watchtower41

Pretty interesting article on the Jayhawks trips to Hilton. Very cool coincidence that the Hawks don't win the Bog XII unless they win @ Ames.

QUOTE (Heads22 @ Feb 9, 2009 -> 03:37 PM) When ISU was good, you have to admit it made for some epic matchups in Hilton and Allen Fieldhouse. You may have hated us, but they were great games and both arenas got ridiculously loud. I used to remember to loathe the day when the Jayhawks had to go up to Hilton. I don't think the Cyclones will ever be able to replicate/recover from the Floyd-Eustacy era. Matter of fact, I remember one game I think my frosh year in 96... KU was #1, Iowa State was #4. Both teams were ranked in the top 5-10 for home and away match-ups. I miss having a real rival in the BIG XII North.

If and/or when CQ hits mainstream popularity in the sports world/collectors world, this is his specific rookie auto card that will take off and be the most sought after. Only 199 of them out there, you can bet your ass this will be a $200.00+ card if the kid continues the havoc he started to create last year... Just hoping he took in an anger management seminar or two in the off-season. http://cgi.ebay.com/2004-Bowman-Sterling-C...bayphotohosting

Wise>Owens. Every day of the week, except on Sunday. Owens is a football player.

Well, I called my rep.... the response was... "oh, sorry about that.... there was a lot of emails that never got sent out." Outstanding PR coming from the Sox these days.... seems like they could give 2 s***s about the fans these days. The Sox would be lucky to only have a 10% decrease in attendance this year with this kind of service.

Been a split-season ticket holder for 5 years and didnt even get an email password from my rep this year... then again it's the 6 (sixth) time our rep has changed in the past 2 years. One would think they would reach out to their long-standing ticket clients with this great economy and all. F the SOX this off-season!

QUOTE (MHizzle85 @ Feb 5, 2009 -> 07:45 PM) Only question about Frank & the HOF is if he's gonna be 1st ballot. Of course we are going to be biased here... but I don't see any reason why he wouldn't be a first ballot. He was the most feared hitter in the league for the better half of a decade, and arguably the most raw talented player Chicago has ever seen (on either side of town). The mere fact the man never touched a steroid in a period where he was the minority and still put up those number speaks volumes. All the whines and demands will always be remembered here locally for the awkward ending, but the national perception of him will always be positive, writers, experts, historians will want to make an example out of him by seperating him a part from all that was bad with baseball in the 90s. Edit: Just thought about if Frank does INDEED retire this year, he would go in with Maddux. All be damned if I was not to get to Cooperstown that day.

Are people really thinking here that there is even a remote chance that he accepts that on first go?? I'd give about a 4.3% chance.

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Jan 30, 2009 -> 02:21 PM) Yeah, pretty much. Unless you believe Wise's 3-31 slump and horrible defense over the final 10 games of the season totally outweighs a brief hot streak over a 9 game span in which the Sox had a losing record. Having Wise go 0-12 in that big Twins series (0-9 leading off) at the Metrodome sure as hell didn't help matters. We didn't win any of the Twins games, but I hear ya there... Wise has always been the reason why we couldn't win in the Hump Dome. I also find it funny that the Sox would rather trot out this " $200K 30 year old minor league journey-man" everyday in the middle of a heated pennant race over the savior in waiting, Nick the Swisher. Hell, even Ozzie can admit Swish would be a much better defensive option than Wise... yet there was no playing time to be found for Nicky in September. BA wasn't an option because we all know that Ozzie absolutely refused to put him in Left. People are b****ing about Wise's OBP, did Owens have anything above that all year until very late in Charlotte? The Sox sure were anxious to get him up here. I'll take a veteran that knows the game over a young hack that is digressing and would not even have had a shot in this league if it wasn't for his legs.

QUOTE (Jenksy Cat @ Jan 30, 2009 -> 02:03 PM) haha Did you watch any games other than the 3 Wise had a HR in? Claiming that Wise, a 30 something year old career minor leaguer, won us the division is the most ridiculous thing i have heard all day. Congrats. So you're basically saying no matter who played LF after CQ's injury Owens, Wise, Swisher... it was inevitable that we were winning the AL Central? I also realize that the least favorite Soxtalk player is the starting lead-off hitter, so this whole thread is not gonna get us anywhere.

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Jan 30, 2009 -> 01:59 PM) Quentin punched his bat after falling off a pitch. That what the media was told to spin. Insiders will tell you much different.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Jan 30, 2009 -> 01:44 PM) The fact that his hot streak came during a pennant chase was extremely convenient. Which I was happy about by the way. Wise is just plain not good... 2008 had to be a magic carpet ride for him. Convenient for CQ to save him from scrutiny by almost giving away the Central for smashing his hand into a locker/wall whatever. I'd like to think Wise was actually a better player when he was starting and knew he would be everyday. We don't win the division last year without Wise. period. Owens would not have been capable of that spark. I'm not calling him an all-star, but sometimes journeymen need to find their niche. Wise never played scared... he plays smart.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Jan 30, 2009 -> 01:27 PM) He's a career minor leaguer whose bat got hot for a while at a convenient time. Convenient?? I didnt know pennant chases were convenient. Nobody on our team was hitting after CQ's dumbass injury except for Wise. I'm not saying he is the fastest foot for CF. But at least he is an veteran that understands and knows how to play the game. He is a baseball player, something Owens clearly is not.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Jan 30, 2009 -> 11:52 AM) Wise as a starter? Is that a joke? I was figuring it would be an Owens/Anderson contest for CF. I cannot believe we are talking about Wise as a potential starter. I don't even think he's a good 4th OF - I'd rather give Cook a shot. Actually he was one helluva 4th OF for us last year, if you can remember he was one of the main spark plugs that delivered us a AL Central Crown last year after CQ went down. I'd be one to think that Wise is oozing with confidence right now that he can fit in with this team, we already know he has a better bat than Owens. Expecting more in the starting CF/Lead-off position is one thing, but to think Wise is completely useless on this team in nuts.

All these political figures are great and all... but when can we get Oprah over to the Cell?

QUOTE (Sonik22 @ Jan 29, 2009 -> 03:22 PM) Good Luck Juan. You'll always be one of my fav's which is why i have a WS signed ball by you! He is one of the only ones I need for the complete starting roster. He's never been to Soxfest (big surprise) did you meet him or ebay?

Whenever I will think of Juan Uribe, I will forever think about Game 4, Bottom of 9, 1 out. That catapult into the stands was nothing short of amazing coming from our own Taz Devil. If he had the name Jeter on the back of his jersey, that play alone might have got him an entire wing in the HOF. I will miss you Senor Juan, just not when you dip down below the Mendoza line. I don't blame you though, I know you think its warmer down there.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Jan 29, 2009 -> 12:27 PM) What other splashes has Williams made this close to Soxfest other than bringing in Kenny Lofton? I'm talking like January 25th to February 15th, the time pitchers and catchers report, because I simply don't recall any moves he's made this late in the offseason. Given, he's never had the quality free agents this late in the offseason either, but that's beside the point. Well technically speaking for late December too, which would include the Danks deal, and of course last year with Swisher (actually that might have been early Jan) I believe Iguchi signed with the Sox the week of Soxfest in 05. So more leading up to Soxfest rather than pitchers and catchers.

KW has been known to make a splash right before Soxfest, perhaps a coincidence, but I just don't see anything shaking down this year...at least right now

QUOTE (tonyho7476 @ Jan 29, 2009 -> 09:15 AM) Hey oh....do you need wristbands too? Do you take your own photo? Or do they take it and charge you for it? Yes, you need wristbands for these sessions as well.... though these are not as precious as the auto wristbands, nevertheless, for the more popular players, the wristbands will all be allocated. There is no additional charge, a staff member takes a photo with you and the player with your own camera.

QUOTE (tonyho7476 @ Jan 28, 2009 -> 11:39 AM) What are the shenanigans? cheating.... It's not hard to obtain more than one wristband at once. I've seen kids from age 5 to 55 do this. People will also "camp" out all day in front of a specific room until they start handing out wristbands for the player they most want to see. Like I was saying last year, wristbands for Jenks and Konerko were gone before the show even officially opened to the public on Saturday (they had to let some people in because it was too crowded in the hallways and staircases from people waiting all night)

QUOTE (Steff @ Jan 27, 2009 -> 02:51 PM) **IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING WRISTBANDS FOR AUTOGRAPHS** SoxFest 2009 - Autograph Session Wristband Policy • To assist with crowd flow at SoxFest, colored wristbands will be utilized for each autograph session (a different color for every session). • The number of wristbands for each session will correspond with the number of autographs listed in the program for each session. • Wristbands will be issued at each autograph booth on a first-come, first-serve basis for each session. • Wristband distribution for future autograph sessions will begin when the line for the preceding session has reached capacity. • To enable the greatest number of SoxFest guests the opportunity to obtain an autograph, only one wristband may be obtained per guest at any one time. Multiple wristbands will not be issued to any one guest. • Guests with more than one wristband at one time will be denied autograph privileges and all wristbands will be removed by a White Sox representative. • Once a guest receives a wristband, he/she may not obtain a wristband for an additional session until they have received an autograph from the current session and a White Sox representative has removed their wristband. • Wristbands will be removed by a White Sox representative upon arrival at the specific autograph booth. Guests are welcome to try for another wristband for a different autograph session once the first band is removed by a staff member. • The correct colored wristband will be needed in order to access an autograph line. • Guests with a wristband for any particular session must be in line no later than 30 minutes after the start time of the autograph session to be guaranteed an autograph. • The transferring of wristbands, along with line jumping will result in loss of all autograph privileges. Thank you for your cooperation! Still no changes=Disaster. You'd think they would learn a thing or two. For those who are going for the first time, and obviously the autograph schedule is not out yet, but lets say Big Jim is signing at 2:30p with a couple of sessions before him... plan on getting over to that line for a bracelet at 10am. People will always try the same shenanigans with this system.

QUOTE (The Critic @ Jan 22, 2009 -> 12:10 PM) That wasn't a surprise either. He likes Jurko and he doesn't like Harry. McNeil kind of rubs me the wrong way. I don't necessarily think he's a bad guy or anything, but he's too Coppocky for my liking. He was a Coppock "understudy" so it's probably natural that it would rub off on him. I think what you said here is even more evident with reading this article than the way he conducted his show. He was always meant to be the cocky one, but somewhat reserved. In the article however, it sounds like he would have quit if he would not have been fired.... sorry Mac, I don't buy it.

QUOTE (rangercal @ Jan 23, 2009 -> 03:11 PM) Q Konerko Thome Dye Lexi Danks Floyd Jenks Arguably our 5 best hitters and 3 best pitchers. I don't understand what you mean. I can only think of 2 Notables not attending Buehrle and AJ Those are the names most fans want to see. Everyone else are just fillers. There will be some interesting seminars next week. I hope everyone questions KW about this payroll situation. Considering AJ and Burls are usually there, and looking at the below par list of past players... the list is just not as juicy as it has been in the past several years. No Ventura, Fisk, Hurt (though he hasn't been in sometime), Thigpen, McDowell.... Even with the young prospects/rookies/acquisitions.... Fields, Beckham?, Flowers? Lillebridge? Betemit?

even with the addition of Alexei, that has to be the weakest list of attendees in recent history. Better start lining up early for the inevitable Jerry Owens/Dwayne Wise session.