TaylorStSox

QUOTE (fathom @ Jun 2, 2015 -> 07:29 PM) A designated hitter who's forced to play the outfield for next two years. It won't be pretty, just have to hope he doesn't hurt himself. I wish he hit enough to be a DH, but he never will.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jun 1, 2015 -> 09:38 PM) Where was this inspirational speech 2-3 weeks ago when it was really needed the most? Just for the fans, timed for the prime attendance months of June/July/early August? Lord knows inspirational speeches help you hit a baseball better. It's just like football, you just have to try harder.

QUOTE (Jerksticks @ Jun 1, 2015 -> 07:04 PM) But you know JR, KW & RH all work together and like working together. So why say something like that? U mad bro? ?

If KW is still making all the decisions, Hahn is too soft to even deserve the job.

QUOTE (onedude @ Jun 1, 2015 -> 05:31 PM) John sends the boat back to the Ship. He tells the guy that is steering to unload and come back for him and wait...I've watched it 3 times, and it's noticable. I'm thinking that the Ramsey attack happens to mess with their supplies. Stannis out of desperation sends Mel, Selyse, and Shereen back to the Wall with soldiers so they don't have to worry about food etc...That's my assumption on how Mel gets back to "raise" Jon. I wonder if she burns Shireen to save Jon.

QUOTE (bigruss22 @ Jun 1, 2015 -> 09:52 AM) Speaking of Jon Snow and coming back, he'll need Melisandre around for that, so how does she come back to the wall? Does Stannis send her back pissed about wanting to use his daughter? Does Stannis get defeated in the next episode and she returns herself? Does she see a new vision that makes her think that Jon is really Azor Ahai reborn ("all I see is snow")? Mel sees something in her fires and has a stunned look in the episode preview. My guess is that she sees 'Snow' and returns to Castle Black.

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ May 31, 2015 -> 10:19 PM) Easily one of the best episodes in the series and a game changer when it comes to the White Walkers. They've always been the real threat, but until now we didn't really know how serious of threat they are. The Tyrion/Dany stuff was also great. Lots of foreshadowing in the episode. I found Tyrion's comments on Varys particuly interesting ("he's the only person I can trust"). The show has done a good job convincing viewers that Varys is actually good, but book readers obviously have seen a much grayer version of the character. IMO, it's all but certain Varys is not a Dany supporter after watching that scene. Also, did anyone catch that Doran scene in the preview for next week? He's telling someone to pledge allegiance or die. The question is if it's Jaime or Bronn. If Jaime, seems like they could be setting him for a Jon Connington type role. If Bronn, he may be filling a Dark Star type role, although it seems late in the season for that. Will be interesting to see how this Dorne plot plays out. It could be Ellaria too.

Full of spoilers for the people that read the books. "Jon Snow always comes back."

That was the best episode of TV I've ever seen. All of it.

I wonder how many Tigers fans there are in Chicago. I literally know more people that grew up in Michigan than Chicago.

QUOTE (ChiSox_Sonix @ May 26, 2015 -> 02:36 PM) For what purpose? Laughter.

QUOTE (bmags @ May 26, 2015 -> 12:44 PM) Man, the Dorne stuff is so bad it seems beyond redemption. I've never seen this show do worse character introduction and development than with the Sand Snakes. That scene in the jail was like something out of a Starz show, not Game of Thrones. And all of the "wink" and side-eye glances in the cell, "oh here she goes again" crap. Andy greenwald made a point that the shooting of this show is so intense, they can't be at every set and basically what they shoot is what they get. I wonder if they got the Dorne stuff and were like "crap, well, we gotta make it work". I wonder if it is just poor writing, or horrible execution by the director. It has been just so campy. I seriously think it's intentional.

I guess I don't take this stuff as seriously as some of you. Obviously I'm a huge Sox fan but I don't let the results of games affect my mood in real life. I don't hate the Cubs. I'm just indifferent. I really don't care how well they're playing. It doesn't affect me. I'm a fan of a baseball team, not a member of a club or gang. I have no reason to care about them.

QUOTE (illinilaw08 @ May 21, 2015 -> 09:36 AM) This is a direct quote from an interview with one of the producers: “The difference between the Ramsay Snow of the books and the show is the Ramsay of the show is not a famous psycho. He’s not known everywhere as a psycho. So Littlefinger doesn’t have the intelligence on him.” I think that's the most insane part of all this. Littlefinger NOT knowing Ramsay's reputation is not fathomable in either universe. And it's that lack of knowledge that sets this entire arc in motion. The article with the quote is linked here: http://www.ew.com/article/2015/05/17/game-...amsay-interview You seem like a dude that's just going to be content to nitpick.

The Boltons need her alive too. It's the same reason they came up with the fake Arya plan. All this comes from Martin. They're just replacing Sansa for Arya (fake). As far as the progression of Sansa's character, the world isn't so black and white. Everyone has setbacks. Sansa's rape was a setback on her path of empowerment. Jamie raping Cersei was a setback in his path to redemption. This is basic life s***. I'm surprised more people don't understand this. People don't instantly change.

QUOTE (illinilaw08 @ May 20, 2015 -> 03:55 PM) On number 1, when Sansa made that decision, she was escorted by Littlefinger and Knights of the Vale. But more to the point, the producer's quote was in a response to a direct question about the rape. Marrying into the Bolton family may have fit the quote, but the rape scene doesn't. On number 2, book Littlefinger certainly cares about Sansa. Now, admittedly book Littlefinger and show Littlefinger are two separate entities. But when asked about Sansa being left with Ramsay, the producer's response was that Littlefinger didn't know about Ramsay's history. That answer makes no sense in the context of who Littlefinger is - a cautious guy who knows everything. More to the point, however, Sansa is more than a pawn. She's the last remaining Stark (that Littlefinger knows of). If he's gunning for Warden of the North, he needs Sansa to help him hold the North. Littlefinger has no allies in the North (other than the Boltons who he necessarily needs out of the way). The Knights of the Vale aren't going to be an occupying force in the North. Just like Lysa and Robin Arryn were the key to Littlefinger gaining (and maintaining) control of the Vale, Sansa is the key to Littlefinger gaining and maintaining control of the North - a huge need for Littlefinger if his ultimate goal is the Iron Throne. Leaving that critical asset in a situation where she is surrounded by enemies - including a dude who has been flaying people all over the North - without so much as a bodyguard or a scant amount of research regarding the guy he's marrying her off to is so out very out of character. Littlefinger knows most people in the North are still Stark loyalists. By riding in with the Knights of the Vale and saving her, he is given legitimacy. The story has been the same from the beginning, he's playing everyone off one another while slowly gaining more power. He's Lord of Harrenhall, Warden of the Eyrie and, if he has his way, Warden of the North. He cares about nobody other than himself. The Sansa rape was a plot device that moves several pieces of the plot ie Sansa, Theon, Littlefinger, The Boltons and, soon to be Jon Snow.

I really did retain much of what I read when Dorne was introduced. I thought it was boring and didn't really care for any of the characters. The Quentyn subplot has to be the worst in all the books. It's boring, nonsensical and doesn't go anywhere. I got the gist of Doran's plan and that was enough for me.

I think a lot of book readers hate any deviations. This year, there have been 2 major ones resulting in beloved characters being seriously altered. Sansa was raped and Selmy died. With Sansa, it was a lose/lose situation. They can't introduce Jeyne Poole and have her be raped by another secondary character. It's too late in the series to introduce those type of secondary arcs. It's also probably the catalyst that compels both Sansa and Theon to change. It really didn't bother me. They've already shown the rape of a younger main character in Dany. That was far more graphic and some people think it's part of a "love story." Both Sansa and Dany will be shaped by those incidents. I'm not going to judge these deviations until we fully see how they affect the main storyline. It all might make sense in the end. I still can't figure out if the Dornish plot is supposed to be comic relief. It's so campy, it comes off almost like satire. We can argue over whether we think the writers are good, but it's clear the entire production staff knows how to shoot a scene or 2.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ May 20, 2015 -> 09:04 AM) If you play him at 3B, he's just as bad if you take last season into account. Maybe he's better at 2B, but that can't be confirmed. He's a hell of a lot better than Micah Johnson. Just watching a game or 2 will tell you that. Just watching an inning and seeing their footwork will tell you that. I know that's not what this thread was about, but my god, that was a stupid trade.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ May 20, 2015 -> 08:58 AM) He's hitting well, but everyone complaining about defense would have a hard time with him and his 15 errors at SS. I'd never play him at SS.

Can we just get Semien back?

QUOTE (ChiSox_Sonix @ May 19, 2015 -> 12:29 PM) She's either going to play the role of Mance, the hooded stranger or Mors Umber. Or some combination. I'm guessing Mance. It's going to really interesting when Stannis catches them. Talking about ASOIF on a device that autocorrects sucks.

QUOTE (bigruss22 @ May 19, 2015 -> 10:21 AM) "Rule" is a pretty loose term there, he essentially gave it up to go fight in the North, barely any men are there now. Even if he did have a stronghold there, he doesn't have many ships left and isn't exactly close to it. While he could get the supplies up there, it would take quite a feat to accomplish that. Highgarden never took it though. Didn't they stop the seige when Lords was "killed?"

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ May 19, 2015 -> 08:27 AM) Stannis is good? Really? If there's any non Stark that's consistently done what's "good for the realm," it's him. He also happens to be the rightful heir. I think he'll die soon, but he's certainly not an antagonist.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ May 19, 2015 -> 08:23 AM) Perhaps you're right. Maybe there's a subtle shift in the storytelling selections on HBO (to cast her in a more favorable or positive light), but one would be hard-pressed to imagine they're going to change her from a villain to a hero or vice-versa and go against the books. Metaphorically, her children are the dragons. She doesn't really need a heir, in that sense. You could also argue that there's a subtle shift for all leaders when they give up trying to be loved by all the people and realizing sometimes that fear is a more effective tool to have at your disposal. How many great leaders were universally loved and admired and never had to get their hands dirty somehow? In my opinion, none of the 7 families have improved the conditions of their territory/people very much. And you have the loyalty of Sir Baristan Selmy, Grey Worm, her other lover/protector and finally Jorah Mormont....not to mention the Dorne party that was out to win her affection/s. Selmy - stood by and watched Aerys burn thousands and did nothing. Jorah - turn cloak slaver that chose exile over the Black. Dothraki - Heartless savages that rule no lands and do nothing but rape and pillage. She's really allied herself with "good" people.