Rex Hudler

Wonder if Kelly is the gambling type?

I'm sure this is not 100% complete, but here is a good reference article from ESPN on all the arbitration news and early signings. Arbitration Roundup

For a $30 donation, you get a copy of the ESPY speech. I did it a few years ago. I remember seeing it live and have seen it probably 35 times since. I try and watch it at least a couple of times a year. Helps put certain things back into perspective. I still get chills every time I watch it. Jimmy V Donation

When watching her on the show, I noticed that they are real and they are spectacular!

drink recipes, perhaps.......

PBEO costs something like $175-$200 to register. I am surprised you aren't participating, considering the proximity.

Basically all you could do is roam the hotel and hang out in the hotel bars. You would see lots of name guys from GMs to managers to agents to media types. A fan would not have access to much unless you registered with the job fair and purchased tickets to some of the events. Access to the media room is very limited and not available to the public at all. Registering for the job fair PBEO at www.milb.com, gets you into job posting rooms and allows you to turn in resumes for available jobs (most of them are internships). I believe they have seminars on Thurs. or Fri. for job seekers. It would also get you access to the Trade Show. There are two other events, the annual Gala and Banquet and the Rule V draft. None are open to the public, but tickets to the Gala and Banquet could be purchased if part of the job fair. Neither would be particularly fascinating for "Joe Fan." Officially, they are not open to the public, but no one could stop you from hanging around the hotel lobby. That is about as far as you would get. That help? Winter Meetings Info

How long until Gillen gets fired? Man, he has falled a long way...... I really thought he was going to be one of the great ones.

People will arrive Wed night or Thursday.

Worth the read..... Gammons chimes in about steroids, right and wrong, the player's union, greed, etc.... Gammons - espn.com

I think Boras knows or at least feels, that the Sox are not serious players for Maggs, healthy or not. And I agree. Even if healthy, I think it is a mistake paying Maggs 20+% of the team's total payroll, which they would be doing if they got into the figures he would be getting if he were healthy. I like Maggs and think he is a very good player, but I do not think he is a carry-a-team-on-his-back-make-$15 million-a-year kind of player.

I'm not so sure Texas is underrated. I think they are too one-dimensional offensively. I'll go on record now that Michigan will beat them. Hey, Brian, I do have a question about Michigan. What happened to Matt Gutierrez? All I heard was he was supposed to start the opener and suffered a shoulder injury the week before. Was it a long term injury? Did he ever get healthy? Chad Henne did a good job, especially for a true freshman, but surely Gutierrez didn't lose his job without missing a big part of the season? Gutierriez was pretty highly regarded as well, was he not?

It's a quote from Bull Durham........ also good advice for all on some occasions.

Don't think. It can only hurt the ballclub.

I don't feel ill will toward Maggs for one reason. Yes, it appears Maggs made a mistake by opting to go the free agency route and turning down the Sox offer. But let's keep in mind that about one year ago, the White Sox were very publicly trying to get rid of Maggs. I have no doubt he that doubted how much he was wanted in Chicago. Those seeds were planted and even though the Sox offered him a contract, I'm sure at that point he had made up his mind to explore other options, options where he may be wanted more. I know trades are part of baseball, but when you are all but traded in a very public manner, it has to hurt. I think there were similar circumstances with Nomar, which is why I discount the talk of Nomar being a "problem". All that said, I can't see any way the Sox offer Maggs arbitration. Maggs would likely get at least $12-$13 million in arbitration, if not more. This team cannot afford that if they want to make other changes. Maggs is a great player, but is not worth 20% or more of a team's payroll.

They may lose, but not for that reason...... Williams and Brown are as good as ever. Auburn's defense was excellent yesterday except for the 3rd quarter yesterday. I've seen Auburn play all year and they are NOT "slowing down".

That's because you say it with such eloquence.

I don't think Louisville is overrated either. They had one bad half this year, and unfortunately it came right after they destroyed Miami for a half. Louisville is very good. I think on any given day, Louisville or Utah could beat the big name teams. That doesn't mean they would do it every day, however. I would not be surprised to see Auburn lose to Virginia Tech. VT is another team that has come on strong late, and there has to be some disappointment with Auburn over not playing in the game a couple of days later. I know Auburn has "something to prove" and they may very well do that, but I think the chances of somewhat of a letdown are just as good. That will be disappointing, because Auburn has a very good team.

In a way, Auburn is getting screwed too...... To further prove themselves they would like to play Utah....... or even Cal/Texas. That said, Pitt has really improved. Don't be surprised if they beat Utah.

A prominent leader in intercollegiate athletics, Roy Foster Kramer became the sixth commissioner of the Southeastern Conference January 10, 1990. Kramer retired as SEC Commissioner in June, 2002. Among many accolades and achievements, Kramer is regarded as the architect for the Bowl Championship Series postseason format. He served as coordinator for the BCS in its first two years, before handing over the reigns to ACC Commissioner John Swofford.

Frank Solich expressing interest in IU football job....... FWTW

Another thing I think that is somewhat ironic about this year's situation with three undefeated teams...... The team that will get left out (Auburn) belongs to the conference (SEC) whose former commissioner (Roy Kramer) is credited for creating the BCS in the first place.

drunk or lonely?:??

My thought is there is no system that will work for every scenario... some years there will be two undefeated teams and picking 1-2 is easy...... others there will be more, or 1 or no undefeateds to go with 4 or 5 one loss teams...... personally, I say just play the damn bowl games on New Year's Day and get the football season over with a bang...... I hate dragging it on with games on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th...... Just let me overdose on games one day and move on to basketball! If we have a split national championship, who the hell cares!!!!!!

not really....... he was always taller and lankier..... I am short and stocky...... but hey, at least I am slow and can't jump This was like when we were in grade school..... we played on an 8-ft goal in a friend's driveway........ Not a bad basketball town..... Calbert Cheaney and Walter McCarty both went to the same HS he did..... my HS sent 3 or 4 guys to smaller D-I programs.... Chris Lowery, head coach at Southern Illinois also went to the same HS....