Gregory Pratt

QUOTE(fathom @ Sep 11, 2006 -> 11:16 PM) After what we heard last inning, I think this is the least of the "cultural ignorance" issues that Hawk has. It's my way of saying that I think Hawk is an ignorant douche (see: Wimpy, "Hose," the-same-damn-calls).

A couple of notes on the broadcast: I wish Contreras would tell Hawk not to display such cultural ignorance by calling him "Hose". His name isn't Hose, and "Hose" isn't a proper pronunciation. I crack a smile everytime they call Jose a young man.

I'll be the first to say it: I like the pitching matchups we've got going this week, aside from maybe tomorrow's. I hope that we can come out and beat up on Barry Zito like we did Halladay.

I'm glad to see that Contreras' back isn't hurting him anymore. (I'm of the opinion that his back was aching, but I don't buy the Buehrle-is-hurt! theory.)

Thome's OBP is great, but my point is, he doesn't HAVE to homer to be an influence on our games. He's been great in every sense for us.

-- This game's going fast. I like it when Contreras deals.

I'd just like to point out my own observation: I know a few of you have been down on Thome of late for his lack of homers/"clutch hitting" but, IMO, he's been VERY key for us in terms of getting important walks. I can recall a couple times he's taken a walk in a close game with a man on first, putting that player in scoring position for a single after, and it's paid off a ton.

Jphat, Dick, cut it out, guys. We're all Sox fans here.

QUOTE(fathom @ Sep 11, 2006 -> 09:32 PM) His sons seem to appreciate their role on the team. Hell, it took one of his sons to step up and tell Ozzie to stop screwing around and let Jenks start the 9th. Yeah, but they still need a life.

I don't. Contreras is looking good.

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Sep 11, 2006 -> 09:27 PM) Now he wants to stay forever. I wonder if his sons will be 40 years old and hanging out in the dugout. Ha! They do need to find a life.

QUOTE(fathom @ Sep 11, 2006 -> 09:22 PM) I just didn't see the need for him to state that. What was the context?

PS: I like how Contreras looks so far. His forkball's working, and he's throwing strikes.

Frank isn't a great baseball player in the overall sense, but he's one of the best hitters EVAR, for sure.

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Sep 11, 2006 -> 09:12 PM) Any good posters in the gamethread tonight? I'm in, but I'll be out soon. Naptime!

For the first fifty minutes of today's game, I was the worst goalkeeper in the world. After ninety, I'd driven our team to victory, even if it was an ugly win. The game started with an injury and then continued with a screwed up play. About two minutes into the game, I twisted my ankle and it hurt, so I couldn't quite field properly. Next, we had a major proble. My main defender had a ball deflect off his foot, and I went to get it, but I didn't pick it up with my hands, as there's a rule in soccer that the keeper can't grab the ball with his hands if it's passed to him. I didn't want to risk giving up a penalty kick, so I kicked the ball away. It went to one of my defenders, who was immediately stripped, and they took a quick shot which went in since I was out of position. 1-0. A couple of minutes later, I punted a ball beautifully and it ended up about ten yards from the Keeper. We scored, and tied it up. After that, however, things got bad. On a breakaway through the center, my defender was following, and stopped the other guy. But when he stopped him, he stopped himself, too, and stood there staring at the ball, giving the other guy a point blank shot that I just missed on a dive to my right. Later on, nearing the end of the first half, some kid took a shot from the rightside of the field, and I miscalculated it, diving futiley to "stop it" and missing. When we got back on the field after halftime I did something I'd been critical of my backup keeper for not doing. I talked to all the players and motivated them, which my backup never did (because he's just a Sophomore, probably, and feels intimidated by the elders). We started it off poorly, however, as someone took a shot at me from the right side, I blocked it with my left, but it was rolling back real slowly. My defender came into it to try and stop it with a kick but he missed the kick and it went in for a goal. After this, I started to pound the message across to my team and pump them up: "Win or die trying; the game's not over!" and "Just when you think it's all over, it's not over!" It wasn't. We scored seven goals and won 8-4. I made six diving stops, and had deflected a couple against the goalposts, too. A scary moment came, however, after they took a Corner Kick and I dove backward to catch it, which I did. But upon landing, I hit my back on a rock and couldn't breath. Regardless, I got up and deflected a shot to the left, and it just missed the goal. A minute later, however, one of their players ran into my back at full speed (accidentally) and it hurt, but I was all right, and didn't fall over. All in all, a good game, but I wish I hadn't started it so poorly. In the end, it's the Win that matters, and we shut them down. Take that, Brooks.

QUOTE(Texsox @ Sep 11, 2006 -> 09:56 AM) I believe it's going to be a meaningless series by that point. I don't see this team picking up ground, I see them losing ground. Amazing, the starting pitching has come around at the exact perfect time, just to get wasted by the pen. And by weak offensive performances. That shutout in Boston was the worst game of the year for me.

I was at the hospital. At this point in my life, I'd torn my tendons and nerves in my right hand and needed an operation to fix them. I had it, and had to go to Mount Sinai Hospital periodically to be looked at by specialists, as far as progress went. We were watching God knows what, and then CBS news came on. I knew right away that terrorism was at hand, as I'd been reading about al-Qaeda and other organizations at the time. I was calm, surprisingly enough. It wasn't a shocking thing for me, per se. I don't think I've ever gone into SHOCK in my life, and I've never been speechless, but at that moment, I thought it was the worst thing I've ever seen. I wasn't speechless -- I was disgusted. I was angry. These poor men leaping out of a hundred story building. Awful, awful stuff. Some fellow said, "This is what happens when imperialists run a country, this happens to their people," and I said to him, "What kind of masochist are you?" then we all huddled together and talked about al-Qaeda in the waiting room and terrorism and shared our fears about attacks. It was calm in that room, but for the Imperialist-Basher. My hand was fine, and that day was my last one going to the hospital. My friend's wife-to-be died in the WTC that day. We still talk about it sometimes, but he's doing all right.

QUOTE(SoxFan1 @ Sep 10, 2006 -> 10:58 PM) My only stipulation: I win, I make it. You win, you make it. Fine, but here's my next stipulation in response, Boras: you make it, you have to make it up to your standards, meaning it can't be half-assed. We've all seen your work, after all. If I make it, it'll be in Paint, and it won't be pretty. You have to make yours, on the other hand, up to your standards. And if I win, mine (that you'll wear) is going to read, of course, "Greg Pratt > SlavOnKnobsYo!" You can call me by a clever pun, too, in yours, if you win.

QUOTE(SoxFan1 @ Sep 10, 2006 -> 10:52 PM) Pansy. Ok, winner designs the loser a sig. Loser wears it for 2 weeks. I'm down. Icon too. Pansy!

QUOTE(SoxFan1 @ Sep 10, 2006 -> 10:46 PM) And if we win, I make you an avatar/sig combo saying "Slavko > Me" that you must wear in you entire tenure at SoxTalk. No deal. I'll tell you what, though, I will wear that Avatar/Sig combo for two weeks, provided we scratch my last demand and agree that this same bet you proposed is mine for you as well -- that is, YOU make an avatar/sig combo that I mandate in design and such and that you have to make, and you wear it for two weeks -- when I win. Deal?

QUOTE(SoxFan1 @ Sep 10, 2006 -> 10:41 PM) Whats the wager? You set what you want from me if I lose. Here's what I want from you: a free graphic to be called in at any time I want and to be delivered within three days of whenever I ask for it, as long as my request is within reason.

QUOTE(SoxFan1 @ Sep 10, 2006 -> 10:34 PM) Holl-AR! Homie, I'm finna put a knee in between your shoulder blades -- oh, that's right, YOU'REAQUITTERANDYOULETYOURTEAMMATESDOWN!!!!!! Let's make a bet of sorts, to make tomorrow's game interesting.

QUOTE(SoxFan1 @ Sep 10, 2006 -> 10:28 PM) Uber ghey. Okay, moneymaker. [ORIGINAL WORD WAS QUITTER!!!] You'll pay for this on the pitch. Or rather, your team will, COWARD! These are from our first game. Me walking off the pitch after the win, stopping to talk to a friend. My friend caught me walking by. Me sitting, me laying, waiting for a ride. My backup goalkeepers. PS: GREATER THAN