Soxbadger

I think the reason cubs fans wanted Girardi is as follows: Every manager brought into the Cubs since World War I has not done the job. They have not won a World Series, they constantly underperform, and generally the managers they get are some of the worst in baseball. After watching Dusty "We Trusty" Baker, who was supposed to be a godsend, they just want a coach that they can get behind. Girardi is from Northwestern, was drafted and played for the Cubs, and is one of "them". Its just like why the Sox wanted Ozzie, he did not have the accolades of other managers, but he was a White Sox product. The are 2 main reasons why I would have wanted Girardi if I was a Cub fan, 1) He understands the legacy of failure, and you know he would take it personally trying to get the Cubs winning. 2) He would represent a long term coach, unlike Pinella. Sweet Lou is going to come in and try and win immediately, but the problem is the Cubs just do not have the team to do that with anymore. Their pitching went from dominant a few years ago to a huge question mark with only Zambrano being a guy you can count on. Girardi would have signaled a manager who could conceivably have been there for the rest of his career. As it is, Pinella just may set back the franchise like Baker did. My guess is he will try and force the GM to unload spects for vets so that they can try and compete for the next 2 years. Then Pinella will leave and the cupboard will be dry. I like Pinella as a manager, I just think that he needs to inherit a specific type of team to win.

I would have no problem if the govt wanted to create something like the "V-chip" for computers.

Nuke, But parents can buy products to regulate their own internet network, much like parents can set their tv not to play certain channels. If a parent is to lazy to do this, then I dont care what their excuse is. Most children know how to use a remote, know how to click the "Video on Demand" button, and then know how to get "late night entertainment" which broadcasts 24/7 on almost every cable movie network. I think the comparison to not allowing children to eat at fast food places without parents permission is pretty much the same. When I was a child from the ages 8 up, I often was able to walk to food places, white hen, etc and buy whatever the hell I wanted. My parents had no control over what I ate, outside of limiting the money the gave me. But a parent can limit the internet access they give the child. What we have here is a failure of parents to be proactive. They want some one else to raise their child because they couldnt be burdened.

Yeah cause guys never work out moving from the pen to starter. That pitcher with the number 56, he never was in the pen before moving to become a starter.

The rights afforded to married people are very complex. Some times its as simple as being the person who gets to make the call on health treatment, other times its as complicated as a wife having the option of a 1/3 forced share of the estate. Most people take for granted the rights they get as married people.

If you want to be a top 10 team, you need to dominate teams like MSU. ND lost at home to UM 47-21 Wisconsin lost away to UM 27-13 1 team has constantly been around top 10, the other team for the first time has cracked the top 20. I dont think ND is a top 10 team. Thats the reason ND is sliding down. Because if you watch them play, you realize that they are not that good.

There is a possibility Clay has silently verballed also. There were some posts at Badger sites earlier in the season that part of the reason Clay was waiting was so that scouts would see the rest of his team. It is much more important for Wisconsin to land Clay than an OSU, because Wisconsin needs to start retaining its top in-state talent. It is not often that Wisconsin will produce 2 of the top recruits nationally (Clay and Ogelsby). It is Bielema's first year coaching and first year without Alvarez to help him, so there are still some questions of what he can do in terms of recruiting and what his teams are going to be like. I like what I have seen so far, but still think they need to use the shotgun. Against a team like Michigan with dominant front 4, it could of been the difference.

My guess, and I have no facts to back it up, is that it is much cheaper to buy the rights to old boxing footage, than it is to buy the rights to old MLB and NFL footage. I do wonder why they dont just rerun games that were on ESPN and were good. But I dont really know the licensing agreement, so maybe they still have to pay per showing.

Where do you hear Clay is a lock for Wisconsin? All I hear is that Clay is very questionable and that it could be either him or Dale Martin. There is also a very high possibility that Wisconsin gets neither of these players, as Clay has been constantly linked to OSU, even if it means that he has to switch to LB. But that just goes to show how long and hard the road is in football to turn around a program. Wisconsin has 3 Rose Bowl wins in the last 10 years or so. They still are not even close to being one of the elite recruiting teams in the Big 10 and they still have trouble keeping top recruits away from Michigan and OSU. As to Wisconsin being underrated, I posted about this before the season started. I asked how could Auburn be top 10, and Wisconsin unranked when Wisconsin thrashed Auburn last year and basically brought back a better team. In the bowl game against Auburn the d-line was so thin Joe Thomas played DT. It is a shame that Wisconsin played Michigan early in the season, because they still had not found their identity and had problems with having all new WR's. Barring any upsets the game against Iowa should determine who is the 3rd team in the Big 10, as its doubtful either Michigan or OSU loses 2 games, or both lose 1 game.

If Boise State and TC played in the Big 10 they would have similar results to Illinois. If Illinois played in a weaker conference than I would agree Zook can make a huge impact. The problem is, Zook is now in a conference that has 2 teams that have arguably as much tradition as any schools in the nation. He is now geographically near Notre Dame another school that has a national presence. If 17-18 year old kids only wanted to play, then home come guys like Mallet go to Michigan where they are going to sit on the bench? Wisconsin has no QB for next year with Stocco going, any top QB recruit was being promised a chance to play next year. No one cared. Wisconsin instead got a transfer Everidge. The top programs, get the top players. This isnt basketball where you have 1 and dones so being able to play the first season is a premium. Many of the top FB players redshirt, then wait 2 years before ever seeing the field. Thats just the way it is in college football, especially when you are in the Big 10. Almost every single top player is going to want to play for 3 schools first, Michigan, OSU, and ND. After that its a fight for what is left over. Not that Iowa and Wisconsin etc havent fielded good teams, just I know my teams limitations. We are not going to outrecruit OSU, Michigan, etc until we win a national championship. That is why I believe Zook being a great recruiter is negated by the conference he is in. Illinois will never have a better recruiting class than those 2 schools, and he has already proven to be a sub-par coach. And the fact that Meyer has done awesome with Zook's players just goes to show that the players can only do so much if your coach does not have a clue.

There are plenty of bad programs where you can play right away. The question is why do top recruits some times chose to go to an OSU, switch positions, and then wait 2-3 years before ever seeing a down of football? Because that is how you get drafted and make money. Illinois is no where close to being a respectable program. And Zook is no where close to being a good coach. He was not a good coach at Florida and he had talent. How many people get to inherit a Sophmore QB who almost won the heisman? Very few. Then he took that player, and almost destroyed his career. Grossman went from a top 10 pick to middle of the first round, behind Kyle Boller. http://www.centralohio.com/ohiostate/stori...all/726099.html That article was written before Leak ever played a down for Florida. As you can see the strength of Zook was his "recruiting" but unfortunately recruiting is hit or miss. When you have a coach who can not coach, it does not matter what talent you have. If you look at what Meyer has done with Florida, it just shows that Zook will never be a top college level coach. He may be a guy who can lay the foundation with some recruits, but you need some one on the field who understands the game.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but... According to a poster on Wisconsin's Rivals site, there is a rumor that Michigan RB Hart is out with a broken foot. The poster in question has been very reliable in my opinion, and because Michigan and Wisconsin already played it would be strange for him to just bring up a rumor like this if there were no legs to it. If this is true it sucks for Michigan, because I think they have an amazing defense and they really need Hart on offense.

On basebeall tonight Philips said that he thought Angels and White Sox had much better packages to offer than the Cubs. A-Rod also has a no trade clause, but I would assume if the Sox are offering SS and a place where he wont be booed every at bat hes going to take the trade. Could be interesting if the Sox got A-rod, especially with the Cubs overtly trying to get him.

Edge ran the ball 36 times... It wasnt the playcalling, it just was a miracle. 99 out of 100 times the Bears lose that game. It may even be more like 999 out of 1000. I have never seen a game like that, 20 point come back without 1 offensive touchdown. I may never see that again.

When they ran the ball, Edge fumbled. They tried that approach and it didnt work.

Hopefully well this year. With the Big 12 KU should have a 1 seed locked up. As a 1 seed that is 2 games against teams that are not even top 25. So I would say that they have sweet 16 easy and beyond.

doctor, A lot of times I think 5 star recruits actually set a program back. They come in for 1-2 years and then leave. The coach has no time to adopt to their playing style and really get the team going. That is why many times these "vet" teams take out the diaper dandies. Im not an Illini fan, but honestly I just cant understand why so many people are down on Weber. He may not be the greatest recruiter, but so far his teams have done well. Isnt that all that matters? Self has recruited like a champ but has bombed in the tourney. Which would you prefer?

Well the first part I would be interested in seeing your facts. There are ARDC rules out about contacting clients, so I would be interested in what you consider "encouraging to sue." Are you talking about the infomercials that list your rights and says you may be able to get compensation? Are you talking about class action lawsuits that get sent to all members of the perceived class? As for forum shopping, the part about Marion, IL, I dont understand what your beef is. There are rules about forum and jurisdiction. If the court legally has personal and subject matter jurisdiction, then why should the plaintiff not be able to bring the lawsuit where ever they want? The defense can motion the court to move the case to a more convenient forum, but in almost all of the cases where they forum shop, the case can be legally brought in almost every single jurisdiction. Does that mean that the plaintiffs lawyers should pick a forum where they may lose for their client? Or is it their job to do their best to win for their client? Its not like the corporation is going to be playing "fair" or making sure that the plaintiff has a good shot. Not to mention almost every one of those class action lawsuits are appealed and the end money reduced significantly or settled out of court. Lawyers dont make cases, the cases make themselves. If you want to get rid of lawyers, then make sure people follow the law. Make sure that employers pay their employees so that the Wage, Payment, Collection act does not exist. Make it so that people pay their child support. Make it so that people dont break lending laws. But last I checked for every person that follows the law, there seems to be atleast 1 person who is actively trying to break it or make a short cut.

I put Wisconsin and Illinois at the same level since 1999. And your mistaking my argument. I am not saying that a team that does not have atleast marginal recruits will do well, what I am saying is that if you can get a majority of your team to be 3 star to 4 star recruits you have a chance to succeed. If you have a great coach, it makes those 3-4 stars play like 4-5 stars. I just do not believe that you need McDonalds all-americans constantly to have a quality program. While it makes it easier, it is not the end all of basketball.

Zoom I agree that Wisconsin is not a top 5 program, or even a top 10 program yet. What I disagree with is that you have to have the best recruits to make the final four. The person said that without top recruits they would never get anywhere near the final 4. That is far different from saying that without elite recruits you will never have an elite program, which I agree with. I just disagree that you have to have great recruits to make the final 4, and I think the last 8 years of final fours affirms my statement.

Before I start researching, what would you call a "other programs" that I would need to compare how deep they went with. If you are referring to UNC and Duke, then you are probably correct. But most programs would like the following: Wisconsin has been sweet 16 or higher: 2005 (elite 8) 2003 (Sweet 16) 2000 (Final 4) To count: MSU 4 appearances Florida 2 appearances UNC 2 appearances Uconn 2 appearances Most teams would take your 1 FF every 4 years.

Nuke, So I assume you work at a job that does not make any sort of profit. Because when you make a profit, you are "making a quick buck off some one elses expense." Im sorry but last I checked you do not need a lawyer. You can go into almost any case as a Pro Se plaintiff or defendant. The only problem is you will most likely lose. So people pay the money so that they make sure they are properly represented. The real problem is that corporations are willing to spend millions on their lawyers to make sure that the regular joe has basically no chance to beat them. If you are looking for big legal fees, look no farther than corporate America.

Your right a team like Wisconsin who never gets the big name recruits never has been in the Final Four in the last 10 years. Oh wait... Bruce Weber just needs to look at how Bo Ryan wins at Wisconsin for his blueprint. He may not get the best recruits, but he makes the most out of what he gets. I would rather have a guy who is a general on the floor, than a salesman in the living room.

You constantly attack Bruce Weber for no reason. It appears that it is your Rock Chalk inferiority complex. Perhaps if you did not talk s*** about Weber then people wouldnt call you on it? I dont know Im not even an Illinois fan, but in my opinion KU fans have a serious envy complex, that makes it necessary for them to attack other teams and fans for no reason. Its not like Illinois chose Weber over Self, Self chose KU over Illinois. So why is there the animosity towards Weber?

There are no sucky teams, just inactive GM's. Steve9347, came in as the Carolina GM which was an expansion team. He had basically nothing and has now built his team into a top 5 Al team, and top 10 overall. The problem is that it takes seasons to get your team to a level it can compete. So when a GM plays less than 1 year or 2, then another GM takes over, the team is setback because there is not 1 clear path. The more consistent the leadership, the better the team will do. Unless your an idiot.