Chisoxfn

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.

I can't get over how excited I am about the White Sox. The team still has tons of problems but I think Ozzie was such a crash, unprofessional, pompous jackass, that nothing but good things can come of having him no longer being associated with our club. The fact that our options are potentially Alomar or Martinez, both of whom I think would be stark improvements from a demenaor standpoint would be great. I think Alomar might actually be the better fit because I think his more soft-spoken approach woudl probably go a long way after years of being around Ozzie. The team clearly is in a financial mess but there is some talent on the roster and while the talent isn't moveable, I'm hoping new voices and hopefully more motivation will help some of these guys figure things out and be productive. I fully expect Dunn and Peavy to make improvements a year from now and I won't be surprised if Rios & Beckham do as well.

I'll take the heat off of Kenny for the Dunn move and to a lesser extent the Peavy move. The Rios one was incredibly risky and he knew it. The worst moves were the Rios/Hudson moves.

QUOTE (Wanne @ Sep 29, 2011 -> 09:08 AM) If we're rebuilding how could anyone see Francona as a real possibility? Hoping it's Alomar. I think Alomar or Martinez make a lot more sense.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Sep 28, 2011 -> 07:57 AM) I'd much rather have Martinez. Sandy seems like a quite version of Ozzie, a manager that goes with his gut. I want someone who uses statistics to make better decisions. Sandy called a very good game. Catchers tend to make great managers and I have always said Sandy would be a manager some day. If you have Sandy, you definitely would like to have an experienced bench coach though. I wonder who that would be?

Amazing.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Sep 25, 2011 -> 04:40 PM) I dunno...considering everything, I thought the line had a decent game. Cutler had plenty of time most of the game. They couldn't run worth anything, which is on the line, but Cutler had the time he needed. The line played pretty well all things considered. The non PI call on Hester was a huge call but the Bears horrific execution (drops & stupid penalties) really did them in. The Bears must lead the world in drops. Cutler wasn't brilliant but he wasn't horrible, either. He did a lot of things that would have had the Bears move the chains but the guys didn't execute, etc. Sometimes the poor execution put them in 3rd and long situations, again, not a good thing. Ugly game but I expected to be 0-3 at this point. I think they will figure some stuff out, but it just blows my mind that this team overestimates how good its wideouts are, etc.

I would be so disgusted if changes don't happen.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Sep 25, 2011 -> 01:12 PM) Honestly...he wouldn't excite me. He's professional, smart, proven, and classy. I'd love to have him. To see how many people gripe about LaRussa or even Francona, it just boggles my mind. Especially when you have the crap the Sox have ran out. I haven't watched a game in a month and don't miss baseball at all. I hate this team and hate this organization right now. They are classless in the way they act and this is the most unlikeable team I've ever been a fan of. And to hear that the organizatoin might have zero major changes, it blows my mind.

I would love to grab a stud SS early on. Or a stud pitching prospect, possibly someone who slides that wants lots of green.

QUOTE (Heads22 @ Sep 25, 2011 -> 01:41 PM) Sounds like A&M will officially be gone to the SEC today. I can say with full enthusiasm that they can go f*** themselves. Iowa's wideouts this year are better than last year. It is taking some time for JV to get comfortable but he played a beautiful game this past week and a great 4th quarter against Pitt. He can make every throw and Iowa's wideouts are legit with McNutt, Davis, and MM. Coker is a beast too. ISU outplayed us though in our only lost and it was your QB that did it. His legs were fantastic and he made so many plays. I still think Iowa battles into the back end of the top 25 by seasons end.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Sep 25, 2011 -> 02:38 PM) 17 dropbacks, 0 sacks, 2 hits. They need to run it and throw more screen plays into the mix to keep the Packers from starting to tee up though. Sucks that Raji got to Cutler on the 1st and goal cause if Cutler could step into it, he would have had Dane for a TD (instead it was almost a pick).

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Sep 25, 2011 -> 01:55 PM) If he did, then he's nuts. He overthrew Williams. Knox would have had to be 20 yards down the field to catch that. He didn't overthrow it. He just didn't expect the safety to cover that kind of ground. Had the safety not been there it was a perfectly thrown ball. Regardless, the safety was there. I was ok taking that shot down the field though. Sick range by GB's safety to make that play. Cutler played great in the 2nd half. Looked to be more comfortable in the pocket. He looked very jumpy in the 1st quarter.

QUOTE (chw42 @ Sep 18, 2011 -> 03:27 PM) Most of the difference is the O-line. If what happened today continues for the rest of the season, Angelo should be fired for not addressing the O-line correctly. A young oline playing in that environment was not going to be good and than to make matters worse you have no Bennett or Williams for the good chunk/all of the game. Than you lose Carimi as well. This game had ugly written all over it. To be frank, I expect our line to be a lot better by seasons end and think it is better than last years. The Bears line isn't as bad as it was during this game. I will say this. Jay looked flustered in the pocket but he also didn't make any dumb throws (maybe one I saw all day) from the perspective of TO's. Additionally, he was killed with some costly wide-out drops and there were some times where as soon as it looked like he had someone to throw to, he couldn't get the damn ball off cause he was getting crushed. All that said, the long TD was inexcuseable in the cover 2 and that sack with the fumble was as well (Cutler had what...2.5 seconds). That was a collosal failure to block and killed the momentum we had built up (heck, the offense looked like it was getting into rhythm with 2 straight field goals).

QUOTE (Heads22 @ Sep 14, 2011 -> 07:57 PM) BTW, Gage, don't worry, you'll still be the second best program to ISU starting this year. Got a nice looking recruiting class at least. My basketball program is making progress.

9/11/06...I started my job at Deloitte and coincidentally met my future wife on the same day.