southsider2k5

QUOTE (Y2HH @ May 26, 2011 -> 08:27 PM) Are you saying Democrats don't do it without actually saying it? If so, are you that in denial for your party? Can't you just admit both parties partake in this bulls***? Because they do. Anything else falls under "Selective Outrage".

At the end of the day, both party's do this stuff all of the time by stuffing their crap into bills that "have" to be passed. This is simply the latest in a really, really long line of the same old s***.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ May 26, 2011 -> 03:02 PM) Doesn't really explain or excuse the Republicans' tactics of forcing everyone to go along with their terrible policies so that they don't sabotage everything. edit Obama didn't really have the option of not signing this, as Balta pointed out, because Joplin needs the money ASAP. Which, if anything, highlights the sociopathy of the Republicans exploiting a natural tragedy to cut funding for a clean energy program they don't like. It they had any real fear of Obama actually having some spine, they wouldn't do it.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ May 26, 2011 -> 03:42 PM) The guy has been outstanding on the defensive end in this series. If you go back to the beginning of those whole thing that was the point. in this series Miami has bought into playing defense like they never have have before.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ May 26, 2011 -> 03:40 PM) He sure as s*** didn't in Game 4. Complain about Carlos Boozer if you have a problem with that! Where the f*** did I ever say anything about Boozer being a good defender.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ May 26, 2011 -> 03:34 PM) We know Rose works hard because we're privy to all the reports that he worked hard. I'm sure if we had been listening to Cleveland sports radio (God save me from that) or reading Cleveland sports pages (and now Miami) we'd be able to spout off LeBron's ethic. This entire thread has gone to s***. LeBron is a phsycial specimen, both thanks to his physical gifts and his work ethic in the gym. You don't shoot like that without doing more than just simply "lifting weight", and you don't glide at that weight and height with such little injury without training your body to take a pounding with a work ethic that would make every poster here vomit. Questioning LeBron's dedication to his craft is really dumb, and think he doesn't work hard is ignorant. None of that has much to do with how he takes plays off on defense.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ May 26, 2011 -> 02:55 PM) I guess will agree to disagree. I guess it's Aaron Rowand syndrome. Talented guys aren't trying as hard because they're talented. And guys not as talented try harder because they're not as talented. That's always irked me. There are plenty of talented guys who played hard. One that comes to mind immediately is your namesake.

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ May 26, 2011 -> 02:58 PM) I've followed Allen closely over the years and he was nothing like a Borchard or Fields when we traded him. When we first drafted him he was raw and had holes in his swing. But he made adjustments each year and continued to improve. By the time we traded him, he had great strike zone judgement, so I wouldn't say he had a huge risk of busting. The question with him was would he hit enough power in the pros to play 1B. That still remains to be seen, but it's pretty ridiculous to right him off based on 200 ABs, especially if he still might be an OF option. He's only 25 years old and been hitting well in AAA for a second year in a row, even if it the PCL. As for not getting to play in Arizona despite their s***ty situation at 1B, what does that prove about him? We trot Juan Pierre out in LF everyday despite having option sitting in AAA. Does that mean Viciedo is a 4A player? No, it just means our manager and/or GM are idiots. Allen was drafted out of the same town in Texas I spent three years living in when I was a kid. I followed his career with an extra interest just for that reason. Even in the minors he has always struck out at a pace of a K per game. His walk numbers weren't very good until 2010, which according to you doesn't matter because it happened after the trade. They were usually around the once per 10 ABs pace, which gives him 50 to 55ish walks on a full season, which is not "great strike zone judgement" by any stretch of the imagination, especially when combined with his huge K numbers.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ May 26, 2011 -> 02:46 PM) What I'm saying is why are the Bulls supposed to be a harder working team? The Heat had their issues earlier. But it wasn't because of lack of work ethic. It's all about expectations. The Heat were supposed to win 75 games. They didn't. So they weren't trying? The Bulls were the harder working team this season. There are no if's, and's or but's about it.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ May 26, 2011 -> 02:37 PM) I don't understand this. And you're not the only person that says this. Because their three best players are superstars they're less inclined to try as hard as a bunch of roleplayers? Jordan, Pippen and Rodman ring a bell? LeBron's d has infinitely improved over the last few years. Wade has always been a good defensive player. Bosh played for a s***ty Toronto team. So nobody noticed his defensive abilities (think Ron Harper when he was with the Clippers). They have players who routinely took plays/quarters/games off on the defensive end of the ball. It has nothing to do with their relative status in the game.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ May 26, 2011 -> 02:29 PM) Their effort is what has surprised me. I never expected them to match the Bulls in work ethic. 100% yes.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ May 26, 2011 -> 02:19 PM) You're going overboard over 4 games. The stats say they've been pretty good all year. Defensive efficiency is a much better measure for overall team defense because it takes pace into account. And as Badger said, they were 5th. 5th out of 30 isn't elite, that is good. The D in this series has been elite, as in the best.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 26, 2011 -> 02:16 PM) I hate to have to agree with the Republican here, but if the advanced metrics are saying that nothing much has changed about Miami's defense in the playoffs, then I'm never citing an advanced metric again. Honestly I didn't watch the Heat play except when they played the Bulls, so I supposed I could have missed something, but this is a whole other level of defense they are playing than what I saw prior to this. The big difference is that they aren't taking quarters off of playing hard. The Heat would go through long lapses of seemingly not caring about the defensive end of the floor.

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ May 26, 2011 -> 01:45 PM) I honestly don't believe Jordan Danks will ever cut it on this team. He'll get his shot, but I'm sure it won't last. I'm pretty confident that he was only drafted and continues to get the push he's receiving because of his brother. Once John is gone and they are forced to accept the fact that Jordan is no longer of any use at all, he'll be gone. Don't let his lack of development fool you into revisionist history. Danks was going to be a high draft pick if he didn't make noise about a big bonus and/or going back to school. He was top 5 rounds for sure, and many thought top 2 to 3. No one wanted him in the top round.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 26, 2011 -> 02:10 PM) And we want states to be able to tax everyone nationally

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ May 26, 2011 -> 01:48 PM) Southsider, I think you mean the AZ law is the quickest way to cause businesses that employ illegal immigrants to pack up shop and move to New Mexico, Texas or California. Its the price you pay for govt interfering with the supply of labor. Just like SC getting an advantage over Washington because of less union laws, other states will have an advantage over AZ because of illegal immigrants. Seems silly to hurt your own economy. Sure, but I want to see this done nationally.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ May 26, 2011 -> 01:59 PM) I know you're not a huge stats guy. But they didn't lie. Miami has been elite on defense all year. Not just this series. I'm even less of a stats guy in basketball after all of the years I spent broadcasting it. Especially defensively there are plenty of ways to make numbers lie. Miami didn't convince me that they had a commitment to playing D during the three games the Bulls played them during the regular season. Sure they could turn it on when they wanted to for a stretch here and there, but nothing really sustained the way the Bulls do. That has changed in the playoffs. This is as good of a defensive series of basketball as I have seen since the defensive rules changed because of Michael Jordan.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ May 26, 2011 -> 01:47 PM) I think you're being overly pessimistic about the Bulls' chances going forward. And I'm Mr Doom and Gloom. This year they are done. Next year I will wait and see what happens to the cap first, and then what moves the Bulls make in the off-season. I think this is a team that will be better next year, but there are a lot of balls in the air as to what next year will look like.

QUOTE (whitesoxfan99 @ May 26, 2011 -> 01:43 PM) That has been almost entirely because of the level of defense Miami plays. It isn't like the Bulls are getting and missing a ton of open looks, just about every offensive possession lately has been a struggle for the Bulls to get a good look at the basket. Miami's defense has been the thing that shocked me about this series. It has been other-worldly this series. I don't know how Spoo got them to buy into it, but it is working.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ May 26, 2011 -> 01:41 PM) I'm debating whether I want to even watch the game tonight. The last 3 games have resulted in me going to bed and laying there angry for several hours, not being able to fall asleep. And the chance of seeing Douche James celebrating after a victory nauseates me. I'll flip to it between innings. The series is over in my mind.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ May 26, 2011 -> 01:36 PM) I was going to suggest not being able to launch yourself at the catcher, similar to what Cousins did last year, especially since no pads are being worn, but I don't know that that's a good fix either. It's a tough call any way you look at it. If they are going to allow a player to block the plate, you have to give the runner a chance to unblock it.

QUOTE (bigruss22 @ May 26, 2011 -> 01:35 PM) I wouldn't be surprised at all if a reliever was all that was offered for Pena, but Kenny missed out on Pena, who just flat out sucks. To me they obviously saw something in Pena they thought they could fix. This was still when we were training with Arizona, so it was almost like getting free scouting trips into their camp every year. I have no doubt that Cooper saw something he thought he could do there.

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ May 26, 2011 -> 01:15 PM) You are assuming we shopped him and took the best offer. Do you really think KW went around to every team and said what will you give me for Brandon Allen? I think it's much more likely that KW wanted Pena and the asking price was Allen. Why is that so hard to believe? Also, I find it humerous you are using his current situation to dictate his value back then. How many prospects live up to their potential? Not many, but that's why they are prospects. You are gambling on their future. Therefore, what Allen has done lately doesn't change what scouts were projecting for him at the time of the trade. That's what his value was based upon. Are you telling me scouts thought he'd be 4A back then? Otherwise, him being a 4A player now doesn't change a thing. I have no problem thinking that Kenny looked around to see what was out there and what it would cost him. It makes a lot more sense than just assuming he took the very first offer he got for a trade. Actually I am telling you exactly that. There was a school of thought in the scouts that Allen had too many holes in his bat ala Borchard and Fields. It is seemingly turning out to be true, as he hasn't even been able to stick in a place that has a bad 1B situation. Plus you unknowingly justifying this deal when you talk about how prospects usually turnout. If there is a big risk bust, you can't hold their value at what their potential is, because of the very real chance of a bust. Especially in a hitter of the Allen-ilk, the bust risk is higher than normal. You can't fairly make the argument that he has a big bust risk, and he has a big trade value. One effects the other very directly.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ May 26, 2011 -> 12:48 PM) SCOTUS upholds AZ law that punishes employers http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/05/26/scotus.arizona.law/?hpt=T2 A system that ends the incentives for businesses to stop hiring illegal aliens is the quickest way to fix immigration in this country.

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ May 26, 2011 -> 12:42 PM) I never said he had all this value. I just said he had more value than most of our minor leaguers at the time. Do you not agree? Like I said, I have no idea what his worth was to other GMs, but I do know what he was worth to us, since he was top five or six prospect in a system that was very top heavy. He was one of our better trade chips and we used that to get an underperforming relief pitcher. I didn't feel that was the best way to use the asset. I would have held on to him until I had a larger, more important need and hoped to use him as a second or third piece. My arguement is simply over the allocation of resources. People get pissed about Teahen's extension because they feel the money could have been used in better way and agree with them. Here, I think Allen could have been used to fill a better need. I honestly believe that Pena was one of KW's guys and he overpaid a little to get him. You are setting a value for him, while claiming you didn't know what his value was. If the guy is a 4A player at best, how is he worth more than a reliever? That very well could have been the best value for Allen as an asset. Unless you know somewhere that the Sox were offered a better player for him, you can't really assume he was worth more than what we got for him, especially when has not been able to stick at the major league level and prove that wrong.