Chisoxfn

I probably should have said I judge him more by his bad seasons then his good seasons. He has had some seasons where he clearly has been better then Jay ever was, but by and large he had superior weapons. PS: I don't actually dislike Rivers, I just think they are guys who are relatively similar in terms of playoff track records, etc. Of course I'm also not a Jay hater and am no longer a Jay lover, but I still think you can win with Jay Cutler as your QB, so I don't think the Bears are in a spot like some franchises (say the Browns...where you have utter crap at QB).

Chargers just gave Jay Cutler...err Phil Rivers a ton of money. Amazing how everyone loves Phil and hates Jay, when they are essentially the same QB (not tools wise, but production wise). I will be delusional and hope that Jay and Phil play each other in the superbowl this year. Why...cause it would be fun

QUOTE (knightni @ Aug 17, 2015 -> 05:24 AM) McDonald or White? It seems to be a failure in free agent scouting, player character evaluation, and medical study of potential draft picks. Pace acted quickly and swiftly to dump McDonald and I was fine with the thought of a 2nd chance if you thought he was innocent. What health red flags existed on White? Dude got hurt...it happens. It sucks but it happens.

You know what I have a problem with...the government sector. And this is unfair and I realize many in the government sector took the jobs they did because of the benefits available, but it seems crazy to me when I pay the taxes I do and work in the private sector, yet, the public sector has benefits that people in the private sector could only dream of, and the reality is, the best thing for the economy is when private sector jobs grow (in my humble opinion). I know their is not a fair way of doing it and unions have gotten control of anything, but how about that as a real issue in this country. Cost of college tuition skyrockets every time lending on student loans get higher. Education doesn't improve and I don't know that teachers even necessarily get more...money just gets "poured" into new facilities that probably weren't necessary. What this government needs is a real shrewd like me who is overly stingy with money. Think of all the money that gets "spent" that never turns into anything. 10 billion dollar to study impacts of X / Y. If you could just cut government waste by a small percentage and adjust the entitlement program, we'd have quality programs for the poor and lower taxes. Of course you'd never get elected.

QUOTE (Brian @ Aug 14, 2015 -> 01:53 PM) Definitely. They're the reason I think the Bears could get to 8-8 at least. I still don't think so, but I'd rather go in with low expectations and get surprised (vs. what happened last year).

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Aug 14, 2015 -> 01:51 PM) I somewhat agree. I'd characterize it as leadership capabilities. Just like being the smartest guy in the room, it isn't a resume thing - but it is something you have to feel comfortable is there for someone in that role. The smartest people are often times (if not more often) not the best leaders. Leaders need to be smart, but not the smartest. They need to be able to listen, teach, empower others, and unify. What we need more then anything in a president right now, is someone who could help unify this country (vs. further break it apart). Easier said then done and in this current environment it might be impossible (where people are scared of repub's hanging out with democrats on capital hill and being friends with each other). It is what I like about the Ohio Governor. He seems to do what he thinks is right and that includes going against the party lines. Unfortunately, now, more then ever, it is more critical in the primaries to only do what the party line says and that is just stupid. Are we really to believe that one party gets things right 100% of the time. Come on, that is nonsenes. No one has all the answers and the sooner people come to some realization, the better. Then they'll realize it makes sense to have more moderate people (left and right leaning) who will do what they think is right (and also what the people think is right) vs. what their party tells them to do. I am largely fiscal conservative and the way the parties are splitting, now more then ever, their is a need for a 3rd party in the middle.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 14, 2015 -> 01:19 PM) If you're picking candidates based on their demeanor and not based on any time actually spent learning about their policy proposals then you're part of the problem. Reality is neither Hillary or Trump know anything about what it is like to be a normal person, so if you go by that metric, neither of them would exactly be fits. If you want to find someone who has risen and succeeded and lived the American Dream, you have to look in the direction of Rubio or Kasich (sp?) or on the democrat side, I suppose Biden / Sanders would fit the bill (Biden's family was well off, then not so much) and Sanders grew up in NY (and I think his grandparents had been killed during the holocaust).

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 14, 2015 -> 01:00 PM) The market will not insure my spouse unless they are forced to do so. He mentioned health savings accounts, a favorite of "market" driven health care, and they're useless to me because of pre-existing conditions. Literally impossible to put enough funds into an HSA to pay for insurance when insurers won't insure you unless you're on a group plan. That's the whole point. So a revised form of the HSA? HSA isn't their to pay for insurance, HSA is their to pay premiums / out of pocket medical costs in excess of what your insurance pays. That said, as you know, I do not support any plan which repeals the ACA without at least ensuring that people with pre-existing conditions and really all people who can't afford it, can get medical care. If their is a better way, fine (and I'm not smart enough to know...so I won't pretend to) but any plan to go back to the old system and leaving people with pre-existing conditions stuck (and people who can't afford it) isn't acceptable in my book.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 14, 2015 -> 11:47 AM) At this point, no way to do that other than patience. At least you're 1/3 of the way through the guaranteed part of the contract given to the QB. Cutler's deal has nothing to do with things though (I think he is now out of top 10 in terms of QB pay). Bears just need to be good in the draft and smart in FA (plus hopefully develop some existing guys). In football, the turnaround can be quick.

QUOTE (shipps @ Aug 14, 2015 -> 09:45 AM) It has really calmed me. Its such a difference from that circus of Trestman. We still need a talent infusion.

QUOTE (Thad Bosley @ Aug 14, 2015 -> 11:09 AM) I loved Hawk making this comparison of the Sox to the Royals, but because of the broader and more salient point he was trying to make. It doesn't really matter where he came down on which position player was better than which. That's a matter of opinion, and Hawk is entitled to his as is anyone else. I'm sure if we polled everyone at Soxtalk and had them compare the Sox to the Royals, a whole variety of different opinions would result. Hawk's real point, which was quite good, IMO, was that the key to the Royals success is due primarily to how well they execute and do the little things, the fundamentals. In other words, in his view, the Sox on paper were a better team, talent wise, but in actuality, what separates the two teams is how far better the Royals are at running the bases, hitting the cutoff man, etc. And when you watch the two teams play, particularly when its head-to-head, you can easily tell he's "dad gum right"! One could state that by making that statement, Hawk is pointing the finger at the coaches and others for how poorly we execute?

QUOTE (fathom @ Aug 13, 2015 -> 01:59 PM) Schwarber's going to end up winning ROY over Bryant and Joc. Joc is looking more and more like Jeff Francouer. Remember how he was going to be a superstar after his early success. Joc's swing is super long. He looks worse then almost any player I've ever seen at the plate during a 2 month stretch.

We were blessed to get to watch Buehrle for so long. Everytime I see him pitch for the Jays (and during his short tenure in Florida), I just think of how awesome he was on the southside (both as a player and as a person).

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Aug 13, 2015 -> 09:16 PM) Bad compounds bad, in a way Hawk is a victim of the White Sox failure to consistently compete, if he were the long time announcer of the cardinals he may be fine but with the Sox it wares thin. Agreed. When the Sox are winning, Hawk is fine. Great, no, but fine and entertaining sure. When they are losing, he toes the company line way too much and says even more ridiculous things then he does when they are winning (to try and justify the club's poor performance). He has been downright awful the past few years calling games for the crappy Sox teams. I think back to 2005, I couldn't imagine anyone other then Hawk cheering for us. The Joooee Crede call(s), everything, was just awesome. His emotion was on par with that of the Sox fans and it was why Hawk can be damn good and entertaining. When we suck, he takes things to a total extreme that make you shake your head. While he has his moments of daganbit, when a team sucks as much as the Sox have sucked the past couple of years, Hawk as the voice of the fan would have gotten him fired (cursing, negative attitudes, etc...could you imagine Balta calling every game...no one would want to watch the insufferable Sox and how screwed they were). But Hawk, as the company voice, has to try and make excuses and thus he makes many absurd comments about how great new kids are going to be and how on paper this team would have beaten everybody, etc. As good as he is when the Sox are good, he is even worse when the Sox are bad.

I just want to say something...I am so happy we have respectable coaches.

QUOTE (bmags @ Aug 12, 2015 -> 07:15 PM) Yup. Was it Steff that championed him? I think it was HotSoxChick (HSC).

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Aug 13, 2015 -> 06:56 AM) Mike Scioscia and Kenny Williams have the same legacy deal going on, they are both living off one great season 10+ years ago. He made the playoffs 7 times in 15 years. Ken Williams wishes he had that resume.

2.28 Mike...oh man, I'm even sadder now. Can one of you guys bring me out a big gas truck at those prices and park it in an abandoned lot so I can use it as my own personal pump. I swear, in Cali, every 3 months a refinery blows up or is shut down and prices immediately skyrocket 50 cents and then take ages to come back down. I am convinced it is people just milking the whole process. Whole reason oil was ever as high as it was had more to do with the hedge fun money / speculators than anything else, imo.

QUOTE (HickoryHuskers @ Aug 13, 2015 -> 07:29 AM) Over across the river everything instantly shot up to 2.99 (from 2.49-2.59) overnight. Here places are still showing 2.49-2.59. I only have 80 miles on my car since my last fillup but if prices haven't jumped by the time I'm out for lunch I'm going to top off. Booo Hooo...gas out here has been tailspinning down and I just paid 3.39. Uggh stupid California. Seriously...gas at 2.50, I can only dream.

That is awesome. Very talented.

Some reports that Rose is looking like his "old" self. I think he's going to take a big step forward. Not necessarily MVP Rose, but I think we are going to see All Star Rose this year. Of course I'm the resident Bulls homer.

QUOTE (SoxFan562004 @ Aug 11, 2015 -> 02:42 PM) If ESPN put that type of investment in the EPL it would have made it to their debate shows, and yes I can ignore them if I chose, but it still would have there and that would annoy me. Totally disagree about NBC handling the big clubs as ESPN would have and don't think they handle it the way I outlined, think they obviously give more attention to the bigger clubs, can't fault them for that, but they give plenty of time to highlights, stories, etc... to the smaller clubs that I don't believe ESPN would. Sports media is a business, to say that NBC wouldn't have handled it like a business and milked what was going to be most profitable, is just crazy. If someone else had rights to MLB and other networks, you think they wouldn't still show a ton of Red Sox / Yankees games? Only company that doesn't do that is MLB Network and that is because they are owned by the league so they have other agendas vs. just running the network like a pure business.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Aug 11, 2015 -> 07:44 AM) So for Alomar that is four times. To me, that is many. That is crazy given how inexperienced he was for really 3 of those times. The other time he was passed up for one of the best managers in baseball and a guy with a world series under his belt. Alomar would be on my very short list. Most great managers served an extended time as bench coaches or other coaches (but not all, looking at the list below). If I looked at the top managers in the game today, I'd say you have Maddon / Bochy / Scioscia. You also then have Girardi / Buck Showalter / Francona. Now, lets look at their experience before becoming managers. Maddon - Begin as a minor league manager in 1981; Eventually got into the Angels organization and worked for multiple managers. Served as an interim manager twice (never getting the full time gig) and then worked under Scioscia where he eventually got his start with the Rays. Prior to taking Rays job he also lost out on the Red Sox job in 2004. First hired in 2005 (14 years after, according to Wiki, he first managed a minor league team...for all I know he as a coach before that). Bochy - Began managing in the minors in 1989; Became 3rd base coach for Padres in 1993 and replaced Rigglemen as the manager in 1995. Bochy was the youngest manager in the league at the time and has essentially been a mainstay every since (Padres to Giants...1 world series appearance with Padres and 3 world series championships with Giants). Scioscia - Hired by Angels in 1999. Prior to that spent years in Dodgers organization and was so pissed when the Dodgers passed him up in 1999 that he had enough and left the organization everyone presumed he'd manage for (passed up too many times) and took the job with the Angels. Showalter - Began minor league career in 1985 and then joined the Yankees as a coach in 1990 and eventually took over as the team manager in 1992. Girardi - Got the Marlins job with limited experience, was fired, then lost out on two jobs. Eventually took the bench coach job of the Yankees and replaced Torre. Francona - Joined White Sox organization as coach in 1991 and then became 3rd base coach for Tigers in 1996. Took Phillies job in 19987 and was fired after 2000 campaign. Was bench coach for Indians, Rangers, and A's before taking Red Sox job.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Aug 10, 2015 -> 01:05 PM) He and Sandy Alomar have been passed over so many times, you can't help but wonder what fatal flaw teams are seeing, that we aren't. It reminds of the Thibs situation to be honest. Sandy Alomar has not been passed over many times. He retired in 2007 and began coaching in instructs in 2008. Got a more regular coaching gig in 2010 and has been a bench coach since 2012. He was a final candidate in Toronto / Chicago (Cubs) / Boston / Cleveland. When he even got chances for some of those jobs he was practically as raw as Ventura. I would not put him in the same camp as Martinez, who was out of baseball much longer prior to restarting coaching. I think Martinez got into coaching in 06. Note: I hadn't realized Martinez, really hadn't even been coaching all that long himself.

On a sidenote, one day, I might look back on the Don more favorably. Depending on the outcome (and I'm probably way too optimistic), maybe both parties will be able to understand that the rhetoric needs to end and people need to work together here and work on real solutions. Rand Paul further proofed how stupid politics are with that comment on the hug from Obama being just absurd. Look, you can disagree on the politics but lets not pretend or assume all of these people have to hate each other or be enemies.