Balta1701

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Jan 2, 2012 -> 11:22 PM) Exactly. Wtf do the Padres need CQ for? He'll negate any offensive value by playing league-worst defense in one of the biggest outfields in the nation. He'll hit fewer homeruns (maybe 20, unless he plays a full season for the first time in his career) and they'll have to pay him $8m to do all of it for a third or fourth place team. And they gave up two pitching prospects for that right. I'm no CQ hater, but the Padres are probably one of the worst fits in the MLB for him. Because the Padres have a couple things few other teams have. They have no one in their OF anyway, so they aren't blocking anyone by picking up an injury prone OF. They might win a few games with him, which is always a nice thing. And since they aren't blocking anyone, they can afford to play him for 1/2 the season, see if maybe he plays well enough to establish he's healthy, then try to move him at the deadline for no real loss if he actually does stay healthy. No team actually in competition was willing to take the chance on penciling him in as an everyday player for $8 million then find out that he gave them 1/2 of a season.

Only a 56 point first half it appears.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Jan 2, 2012 -> 06:28 PM) If this is the case, then the Bulls REALLY have no shot. If your best player can't consistently get to the cup and either get to the line or get your 'mates open shots, you're done. I chalked up last year's performance to Rose being extremely young and possibly not being 100% physically. But if he can't beat LeBron off the dribble, sorry, they have no chance. And that's a guarantee The issue is...if Rose is being guarded by Lebron, he won't be able to get to the hoop, but that means that Deng, Noah/Boozer, and now Brewer/Rip don't have to have lebron on them. That should create a huge matchup problem, particularly for whoever has to guard Deng, that the Bulls would need to take advantage of. Adding that extra shooting, which hopefully they have added, would spread the court out and make it much more dangerous to keep Lebron on Rose.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Jan 2, 2012 -> 05:49 PM) I don't believe any eastern conference team can beat Miami. I never said they couldn't be beaten. You're still trying to rationalize last year's loss (Noah was hurt, Korver couldn't shoot, etc) and saying the series was close despite losing in 5 games. Though there's no mention of Wade's uncharacteristic bad shooting series, Haslem being rusty after missing 70 games, Mike Miller being a non-factor with the wrist injury, etc. The Bulls have bigger upside than Miami because they're younger? The Heat's entire starting 5 is 29 and younger. The depth is overblown. And the Heat have the same "deep" playoff experience. Wade's bad shooting series was caused by the same thing that Rose's bad shooting series was caused by...incredible defense by the opposing team. And although Haslem was rusty, he also basically single-handedly won a game where the Bulls didn't expect him. You can go back and forth on this for both sides. Hopefully we get another conference championship test to see.

QUOTE (MexSoxFan#1 @ Jan 2, 2012 -> 05:41 PM) I would also like to add that Cole looks good so far but in no way way is he going to nullify the Bulls PG advantage, I'll take a risk and say Rose>>>>Cole. You have to remember that Rose was 22 last year and never went that deep in the playoffs before, he can take LBJ on, he'll be more aggressive this time and attack him instead of taking fade away jumpers.Let Rose develope, kid is still learning the game and has been improving every year. I'd say that Rose actually made a mistake by trying to take Lebron on, he can't do that. The guy is almost as fast as Rose but is also half a foot taller and what, 75 pounds more? He needs to be able to go to other people if Lebron alone is going to try to shut down Rose.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Jan 2, 2012 -> 05:14 PM) So let's put an asterisk on the Bulls Christmas day win. No Bynum. And apparently the Heat have to win every game by double figures. Gotcha. Well yeah, if you want to ask how the Bulls are performing this season, that is a legit asterisk. Unfortunately, we have 5 games so far to evaluate these teams on this season, and the Heat don't seem remarkably strong compared to last year...outside of that performance against Dallas on opening day.

Well, there's 1 win for the big 10.

But that same Heat team has had major fights against Boston (sans Pierce), Charlotte, and Minnesota, which they really shouldn't have had.

The Wisconsin Badger just did the discount double-check.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Jan 2, 2012 -> 04:30 PM) I never said the Knicks were definitively better. I said they had a case. And only time will tell. But who cares. Neither can touch the Heat. Last May I'd have agreed with you, at least about the Heat. Then the Finals happened, and the Heat were thoroughly outplayed by the Mavs. If the Mavs can outplay the Heat that completely, then the Heat are not untouchable.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Jan 2, 2012 -> 04:33 PM) I'd draft the best available player on the board. They need help in a lot of places still. Now that Barkley isn't coming out this year, and Luck and Griffin will be long gone, I don't know that there is a QB you really want to put your fate in. The Tebow situation is really delicate. The fans love him, his teammates love him. He's so freaking smooth with the media...its going to be difficult to unseat him unless you do it with someone that just completely eliminates all debate, with the media, with the players, with the fans, etc. IMO, Elway has a really difficult task ahead of him. What I would say is that I don't think they can find a QB at that slot which will take them another full level upwards...but they definitely need additional depth at the QB slot. With their situation, they could probably gamble on one of the guys in the 2nd or 3rd round to add depth at the spot, put him on the bench and work him for a few games, where if Tebow repeats his last 4 games in the first 4 of next season, maybe you pull the plug once he's 0-4.

QUOTE (MexSoxFan#1 @ Jan 2, 2012 -> 04:26 PM) Draft...no team would let a capable QB go FA and Tebow is just not an option. So, right around there, you're looking at maybe Landry Jones on the board, maybe Ryan Tannehill still as QB's that could be around with a first round grade. Do you look at either of those and say "This guy is going to take my franchise to the next level"?

The Bulls fans are long-suffering? Seriously?

Oh Crikey....

QUOTE (MexSoxFan#1 @ Jan 2, 2012 -> 04:13 PM) If that happens, and Elway would be an idiot to let it happen, they could easily go 3-13 if they are dumb enough to let him start every game. I don't know if that can win a super bowl, but if you fortify the running game with an extra back and add in a possession WR to help bail out Tebow, Denver's formula ought to be able to put out a decent number of wins.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Jan 2, 2012 -> 04:01 PM) No way in hell it is over, he gets next season as full time starter. Im not saying it is justified, but it will happen "Tebow led the Broncos to the playoffs" will be the rally call. And it will be that largely misinforming statement that will get him next season. If you were in John Elway's seat and you had a pick around #21, an 8-8 team, and the option to do whatever you wanted without the fans killing you, would you draft a late first round QB, would you sign a FA, or would you go with Tebow?

QUOTE (chw42 @ Jan 2, 2012 -> 03:56 PM) I felt like Peavy was a victim of untimely hits last season. I think fWAR is a lot more indicative of the talent he still has. I wouldn't call them "Untimely", I'd call them "incredibly predictable". Once he got to 75 pitches, he fell apart. Had some bad starts, but people hit .358 against him wiht an .860 OPS after 75 pitches. He got to 75 pitches and he was ready to come out. He just had a manager who refused to see that. Man, this guy's stats are ridiculous. On normal, 4 days rest last year, Peavy gave up an OPS of .896. On 5+ days rest, it was about .670. It's almost as if he was recovering from an injury and would tire easily.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Jan 2, 2012 -> 03:19 PM) Amen, Dick Allen. To the rest of the world, this is the Sox dumping an all star for 2 nobodies in a salary cutting maneuver. I'd love to be KW with our fanbase. Most any trade is acceptable to many if it involves guys they've never heard of. The unknown is alluring to many. I prefer name players who have a track record. Quentin could rake. And when he tried using that rake on leaves, he'd pull a muscle and be in rehab for 4 weeks.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Jan 2, 2012 -> 03:02 PM) If it weren't for Jay having so many different coordinators already, I would cheer for Turner to be fired so they Bears could hire him as their OC. Of course, then the Bears could hire them as their HC, have had both of Jerry Jones's coordinators as HC's, and go another 5 years underperforming.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Jan 2, 2012 -> 02:59 PM) Possibly Chargers. I almost want to see them hold on to Turner. I don't know that fanbase that well, but a number of fanbases would riot at that.

QUOTE (mr_genius @ Jan 2, 2012 -> 02:47 PM) Challenge accepted. Find them. I suppose somehow you won't count having him be a medical doctor but not believing in Evolution. Or at least not believing in it all the time.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Jan 2, 2012 -> 02:25 PM) Ron Paul. I win. I'm betting I can find cases of Ron Paul hating groups that Ron Paul belongs to.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Jan 2, 2012 -> 02:08 PM) Yeah, they're on the decline, actually. The injuries are starting to catch up with them. The Saints and Giants seem to be fairly close to their peak while the Packers are on the downslope. I'd like to add that the Falcons are playing their best ball of the year, too. I think the Saints may just beat Green Bay in the NFC Championship. Serious question...wasn't the Packers D quite a bit more banged up last year than they are right now? Can anyone give a reason why that Packers D would be much stronger last year?

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Jan 2, 2012 -> 01:36 PM) Unless I was the Yankees, I wouldn't be willing to offer that contract. 4 years for $40 million seems like a reasonable contract to me, but I'm sure he'll get more than that. I woudln't offer that as the White Sox either, but the White Sox don't need pitching. He'd be a big addition to the disasters that were those Boston or NYC rotations, and then there are a bunch of others who could use a righty who takes a lot of innings.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jan 2, 2012 -> 01:21 PM) I was going more towards the second half. As soon as you can point out for me the person Ron Paul has not expressed hatred towards in some fashion, I'll become embarrassed.