J-MAN

QUOTE(BigSqwert @ Aug 25, 2006 -> 01:33 PM) Likewise. It's been a daunting task to manage a full season. We are first time season ticketholders and I agree would be overwhelmng going to every game. Luckily we have a neighbor who is splitting the tickets with us (he took like 32 games). I think next year will be easier - several people I sold single game tickets to are becoming repeat buyers. I have also been fairly successful listing some of the games on the Sox ticket exchange. Generally all I am looking for is face value.

QUOTE(LosMediasBlancas @ Aug 23, 2006 -> 02:02 AM) Mrs. Los and I will be moving to Cali. in two days. I'll have a ton of stuff going on for a while, so I'm not sure when I'll be able to reconnect with you guys. Take care and Go Sox! Sorry to hear that - we have never met but have enjoyed reading your posts - hope you stay active once you get settled !

QUOTE(Soxbadger @ Aug 21, 2006 -> 09:35 PM) My comment was posted in general to anyone that posted in this thread and felt that they "no longer could take the pain of being a supporter of a team with the 3rd best AL record and in the lead for the WC." If my comment does not apply to you, then you dont have to worry about it. My problem is that people believe that last year was the norm, not an exception. Last years team happens to a city maybe once, a team that outside of a core of people no one thought would do anything, becomes the best team and basically dominates the playoffs. That is not normal. I just cant stand that people act like they are entitled to be given a winner. I was a Sox fan when they were in 2nd, when they were under .500, no matter what. Your a fan, not because the team owes you anything, but because you want to be. AMEN!!!! My son taught me that lesson last year! When the lead dwindled he never wavered in his support of the Sox. I will be a Sox fan forever - have followed the team from the 59 Hitless Wonders through the South Side Hit Men to this team and hope to support them for a long time to come through thick and thin.

QUOTE(Greg Hibbard @ Aug 21, 2006 -> 05:37 PM) Look, the "chip on your shoulder" routine was fitting for the previous, oh, 88 seasons or so. And the pessimistic "I know they are gonna blow it" routine had some credence, especially considering their playoff futility before last year. But please, after last year, things kind of changed. Maybe you didn't think so, but they did. You don't need to have a chip on your shoulder anymore. You have a World Series title. f*** the Cubs? f*** you for mentioning the f***ing Cubs. And you don't need to go overboard with the "woe is me" routine - because nobody is buying it and nobody gives a f***, especially outside of your own fanbase. Yeah, the Sox have some pitching problems - guess what - so does everyone else. Yeah, the Sox have some consistency problems - guess what, so does everyone else. And yeah, the Sox also have some bullpen problems - well, guess what, so does everyone else. So, do us a favor - act like you've been here before. Act like you can handle the ups and downs of a season that every team goes through, and act like you aren't too melodramatic to handle watching a baseball team. Some of these over the top threads honestly really sicken me. If you can't handle it - you know what, stop watching baseball and maybe focus on getting yourself off of life-tilt. Sorry if this is harsh - but some of you people honestly need a reality check here. Here's a clue - imagine yourself in a room with a Cubs fan, a Royals fan, a Devil Rays fan, an Indians fan, a Mariners fan and a Padres fan and let's talk about how much f***ing bellyaching you are entitled to. Honestly, it's f***ing pathetic. We have not played as well as most have expected. We are still 23 f***ing games over .500 and in the lead for a playoff spot and we have a very good opportunity to clinch a postseason berth, especially now that one team competing with us has waved the white flag. Additionally, we are coming off of a World Title. So please - pull yourselves together and let's approach the next six weeks with class and integrity, not with this 5-year-old spoiled child bulls***. Consider yourselves lucky that a major injury didn't devastate your hopes of repeating in say, April or May. Consider yourselves lucky that the team didn't underperform so brutally that we are talking about a .500 club. This should be a time to savor a world title and to get behind a team pushing to compete for another, and instead some of you are making it one of the worst seasons of your entire fandoms. Reflect on that for a few minutes before you respond. Me, I am savoring this year. Win or lose, I'm going to enjoy my time on the top of the heap. If we can't do it again, well, we did it once. And it was magical. And once upon a time called 2004 that would've been good enough for me. Because it took f***ing forever to get here,and I'll be damned if I'm going to let a few sourpusses who have lost some perspective ruin it for me. Again, sorry for being harsh, but this needed to be said. Great post! I couldn't have said it better!

QUOTE(Queen Prawn @ Aug 16, 2006 -> 01:38 PM) It is by Joseph Wambaugh. The copy I took out of the library is 444 pages long and I am on about page 100. Normally I really like true crime novels, but so far, this one is just not growing on me as I had hoped. I do not know if it is because this one is grittier than most I have read (and I have read quite a few) or how he is setting up the characters before the crime, itself, happens. I do not find myself rushing to pick it up again, more of a, "if I keep reading it has to get better" attitude towards it. I searched the title online and found reviews for the movie but stopped reading them as I did not want to know too much before finishing the book. So, has anyone else read this? What was your take on it? Did you watch the movie after reading the book? I read it a loong time ago - like most of Wambaugh stuff especially "The Blue Knight" - this one is more fact I believe and pretty grissly- not one of my favorites.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Aug 10, 2006 -> 03:11 PM) I am glad you posted this... Too many times we only hear when the Sox screw up, and it gives the impression that the organization is awful, when it isn't. keep the good stories coming! As new season ticket holders we couldn't be happier! The Sox do a lot of neat things (maybe I'm easy since I'm new). There are a lot of things to like beginning with the tickets themselves - the ticket books when they came were nicely done - even the box was neat. The ticketmaster tie in allowing you to e-mail your tickets and sell them on-line to other fans without having to ship them is easier than Stubhub and the fact you get 90% is a better rate. Although some people got shafted the Grinder bash I heard was pretty neat. The new replica trophies are pretty awesome. I started another thread about our ticket agent - although we were switched around she and the organization have done a great job of keeping us up on what is happening i.e. what is new with the team, promotions, changes in game times, parking issues. I honestly am having a great time and looking forward to the playoffs!!!!!

QUOTE(THEWOOD @ Aug 9, 2006 -> 10:06 PM) Did anyone else receive a replica world series trophy today in the mail from DHL? I didnt know they were sending one out. I guess all premium season ticket holders got one per the letter included. Believe all season ticket holders get one but the don't send the actual trophy but a letter that you bring to the park and redeem for the trophy!

I have heard numerous people complain about their ticket reps not being responsive. We are new season ticketholders and although have been shuffled around think we lucked out and got a good one. Our new rep is Kari Thiess and although I have not had any real problems has been great about comunicating what is going on with the Sox. Seems I get general e-mails (I think computer generated) but have also received several e-mails introducing herself and asking how things are going. I couldn't be happier and hope our relationship lasts a long time!

QUOTE(BigSqwert @ Aug 8, 2006 -> 04:27 PM) It just sucks that we have an opportunity to really become something special and the team seems to be slowly deteriorating before our eyes. After a magical season like last year one would hope that we'd have a nice run of similar types of seasons. Sure we have a pretty good record this year but the team isn't very fun to watch. The pitching is bad, defense is inconsistent, team speed is nowhere to be found, and we seemed to become a HR or nothing type offense. When comparing it to last year it just seems less exciting to watch. There's still time left to turn things around and secure a playoff spot but if that fails I really hope Kenny tweaks the team in the offseason to have more focus on defense, pitching and team speed. I think you hit the nail on the head when you said "magical" season last year! Last year it seemed every ball we hit fell in - every call seemed to go our way - we got all the bounces. I know our starting pitching sucks right now but how many times have you seen a Sox hitter lace a ball and someone makes a great catch - how many long balls just went foul - how many calls seemed to go the wrong way. One thing last year taught me is not to bail when things get tight. If repeating were easy how come no one has done it in a long time? The Sox are still 20 games over 500 and in the playoff hunt - I would be happier if we were pitching better but still optimistic about the playoffs. Nothing can stop me from getting a chill when they come out on the field and announce the 2005 World Champions.

QUOTE(ZoomSlowik @ Aug 4, 2006 -> 08:41 PM) Yes, I will be running one. I have to defend my back-to-back titles. I'm in!!!! Go Cats!!!!

QUOTE(The Ginger Kid @ Aug 6, 2006 -> 08:33 AM) couldn't disagree more - he's rarely afforded the chance to bat against lefties and his D isn't great but it doesn't suck as bad as some would like to think. Even more important, he's the spark that makes this team go. We win 75% of the time he gets a hit. He can't catch! He takes bad angles to the ball and can't catch anything that's against the wall - think he is afraid of hitting the wall!

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Jul 28, 2006 -> 07:53 PM) The problem is there are a ton of people who RSVP'd by the required date, and they never got the other tickets. I left a message on a voice mail, and thankfully did receive the tickets, but its a pretty screwy system. Why don't they have the reps do this stuff through e-mail? Or have a master email and then when people call and say they haven't received their tickets, they could easily look it up? I'm still trying to figure out what my rep does to earn his paycheck, and even worse, the stiff gets a WS ring. It makes me sick. I haven't received an email from him since February. Either they need to hire more reps, and in the grand scheme of things, they don't make a lot of money so it really won't hurt them, or get them, or at least mine, better trained. The fiasco with the WS and playoff tickets last year, and this snafu is only going to make it harder to renew bandwagon fans if the season falls apart at the seams. They had plenty of time for planning these parties, they really have no excuses. If you were someone who took advantage of the playoff ticketoffer and picked up season tickets last fall, you have had the fiasco of not being able to reach anybody with the White Sox concerning whether or not you successfully were able to land tickets last fall, you were stuffed into Sox fest with a shoehorn last January, maybe that wasn't the White Sox fault, but its still a blemish on the organization, and now the season ticketholder party you may or may not really be invited. You may drive down to USCF and get sent home. Something needs to be done about it. Being swamped is not an excuse. Surprised to hear about your ticket rep - we are new to this and on our third ticket rep! I will say this I get an e-mail of some kind almost daily from my new rep. I haven't really needed anything but it is nice to be kept up on what's going on.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Jul 28, 2006 -> 02:20 PM) Check this spiff out. I RSVP'ed before the date, and now they have no record of it. I was expecting the tickets in the mail this week, and since I didnt get them I called. Now they tell me tough spiff. Seems to have happened to a number of people - we received ours this week. I agree with several people who complained why isn't your original invitation sufficient for admittance? We are new season ticket holders and couldn't be happier with Sox communications. Really like the ticket service and ability to e-mail tickets. Although we have had three different reps - the latest one seems okay - we seem to get an e-mail almost daily. Sorry to hear you got shafted.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Jun 30, 2006 -> 03:00 PM) Terrible news. I loved Randy Walker, from his days at Miami especially. He was a hell of a guy. Couldn't agree more - have had the privilege of having dinner with Randy and his wife Tammy I feel so sorry for Tammy, his daughter, his son Jamie and the grandhild he will never get the chance to meet!

QUOTE(Flash Tizzle @ Jun 29, 2006 -> 08:18 PM) I don't believe for one minute Politte's DL stinct was due to "shoulder inflammation." I expect immediate contributions from him. Sanchez may have herpes, and may have a magic wand, but I know from this series no other pitcher gave up a HR to him. Only five on the season to date. Not a homerun hitter. Perhpas with another pitcher I"d be willing to accept the pitch as poorly placed. Or credit Sanchez all together. But this is what Politte has done all year. Personally, the entire issue of building up confidence is really a joke. When people were worried about how Tracey would respond following Guillen's tirade I said if he doesn't rebound, he doesn't deserve to pitch. I wasn't going to feel any sympathy towards his situation. And what did he do shortly following the demotion? Threw one of the best games of his career. He's tough. What could a trip to AAA possibly accomplish for Cliff? Does he need 'confidence' by throwing inside pitches to AAA players? f*** that. He's not a prospect anymore. If he can't pitch well, he can leave this team. For what it's worth - the guy who I split my tickets with says he was sitting next to a friend of Politte Saturday and he told him Politte has bone spurs in his shoulder and should have surgery but wants to put it off till the end of the season since it is his walk year.

QUOTE(Steff @ Jun 23, 2006 -> 07:39 PM) This little s*** needs a good ass whipping... http://www.cnn.com/video/player/player.htm...ssault.intv.cnn He doen't need an ass whipping he need to go to jail!!!!!

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Jun 20, 2006 -> 08:04 PM) Is it really? Thats what I was thinking about. My company issues me a blackberry for cellphone/email so I really just need a simple phone for texting and personal calling. Is cingular really good? How are their phones? Our family has been on Cingular for years - love the service - never drop calls - great phones - can get a Motorola RAZR for $99 - their calling plans are very reasonable!

QUOTE(mr_genius @ Jun 21, 2006 -> 10:46 PM) wow, so many people are way too sensitive i don't even think this is a big deal Amen! That's what I said yesterday !!!!!

QUOTE(WCSox @ Jun 21, 2006 -> 03:40 PM) I think that was the meaning that Ozzie meant to convey. In locker room-speak, "f.a.g." is most often an attack at one's manhood, not a term used to denigrate homosexuals. Also keep in mind that the Hispanic culture isn't exactly the most tolerant of homsexuals. That said, Ozzie was still out of line for using that term. He knows that it's not acceptable and he's also playing right into Moronotti's hands. BTW, it was oh-so-surprising to see the media hacks take the ultra-PC stance. I'll bet that every single one of them has used that word (and the N-word) before. f***ing hypocrites... Polska Kuchnia! Couldn't agree more again! Interesting the SCORE had Jay the Moron on and are roasting Ozzie - this coming from a station that has Terry Boring who calls everyone either a pud or a bastard.

QUOTE(KevHead0881 @ Jun 21, 2006 -> 02:35 PM) I really don't have a strong opinion on this either way, mostly cause I'm not easily offended, and the word "***" has gotten to the point where it isn't necessarily in reference to homosexuals. But I will say that Ozzie should still know by now that its a word that'll get you into some heat when used in public, especially if you're a public person. Its not the first time he's done this, so he cant plead ignorance on this one. I hardly find it "disgraceful" and I wouldn't come close to comparing it to John Rocker. But no matter what the conotation, its a word that some find offensive. And while I personally don't find it offensive, I respect the probably large group of people who do. While I love Ozzie and his free-speaking personality, it would be best that he found a better choice of words. Thank you - Couldn't say it better!

QUOTE(Steff @ Jun 21, 2006 -> 02:23 PM) J-Man.. if you hang out with folks that can't hold a conversation without using offensive comments, might be time to get some new friends. No one said conversations center around racial slurs but I will bet you can't walk donw the street or watch TV or exist in our society today without hearing a lot worse language and terms used. If you have that thin a skin your life is going to be miserable.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Jun 21, 2006 -> 12:49 PM) There really is no excuse for anyone using a derogatory term towards another group, as an insult towards a person. I don't think Ozzie would like it too much if I referred to someone on here as a "wetback" or "s***" would he? Common sense would dictate that it wasn't necessary to use a term like that, but when it comes to outbursts Ozzie never really has demonstrated much of that... Oz is just lucky that he is one hell of a manager or he would have been run out of town long ago for this kind of stuff, instead it will be swept under the rug and defended... But hey, these count as stories for the media watch, right? You guys must all be tons of fun to be around. I'm up to here with everybody being so **** sensitive and almost everyhing someone says offends someone or something. I'm sick of the University of Illinois debate over the chief. Sick of the Marquette Warriors who were honoring the Indian warriors (or can I say Indian) changing their name. The Washington Bullets (named after a train) having to change their name. And on and on ! Get a grip people - slang terms have been around a long time. I am Polish and the terms pollock doesn't really offend me and enjoy a good joke as much as the next guy. If you all are that thin skinned your life is sure going to be miserable.

QUOTE(THEWOOD @ Jun 20, 2006 -> 02:42 PM) Wasnt there a thread on this last week?? I'm guilty - started one last week - great to see other people active - still putting in 150 votes a day!!!!!

QUOTE(AbeFroman @ Jun 15, 2006 -> 06:43 PM) will @mailinator.com addresses work for all-star voting? Does anyone know? Probably not - you are limited to 25 votes daily per e-mail address and it requires you to put in a code for each vote - luckily keeps who you vote for.

Let's get busy and get some Sox to the All Star game. Just put 75 votes in on my 3 e-mail addresses - need everyone to get voting!