Gregory Pratt

QUOTE(whitesoxfan101 @ Dec 16, 2007 -> 09:43 PM) Today confirmed 2 things: 1. The NFC champion will be destroyed in the Super Bowl, next question. 2. The Patriots better hope they don't get the Jaguars on a bad weather day in the playoffs, or they will lose. And I won big money on the Jets and the points, wahoo. And worry about more important things, like seeing the '72 Dolphins shut up. Enjoy 1-15. 2. Easy there, cowboy. Jaguars are an alright team but no matter what the weather they are not guaranteed to do anything against the best-built, best-coached team in football. QUOTE(DBAH0 @ Dec 16, 2007 -> 09:30 PM) The Pats secondary can still be exploited, and Philly bombed the middle of the field with their passing attack, so they still have some weaknesses. I like being the underdog though. Although it would be absolutely hilarious if the Colts managed to knock off the Pats in the AFC conference finals. Nobody is unbeatable. I'm the first to concede that. I'm sure Bill Belichick preaches that to his team all the time. All I'm saying is perhaps you should focus on retaining homefield advantage and getting through the NFC before you get ahead of yourself. Your team hasn't faced any really good teams all year and it lost to the only one it faced.

QUOTE(Gene Honda Civic @ Dec 16, 2007 -> 09:18 PM) I'm no baseball historian, but I'm pretty sure they haven't elected any murderers to the hall, which is exactly what he said. 1. No, it is not "exactly what he said". Exactly what he said: "murder suspects" 2. Ty Cobb is whispered to have killed someone. My guess is that that was what Cowley was alluding to. (The story is disputed; Cobb is said to have claimed to have killed someone in Detroit but no body matching his story was ever found.) 3. I can't believe I'm somewhat-semi-sorta defendin Joe Cowley. 4. I am guessing there's another murder allegation in the Hall somewhere, but I'm yet to find it and so that is all I can comment on.

QUOTE(DBAH0 @ Dec 16, 2007 -> 09:09 PM) I know that. I'm not setting the bar low at all, I'm just saying if he's calling us the worst 12-2 team in football, well IMHO there have been worse than us with that type of record. And I brought up the Bears because I remember them having Miller at QB, Anthony Thomas at RB and they got owned by Donovan McNabb scrambling in the playoffs. I think if we play at our best we can beat anybody. I've already said the key for the Cowboys if they play the Pats is to control Wes Welker as their 3rd WR, because he dominated us last time. Even playing at their best the Cowboys had better hope that the Patriots are playing mediocre and have a s***ty gameplan and Tom Brady has a heart attack because they simply don't match up to New England.

I hate these Cowboys. They're the worst "good" team I've ever seen. (I'm being hyperbolic, but they aren't all that good.)

QUOTE(Steve9347 @ Dec 16, 2007 -> 01:40 AM) So you condone one type of cheating and not another? That's wrong on every count... I have no problem allowing Gaylord Perry into the Hall of Fame if Major League Baseball never saw fit to suspend or exile him for cheating permanently. The League allowed him to do what he did; he went on to win 300. Let him in. Same with Bonds/Clemens/Every other Juicer: the League allowed them to "cheat". What they did isn't as impressive to me as what Hank Aaron/Babe Ruth did. It isn't as impressive as Warren Spahn, Pete Alexander, Warren Johnson -- but it's still a part of baseball that I don't believe should be ignored just because people disapprove of steroids. Well, so do I, but baseball allowed it to go on and it is very much an important part of baseball history. I'd put Rose in. I'd probably put in Jackson. More on that later.

I'm on my way out for a night on the town; maybe I should take Anavar because I'm not getting out the door "fast enough"? Ha ha ha.

Aaaaaaaaaand fat guys are perfectly capable of juicing. See Mo Vauhn.

QUOTE(jackie hayes @ Dec 15, 2007 -> 09:04 PM) Just playing devil's advocate -- You could make the argument that in terms of combining performance and longevity, Clemens is the best. Maddux has about as many innings, but an era+ about 10 points lower, and many fewer strikeouts (if that matters). Johnson's era+ is lower, and he's thrown 1000 fewer innings. Martinez has the highest era+ in history, much higher than Clemens', but many, many fewer innings. So you can make an argument. Of course, now we have a better idea where the longevity came from... My vote would go to Martinez, fwiw. I certainly understand that, and those are valid points from a 'devil's advocate' perspective and a 'real' perspective. I do a little sidework as an amateur baseball historian so I understand. I have a little trouble saying that Pedro's "career" is greater than Clemens' because of the sheer amount of innings separating them; same with Maddux and Martinez, or Johnson and Martinez. But I have absolutely no doubt that Pedro is better, at his peak, than any of those and he has certainly had a long enough career, to this point, for us to understand that he is more than a fluke: he is simply phenomenal. There are a variety of things that I cite when giving presentations on Pedro Martinez as The Greatest Pitcher Who Ever Lived -- or, if not that, then The Best There Was. His shattering of Walter Johnson's single-season WHIP record is one. His domination during the era he pitched in. His penchant for 10K games, having the longest consecutive streak in history. His outstanding K/BB ratio. His numerous plus-plus-plus-plus-plus pitches. The fact that he has no physical advantage over hitters: he is tiny, with a smaller mound than those of the past. And yet he is the shortest man (I think the only one under 6 feet) to have a 300K season or 3000 Ks. Besides RJ and Nolan Ryan, nobody else has as many innings as he and strikes out over one per inning. (Unless I recall incorrectly; I don't have my presentation on me.) As for Maddux/Clemens, I think Maddux had a greater prime and a greater career. I think he was a better overall player, what with his Gold Gloves. He's better at winning games consistently. He isn't flashy with Ks but he simply gets the job done. Some people penalize him for pitching in the NL. I don't do that with great pitchers and I try not to do it all that much with modern pitchers, either. And Johnson? Johnson was raw power with much less longevity, so I'd have some trouble ranking his "career" above Clemens' even though I think he was better. I just don't really understand where the Clemens love comes from. Dude was good, but I think all three of these guys had greater peaks and they're in his time! I am sure that Martinez/Maddux had much greater peaks. This is all in reference to him being the "greatest of his generation"; I do think he belongs in the Hall but that is for an article I am working on.

Isn't Cowley the same moron that hates Garland for being Californian and refuses to vote for MVPs from Toronto because he hates Canada?

I don't think Clemens is the greatest pitcher of his generation. I count Maddux, Martinez and Johnson better than him. Can anyone tell me why he's better than any of those guys? I think Martinez has a clear-cut greater peak. Maddux has, I think, a greater career with no evidence or trace of steroid use (although some argue that he doctors the ball, but I couldn't care less about that as I don't believe in throwing a fit over Gaylord Perry or anyone else). And I do believe that Maddux career is better than Clemens' career even without giving note to Clemens + steroids. Johnson? He was a beast.

QUOTE(fathom @ Dec 15, 2007 -> 01:14 PM) I thought Santana showed some significant signs of slowing down last year in terms of homers allowed and velocity. Not that it matters with the Sox, as they have zero chance of acquiring him in a trade, and if Santana did become a FA, there's no way we'd outbid everyone. Yeah. No use salivating over a dinner you just aren't going to have.

Mo Vaughn says hello.

If it's true that the NBC list has guys who Mitchell looked at but didn't name, I wouldn't be shocked at Pujols. In fact, it shocks me more that he isn't a juicer. Which means I think he is. Alex Rodriguez. Andruw Jones. Lots of the biggest names of the last fifteen years. It isn't becaues of God that "A-Rod" is the youngest to 500.

Mark Redman? Also: Ken Caminiti? Bonds? That's all! Ho, ho, ho. I really doubt anyone new will get fingered but we'll see.

Posted it in the NFL catch-all too but I think it fits here: That's pretty bad.

QUOTE(juddling @ Dec 12, 2007 -> 10:03 AM) Who did it???? If this story is a joke....it's still pretty....umm...not sure what it is really What was it? For some reason the site ain't loading.

Mercury Morris. Oh, have mercy!

I vouch for fathom's claims. Even if I do tease him, he's got good sources and we talk.

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Dec 11, 2007 -> 02:39 PM) Um, there is a guy in Philly that disagrees with you. Tadahito Iguchi is a free agent.

QUOTE(hammerhead johnson @ Dec 11, 2007 -> 02:12 PM) Texas barbeque + big breasts + shooting people = best state in the country That's where I'm gonna live after I retire. I miss you when you're gone, you know. I'm a mess without you.

QUOTE(The Ginger Kid @ Dec 11, 2007 -> 02:15 PM) Okay, I see your point. But I still think he's just reeling from the frustration. He'll make some deals - whether they're good or bad we'll see. But after last year's debacle with the bullpen I don't see where he should be getting much slack from Reinsdorf. I mean, I don't think he's quitting or a baby, but he knows and understands that the dice are loaded against him and the White Sox. As for the four -- I meant three, since Ryan stepped down and I'd forgotten that slightly. But Moore is one of the better GMs in baseball, and D/S are definitely established.

QUOTE(fathom @ Dec 11, 2007 -> 12:42 PM) Gio and Sweeney You think they'd take that? I'd do that right now.

QUOTE(The Ginger Kid @ Dec 11, 2007 -> 02:04 PM) that's funny, i didn't get that at all. Just sounds like some frustration from a very competitive guy (and I'm not a ra-ra Kenny guy). What exactly sounded like a concession? I wish we could be in the National League where we'd have a fighting chance! Literally: Here, it's hard to have a fighting chance with fifty cents, restrictions with Scott Boras and no farm, I guess. Doesn't help when the huge payrolls are in the East, Detroit's spending money, four of the better GMs in baseball are in your division and the division is stacked.

QUOTE(fathom @ Dec 11, 2007 -> 11:30 AM) Trading for Josh Hamilton looks better every day. What could we give Cinci?

Sounds like an admission that we don't have a fighting chance.