Gregory Pratt

QUOTE(Steff @ Jun 21, 2006 -> 09:00 AM) http://msnbc.msn.com/id/13272368/?GT1=8211

QUOTE(WCSox @ Jun 22, 2006 -> 12:34 PM) And you're the one calling me Mr. Immaturity?

QUOTE(SoxFan1 @ Jun 22, 2006 -> 11:56 AM) Ozzie is going to become coach of the New Orleans Saints!?!?!?! No. He's going back to Florida to make his final stand!

QUOTE(WCSox @ Jun 22, 2006 -> 11:56 AM) LOL! I KNEW you'd respond. You're so freaking predictable, it's funny. There aren't a lot of people who don't respond when told they don't know what they're talking about by someone they feel the same should be said for. I think you're being rather sanctimonious. You're accusing me of being ad hominem for responding harshly to having the f word flung in my direction? Don't do something so dishonest as to try and take the high road when you provoked every obscenity I unleashed by misrepresenting what I'd said and then saying, "YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THE f*** YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT LOLOLOLZ!!" afterward. I can't say I'll miss debating with you, because, well, I think I've stated that I think there's a logic gap between your ears, and you feel the same of me (inferred from the manner in which you've said I don't have any logic). I'm sure I'll find one.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Jun 22, 2006 -> 11:24 AM) Like, say, people who order illegal wiretaps? If the President orders it, it is not illegal. Didn't you get the memo?

QUOTE(JimH @ Jun 22, 2006 -> 11:03 AM) Good for you Gregory Pratt, and what are you doing? Following me around? Take your own advice. It wasn't my advice there. It was a mandate given by an Administrator. Perhaps you consider yourself above such petty things as rules?

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Jun 22, 2006 -> 10:48 AM) Yea, I didn't get that. Marriotti seemed to be pissed off his paper pulled a negative White Sox column during a World Series, first one in Chicago in 46 years, that the White Sox swept. What could he have been moaning about then? Considering all the garbage he writes that they do print, this must have really been ridiculous and petty. "How dare the White Sox let Damaso Marte get a win in the World Series?" "Why on Earth would they risk letting the ever-talented Mark Buehrle get injured by throwing him out for a save?" "Ozzie is a hypocrite. He plays for small ball, but lets Podsednik -- the King of small ball!!! -- HIT A HOMERUN?!"

I was never prouder of our team than when they faced off with Italy. I was never more ashamed than when they rolled over in the first match. I've never been more disappointed than with their "effort" today. What a wide range of emotions.

QUOTE(JimH @ Jun 22, 2006 -> 09:19 AM) www.blogspot.com

It seems as if our shooters can't aim a ball worth a damn.

My heart stopped with that McBride shot.

What the f*** was that, Beasley?

Signed.

QUOTE(VAfan @ Jun 22, 2006 -> 09:51 AM) After the last two days, we stand atop the heap. Here are the top-10. RK TEAM G AB R H 2B 3B HR TB RBI BA OBP SLG OPS 1 Chicago Sox 71 2466 415 707 120 11 105 1164 395 .287 .355 .472 .827 2 NY Yankees 70 2440 404 699 128 8 87 1104 393 .286 .370 .452 .822 3 Cleveland 71 2480 391 700 148 10 89 1135 370 .282 .354 .458 .811 4 Toronto 71 2459 388 727 147 10 101 1197 372 .296 .363 .487 .850 5 Texas 72 2516 385 716 175 10 80 1151 377 .285 .348 .457 .805 6 Boston 70 2446 382 699 140 6 84 1103 362 .286 .369 .451 .820 7 LA Dodgers 71 2468 379 687 133 23 67 1067 367 .278 .356 .432 .788 8 NY Mets 71 2528 378 673 152 17 97 1150 360 .266 .335 .455 .790 9 Detroit 73 2544 373 690 132 17 101 1159 355 .271 .327 .456 .782 10 Cincinnati 72 2474 364 643 141 8 103 1109 348 .260 .343 .448 .791 We may not keep this position -- there are 8 teams within 40 runs of us -- but it is a testament to the way we go about hitting. I've watched several games recently on gameday. The advantage is you see quite clearly how infrequently our guys swing at balls out of the strike zone. Our plate discipline was a key reason we won the WS last year, and it has carried over. Couple that with the power we have up and down the lineup, and it makes for a very potent attack. I also don't think it's going to fade because, while some guys who are going great may not project out at those high levels throughout the year, guys like Uribe, Pods, and Anderson are going to end up better than where they are now. And last night, I don't know if anyone noticed, but through the first 3 innings, we scored 10 runs on 10 hits. No one was left on base. And no batter came up with a man on and made an out. I'd love to see our pitching improve, and we need it to if we want to repeat. But it's great to see our offense kicking ass. Our pitching has been excellent these last couple of weeks.

God damn it, Claudio Reyna. God damn it, Bocanegra. And god damn it, Referee. Now we need two, and I'm sure we all worry that we can't get it with Arena's s***ty formation.

QUOTE(Rex Kickass @ Jun 21, 2006 -> 11:43 PM) I heard a very interesting take by a journalist who was there who would disagree with you. I was driving so I can't really say what his name was or what he did. He did write a book on his experience. He says that the elections were great, but the terror that Saddam's government caused was also democratized. Before people used to fear what the government would do to them. Now they fear what anyone might do to them. I've heard all sorts of takes that say things ranging from good to bad. I'm under no illusion that it's a paradise, but I am proud of what we've done so far and hopeful that we'll do what I hope we can do. Although sometimes -- often-times -- that's batted down by Rumsfeld. (I wish there were a sighing, tired icon.)

QUOTE(Rex Kickass @ Jun 21, 2006 -> 11:39 PM) Actually, not aimed at you. Aimed at anyone who thinks that finding broken down chemical munitions that we knew were there and weren't usable is the same thing as an active WMD program, which we now know didn't exist. There were plenty of reasons to support a war in Iraq on humanitarian grounds, but we didn't fight that war. If we did, our whole approach once we removed Saddam Hussein from power would have been much different. The War in Iraq has me very much disillusioned with the Bush Administration for its handling of the War, although I'm not as critical as I could be. I restrain myself because I still want the War to succeed, the people in Iraq to have a better life -- something that I contend is happening, but that I wish had been better handled by the Administration.

QUOTE(JimH @ Jun 21, 2006 -> 11:29 PM) Greg ... "Kid" ???? He's 45, for what it's worth. He's my age. Huh. I didn't see his age on his profile, and so I assumed him a bit younger than that. Just a bit. I guess we all have to have our own hobbies, even as we get older... ...oh, dear. I still, you know, recommend that he be forced to disclaimer his posts and leave it at that, but I'm going to back out now because I've had my say. I do take back the "bullying" statement, since he's not exactly a kid here.

QUOTE(Rex Kickass @ Jun 21, 2006 -> 11:21 PM) If I recall correctly the weapons inspection regime that pulled out in 1998, said that a limited amount of chemical weaponry was still unaccounted for but that the munitions had most likely degraded and were not really usable as a WMD. The CIA reported in 2002 that UNSCOM estimated that approximately 550 mustard gas shells from prior to 1991 remain unaccounted for. http://www.cia.gov/cia/reports/iraq_wmd/Iraq_Oct_2002.htm So they estimated a new Iraqi CW program which didn't seem to exist, a nonexistant nuclear program, and a BW program which also didn't exist. After three years, we found 500 degraded (and not really usable) shells from prior to 1991. That's 5 American lives per shell. Vindication, indeed. Since I'm the only one who used the term "vindicated", I will assume that was directed at me. I have said and will say that WMD were not my sole reason for supporting the War and they were, actually, near the top but maybe in the top five, and bottom of that, at that. I think we can agree to disagree, but I wanted to make it clear that I don't support the War for the reasons that most Bush supporters do.

QUOTE(JimH @ Jun 21, 2006 -> 11:20 PM) Hey Greg, He's not stating an opinion, he's said he's proven a media bias. Maybe you should read a little more before you start feeling sorry for him. That's the way SoxTalk has always been. State things definitively and refuse to back them up, you will be questioned. No, Jim, I don't think I have to read more to feel sorry for him: I know his credibility isn't very well, and deservedly so because anyone who won't answer questions deserves scrutiny and criticism. I've looked at your posts calling him out and criticizing him, and by all means, there's very little credibility in his posts. My defense of him isn't a defense of his journalistic integrity or anythign of the sort! Your recent recount of Tribune stories that showed his failure at counting properly was a good bit of research on your part, and I'm sure there are a ton of things he's been wrong about. If it's true that he's said he's proven a media bias, but then refuses to back it, then I can understand your scrutiny. By no means am I saying you should stop recounting stories when he's off, or criticizing him, and I'm sure the Administration is going to take some sort of action. I'm just saying that I feel bad for the kid, both because I think he might be feeling a little alone and...well, it's silly. As I said, I've always had a sad sympathy for people who bring things like this on themselves -- you know, and if you don't you will, that I was a huge Boone Logan apologist. I'm glad he's in Triple A now, and it's obvious he belonged there, but I'm a softie. Sometimes. All I'm saying is that I hope the Administration takes it a bit easy on him. I suggest that the Staff should warn him to, I don't know, attach a disclaimer saying it's a chronicle of what he believes to be media bias instead of a declaration of PROVEN bias, and I think we could all put this to rest without much of a fight and to minimize hurt feelings all around. I re-addressed that in my post, I believe, and did it better (not better than you -- although I think I've got a solid compromise on my hands for the site) -- but better than what I'd posted previously, as in less vague and abstract.

I've only looked at one of Haeger's posts, all-time, that was a "Media Watch," and I didn't like it. But something about this entire series of events makes me sick to my stomach. Perhaps it's that everything you're doing reeks of bullying to me -- the constant heranguing of Haeger, the insistence that he answer questions. Perhaps my unease has to do with me always feeling a sort of sad sympathy for people like Haeger who enjoy doing weird things, don't like answering questions from people they might consider hostile, and who then get ripped for it. I'd love for Haeger to answer all the questions posed to him, and I wish he'd handle it all different. But this whole situation makes me sick to my stomach. And I wanted to share that, because I don't think I'd feel quite right if I didn't voice my opinion that Haeger is being, well, abused -- not entirely undeservedly, but still. You know, I'm certainly in the minority, but I just don't think he's got any obligation to answer anyone's questions. I was under the impression that freedom of speech was given to people to express their viewpoints, and that they never have to answer any questions of their viewpoints unless, I don't know, in a Court of Law. And so, I guess I'm saying that I don't think Haeger should HAVE to answer a darn thing. If that ruins his credibility with everyone here, then so be it, but to insist he answer to your commands and then threaten him with punishments for expressing an opinion is wrong. And just as I look over my post, I learn that I got his name wrong. I feel like Homer Simpson, when he found out Edna K.'s real name and realized that he'd been calling her "Crabapple" all those years. Sorry Hangar. It's the thought that counts...

QUOTE(EvilMonkey @ Jun 21, 2006 -> 10:54 PM) Wow. If he doesn't want to get mocked as much, he should put his ego in a closet somewhere and keep it there for a while. Not every story has to be about him, pictures on every corner of him, and all sorts of other wacky stuff he does. Maybe feed your people once in a while instead of building more missles. Didn't he (allegedly) kidnap some South Korean movie director or something to start a film industry in NK? Actresses, too. And the CIA/Dept. of State say he sits around masturbating to porn movies online all day. He's a creep, for sure.

Let's go America, and Italy, too. I haven't felt this tense since the night before America beat Brazil in 1998. Back then, though, I was a small kid who was dreaming of silly, idealist things -- like America wiping the floor with Brazil! (They won, but they didn't dominate the Brazilians, although I fell in love with Keller.) Right now, I'm just tense because I don't want to see my country eliminated this early, as they're a) better than this and b ) well, I'm an American. And because I have an interest in America advancing, as well as some Italian heritage, I want Italy to defeat the Czechs.

QUOTE(Heads22 @ Jun 21, 2006 -> 10:35 PM) I'd have been pretty pissed if she sat in front of me. Selfish...

QUOTE(NUKE_CLEVELAND @ Jun 21, 2006 -> 10:29 PM) Im too lazy to look for links but the jist of the story is there is a federal ban on pot use for medical use and some states are refusing to enforce it. Ah, yes. I can't say I explicitly disapprove of the states, but I don't explicitly approve, either. I don't believe in states flouting the Federal Government, but I don't believe in the Feds. getting involved with state's rights issues or overstepping their boundaries or doing both by banning a sort of medicine.