Chisoxfn

Yes.....Fullerton matches up agains the Badgers. CSUF plays a wide open up-tempo offense and I'm hoping that style will cause Wiscy problems. Of course Wiscy could just grind things out, but Fullerton won't play at that style and they can hit the three ball and if they can rebound they'll be able to get out in transition and create the upset. And yes...this is me purely being hyper on emotion, nothing more and it will f*** my bracket over for sure. Or will it GO TITANS GO!!!!

I f***ing love it. We will run Wisconsin to death. Badger...prepare to be upset!!!!!

You should be happy. Butler could be the type of team that takes out a Tennesee and ends up making your road a bit easier. Plus, IU is way over-rated. Perhaps they got a bit low of a seed, but while they have some talent they aren't a very good team. Than again, I'm overly harsh on the big ten this year because I think it sucks.

QUOTE(Brian @ Mar 16, 2008 -> 03:04 PM) What kind of bracket do you have when you have 3 teams in the finals? This isn't a triple threat match this year, is it? No I just indicated that those were my 3. I believe Stanford to be my 4th, but that would be dependent on them being in Memphis region. Otherwise Memphis could be my 4th or some other team in that bracket. Aside from that, barring some matchup I really hate, I freaking love the hell out of KU/UCLA/UNC when it comes to going deep in the tourney. SUcks for Tennessee, Butler is a rough 2nd round matchup (how the f*** Butler is a 7 seed, I don't know).

QUOTE(Palehosefan @ Mar 16, 2008 -> 03:01 PM) You really think Arizona should be in without 20 wins and with an 8-10 conference record? Yep, they had some solid wins and a tough schedule. Plus they played in the best conference in the land and no one is going to convince me there is a conference better than the PAC 10. Committee gets the #1 seeds right and 3 of those 4 teams are going to be in the finals, imo (UNC/UCLA/KU).

Interested in seeing that Fullerton won't be in the opening round game.

VA Tech better not get in, nor should ASU (ASU sucked balls down the stretch and big wins be damn they shouldn't be in). Arizona should be in. OSU should be out cause the Big 10 blows balls. I actually have Kentuck in because they played strong down the stretch (although they had a bad tourney loss). Kstate is in but they definitely weren't impressive down the stretch (But they weren't as bad as ASU was down the stretch).

QUOTE(fathom @ Mar 16, 2008 -> 02:41 PM) I don't believe Bureau that a scout got fired for recommending Poreda. If that's true, then KW is the biggest liar in history. He sounded more excited about Poreda than anyone else yesterday, and went out of his way to bring up details about his stuff. Poreda is the type of pick the Sox organization wants more of. Poreda was a pick which was heavily influenced by Ken Williams or at least that is the hint I've always gotten from people (again though, I don't know any of this as fact, but it makes sense to me). Kenny was sick of staying safe and staying away from high upside guys. Hell, look at the Sox system and when was the last time they had a guy who a scout could legitimately look at and say he has all star potential, maybe more. Chris Young is about the only one I can think of and before that you'd have to be talking about Borchard. Poreda is a guy that if all goes well, you are talking about someone who could be a premiere starter in baseball. Note: There is a s***load that can go wrong with Aaron Poreda and there are obviously still major holes in his game (hence why he was available when they Sox selected him) but still, he was more of that high upside/high ceiling guy that Kenny wants to fill the system with (and he's pretty much been willing to trade trade trade anyone that doesn't meet those projections in his eyes for the most part, although I don't believe he wanted to deal De Los Santos or Gio but it just so happens to be that Swisher is an all star type talent with a great contract). I am very intrigued to see what the Sox do in this draft and I won't be surprised when they end up spending some money on some mid round guys (ie, taking some guys who slid and giving them decent money; nothing crazy like the Angels/Red Sox Yanks do, and I wish the Sox would, but I think they'll be very agressive this draft, especially if they end up moving Uribe/Crede).

QUOTE(Gregory Pratt @ Mar 16, 2008 -> 02:30 PM) Wins are a team stat. Why don't you judge him on ERA, IP, WHIP, K? I don't want to beat up on Floyd too much, but considering our "win now" approach, his lack of options and his past record, he needs to put up something. I agree, this is put up or shut up time for him. Just like it will be for Grossman/Orton in Chicago and if BA gets a chance he'll be in that exact same boat as well.

QUOTE(fathom @ Mar 16, 2008 -> 02:37 PM) We'll see him sooner than most expected. KW and Hawk were gushing over him yesterday. I don't know, but I have heard from someone that works in the Sox system and they were saying how freaking high everyone is on him (which is contrary to the stuff Bureau has stated, which is again why I think you ahve to take any persons opinion as just one opinion). But he definitely has an electric arm and from what I've heard he's really been developing a nasty slider (but it is an inconsistent one).

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Mar 16, 2008 -> 02:34 PM) You can't compare Floyd to those guys. He's spent parts of 4 seasons in the majors, and his best success was when he came up in 2004. I read a scouting report when he was drafted. He threw 95 in high school with a wicked curve. One scouting report said he was major league rotation-ready. He doesn't throw 95 anymore, and if Keith Law is to be believed, his curveball isn't so wicked anymore. I would completely agree with you that he isn't quite as good as the Floyd I saw in 04, because he was freaking nasty, much nastier that he is today. However, I've seen him snap plenty of good curves in a Sox uni and he still has a little above average velocity. I don't believe he'll be a #2 like Ozzie and Kenny state, but I also think he'll have a servicable major league career and he does have some upside because guys with his curve don't grow on trees. But if you guys want to debate it, instead of just telling me how much he sucks, why not create a thread indicating which minor leaguer you would want starting instead of Gavin or discuss other options for the Sox if the current pitchers don't deliver. Like I said, I know at times its nice just to get a f***, he blows today off your chest, but we don't need a new thread every day with the same old whining and complaining in it. And I'm dead serious, I've I have to I'll just create one massive thread for peoples whining and complaining to go to (well the unproductive kind such as posts that go, god he f***ing blows or Ozzie is a dumbass). Now if the thread is Ozzie lost us this game and this is how (with someone listing off strategy a,b,c and what he should have done...awesome, I considering that intelligent debate and am all for it).

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Mar 16, 2008 -> 02:27 PM) There's a lot of people who thought Gavin Floyd sucked long before spring training and this one particular outing. Maybe he does have a dead arm, but he pitched 7 innings up until today and gave up more runs than strikeouts. For a guy who supposedly looks so great, and has top-of-the rotation stuff, its not so impressive. Have you seen me anywhere post that I wanted the Sox to stick with Jose/John/Gavin in the rotation. f*** no, I've long stated that I'm not comfortable with the rotation but it is what it is and it is absoultely moronic to b**** every time a guy starts, especially when he has been solid this spring. I buy into the fact that Gavin hasn't proved himself and I'm not here saying give him a full season, but I do believe the Sox traded for him and have faith for him and given what the Sox have, he has earned himself a shot for the rotation. I'd give him about 7 or 8 starts this season (that could be less if he is absoultely horrendous during his first few starts) and than we'll see. If he still sucks than I'd be all for finding someone else, but if he's getting better and better each start and giving the Sox a chance to win I don't have a problem keeping him and seeing how he develops (afterall, one full season isn't much for a young player and there are plenty of quality major leaguers who sucked in there first full season).

QUOTE(joesaiditstrue @ Mar 16, 2008 -> 02:23 PM) just curious, what about all the previous years of gavin floyds career, the ones where everyone questioned his mental approach, and his first season in teh MLB where he garnered a, i believe, 7+ ERA? but yeah, he's good, this is just spring training/dead arm Jeremy Bonderman lost 20 games his first season Greg Maddux lost 14 games and posted a 5.61 ERA in his first full season (this was in the mid 80's, so it isn't ridiculous to say if you had that Maddux pitching in this era that you would have had him post something similar to Floyd) Robin Ventura was absolutely brutal to start his major league career Point being, most young baseball players don't experience immediate success. They go through the motions, make adjustments, and the good ones pull out and become something, the bad ones falter. Gavin Floyd has overcame his piss poor showing in Philly and came to Chicago and instead of wallowing around, he got himself back in track and earned a lot of respect based on the way he took the ball every time out down in Charlotte and had a positive attitude and eventually impressed Ozzie/Kenny/Cooper late in the season in Chicago and has came in this spring and continued to impress (sans today start). Bottom line, the history of baseball shows that most young players fail or at least struggle at some point very early in there career before coming through. Floyd clearly has tools, find me a scout that doesn't believe that and I'd be shocked (now i could see a scout saying he's a risk or that he isn't the lock he once was, but I don't think you'd see a scout, who based on stuff alone, didn't think Floyd was worthy of being a major league starter). Whether it pans out or not, I don't know, but he's going to get his chance to open the season and show what he can do. If he sucks, the Sox will call someone else up or go with Masset or trade for someone. They probably will be in a tough spot when it comes to competing if a few of the starters fail, but we all know that the pitchers will have to pitch and Danks/Floyd will have to grow up in a hurry if the club plans on beating Detroit & Cleveland and winning this division.

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Mar 16, 2008 -> 02:14 PM) Anyone who writes him off after today is an idiot. He looked brutal today. End of story. I will also say I understand people who are skeptical and I think people have every right to be skeptical considering how much he failed in Philly. I think a lot of that was mental but that is just my personal belief. However, I don't need to see people say see I told you so after a f***ing spring training game....a spring training game (especially when all spring he has looked pretty good and Ozzie doesn't just go around throwing compliments because Kenny tells him to).

Bottom line is he's the Sox starter, whether you like it or not. I think its pretty petty for people to rip him on one start in spring training as opposed to seeing what he does at the major league level. Plus, if any of you had a clue, you'd realize that pitchers tend to go through a dead arm period during spring and this isn't some typical Hawk BS that he will ocassionally spew to make excuses (I've heard it countlessly from analysts and current/former pitchers over and over and that includes Steve Stone who isn't the type of guy that makes excuses). Yes, Floyd had some bad starts last year, but he also had some good starts against the Tigers and like it or not is the starter. b****ing and moaning isn't going to change it and making stupid comments after he's had multiple starts this spring where he's thrown consistently above 90MPH (well at least based upon what I've read and your right, maybe there is some major conspiracy by the Tribune/Southtown and every highlight I've seen this spring which has shown him at times throwing over 90). Oh and Ozzie has always been the type of manager that kisses a players ass and follows the company line, oh wait, last I remember he has at many times ripped the s*** out of guys (including Brian Anderson, Jerry Owens at times last year who he called too scared to play in the majors). I'm honestly sick and tired of the negative nancy bulls*** and when the season starts I'm just going to start one massive thread to keep stupid whining to (cause I know at times we all need to whine and b**** and get crap out cause all of us are very passionate about this squad). Its one thing when we want to discuss a players skillset and make projections, but its another when I have to see a new thread every time someone has one bad day (especially in the case of guys like Konerko/Dye, etc who have proven themselves to be pretty freaking good players throughout there career).

I agree with you guys that he looked bad today and I absolutely have grown to hate Hawk for all the slurping he does. However, it is one outing and one of my resolutions for this year is to just sit back and enjoy baseball more as opposed to b****ing and moaning about every little thing that is out of my control. Gavin has a good arm and has shown it with the Sox. He clearly didn't have his good stuff today, but that doesn't mean we should just write him off. Afterall, he's looked good in his other outings.

Jesus, you all are pathetic. He's had a great spring entering this start and had a bad outing. Big freaking deal. Whaaa...whaaa.whaaaaa. Wake me up when the season starts.

QUOTE(Flash Tizzle @ Mar 16, 2008 -> 10:28 AM) Jason, Rock -- Were we watching the same game? Masset looked like dog poo-poo. He has a consistent 91-92 mph with no movement and half his arsenal can't even locate the strike zone. Sure, he can enduce the occasional groundout; but for his stuff supposedly being a "tick below Jenks" he doesn't strike many out. He is no Bobby Jenks, thats for sure. I saw him throwing 2 fastballs, one in the 91-94 MPH range (I counted at least 4 or 5 94 MPH fastballs) which had very good movement (they were heavy fastballs) and than a 2nd set of fastballs, which I couldn't tell whether it was a 2-seamer or a cut, but it was in the 87 MPH range and worked very effectively. He also has a very solid curve (looks more like a knuckle curve than a straight curve to me, but I haven't heard anyone say he throws a knuckle cruve) that he mixes in (although he didn't have great command of it yesterday). I also noticed how he got an buttload of easy ground ball outs and his command seemed a lot better than it usually is (that doesn't mean it is good though). I'm not calling him a stud, but he has the ability to be a solid starting pitcher in time and should be a pretty effective long man. He also has a very effortless delivery. The guy that looked like dog poo was Rich Hill.

I would love Carlos to be a Sox. The odds of the cross town trade every happening are rare and who knows what type of pitcher he will be when his contract is up. I was always hoping Big Z was going to be a free agent this year (as opposed to resigning with the Cubs) because I thought the Sox would have considered making a very substantial offer to him.

He looked pretty good to me yesterday. I f***ing love OC though.

The better question would be a guy like Carlos Quentin, who maybe isn't going to have a spot in the everyday lineup this season. Of course, I'd rather deal Jerry Owens, Uribe, Richar and one of our pitchers that doesn't make the team yet is out of options and than give Quentin/Anderson the job in CF. I say this because you don't need Jerry Owens if you acquire Brian Roberts (since he is the leadoff hitter and speed guy Ozzie wants). Actually the more I think about it, the more I like the idea of acquiring Brian Roberts (the only question is whether. Honestly, I wouldn't be that bummed and while I like Richar's skill-set there is no question Roberts is a better player and given that the Sox are competing they still wouldn't really be giving up on there young players. They'd be clearing salary in Juan, opening up a bench spot for Borgois and solidifying the top of the order. They also would be opening up CF for two guys with a much higher ceiling than Owens (Quentin/Anderson).

Seriously...wtf....you mad, have a grudge, just throw down, at least than the worse that happens is you get a black eye.

QUOTE(Shadows @ Mar 15, 2008 -> 09:39 PM) Hes also getting a contract slightly smaller than what Asante Samuel got.. I dont know how the Raiders are paying all of this.. They gave Kelly that absurd contract, Javon Walker? Now DeAngelo Hall, and they still have to pay the 4th overall pick The Raiders, from what I've heard on the radio out here, are trying to trade the #4 pick. They want absolutely nothing to do with it. Although I still think they end up taking McFadden if he's on the board.

I'm guessing you have a massive collection of MP3's and Videos because thats probably what you'd have to delete. I also am just curious but in this day and age of massive hard drives, what in god sakes do you have on your computer (or is it just a smaller hard drive). Bottom line, you've hit a limit so you'd either have to delete some of your saved files (mp3's, video's, or video games as those are the three things that you'd have on your computer that take up the most space) or add a new harddrive.

I think the Titans locked up the 1 seed with there drubbing of the Anteaters.