NorthSideSox72

Since its about in the right age range for PA... "I Don't Care Anymore", Phil Collins (when he still played decent music)

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 25, 2008 -> 12:33 PM) And of course...aside from that one simple question that will be on the ballot in November...the results you get always depend on how you ask the question. The American people want new, alternative, renewable energy. Seems pretty clear, and I agree. Going that direction is so obviously where we need to go, I just am amazed at people resisting it. Its the right move for every reason, other than supporting the oil industry.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Jul 25, 2008 -> 01:32 PM) I don't want to sound like a pro-Obama shill, but he knows a lot more about foreign policy than people give him credit for. But that McCain is a wealth of foreign policy wisdom compared to Obama's n00bishness has been decided for us already. Neither are what I'd call experts. I was just responding to this idea that McCain knows nothing, and that somehow that same problem won't effect Obama. This is one of the reasons why I think Obama will likely pick Richardson for VP.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Jul 25, 2008 -> 12:26 PM) We're the much better team and we'll have a chip on our shoulders. Road or not, we're sweeping this series. That's quite the statement. I hope you're right.

QUOTE (Athomeboy_2000 @ Jul 25, 2008 -> 01:27 PM) or the press finally figures out he doenst know squat about foreign policy. I'd say he "knows" more than Obama does, actually. I don't like McCain's policy direction, but, in terms of knowledge, Obama doesn't have much room to talk.

QUOTE (Athomeboy_2000 @ Jul 25, 2008 -> 01:16 PM) The Myth of a Toss-Up Election A Commentary By Alan Abramowitz, Thomas E. Mann, and Larry J. Sabato I wont post the article due to it's length. But here is the key paragraph: There is no such thing as a comfortable lead in a Presidential election, in July. I'm sorry, but, that's ridiculous, unless McCain goes out and strangles some kittens or something.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Jul 25, 2008 -> 01:09 PM) It's difficult to want to read into it when you read the same thing 50 times and then watch a 10 minute discussion on it every night. Only recently can I recall people saying that speculators aren't having a significant impact on prices (it should be assumed unanimously that there is increased demand from Asia, amusingly enough when you read their media they hate that we point this out, as if we were trying to stop it or something). People were saying it all along - just not the majority of newscasters et al. Panic and mayhem sell, and so does an apparently easy solution. TRADERS BAD is an easy solution - someone to blame other than themselves. So, the mainline news folks fed people what they crave - simple, easy, loud, and shallow.

QUOTE (Texsox @ Jul 25, 2008 -> 12:53 PM) I totally disagree that the man is a bumbling idiot. He would have have accomplished all he has if he was truly bumbling and an idiot. I also disagree, although with slightly less enthusiasm, that he is being out"classed" badly. I think once the post convention campaign kicks off, he'll kick ass. This is just idling time. And depending on your definition of class, I believe he has led his life with a lot more class then most politicians. He was royally screwed in 2000 and stayed loyal to his party and the President. Even though he could have returned the screw job in 2004 and won the office for the Dems by joining Kerry's ticket. He may be a lot of things, but an idiot and someone who could be outclassed, no way. I could be wrong, but when Kap said "outclassed", I think he had a different definition than you. Not class, as in, classy. Class, as in, rank. Outclassed, in that connotation, meaning the opponent is beating the pants off you at whatever game you are playing.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 25, 2008 -> 01:06 PM) I really hope it isn't true. Otherwise all of that stuff about a life changing experience from his wife's cancer was the biggest load of s*** since Barry Bonds swore he was clean. That really would piss me off, and I totally would pity his wife. Talk about bad luck. If it starts to look like its true, then I'd be right there with you. Awful stuff. When you are married, your commitment is not one of convenience. When she is ill, all those commitments are tested, and you have to step up. When you are a figure who is trying to engender the public trust in office, you have a responsibility to be a morally solid individual. If he did this, then he broke all these rules.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Jul 25, 2008 -> 01:03 PM) I mean, when talking heads and "experts" talk, it's rare that they are unanimously wrong about something. Well not counting the time when the ESPN panel unanimously picked the clearly inferior Saints over the Bears in the NFC Championship for some reason only to watch the Saints get their asses kicked. The experts were even saying this on CNN and other outlets too, though. I even linked to the article about the Speculators BAD Act, from CNN, which had one expert quoted - and he made it clear, exactly what SS and I have been saying. It was only a graf or two though, buried in the article. Most people don't bother to read into it. They just take the headline and teaser lines, and infer their own truths from it.

QUOTE (kyyle23 @ Jul 25, 2008 -> 12:59 PM) you know whats really sad though? Recently more often than not tabloid rags like the Enquirer are getting this stuff right. We arent seeing "Greg Walker abducted by Aliens" as much as we are seeing "Jamie Lynn Spears Pregnant" or "John Edwards with a mistress and Baby". people doubt and doubt these stories, and eventually the truth comes out. I think the Enquirer broke the story about governor spitzer too It makes sense though, the creepy paparazzi follow these people around night and day and just connect the dots To be clear, I am not saying its NOT true. I'm saying I don't feel confident either way, yet.

QUOTE (sox4lifeinPA @ Jul 25, 2008 -> 11:49 AM) The article goes on to say that the Enquirer videotaped the mistress going into the same room that Edwards had. We'll see if this thing has wheels. It might. And as I am sure people are aware, I am no fan of Edwards. But I am not ready to believe this yet, based on the Enquirer. I'm curious to see where this goes.

I didn't pick KW, I think there are a few ahead of him. But I do think KW has a strong argument. The GM doesn't coach the team, or play on the field. The GM loads the roster. So, has KW been good at putting a very competitive team on the field? Absolutely he has. He's given his teams the right players to be playoff contenders almost every year. That, to me, is a successful GM. What he's not good at, though, is the farm system. No doubt there. I'll put it this way. If a team goes 8 years, wins 2 championships, but has lousy teams the other 6 years... and then there is a team like the Sox, with 1 trophy but 7 competitive seasons... then I personally think that the Sox GM (KW) is better. He gives the team a good shot at the trophy more often. It may be more disappointing to me as a fan, but I put that final result more on the players and coaches. The ball is in their court to "finish the job". Just my philosophy on the matter of what measures a good GM.

QUOTE (sox4lifeinPA @ Jul 25, 2008 -> 11:45 AM) Link Could you imagine if he were the democratic nominee for President? Game. Set. Match. McCain. True. Though, I wouldn't exactly say I'm "sold" on this being fact. We are talking here about the Enquirer, and a security guard who may or may not have even recognized Edwards.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Jul 25, 2008 -> 11:15 AM) Why is it discussed as a fundamental fact by the talking heads on TV, and almost never disputed? I mean, honestly, I didn't know it was all bulls*** until SS2K5 explained it to me in dummy terms. The real story was out there, you just can't listen to the talking heads. If more people turned away from the boob tube for their news, and went to websites and papers and periodicals that actually provide NEWS (as opposed to just flashy commentary), then we as consumers could change the type of news we get.

QUOTE (Athomeboy_2000 @ Jul 25, 2008 -> 11:10 AM) i'd be nice if McCain could figure out the facts about Iraq. i tend to find that a little more important. What does that have to do with this discussion?

QUOTE (bmags @ Jul 25, 2008 -> 11:06 AM) you are absurd, they make the trips for weeks than the day before, on a trip planned to the hour, they weren't even sure if his plane could land on the base. Grow up. Tone it down, please.

QUOTE (Athomeboy_2000 @ Jul 25, 2008 -> 12:01 PM) do you understand the logistic of a trip like this? When you have everything planned to almost the minute, just ditching your plane and staff isnt exactly easy. I understand the argument you are making here, and its true that it would have been a huge headache. However, if Obama was really dead set on making that visit, he (and his campaign) could have made it work. The staff (other than security detail) could have stayed off the facility while he went in. Its not THAT hard to make that work.

Here's a random question about a maybe-free agent. Is Ehren Wassermann a free agent after this season? He's got his minor league time in, plus some major league time, but I'm not sure which set of rules apply here.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 25, 2008 -> 10:15 AM) You may be right...but he didn't have to go along with it. As far as I can tell, the biggest error he made was he put his loyalty to the President above his loyalty to the country. That is the thing I can't excuse and never will. I just don't think he did that. Quite the opposite, actually. If he put his loyalty to Bush first, he wouldn't have taken the stances he did, and then wouldn't have been slowly pushed aside.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 25, 2008 -> 11:13 AM) If he had resigned and said no, instead of keeping all his blow-ups behind the scenes...it would have been almost impossible for the idiots-in-chief to go forwards. I wish that were true, but it really isn't. That war was going to happen, no matter what Powell did.

QUOTE (scenario @ Jul 25, 2008 -> 11:02 AM) CJ played Junior College ball. In fact, played on a JC national championship team I believe. That's why you're missing two years at ASU. Funny this is his primary position prior to ASU was as a pitcher. He was one of those two way players who hit so well the coach would put him in the field when he could. So ASU struggled what to do with him. Pitch? Hit? What position would he play? I read an interview with the ASU coach where he called CJ a classic 'bat-rat' without a position. They moved him around and tried different things. They settled on the idea of making him a catcher (when he wasn't pitching), but he got hurt and missed a signficant amount of playing time, and ended up as a reserve. Then in the NCAA tournament his senior year, the coach said he had a hunch... started Retherford... and CJ turned it on. Had a great tourney. Of course, he didn't get drafted. Because who drafts a guy without a position who missed most of his senior year? But the talent is obviously there. Regarding defense... he's struggled with errors at 3B because he's learning the position, but is likely to improve because he is pretty athletic. He's got the power to play 3B... and the smarts to catch. He even pitched part of an inning this year. In one college game, he both pitched and caught in the same inning. LOL. How can you not root for a guy like that? Then he goes to GF last year and set the all-time Pioneer League single season doubles record. I've heard people say "he was too old for that league". The league average age was 21 and he was 21. Not sure how that was too old. And this year, he's 22 in Winston-Salem. He'll be 23 in Birmingham. And 24 in Charlotte. Not bad. Not bad at all. I love guys like that, who we find under a rock. Undrafted. You really have to like those types. If he can improve defensively, I think he may turn out to be a nice addition to the system. The 2 3B's ahead of him in the stack are Fields and Javier Castillo. I'm not all that impressed with Castillo, who has similar AVG and OBP to Retherford, but no power. Seems like CJ might have a real shot at moving up the system and getting a serious look.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 25, 2008 -> 09:44 AM) http://businessandmedia.org/articles/2008/...0724184650.aspx But I thought Obama was over there bowing to his European overlords? Sorry, I had to.

Edit: CJ was drafted at 21, turned 22 while at GF.

QUOTE (scenario @ Jul 25, 2008 -> 08:54 AM) Retherford went 2-3 with an RBI and a walk raising his season average to .284. Keep it going CJ!!! Ely finally had a pretty nice outing. 5 innings; 0 runs on 8 hits; 6 Ks; 0 walks Retherford is interesting. He seemed pretty damn good for GF last year (1.002 OPS), but many said he was old for the league. Well, now he's been double-promoted to High A, and he's posting an .813 OPS and rising. He's getting stronger as time goes on (.353 and more walks than K's in his last 9 games). His monthly averages haev been .270, .279, .284 and .304. 15 HR and 20 2B in 334 AB's, so he's got power too, especially for a guy who isn't real big (5'10", 190). Not many walks, though. Anyone know anything about his defense? When does a guy who wasn't considered a prospect, become a prospect? sort of a philosophical question. Looks like he didn't start playing college ball until he was 20, which might explain why he was drafted old (22). Did 2 years at Arizona State, also pitched a few games.