount of money is worth not doing what you want to do. Law was going to kill my life. I was not going to be able to do the monotonous work of a lawyer and work the crazy hours. So now I am trying to get into sports marketing. You're at a time right now where maybe you should just hold off on worrying about women and just find what you want to do for a career and get a start there. Then you will be in the right mindset to find a girl.

Joe Mauer is worth every penny the Twins pay him. He is a great leader, catcher, hitter and will keep Twins fans interested.

QUOTE (pktmotion @ Mar 6, 2010 -> 12:46 AM) What about going after Kevin Walter, he's a big possession receiver for the Houston Texans, he's a UFA, and is highly underrated. Oh and he's also from Lake Forest. Would be a great fit IMO. He's not a #1 but I don't think we'll need one if Martz spreads the offense around. Aroma, Bennett, Knox, Hester, Iglesias, and Walter would be a solid core for Cutler to work with. I do agree before we make any moves we need to shore up the OL (mainly LG), whether that's trading Olsen for picks we can then use to draft one or signing a FA. Shore up the OL, sign Kevin Walter, wait for a bargain in FS (fingers crossed for Atogwe) but Sharper should suffice. That would be a great offseason. He gone...

Tried the Ab Ripper X today and boy was it a b****. Ran about seven miles earlier in the day, so that may have made it tougher too. But sheesh, that stuff is hard.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Mar 5, 2010 -> 01:46 PM) LOL, sour grapes much? Kampman 2 seasons with 10+ sacks Peppers 6 seasons with 10+ sacks They both have played the same amount of time in their careers. Kampman 54 total sacks Peppers 81. Not just as good, and not younger either. Peppers, talent wise, is a top 5 player in the league. He's also not coming off a bad injury. I'll take Peppers and his bigger contract.

I found the ab ripper x workout on Dailymotion. I know some of the stuff I do on my own is tougher, but is the whole key here the little rest? I take breaks during my usual ab workout, does not resting really make you work that much harder?

Anyone want to post a couple of the ab excerises for this program? I do some hard ab excersises at my local gym, but am curious what these consists of...

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Mar 3, 2010 -> 02:33 PM) You can add 50 feet based upon a good live bat vs and 20 buck bat. Its ridiculous how much of a difference it makes. We play in a single-wall league, but holy crap I've played in a few games in my buddies double-wall league. I was cranking HR's all day and I didn't know what the hell was going on. I was playing 12-inch modified fast pitch last year and we had some real old bats (we were a team of kids and no one wanted to buy a $300 bat) and of course we all stunk out of the gate. Didn't help we were somehow placed in the most competitive league. But then we all chipped in about $20 for a good bat and everyone started hitting the ball so much better. Pitching and fielding still sucked, so we still got whooped. But hitting was a lot easier. Bats are huge in influence.

And I think Remenowsky is the closer where ever he goes.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Feb 24, 2010 -> 09:05 AM) I think its noteworthy that there are two NDFA's in the Top 30 list there. How many teams can say that? And is that a reflection of really good post-draft scouting, or an indication of how weak our system is? I'm guessing some of each. The Sox as an org are high on him as well, that's the impression I've gotten. I think it's more of the former. Let's face it, Remenowsky's numbers were out of this world, he would be on many team's top 30 list with those numbers. C.J. same thing, look at the extra base hits, versatility, he would likely be lower in some farm systems, but still top 30 nonetheless. I do think our system is weak, but I think even in a strong system both guys would get the love.

QUOTE (Soxfest @ Feb 18, 2010 -> 12:09 AM) He loves the Scrubs and is very anti-Sox alot like Offman used to be on the Score! I wouldn't say that. Levine may like the Cubs, but from my experience, he seems to like the Sox a lot as well. When the Sox won the WS, you could hear in his voice how giddy he was.

Getting a single off Jon Scheyer. True story. He was a sick pitcher, I might add.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Feb 17, 2010 -> 07:42 AM) This would be a nice final piece of a good 6+ months of retooling. Would hate to go into the season having improved in so many areas, only to take a gigantic step back at DH. We need to make another move to counter the Twins solid off-season moves. Damon gives this team a still-great player who will fit Ozzie's mold of versatility. I hope A.J. and Hawk worked their magic.

A.J. Pierzynski = the Polish Prince, Dennis the Menace (my personal fav. for him)

I don't think so. Anything can happen in the playoffs, so you just gotta get there. With Mauer in Minny, they have the best player in the AL and a thorn in our side. I want him out. Imagine if they don't sign Mauer, they lose fan support, tickets sales, etc. I think it makes more sense for them to resign b/c he draws fans and money to the franchise.

I will def. take Verlander and Greinke over any Sox starter (yes, even Peavy until I see him for a whole season this year with the Sox and he doesn't have 67% of his starts against KC). But then I think you gotta take the Sox's 1-4 ahead of anyone else who starts in the division.