Gregory Pratt

QUOTE(The Critic @ Jul 8, 2006 -> 10:59 AM) Satan's building an exclusive wing in hell for the McMahon family, for many many many reasons. Put Big Show there, too. I hate that guy.

QUOTE(The Critic @ Jul 8, 2006 -> 10:53 AM) The current WWECW suckfest doesn't need ANY MORE TV time. And I think 2 hours is too much for any wrestling program. If TNA could convince SpikeTV to give them 90 minutes, I think that's the perfect length for a weekly wrestling program. It's enough time to develop storylines and characters, but short enough to prevent throwaway spots like arm-wrestling contests, contract signings and anything involving Konnan and/or Kevin Nash. You know, I've no problem with an hour and a half, but two hours is fine by me, too. It pains me to see what WWE is doing to ECW.

QUOTE(beautox @ Jul 8, 2006 -> 09:51 AM) i was watching the game over on wciu so i didn't have a chance to hear that but thats awesome. Actually, it was better than that. They said that when you play against the White Sox, you play them for seven innings, because in the eighth, Thornton/Cotts come in, and then Jenks, and they're all lights out awesome. That's not entirely true, but it was incredible to hear that ESPN was pouring love all over our bullpen, and focusing so intently on Matt Thornton.

Well, I don't think you can go wrong with Thornton. They were talking about him yesterday as a player to watch for on ESPN leading up to the game. I said to myself, I said, "Thornton finally made the big time!"

Thome. Thome is the deal of the year, and maybe of the decade, considering how little we're paying for him.

QUOTE(Rowand44 @ Jul 8, 2006 -> 09:22 AM) Freddy's era is actually higher during the day this year. Another interesting stat is that his era is almost a whole run lower at home this year. Ah, baseball. More stats to notice than any other sport. I love it.

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Jul 7, 2006 -> 09:43 AM) Let me throw this in the mix. NK doesn't take a s*** without China's blessing. Think about it. NK is a China puppet state. Period. /carry on Eh, I don't think that's right at all. The Norkeans might seek China's blessing, but don't require it for action, really. During the Cold War, for instance, people talked about Kim Il Sung as Stalin's puppet, especially after the Korean War, but that wasn't the case. Sung lobbied and pushed and insisted on being given the green light and words of support in invading South Korea, but he was not a puppet then. He was the one who drove the invasion; similarly, I'd be stunned if China lobbied or pushed for North Korea to test these missiles. I'd imagine that it took a lot of hounding by the North Koreans to get the Chinese to agree, privately and with a wink/nod, not to join any American effort to punish Kim Jung Il's monstrous regime. The North Koreans of today aren't a puppet, and they, indeed, have quite a few bargaining chips to play against the Chinese. China has much to lose by aggrevating North Korea, as any break in relations or tensions could lead the Koreans to cut down border security and let all sorts of refugees into China, which is a great fear of that overpopulated hellhole. They believe that it'd lead to a breakdown in their social order, that there's no room, and not enough food. They're probably right about that, and so they fear it. I think that's closer to reality than calling them a puppet, but North Korea is very much a pain in China's backside. They can't oppose the Norks because of said border issues, for one, but everytime Jung goes nuts, it puts increased diplomatic pressure on China in the rest of the world, especially America. Regardless, China can't afford to irritate Jung, and they get along because of it. There is no controlling party: they are friends by necessity, and that's about it. Neither likes to say no to the other, and there are no puppets here, IMO, just pawns and chess pieces.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Jul 7, 2006 -> 10:10 PM) So a full 5% of the country is going to flee for the US, when almost half of the country voted for the guy? Come on guy, I don't want to see the socialist (emphasized for your viewing pleasure) elected, but that is insane. You called him "guy"! ---------------- There are certain societies that will thrive with a Socialist government in place, and I think Mexico is one of them, provided we're talking about a legitimately Socialist government like what you have in places like Sweden and Colombia. We're not talking about Communism here, and I think it's a sign of the times that people are calling a Socialist a Commie. Not every Right Winger is a Fascist, folks, and each Leftist isn't a Communist. Let's grow up here. As far as the attacks on Hugo Chavez, I can't for the life of me figure out why people despise him so much. You mean, he nationalized his economy, and says things in support of his country? I don't have a problem with democratically elected men criticizing democratic governments, even if it is harsh, and I have no problem with Chavez talking to Castro. It's not as if we don't talk to Dictators much worse than Fidel Castro. To stick on the topic, however, I am happy that Calderon won. In places that are hellholes, Reform is always the best option. Some might say that the Leftists in Mexico are likelier to reform, but I doubt it. For about a hundred years it was they who were the problem in Mexico, and the established Party is not going to reform anything but go back to the rampant corruption. Problems are likelier to be fixed by the PAN, not the PRI.

QUOTE(Rowand44 @ Jul 8, 2006 -> 07:57 AM) I respect for Pods for admitting he's been awful out there, however that's just not good enough. It's nice that he knows it but he has to improve, he's seriously just horrendous out there and it's frusterating as all hell. Then when you factor in the guys speed and realize he's one of the worst left fielders in baseball it becomes even more irritating. Yeah, I'll grant you that, but I thought his defense last year was passable -- nothing more -- and I think that that's more indicative of what he is than what he's done this year. I think he'll fix it up, and be passable by the end of the year, all things considered.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Jul 7, 2006 -> 10:08 PM) But, but, supply side economics doesn't work... Its all the housing market... Its all the stock market... Tax cuts don't pay themselves off /cliches You know, attacking the other party's economic policies is always a chic thing to do, but it's so dishonest. I'll be the first Democrat here to say that, yeah, Bush's economic policies have worked. The employment situation here is getting better, and is at a good, acceptable spot. But, when you're talking about economics, there are all sorts of choices to be made, and all of them are justifiable, to a point. Clinton's economic policies worked; so have W. Bush's. If I were the one making the choices, I'd do it Clinton's way, but it's not as if Bush has sent the country down a spiral economically. That said, I don't care for his Economic policy -- which consists entirely and wholly of, "Cut this tax, that tax, oh, here's one that needs the scissors put to it!" I do think that it's cheesy and cliched to say, "Tax cuts don't pay themselves off" sarcastically. They don't. Ronald Reagan's debt is something we may never be able to pay off, and the debt added by Bush is going to be hard to erase, too. That is, primarily, my problem with deficit spending. As for supply side economics, it always struck me as a crude concept. It's like having two dogs, and filling a bowl for one of them, then deciding that, if the smaller dog wants food from the bigger dog, he can wait until the big dog drops a crumb or two here or there. Bill Maher said it was the equivelant of being peed on by the rich. I thought you'd like that. Not....being peed on.....but....the comment....

QUOTE(Rowand44 @ Jul 8, 2006 -> 07:45 AM) Pods has the green light all the time, I'll guarantee you that. Ever since the injury last year he just hasn't been able to get the same jumps as he used to. I think he's realized that and has slowed himself down a bit. To be honest, I have no problem with Scott's offense like most here, I just can't stand his defense. His defense doesn't bother me that much. That probably has to do with the fact that, a few days ago, he acknowledged his failures and said he was frustrated with himself over it, and said, "I've been playing like horses***" or something relating to fecal matter. If he weren't trying to fix it and work on it, I'd be angrier with him. I do get frustrated when he errs, but not enough to want him gone or call him a bad player. Maybe because he's such a "sexy ass", since that's the only reason to want Pods on your team.

Well, the Bush Administration tried to pin the "intelligence failures" leading to the Iraq War on the CIA rather than on their own faulty conclusions and dishonest cherrypicking. Then, the Administration appointed Porter Goss to purge the CIA, and he started it as soon as he came into office. Finally, they created a new office of intelligence, with a new "Intelligence Czar," and took away a lot of the CIA's power. (I was never in favor of the 9/11 Commission, and I think it's faulty as hell to say, "Well, they're experts!" on anything because they weren't, really. They were ex-political hacks playing the role of -- well, I won't go there. Let's just say I don't appreciate the Commission's efforts or conclusions.) What Bush has done, and tried to do, to the CIA strikes me as reminiscent of an honor killing. "They leaked stories in response to me blaming them; they have dishonored me. I must kill them. PORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRTEEEEEER!" Good for the CIA to fight back against a crooked and dishonest White House.

QUOTE(RME JICO @ Jul 8, 2006 -> 05:09 AM) Cubs fans are worse. I have actually met some decent Sawks fans, but a decent Cubs fan is pretty rare. I used to agree, but my best friend is a Cub fan, and we go to Sox games all the time. He genuinely likes most of our players -- Freddy, especially (because he's a former Mariner, mainly), and Thome/AJ/Buehrle, too -- and when the time came to punch AJ, I asked him to stay up all night every night on these days and vote for Pierzynski. He obliged, and also voted in the afternoons, too, via my request. I was especially touched on the sixth, the last day of voting, because someone had posted that Liriano had taken a small lead, per ESPN Radio. Then Reifert posted this: I called him, and he immediately started voting for AJ, and I appreciated it.

QUOTE(LowerCaseRepublican @ Jul 8, 2006 -> 02:47 AM) No love for the man that kept Ed Leslie employed with 7987428734423427 different gimmicks? And from Tommy Dreamer in his new ecw.com column: "I take it upon myself to apologize for what happened this week. I cannot truly begin to express my feelings...I am angry, pissed off and totally frustrated about what I have been seeing in ECW. I need to sit back and digest all of this; if I write about what is in my head, my column will probably no longer exist. Sorry." And another hardcore icon, Doug Basham is going to be joining ECWWE. Vince McMahon is awful. Is there really any other word for this? He insists on running a modified Stone Cold Steve Austin angle with every wrestler he decides NEEDS to feud with HIM. The only time Smackdown was bearable to me was when Heyman was in charge of it, but that didn't last long because McMahon is a fool. I can't believe what's happening with ECW. You know, I wouldn't mind having SOME WWE wrestlers in ECW. Carlito, for one, could do an excellent amount of work in ECW, I think -- at least, in real ECW, with Heyman controlling angles and working things. But Test, the Bashams, this is such bulls***. And, hell, it could work, theoretically, if Heyman were in charge. He can work about anything. But with McMahon serving as the chief, there's no way that those jobbing suckbags can do anything. And ECW needs TWO HOURS, not one. Bah.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Jul 8, 2006 -> 01:19 AM) I'm just wondering if anyone can answer this question honestly for me, what exactly does Scott Podsednik do that is above average? From what I can tell he doesn't have a single tool that can be considered excellent. When Podsednik is on a roll, he is genuinely our ignitor. He gets on base, scares the hell out of pitchers, and steals. He works the count better than anyone on our team except Thome -- although, yes, he does strike out looking a lot, too. I'm not sure why he isn't stealing as much as before, but I wonder what kind of calls he's been getting from Ozzie in-game. Maybe Ozzie isn't letting him steal as much, or asking him not to because of an increases confidence in our offense. I don't know. Right now, he's not doing so hot, although his batting average has been up in the last few weeks. He's been, obviously, a streaking player all year. Bad, good, bad good. I for one am not willing to give up on him, or go after him, partially because I think he does a very good job getting on-base, and partially because the talent is there for him to steal sixty or so bases and cause all the havoc in the world during a game. When talking about last year's team, KW once said that a lot of the players we had acquired would not have been acquirable if they had been off of good years instead of bad ones. I know Pods was one of the players he referenced with that. AJ, too. But, hell, I don't think Scotty's year has been too bad this year. Not at all. -------- I have a feeling that, today, we're going to come out blasting away at the Red Sox. Like the Baltimore series.

Surely there's nothing better for the government to spend money on. Nothing at all.

I hate McMahon. ProWrestling says that RVD and Sabu are taking this suspension "well" because they understand that they brought it on themselves. That's horses***, and McMahon can go f*** himself.

Mick Foley. Terry Funk. Eddie Gilbert. Tommy Dreamer. Steve Austin. Shawn Michaels. Bret Hart. I never liked Flair. I despise Goldberg. Hulk Hogan is a piece of s***. I am a nineties child, born at the end of the eighties, Warrior I think is a douche. My favorite man in wrestling, however, has got to be Heyman. Maybe not a wrestler -- although he managed great, and booked even better -- but he is the MAN as far as I am concerned. And McMahon deserves a spot in hell for what he's done to ECW and for taking Heyman's power away everytime he gives him any.

On what grounds is he suing Michael himself? "Change facial appearances, or pay me money!" or what?!?

I don't think he had a very happy birthday.

QUOTE(Sox It To Em @ Jul 7, 2006 -> 10:38 PM) But what about Billy Beane? What about Billy Beane?

Let's stop the Sox on Sox crime.

Sweet deal. I do think that he's this year's MVP, and I don't see how Kenny Williams isn't the GM of the year, either.

QUOTE(Capn12 @ Jul 7, 2006 -> 12:29 AM) Oh god guys!! Its Contra, 30 men on the original NES...that I still own myself...

QUOTE(Milkman delivers @ Jul 7, 2006 -> 04:44 PM) I guess my advice wasn't good enough. Well, you can go to hell. I am terribly, terribly sorry to have overlooked you. I took your advice about hands and crack to the deepest depths of my soul. Thank you.