whitesoxfan101

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Mar 8, 2010 -> 11:14 AM) Andres Blanco (Backup IF, out of options) sprained a knee and is out 2 weeks or so. They'd REALLY be rushing Castro to start him on the Cubs this year, even if he's as good as everybody says (and obviously, we have no idea if he is or not.) I think they'd be smart to start him in Iowa, even if Blanco is out for longer than they think. As for Linebrink to the Cubs, come on now, I don't even think they are that dumb. If they call about it though, obviously answer the phone and be nice.

I'm way too excited about JDanks2 and Mitchell right now. When one of them (or both) is inevitably traded, I'll have to talk myself off the bridge. Unless of course, they bring a big return.

QUOTE (SoxAce @ Mar 9, 2010 -> 01:25 AM) I was gonna not say anything regarding that (usually it seems more younger players get called out, than the vets who do it.. I.E. A.J., Dye when he was here, Castro, etc.. etc.. [Konerko is just naturally slow]) but you just had to make a post like this. Every spring, they yell at some kid for not hustling, Kenny and Ozzie make a big deal out of it to make it look like they care (they really don't, watch the veterans during the season), Cowley/Gonzales/whoever writes some fluff piece on it, and some people pretend to care while others laugh. Same s***, different spring.

QUOTE (kapkomet @ Mar 8, 2010 -> 07:17 PM) I doubt Texas wants to trade Hamilton... next. And if they do, it's either due to the fact that he's an injury machine or is having trouble staying on the wagon so to speak (aka he's damaged goods.)

I love how Ozzie and Kenny enforce hustling on some guys and not others. Have to pick your people to be in the doghouse I guess.

QUOTE (whitesoxfan99 @ Mar 8, 2010 -> 07:16 PM) Uh oh, Felix is going to be upset. Damian Johnson doesn't even make the Big 10 all defensive team and Kramer won defensive player of the year. I guess flopping all over the place and fouling people on every possession is the key to being defensive player of the year. If you're white and you do that, you're a lock to get a lot of love from the media anyways. As for St. Mary's, they might have taken somebody's spot by beating Gonzaga tonight, but Lunardi had them in as an 11 before tonight's game (not among the last 4 in either), so it would have been very close.

QUOTE (SoxAce @ Mar 8, 2010 -> 11:59 PM) I found this very interesting.... That's definitely interesting. While it is possible Peppers will just dog it and/or suck this year, and thus the Bears would use that clause, I think it's more likely they put that in the contract in case they miss the playoffs again this year and want to clean house among the coaching staff and front office. If that is done, I see no reason why they'd keep Peppers around (unless he has a REALLY good year, and if he does, I'd expect them to be in the playoffs), and now we know they have an out.

QUOTE (SoxAce @ Mar 8, 2010 -> 03:57 PM) I'm willing to give them time as I think they know they have to address it. At least knowing Williams is in LT, Manumaliuna as another OL/TE sort of speak, and Kruetz will be at C (not to mention having surgery, so he'll be healthy for the first time in 3 years) is nice to know though I like Beekman alot at C too. Garza will be one of the G I believe (probably our best O-Lineman last year, though that is not saying much at all), we'll see after that. I don't believe we'll see Omiyale/Shaffer at RT and of course we need another G. I think Garza and especially Olin are washed up, which are my biggest worries with the line. I still kind of like Beekman and Williams though (as long as Williams is played in position, which he will be), but the line as currently constructed will not work with this offense. An upgrade, maybe two is needed.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Mar 8, 2010 -> 03:47 PM) Getting Peppers, plus Urlacher back will help the secondary out a lot. The O-line is just scary right now. Yeah the defense has a couple of guys that either could really help or be major albatrosses. I definitely don't trust Tommie Harris right now, and I have a hard time trusting Brian Urlacher. Even if he does stay healthy, he'll be 32 years old next season, which is of course ancient by NFL standards.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Mar 8, 2010 -> 08:44 AM) Boy going into next season with essentially the same O-line as last year could pretty well negate any gains they spent on free agents. Yeah they are going to still need a good draft, and not only a good draft, but a good draft in which the players contribute as rookies. The Bears deserve a lot of credit for the free agent moves, but the offensive line and secondary are still major issues. I think between having Peppers to get a pash rush and having SOME draft picks that the secondary problems can be addressed, but it's going to be hard to fix this offensive line. Manumaleuna (I'm sure I spelled that wrong) blocking and having Taylor should help the run game, but the Martz offense can't function unless the QB has time, and that still seems like a big problem right now.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Mar 8, 2010 -> 03:24 PM) They did a great job with giving in an Indiana field house feel, while still being able to get 18k in there for a game. Plus that area of Indy is loaded with stuff to do. Hmm sounds good. I know that area of Indy has a ton to do, and I love the Indiana Fieldhouse feel as I've been to a bunch of games over at Hinkle.

QUOTE (mr_genius @ Mar 8, 2010 -> 12:52 PM) What has he done/said that is extremist? I did a quick search and all I can find is basically that he is form downstate and he wants to cut spending 10% across the board. Yeah southsider's link gives you an idea of what he believes, if you go to his wikipedia page, it has more of his political beliefs (with links to support him saying what he believes too, so it's not just wikipedia lying to us.) Additionally, I have a friend that worked for him and she has all kinds of horror stories. I'm not sure I can really vote in good conscience for either gubernatorial candidate.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Mar 8, 2010 -> 08:47 AM) That is such an odd set up for a conference tourney. It really kills the idea of an upset winner. That's exactly why I like this tournament besides obviously it's high level of play. Although I enjoy watching conference tournaments, the whole idea of them really isn't fair because you are determining your representative for the NCAA Tournament based on a few days of games rather than a couple of months. This isn't generally as big an issue in power leagues as it is in the smaller leagues since the top 4 or 5 teams are going to get in anyways though. However, I still prefer league tournaments like this one and the Horizon League which gave major preferential treatment to the top teams as a reward for a good season.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Mar 8, 2010 -> 08:46 AM) Conseco is a great place to see a basketball game if people have never been there. It is 10 times the venue that the UC is. Yeah I have never been there, was going to go last year for the BTT but had to cancel right before the tournament. I am looking forward to it.

QUOTE (fathom @ Mar 8, 2010 -> 01:59 PM) If they lose to Wisconsin, they're out. Their RPI is awful, and with 13/14 losses and losing 5 of their last 6, they'd have no shot. Obviously. If they lose to Wisconsin, they'll be 18-14, and their RPI (which is currently 75) will probably drop since it's a neutral game. I'm still not sure how they can even be in if they just beat Wisconsin, since if they do and lose to Ohio State, they'll be 19-14 with an RPI in the high 60's at best. They also have neutral floor losses to teams 99, 100, and 156 RPI, a road loss to 117 in the RPI, and a home loss to 78 in the RPI. Combine that with 5 losses in 6 games, and I honestly don't fully grasp how they are even close to in the tournament. Even two of their quality wins are against Michigan State without Lucas and against Wisconsin without Leuer. However, it seems like they'll be in with a win over the Badgers since the bubble is even worse than usual. QUOTE (whitesoxfan99 @ Mar 8, 2010 -> 02:24 PM) Probably but the bottom of the bubble teams are truly awful. Here is Lunardi's current last 4 in, first four out and next four out. Also, RPI is a truly awful tool that I wish the committee would do away with. There are much better indicators (Kenpom, other statistical rankings) of a teams quality than RPI. Last Four In * Memphis * Arizona State * San Diego State * Illinois First Four Out * Washington * Seton Hall * Rhode Island * Ole Miss Next Four Out * Dayton * UAB * Mississippi State * Minnesota Can you really tell me any of the teams below Illinois are clearly more deserving. You could argue just about all of those teams belong in over Illinois. You could also argue Illinois belongs in over all of those teams though. That's why the bubble is such a mess every year, the last few spots are being fought for by anywhere from a dozen to 15 crappy teams that are hard to distinguish. The tournament could use a reduction in size more than an expansion, because there aren't really 65 teams that belong in it, and that's true every year. The reason I say Illinois is for sure out with a loss to Wisconsin is 6 losses out of 7 to end the season is impossible to overlook, even if the last 12 games aren't as important anymore as the body of work, plus somebody is going to step up in their league tournament and/or somebody will be upset in theirs to allow a 1 bid league to get a 2nd bid, 2 bid league to get a 3rd, etc.

I can't believe Pittsburgh is the #2 seed in this thing after everything they lost following last season. Jamie Dixon has to be a strong consideration for national coach of the year.

QUOTE (MexSoxFan#1 @ Mar 7, 2010 -> 11:16 PM) Wow, 5 goals in one period is ridiculous. Yeah, and on 10 shots too. A 50 shooting percentage is lousy defense in basketball, let alone hockey.

QUOTE (3E8 @ Mar 8, 2010 -> 12:08 AM) I get the feeling he won't be needing a wingman Yeah he's more likely to need to a bodyguard to protect him from stalkers than anything else. Some movie I've never heard of won a bunch of Oscars tonight, as usual. Also as usual, I have no idea what it's about, but i'd assume there are political reasons behind why it won a bunch of awards since this is the Oscars. I'm glad Sandra Bullock won though, that's the only reason I had it on.

I have faith that the goalie clusterf*** will be addressed this summer. That doesn't do us too much right now though, and trade Kaner for Ryan Miller? Huh?

With the exception of day 1, this should be an awesome tournament. It's usually the best conference tournament in America, and I see no reason to think it'll be any different in 2010.

I will be at Conseco Fieldhouse Thursday and Friday. Either way, I will be there in person to see the fate of the Illinois basketball season sealed, because I think it's pretty cut and dry win and in, lose and out Friday against the Badgers. As for the tournament, the only team I could see beating Ohio State right now is Wisconsin. I'm hoping they don't get the chance though.

Bill Brady is the official GOP nominee for governor in Illinois. I firmly expect another term of Democratic control in Executive Mansion with that in mind. Not sure how you get an absolute extremist right winder elected as Governor in a dark blue state, no matter how messed up the government has been in it. I really have no use for either candidate, but this is Illinois, so having 2 crappy choices for a political vote isn't a surprise.

QUOTE (WHarris1 @ Mar 7, 2010 -> 04:30 PM) I suppose. I just don't even really know what to say at this point, such an outrageously disappointing finish to the season. This has to be one of the mentally softest/weakest teams in America. Well, their two starting big men are absoultely soft, couple of wimps. Then you have McCamey, who is a mental midget (he had quite the meltdown down the stretch today), and additionally you have a somewhat inconsistent freshman in Richardson and a wildly inconsistent one in Paul. It's just a weird team.

QUOTE (WHarris1 @ Mar 7, 2010 -> 04:25 PM) Yeah Wisconsin again on Friday, awesome... It would be better to be lower than the 5th seed just to add a win against a subpar team on Thursday Well if Illinois were the #6 seed instead of the #5, they'd play Penn State. Penn State has shown itself to be dangerous lately, so that wouldn't even be a sure thing.

QUOTE (WHarris1 @ Mar 7, 2010 -> 04:22 PM) Not that is really matters but won't they be playing their first game on Friday? No you're right, my bad. I think they play Wisconsin again.