Rex Hudler

Chuck that is an excellent observation and often very accurate. Aside from potential durability issues with Gonzalez, I don't think that is the case here. The Sox were dealing with depth, having other young starters (Liotta, Broadway, Tracey) and are pretty well set at the big league level, with McCarthy ready to step in. I think the bottom line is the reason you got the players you did, is because Philly gave up so much cash in the deal. If the Phillies don't pay as much of Thome's salary, the quality of the players you get goes way down. I've seen Haigwood, but not Gonzalez. I really liked Haigwood as a pitcher. He may not have ace potential, but he flat out knows how to pitch and his stuff is good enough. Cerb, despite the stats you quote, that is just flat out wrong. Haigwood made 5 starts at the Hoover Met and six on the road. He was 4-1 with a 1.13 ERA on the road, definitely indicating his success was not "homemade". The two starts I saw him make did not give any indication the park was any factor at all. When you are buckling knees, making guys swing and miss with the bat flying, and getting weak swings, the park factor is nil. I noted last year that I felt Brandon McCarthy was helped by the Met, giving up lots of deep fly balls that died at the Met warning track, but that was not the case with Haigwood.

Haigwood is potentially, and I stress that word, a Mark Buehrle type pitcher. Good control, throws strikes, knows how to pitch. His change isn't as good as Buehrle's and he doesn't have the cutter as an out pitch like Mark does, but his breaking balls are better. He threw a more traditional 1-7 curveball and a hard breaking ball like a slider. Both were every good pitches. I'm not sure how to find it, but I went into pretty good detail about what I saw when he first pitched in Birmingham this year. I think it was in a game thread, so who knows where it is. If someone can find it, I think it would appropriate here.

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Nov 23, 2005 -> 05:22 PM) I got to be honest, I got zero problem with TO the player. In fact, I'd sign him to a 1 year deal and take my chances. I'd tell him if he played well and kept his mouth shut (don't talk to anyone) that we'd think about offering him a long term deal. But I don't hate TO. Jason, Jason, Jason, what am I going to do with you? Will you never learn? We have discussed "attitude" players many times and you haven't seen the light yet. I figured after this season for the Sox, the light bulb would have come on. Think about it. Do you really think a player like TO would have fit in on the White Sox this year? Do you think Ozzie would put up with all his crap. Simple answer, HELL NO. Team chemistry, while not the only thing that matters, DOES matter. Guys like TO can bring a team down. Yes he is a great player on the field, but trouble follows him. There is a reason for that. Run while you can Jason. Learn from the 2005 White Sox. Learn from the New England Patriots the past few years. Just learn it, my friend!!!

I'm somewhat surprised at the low number of people that got shares/cash from the Sox. The Sox paid less people than any of the 8 playoff teams, and less than HALF the Cardinals paid. It's the players money and they can do what they want with it, I'm just, at least on the surface, surprised they didn't share the love a little more.

QUOTE(He_Gawn @ Nov 22, 2005 -> 12:57 AM) Indiana looks VERY VERY good. We are also playing without our best player, DJ White, our leading shooter, AJ Ratliff, and our 6th man of last year, James Hardy. Good lord we have some SERIOUS depth. The depth is extremely impressive. Most I have seen from an IU team in as long as I can remember. Question is, will the primary players play well enough together when the good teams hit the schedule? I don't expect them to beat Duke, but I would love for them to be competitive. I'd love to see what happens with Kentucky. Having no more than 2 losses going into the Big Ten would be perfect. Still lots of work to do. Can't assume anything.

One would think that they would try to categorize the cities in terms of size. Comparing big cities like Detroit, Atlanta, New Orleans, Baltimore, etc. to smaller cities/suburbs doesn't tell me a whole lot. On that note, I am mildly surprised that Birmingham is on that list. I do know that murders/homicides are up this year fairly significantly over the past few. There are some bad areas here, but by and large it is a very nice place to live. I mostly stay out in the burbs, but the downtown and southside areas aren't too bad at all, as long as you pay attention. But that is like any decent sized city.

Just catching the end, but Gonzaga handling Maryland with a minute and a half to go.

Greasy, you around or at the game? Do I see DJ White getting minutes tonight? I am looking at a halftime boxscore (IU up 49-32) and he is in the box score. Only 1 shot attempt, though. Also, why didn't Killingsworth play much in the first half? Is Davis just that confident that he is screwing around with lineups? It looks as if he started Wilmont (fresh off a suspension) and Ben Allen.

QUOTE(aboz56 @ Nov 21, 2005 -> 12:07 AM) I'm done talking to you about this, Hud. Come talk to me in March. You aren't talking about it anymore because you know you were wrong. Pure and simple. That said, Go Big Ten! EVEN Michigan State ;-)

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Nov 20, 2005 -> 05:11 PM) So, the 40-man deadline has passed, and the Sox still have 39 people on their 40-man roster. Does this seem a little weird to anyone? Why would you not use all those slots to protect prospects, if nothing else? Is this a typo on MLB, or does it hint at something else? Any ideas, anyone? Very simply, so they can add another player, whether it be via trade or free agency. Also keep in mind that the Sox own free agents, namely Thomas and Konerko, are not counted on the 40-man at this point. Putting a Minor League player on the 40-man and then taking him off shortly after can be a bad move. It is easier for a team to take a player off of waivers that is being taken off the 40-man than it is to select him in the Rule 5 draft.

Oh, and by the way, I am willing to bet a ton of money that Killingsworth is a better player than Scott May. May is 51 years old for heaven's sake. Surely he has lost a step or two!

aboz, I don't get it....... you were the one that started with the smarmy comment about Killingsworth and downplaying IU's win over Nicholls St. All I did was post that IU won and that Killingsworth had a great game, and to look out for him as a great player in the Big Ten this year (which he WILL be). YOU brought up the Scott May comparison. YOU pooh-pooh'd the win saying it was only Nicholls St. Yet you don't expect Greasy or I to defend that? Give me a break. This whole thing started with you, yet you act like you are above us. If you want to take the banners away and talk present history, then let's do so. IU is 1-0 and Michigan State is 0-1. Nothing else matters because this is a new year and the rest is all history. Michigan State may well end up being better than Indiana this year (and they might not), but that was NEVER the point. I'm calling a spade a spade here... the elitist, "we're better than you" attitude started with you, not greasy and not me. Now please excuse me while I go back to enjoying a nice win in the first game of a season I am very much looking forward to enjoying. Here is the very beginning, just in case you forgot:

GA Tech beats Miami, which is nice....... Fresno hanging with USC for now, anyway

QUOTE(ilsox7 @ Nov 19, 2005 -> 09:41 PM) Michigan has been fairly pathetic all year. Led by Chad "I can't hit an open reciver" Henne. Chad "I can't hit an open receiver" Henne, hit 25 of 36 today. Guess he didn't live up to his name, huh?

QUOTE(aboz56 @ Nov 19, 2005 -> 08:55 PM) Why do we need a quote from Nicholls State's coach. It's Nicholls State. First off, he's not better than Scott May. May scored 26 in the national title game on the last team to go undefeated in college basketball. Killingsworth will be lucky if he ever plays in a Final Four, considering this is his last chance. He might be pretty good, who knows, I haven't seen him that much. I just wouldn't go wild over him after one game against Nicholls State. And if he was All-Sec or whatever at Auburn, that doesn't matter much to me given SEC's tendency to get beat like a drum the past few years in the NCAA tournament. Most overrated conference year in and year out in the land. Only team that consistently ever does anything in the tourney is Kentucky and they even had their embarassing moments (UAB two years ago). I'm gonna get a little wager going with greasy on whether or not he can outperform Davis when they play MSU. I'll take Davis over him as of right now as the best big man in the B10. Also I have Augustine second as of right now. The guy is a D-I Head Basketball Coach. Who cares if it is at a small program? Do you not think he knows good talent?? Or are small school D-I coaches just stupid?? I never said he was better than Scott May. By the way, are you even old enough to have seen Scott May play? You haven't seen Killingsworth, nor May, so I am not sure where your "expertise" is coming from here. I have seen him play Aboz and he is a legit player. If you want to challenge that, then we'll wait until the end of the season and see who is right. But let's get over the "it's only Nicholls State". Whether it was Nicholls State, Duke or the Little Sisters of the Poor, the fact remains that someone that actually has seen him play, coupled with his previous credentials seems to trump that weak argument.

QUOTE(aboz56 @ Nov 19, 2005 -> 11:43 AM) Again, Nicholls State. Let's see what happens in East Lansing and at Champaign before we call him the second coming of Scott May. Considering the guy is a senior and has been an All-SEC player, I think it is reasonable to call him a great player. I really liked him 3 years ago before IU was ever in the picture, so there is no bias. The guy can play and will likely end up First (or at worst 2nd) Team All Big Ten. Nicholls State or not, perhaps I might just be right and don't need East Lansing or Champaign to judge his talents? All that said, greasy, let's not go crazy here with "Marco Killingsworth > Scott May". Killingsworth is a special college player, but May was about as good as they came and was a two-time All-America. Lastly, a quote from Nicholls State's head coach

QUOTE(Heads22 @ Nov 19, 2005 -> 05:17 AM) It's on now, b****. you better punch harder than that, you pansy

QUOTE(Heads22 @ Nov 19, 2005 -> 05:07 AM) I know where you live...... Alabama. It won't be tough to go from there. And bring your weak-ass Big 12 Football with you!!

QUOTE(Heads22 @ Nov 19, 2005 -> 05:05 AM) Enough Rex Hudler! Don't start with me

Enough about Iowa State! Bring on OSU-Michigan and Alabama-Auburn!!!!!

Hoosiers win opener easily....... Killingsworth shows he is a dominant player. Look out Big Ten, the kid can flat out play. Killingsworth's line: 28 pts, 13 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 blocks and 2 steals Hoosiers Trounce Nicholls State

Just the way you two do it bothers me, sorry. Michigan sucks! OSU blows! Screw that, both are excellent teams and it should be a great game. Discussing the merits of a game without acting as if your team (meaning anyone's team) walks on water would be more appropriate, but that's just me. I only quoted your post because it was the most recent. It was probably the best as far as pointing out facts of the exchange, so I'll give you that. I was venting more at the way you guys seem to go at each other. I've said my piece, carry on.........

QUOTE(THEWOOD @ Nov 13, 2005 -> 09:02 PM) You also may want to recheck your stats. PASS DEFENSE G Att Cmp Int Pct. Yds Avg TD Yds/G ------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. Ohio State.......... 10 323 192 6 59.4 1986 6.1 7 198.6 2. Michigan............ 10 323 182 10 56.3 2027 6.3 10 202.7 3. Penn State.......... 10 356 199 11 55.9 2049 5.8 9 204.9 4. Indiana............. 10 274 152 6 55.5 2104 7.7 14 210.4 5. Minnesota........... 10 343 187 6 54.5 2343 6.8 12 234.3 6. Illinois............ 10 278 179 4 64.4 2348 8.4 25 234.8 7. Wisconsin........... 11 389 198 14 50.9 2708 7.0 21 246.2 8. Iowa................ 10 359 225 8 62.7 2487 6.9 15 248.7 9. Michigan State...... 10 358 219 8 61.2 2589 7.2 24 258.9 10.Northwestern........ 10 366 217 16 59.3 2764 7.6 15 276.4 11.Purdue.............. 10 366 219 11 59.8 2991 8.2 21 299.1 TOTAL DEFENSE G Rush Pass Plys Yards Avg TD Yds/G --------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Ohio State.......... 10 787 1986 646 2773 4.3 15 277.3 2. Penn State.......... 10 922 2049 730 2971 4.1 18 297.1 3. Michigan............ 10 1379 2027 681 3406 5.0 19 340.6 4. Iowa................ 10 1214 2487 753 3701 4.9 23 370.1 5. Minnesota........... 10 1528 2343 701 3871 5.5 29 387.1 6. Indiana............. 10 2068 2104 694 4172 6.0 37 417.2 7. Michigan State...... 10 1623 2589 716 4212 5.9 37 421.2 8. Wisconsin........... 11 2036 2708 808 4744 5.9 34 431.3 9. Purdue.............. 10 1433 2991 772 4424 5.7 33 442.4 10.Illinois............ 10 2218 2348 688 4566 6.6 49 456.6 11.Northwestern........ 10 2108 2764 777 4872 6.3 38 487.2 How about you two kids just chill until they play?? It should be a great game, but the puffing out of your chests, spouting stats is a bit much.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Nov 11, 2005 -> 03:18 PM) Do you think the curtains match the drapes? Smooth hardwood floors would be my guess. Carpet is so 80's!

Theoretically a playoff will begin next year with the "+1". Unless they have monkey brains, they will have to seed the teams and play 1 vs 4 and 2 vs 3 or else it won't make sense. But the fact they added a 12th regular season game this year, all but kills the chances for an 8-team playoff. To do so, they would need to cut the season down by a game and once you put that revenue of the 12th game into place, there is no way they will take it away. I, for one, have no problem with the current system. I also had no problem with the old system either. The whole college football season is basically one big playoff. It brings excitement every week. Every game means something. People talk and argue about which teams are better, which makes it great. The only change I would make, is to scrap the BCS formula and have the bowls (top 4 teams) be chosen by a selection committee, similar to the basketball tournament.