Chisoxfn

QUOTE (SoxFan1 @ Oct 16, 2011 -> 08:35 PM) I'm so glad the 49ers ended the f***ery that is the hype around the Lions. They can't run the ball, their offensive line is not good, and when they aren't throwing lob passes to Calvin Johnson when a team foolishly has him single-covered, they aren't a very good team. Their front four on defense is good, sure, but they still can't stop the run and Ndamakong Suh is incredibly overrated. I look forward to playing them at Soldier Field later this year. Hopefully the Bears can build on this game (especially the oline) and take it to London next week and give it to the Bucs. Let me say what I've been telling a lot of people. Matthew Stafford, while strong armed, is not that good (yet). Could he be, absoltuely, but he's still very inexperienced and isn't exactly dynomite. Calvin Johnson is and there defense is solid.

QUOTE (MAX @ Oct 16, 2011 -> 06:33 PM) I don't understand how the offensive line was SO bad last week and looks pretty good tonight against what everyone considers a very tough defensive line. A lot has to do with Omilaye being out. A lot has to do with the fact that there was less crowd noise (home game, duh) and as a result far less false starts. Plus, the Bears really mixed up the play-calling. It was very similar to what they did in week 1 against Atlanta. Martz just gets so stubborn when he thinks he can just continuosly run 7 step drop after 7 step drop. They also had Spaeth back and I really like him. He's a great blocker.

I honestly dont' know if there is a QB in the league that could have done what Cutler did last night. I really don't. He played incredible and it didn't even matter. I think he had maybe 2 opportunities to plan his feet all night. It really pisses me off that the Bears have wasted 3 years of Jay in his prime. They haven't given him weapons or an opportunity and its really sad.

By the way...Cutler, touche. You played amazing last night. I think you only threw like 3 actual incomplete passes. There were about 7 drops, including Hester dropping what should have been a freaking incredible touchdown pass.

QUOTE (SoxFan1 @ Oct 10, 2011 -> 09:04 PM) This is sarcastic, right? I just want to be sure. How can anyone say that Lovie isn't an above average coach? He's done an above average job with the Bears. Is he a special coach, no, is he a good coach, absolutely. It isn't his fault he's been hampered with garbage on offense.

QUOTE (bulokis @ Oct 10, 2011 -> 08:54 PM) Season over! Angelo will not be fired, hence he will be given a contract extension. It sucks rooting for the Bears. Angelo has to be fired for his failures on the line and with wide-outs.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Oct 7, 2011 -> 05:56 AM) You remember how much of the season we spent complaining about the seeming complete lack of professionalism coming from the front office? The lack of respect for the people watching the games, paying their bills, etc.? I thought we'd gotten rid of most of that when we got rid of Ozzie...but this move reeks of the same ethos. I feel like this is a giant middle finger at me. How? Ventura will be nothing but a professional.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Oct 6, 2011 -> 09:12 PM) Amazing column by Cowley. Wow. Cooper was THAT MUCH of a snake? Wait til the players read this. Horrible joke of a franchise. I just knew KW was sucking up and this proves it. And Cooper? The people who have said what a rotten personality he has? This just makes sense he'd look out for No. 1. I LOVE Ozzie's text to Coop. It's Ozzie's way of letting him know bout Judas. If this is true, Cowley deserves a sports Pulitzer for the scoop. And to think I today was thinking Coop deserved the job over Ventura. Coop sounds like he may ruin the clubhouse next year when this story is made public to the players. Nobody likes a backstabber. Nobody! Why don't you ask the Sox pitchers what they think of Coop? Oh wait, they freaking love him.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Oct 6, 2011 -> 09:12 PM) Amazing column by Cowley. Wow. Cooper was THAT MUCH of a snake? Wait til the players read this. Horrible joke of a franchise. I just knew KW was sucking up and this proves it. And Cooper? The people who have said what a rotten personality he has? This just makes sense he'd look out for No. 1. I LOVE Ozzie's text to Coop. It's Ozzie's way of letting him know bout Judas. If this is true, Cowley deserves a sports Pulitzer for the scoop. And to think I today was thinking Coop deserved the job over Ventura. Coop sounds like he may ruin the clubhouse next year when this story is made public to the players. Nobody likes a backstabber. Nobody! Dude. That is it. You are freaking nuts. Cowley is a complete an utter asshole. The players know it, the fans know, it, everyone knows it. Ozzie was the asshole. I don't know how you can't see that.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Oct 6, 2011 -> 03:47 PM) Honestly, what good would that even do you as a manager? I would think that experience would help you become a better base coach, but other than that, what? Those are just bang-bang decision-making skills you have to hone. Exactly. I think being a bench coach is where the true experience is gained. But even than, is 1 or 2 or even 3 years really that much of an edge over someone who had 16 years in an MLB clubhouse, albeit, limited to being a player?

QUOTE (South Side Fireworks Man @ Oct 6, 2011 -> 03:35 PM) When asked if he's talked to Frank Thomas, he said ,"No." Then says he's trusting the people around him to put the best possible pieces together. I don't like that. The mgr should have some say in his decisions and hires. From the sounds of some quotes I thought Robin had pretty much picked his bench coach out.

QUOTE (bmags @ Oct 6, 2011 -> 03:32 PM) Agreed. That is a given. It was kind of like what the Sox initially did with Ozzie when they kept Nossek on board to provide him with support and even talked about trying to get an ex manager on board. Robin has a lot of friends so I'm very curious who this bench coach they've targeted is and whether that team will give the Sox permission.

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Oct 6, 2011 -> 03:24 PM) Milkman, Honestly I dont know. I dont keep a running tally of who did what in their previous coaching careers. Dave Martinez, Sandy Alomar and Robin Ventura, never managed a MLB team. If you want to say that being a bench coach, 3b coach, whatever is equivalent experience to managing, that is your call. All I know is that (imo) Ventura is going to be a revelation compared to Ozzie. And win lose or draw, its going to be the players, not the manager who ultimately decide the success of a team. This is not the NBA/NFL where a Head Coach can significantly change the dynamic of a team. They can significicantly change the dynamic of the lockeroom though and Ozzie did that in a very negative way the past couple years, imo.

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Oct 6, 2011 -> 03:14 PM) You said he was a player-manager. Either way, that was 35 years ago. Come up with a relatively recent example of a manager who hadn't coached or managed at some level before becoming the manager of a major league team. I would argue that 1 to 2 years of being a 1st base coach or 3rd base coach isn't exactly a ton of experience. So I'd say Ozzie had his early successes despite limited coaching, Girardi the same.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Oct 6, 2011 -> 02:54 PM) I find it interesting that so many people are quick to point out that there's really not that much to managing a Major League Baseball game. I find it interesting how trivial so many think it to be, yet the manager is in charge of over 100 million dollars of contracts. I find it interesting how many people think having a manager is extremely unimportant, and that anyone could do the job. I find all of that very interesting. In this post, feel free to substitute the word "interesting" with the word "stupid". I think you need someone that can manage the personality of those ego's and help players when they are up/down and essentially be there to help support his guys through the grind. I think that is more difficult than people think. Just look at all of the stuff coming out of Boston regarding there clubhouse and I'm pretty convinced the Sox players were pretty frustrated with Ozzie and have been for a couple years (can't blame them either, there manager was a pompous jackass).

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Oct 6, 2011 -> 02:45 PM) We should've hired Jose Valentin, Dan Pasqua, Jeff Abbott, Chris Widger, or Greg Norton then. I'm sure they've all had as much coaching experience as Ventura while also having played the game. Dude played 16 seasons in the league. Outside of Alomar having a little bit of experience, he was basically as green as Ventura. Only difference, the media was selling Alomar as a candidate for a while. The reality is, Alomar's limited exposure with Cleveland isn't going to by far and away make him more ready to be a manager than Ventura. Personally I always thought Alomar would make a great manager and would have loved to have him. But based upon ex players comments, it sounds like Ventura has a lot of those same qualities that I liked about Alomar and he has 16 years of experience in major league clubhouses being a leader and "winner". And he's seen different types of clubhouses, whether it was the White Sox clubhouse in the 90's or the Mets for a couple years or even the Yankees clubhouse.

QUOTE (fathom @ Oct 6, 2011 -> 02:32 PM) Me too...as I just told a friend, this isn't like college athletics where you have to bring in a head coach that you know can recruit as well as manage a game. Ventura will get his chance, and if he tanks, he won't be here very long. I hope the Sox hire an experienced bench coach. However, I guess Cooper brings some solid experience as well. Or is Harold the bench coach now?

QUOTE (bmags @ Oct 6, 2011 -> 02:32 PM) I will say this...well nevermind i have nothing to compare it too, but the baseball execs and former players all seem to like it. But maybe he's just a nice guy? He was a very smart player who was well liked. I'm willing to give him a chance.

QUOTE (Real @ Oct 6, 2011 -> 02:22 PM) his qualifications? you know his f***ing qualifications, don't sugar coat what you "know" to make the move seem less volatile, it's a s***ty move, let's be f***ing honest here and cut the bulls*** Experience isn't the most important thing to manage baseball. At least not manager experience. It isn't like NFL or the NBA where you are writing plays and doing tons of stuff. An MLB manager's biggest job is just managing the personalities and the clubhouse. Whether Robin will be good at that, hell if I know. Sure, there are other components to managing (scouting reports to read, etc) but a big part of it are skills that Ventura could have (I don't know whether he does or doesn't).

And I'll say, I really like Robin. I just have zero idea what his qualifications are from a manager perspective and how much he's been involved in the game, etc, since he retired.

Are you guys serious? Holy hell. Talk about coming out of left...ummm...3rd base.

My wife surprised me this morning and baked me some fresh cookies. Yumm, cookies!

QUOTE (greg775 @ Oct 4, 2011 -> 09:44 PM) Making it to the dance and losing to the same team at home two years in a row doesn't normally make for happy fans. Me thinks there are some Maddon haters tonight in Florida. If anybody truly cares down there which is debatable. Rays lost a huge amount of there team last year and still make it back into the playoffs. Madd's is on a completely other level than one Ozzie Guillen.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Sep 29, 2011 -> 11:16 AM) I agree with you there for the most part. Even the Swisher move ends up completely different if we have a manager who can handle him. He has had success before and after Chicago. His problem here was all Ozzie. I think we both are on the same page regarding Swisher & Ozzie. Ozzie couldn't handle guys that would steal his spotlight. Its no wonder the Sox best players during his tenure were all quieter guys (Paulie, Dye, Thome, Buehrle, etc).

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Sep 29, 2011 -> 11:13 AM) I don't know that we can excuse the Peavy move, either. There were plenty of red flags even if he were healthy. What about the Swisher moves? What about the Manny move? He's on an epicly bad run here. Manny move wasn't that bad. There was money and it was a last ditch effort. We really didn't lose a whole lot. Swisher was a disaster in Chicago and he didn't fit with Ozzie. Ozzie couldn't stand being around other louder players (hence why Cabrera & Swisher didn't get along and eventually were moved). Did it suck to give up Gio, absolutely, but at the time of the trade, the move looked like a great fit for the Sox. Peavy is only bad from a financial standpoint. He sold high on Dex Carter, Clayton Richard, and Aaron Poreda. Peavy was not struggling with arm problems, it was his ankle, and no one could have projected his lat would be torn apart. Kenny has had his share of failures too and I'd have been fine if he was fired as well.