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Monfils v. Federer is going to be entertaining as hell.

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Sep 3, 2014 -> 05:45 PM) Because of Tucker and DeCamilis, my faith in the Bears are pretty low. Unlike others, I also am not bought into Emery / Trestman yet either. I don't know that Trestman has what it takes to hold people accountable and be a successful head coach. I do think he's an extremely bright offensive mind and have full faith in him running the offense. Difference between winning and losing is so slim in this league though, so little things matter, and hopefully he can make sure the players and coaches know that and are held accountable. Emery has done a nice job in FA and targeting needs but other then Jeffrey and Long, we've had pretty horrific looking drafts with him. In fact, I think only two guys remains from his first draft. I will say jury is out on a lot of picks from last year, but given what I've seen to date, I think last years class is looking almost as awful too, save Long. I have such little faith in Bostic. If Bostic can develop, last year looks good. Starting RG who may still yet turn into a tackle. Starting RT. What appears to be a 3rd WR. Crap DE. No 3rd round pick. Bostic turns it into a "good" draft, lacking starpower. Really what can end up making that draft is M. Wilson and if Long can turn into a plus tackle. But he's also kinda old.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Sep 3, 2014 -> 04:32 PM) Thousands is probably a little much, hundreds maybe. But who cares? You're still taking away spots from other students on the basis of race. It's the definition of discrimination. They're not guaranteed entry but if that's a dream school they didn't get into because of discrimination and they have to go to their plan B that can have a major impact. Quality of the school, location of the school, cost, people you know, etc. etc. are all factors that differ greatly depending on where you go. Simply saying you can go to 5 other state schools or to cheaper schools ignores the differences between each school. Again, this just goes back to your "they're white, they have money and can deal with it" response which is a bunch of BS. There are low class white people too who are suffering from the same issues as minorities. That is nothing to do with it, but, yes I will cry zero tears that someone didn't get into their "dream school" that they were a fringe acceptee for, because they were just as susceptible to another white kid with money taking their spot as to a minority. Diversity at a university is good, kids learn just as much from each other as the uni. Grabbing students from different areas, backgrounds and cultures is absolutely worth it, especially since the success rate of "student with 21 ACT" and "student with 23 ACT" is negligible in difference. Looking at two students with such similar academics in GPA or test scores is just meaningless, it'd be like looking at one baseball player with a 1.6 WAR and another with a 1.5 WAR and saying "clearly 1.6 is better than 1.5, we must go with the first!" That difference is so small to be a fluke, and at the end, they'll go with who is a better fit for the university and their goals. If it was their dream school and did not get in, they can spend a year at a different school, do well, and transfer, where they will find it much easier after all the other freshman have dropped out due to drinking too much.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Sep 3, 2014 -> 04:14 PM) But most can't in the same way a minority applicant can't. They have to take out loans too. And I guess go ahead and ignore the issues having to change schools will raise for those students because diversity? Going to Illinois v. Iowa is a pretty big deal. They're not the same school, they're obviously geographically apart and they cost a different amount of money. But I know, every white person has advantages and can afford it and blah blah. That kind of viewpoint is exactly the problem I have with the big diversity push. Same with AA policies. The goal is admirable, but doing it that way is flat out wrong. Honestly, if you were on the bottom 25% of applicants, I have no sympathy for you getting denied. That makes you like thousands of other applicants. You were the reason you did not get accepted, not a minority/low-income candidate. Also, I don't know what you are talking about "changing schools", they weren't guaranteed entry anywhere, they can go to the other 5 state schools or many private schools in Illinois and probably pay less than U of I.

There isn't a CBS crew that I enjoy. Fox's are meatheads but at least have some life to the broadcast.

So what's our payroll next year, 40 million? I don't want to spend just to spend, but, I really don't want to waste years with Abreu/Sale playing meaningless baseball.

I've actually liked more movies this year than in a while.

Now that Google sent out that warning that flash sites will get a hit in the rankings it won't be long now.

I'm not gonna cry over kids that can afford to pay their own way and are "qualified". Those kids are going to find a college. If they were passed over for the sake of "diversity" they were on the fringe anyway, with the same resume as 5-10k other kids. Talk to someone in college admissions. Every kid has the same resume, they are shooting fish in a barrel. Oh, no, you had to go to Iowa instead of Illinois? Your life is over! You will die, you poor child who probably were born to a well off enough family to go to a good school and will leave college without debt, WHY IS LIFE SO UNFAIIIR WHYYYYYY

Every once in a while though, Aikman will come up with some real gems of analysis that I had never heard of. He at least stays away from the platitudes of "toughness" and the like.

Not sure that putting Sale in the bullpen ruined his career.

QUOTE (zenryan @ Sep 2, 2014 -> 11:15 PM) Tune into the SEC game on CBS and listen to Verne Lundquist. That guy is a train wreck and needs to be taken out to pasture. He was actually doing PBP of a replay last year and it took until the end of the replay to realize it wasn't live action. Ugh yes. this.

QUOTE (Joshua Strong @ Sep 2, 2014 -> 09:32 PM) I think Quintana is overrated, I dont see a number 2, I see a 3/4 starter. What do you do when the market overvalues your assets more than you do? You work the market to your advantage and you make a move. Even if that is the case, you replaced this #3 starter that is paid like a #4 starter with a handful of #5 starters that we will need to pay like #3 starters. What have you seen from Brandon McCarthy this year that says "I'd be comfy with him as a #2".

QUOTE (Joshua Strong @ Sep 2, 2014 -> 08:54 PM) No that's whats free agency is for. Im trading Quintana, with the thought that Rodon will take his spot in the rotation some point during the season. I would sign Brandon McCarthy to a contract and he would be my new number 2 going forward in 2015, and I would sign Brett Anderon to a short term contract (2 years max) that is also heavy on incentives, and if he stays healthy and pitches well I would flip him at the deadline. ROTATION: Sale, McCarthy, Danks, Noesi, Anderson. I think this post actually is a great argument for why we shouldn't be so flippant with good starting pitching with good contracts.

Cam is so feast or famine though. At least it feels like it. Some games he'll get 6-7 points for 2-3 weeks, then get 48 with 3 rushing tds and suddenly it all averages out.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Sep 2, 2014 -> 09:43 PM) I still don't see why this is the responsibility of the school though. Kids shouldn't have to be sold on getting an education. If "you'll make X amount more money with a degree than without" doesn't get through to them, I don't know what will. Hell, here in the city CPS now pays for school meals. They have in the past, but now it's being used as a marketing tool. "Get your kid to school and they can eat, for free!" How f***ing sad is that? Move some tax dollars to increase resources for college-prep and college planning at high schools. I can get behind that. But to expect universities - who turn away qualified candidates willing to pay their way - to spend tons of money to basically recruit kids, just for the sake of diversity? Nope. Pass. That's fine if you went to a private school, but I went to a state school and I believe it is their responsibility to make sure they exhaust their resources to make sure as many students in the state have a chance as possible. That doesn't mean that they should allow a kid with a 13 on their ACT, but it does mean that if they continue to raise ACT and tuition to raise their "status" as a university by improving their inputs, than I won't give them a dime. And despite your claims, studies continue to show that students in low income areas do not realize how much financial aid is available to them. They see the sticker price and believe they cannot afford it. It's not that they aren't smart enough to get into college, it's that they do not realize they can.

I don't have a problem with claiming they are diverse, I have a problem with how schools in fundraising efforts continue to show off how hard they try to help out low-income students when in fact they are purposely not trying that hard. It IS more expensive to get those kids, but that where I want my money to go, not a new book store every ten years.

QUOTE (GoSox05 @ Sep 2, 2014 -> 08:14 PM) Troy Aikman and Joe Buck are by far the worst announcers. Maybe ever. Not even close. Not even close.

I just started a twitter handle @siragusagreatjobgreatcommentary to tweet all the wonderful sideline anecdotes I hear from him this season. #trending.

Also I'd like to point out I was wrong about Fales.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Sep 2, 2014 -> 07:16 PM) Wat. NO this is entirely false. Goose is terrible I just heard one of his sideline tidbits of wisdom where he explained to the audience at home that the people at the stadium cannot actually see the computer generated yellow first down line. He has had terrible, but I think he has added an interesting element recently. Look, when people talk non-stop for 3 hours they are going to say something stupid.

I really enjoyed it. Obviously this year there was some more emphasis on the minors from my end, and I hadn't really paid attention to that since 2008 or so. I didn't read every one, however, so I'm not sure if it would be easier to just do a weekly review, but I did read a bunch.

Siragusa especially impresses me. I hated his first year or two, where he'd basically just talk about hot dogs in the crowd. Now he brings in good insight into how plays developed and player body language on the field.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Sep 2, 2014 -> 04:03 PM) This would have been too easy...and in bad taste...but funny I'm going to edit that because I really did not mean to make that joke.

There are a lot of players that played nowhere near as well as Sam against 2s and 3s that are on a team (see Cornelius Washington). But look at Austen Lane, who played pretty well, tough at that level. Still think the cowboys should pick him up