Gregory Pratt

Lovitz hasn't been funny since The Critic, but I'm glad he had fun pummeling Dick.

QUOTE(Milkman delivers @ Jul 18, 2007 -> 12:40 PM) Aww, I liked having the longest active thread on Soxtalk. We'll get it back.

This is what I wrote today. Knowing Better Chris Benoit’s toxicology report is out, and with it comes either silence in the media or a renewed wave of nonsense, depending on whether or not the press decides to continue shouting half-truths and lies. Here’s the news, before the commentary, as it should be. This is somewhat redeeming for WWE: he was on testosterone, which is in its own way a type of steroid, but he wasn’t on any other steroids, and it’s entirely possible that he was taking it for other reasons, so much so that Ballard won’t out-and-out say, “This is steroids,” because it isn’t. There are two points raised by the toxicology reports that I have comment on: if Nancy was drinking, and Benoit was on drugs, doesn’t that make the likelihood of a big domestic blowup blowing up worse than expected (or wanted) likelier? And if Benoit sedated his son before killing him, does that mean this isn’t what it seems? Like I’ve said for a long time, I believe that there was a domestic dispute, Benoit killed her without meaning to, panicked, and then decided to take his son’s life and his own for reasons I don’t know. (There are a variety of things that could’ve happened. Is it possible that Benoit decided he didn’t want his son to live without his family, or with his father in prison, or in group homes, and decided that he’d take his life as well? It certainly wasn’t a contemptuous murder, if he spared him the pain of asphixiation.) There’s still more to be wondered about, of course. The Bibles are a very disturbing part of the story that nobody talks about and there’s been no explanation for, particularly since Benoit had contempt for organized religion. But now we know, conclusively, that “roid rage” isn’t responsible, and the rest is up in the air. I’d like to think we now know that prescription medicine needs to be reformed. That the media needs to be reformed. That a wrestler’s schedule needs to be reformed. I think those are things we should now know, but I know better than to think we all know that now.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Jul 18, 2007 -> 12:01 PM) the underperforming of basically everyone on the team falls on KW? Am i missing something? 1. Do you have any criticisms of Kenny Williams at all? 2. I think the Overexpectations of Kenny Williams falls on KW.

I will say this, also. I'm being sarcastic I'm all for free speech, but I'm also very much into "having a clue what the f*** you're talking about," and Sheffield doesn't fit that, IMO. I do appreciate people who have something worth saying, even if it's unpopular who speak out a ton -- Ozzie, in baseball, is one; Truman, in history, is another -- but no, Sheffield hardly qualifies, and I'm just teasing.

I don't begrudge him his right to be an idiot, and I don't begrudge him the right to say what he feels like saying. I say God bless him because often, people say something controversial, everyone goes nuts ("How dare he!" "He owes us an apology!" "Poop mouth...!") and then the person says, "Oh, I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have said what I thought because it bothers you." Sheffield doesn't play that, homie. I just wish he were smarter, and had something worth saying, but the fact that he says what he thinks and feels without fear is admirable in its own way. I just wish he were smarter!

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Jul 18, 2007 -> 10:48 AM) Please, as a favor to all of us, let's all try NOT to say ANYTHING about the plot, storyline or characters in the 7th book for a little while yet, since basically no one has read it. Or, maybe start a seperate thread for those who HAVE read it? Just a thought. Yeah. I like the last idea. BTW, I don't think I said anything about the plot, storyline or characters. I was referring to quality. And everyone knows the last chapter's an epilogue -- that's VERY common knowledge as she's said it for years and years and years. But no, I had and have no intention of spoiling it and don't think I did. I'm just clarifying.

Steff, I don't understand why he drugged the boy, but it raises interesting questions. There have been theories that Benoit killed his wife in a domestic dispute, regretted it, wondered what do I do now? and then decided it'd be for the best if he killed his son so his son wouldn't have to live without his parents. I've never liked the Mercy(in-his-eyes) Killing theory, but if he drugged the boy with Xanax, it might make more sense. (My personal theory has been: Domestic dispute, didn't necessarily mean to kill Nancy, lots of drugs and concussion = a man who has lost it, and then he kills his son and himself for reasons I don't know, whether they were to avoid responsibility, "save them" or just because he wanted to die and his son to die. But I've never really bought the "OMG MONSTER PLANNED TO KILL EVERYONE WHAT A BAD MAN!" theory. It's not that simple. This wasn't a case of a man just saying, "f*** it, I'm going to kill them. I hate them." And considering the history of violence between Nancy and others -- not just Benoit abusing her, but her abusing lovers, ie Kevin Sullivan -- I really believe the case starts to clear up a bit more. Domestic dispute. And Benoit loses it. Anything else is implausible, IMO, and him pre-plannign doesn't fit. Who knows? His drug report's interesting. I really do wonder if he was dealing drugs/steroids, though.

It wasn't meant to be green. He says some very stupid things, and I think he's an idiot based on everything he's ever said, but he says what he wants to say and he doesn't let anyone censor him. I appreciate that he doesn't let anyone shut him up -- not the PC crowd, not management, not people who simply disagree with him or the people who think he's an idiot. He speaks his mind without fear. He's straightforward, and for that I say God bless Gary Sheffield. More people should be like Gary Sheffield. Except smarter.

Except the epilogue, which is crap crap crap crap. But I've just been told about it.

Book Seven is very good...or so I've been told......

I appreciate Sheffield for speaking his mind.

Ichiro's the best hitter in baseball. People always talk about his inevitable decline as he gets older because of his legs, and there's certainly some truth to that concer, but they're missing what truly makes Ichiro special: bat control. Ichiro could hit more homers if he wanted. Ichiro could do a lot of things, if he wanted. What Ichiro wants is to get well over two hundred hits a year and play Gold Glove Defense. Ichiro is most definitely a "special" player. Ichiro's the most unique player in the game, and I have difficulty believing that he isn't the best all-around player in the game. He's most definitely top five and has been for a long time now. And then when you take into consideration the attraction he is at the ballpark, he's a huge player to have.

QUOTE(BHAMBARONS @ Jul 14, 2007 -> 02:41 AM) Like the show I watched tonight Man of the Year if someone comes along that is not afraid to stand up for what he believes in, he would win in a landslide. You've got to be kidding me. The American Public doesn't want someone who is unequivocal about what he believes in because everyone has a stupid view. We all believe in something stupid or controversial. None of us are ever complete and absolute about what we believe and why. But let's say a guy steps forward talking about 90% of what he truly believes and stands up for it -- he'd be Barry Goldwater. He'd be Robert Bork. Michael Dukakis. George McGovern. Howard Dean. It simply isn't good Presidential politics. That sort of thing is better suited for the House of Representatives. The last time we had someone willing to stand up for what he believed in was Truman. He was about 100%. Before that, we might've had Hoover in the White House as an example, but he lost re-election when he refused to do anything about the Depression. The point is, it doesn't work.

This has got to be a joke.

QUOTE(BHAMBARONS @ Jul 14, 2007 -> 02:46 AM) And it goes both ways, He will not be welcomed back into Phoenix The hatred for him in Phoenix is still at a very high level. Why'd you guys hate him? Because he hated you guys and demanded the trade?

QUOTE(KipWellsFan @ Jul 13, 2007 -> 08:05 PM) Not that the swiftboats on John Kerry were particularly damning They effectively sunk his campaign. Rudy's running as "America's Mayor," the brave man who did all this great work on 9/11. It's a huge myth, it's crap, and he deserves to be exposed for milking the tragedy.

What's the Cube?

Like I said, LCR, WWE was generally banning wrestlers from speaking, and I believe it was a "three week" decree. -- Here's my latest: Reporting Grunge Nancy Grace showed footage of Nancy Benoit and Miss Elizabeth from their WCW days. You’re familiar with Nancy Benoit, but Miss Elizabeth was married to “The Macho Man” Randy Savage in real life (as well as on the air) until they divorced and she wound up in a relationship with another wrestler named Lex Luger. She died of a drug overdose a couple of years ago and some have blamed Luger for it, and that’s a brief look at her personal public history. Her public public history was as one of the great female managers in wrestling history. One thing she wasn’t in public or private, though, was Johnny Grunge’s wife. Grace seems to think so, though, as she referred to her as such. All of these incidents? The media allowing the Ultimate Warrior to testify, the misleading “Young Death” numbers, the other interview deaths, the steroid commentary, Shrill O’Lielly’s attack on an edited Linda McMahon video, Nancy Grace’s inability to identify the people she’s talking about? Remember them next time Dick Morris is telling you that Condi Rice is going to run for President on Fox and CNN is reporting whatever it is they’re reporting.

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Jul 13, 2007 -> 09:08 PM) I'm sure Albert's got bank as long as he hasn't spent it all on lawyers with all his stalking and what not. His wife is on fire. She's almost as good looking as my wife. I don't know if he'll ever own a team, but he is not a stupid guy. He's done a few stupid things, as have all of us. His wife is good looking. Saw her today. On the news, of course. So I guess what I'm trying to say is, Lemme see your wife. Pics plz. I'd love a new, different owner. We'll have Reinsdorf for awhile, though.

There it goes.

That was definitely strike three.

The man who has The WMD Job in the CIA -- keeping WMD out of terrorist hands -- was told when he took it, "Congratulations -- you're f***ed! If nothing happens, it has s*** to do with you. When something happens, you're fired." Truth is, the War on Terror is an amazing thing. The intelligence that goes into it, the resources. From the Treasury to the Department of Agriculture to intelligent services worldwide to interceptions. The things we've found, the lies we've been told, the truths we've dismissed, the ever-present threat. The War on Terrorism is vital. It's very important. It's too important for anyone to politicize. Just read a book -- any book -- about the duties of those in government and the work they do to try and prevent and find out about attacks. It's mind-boggling work.

Democrats wouldn't rip him on this. That's why the Republicans are doing it. Democrats would listen to Bob Shrum tell them that it might "backfire" because the public doesn't want "negativity."

QUOTE(FlaSoxxJim @ Jul 12, 2007 -> 12:06 PM) From the book I thought Tonks' hair was supposed to be short and spikey. Yeah. And from the book, the Crouches are a major part of the story, but who gives a s*** about that?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! /not a big fan of the movies Looking forward to the books, though.