Texsox

I should be writing "Pill and Hill: How Birth Control Pills and Anita Hill Changed our Opinions of Temple Drake and Red in Faulkner's Sanctuary" Grad school is nice. basically one 20 page paper for each class. No other b.s. kind of work. Yet . . . I'm here instead.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 23, 2012 -> 09:07 AM) I have read multiple articles that talked about how much pitchers were able to add to their fastballs. Come to think of it I was thinking of a pitcher when I mentioned one or two season wonders. They go from awesome to boching saves.

Oops Agreeing with Southsider above and . . . I would add that sports journalism occupies a different niche than news journalism and across the country sports reporters have turned into the guy on the next bar stool in some of their reporting. We accept way more bias and opinion in sports articles than we do in news stories.

I went to a program at out local greyhound track about adopting retired racers and they did seem like great pets for people who do *not* want cuddly dogs. They claim since most of the dogs spent their time away from humans they basically wanted to be left alone. They also seemed to go out of the way to say that some dogs were culled from the adoption process because of anti-social behaviors, etc.

Still it was the sluggers who received the most scrutiny. Also, perhaps in the unfair category I am kind of suspicious of one or two year wonders from that era. Perhaps closers who were lights out for a couple seasons then suddenly sucked.

No other cities? How about the San Antonio A's? Vegas A's? Perhaps a second major league team in Chicago.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 22, 2012 -> 12:13 PM) So why haven't attendance numbers fallen about 80% in the last few years? Because there is only one league. My premise is if there were two leagues and fans had the choice to go to a game where 1. guys were hitting 60+ HRs, with scores of 12-8 or 2. a league with 6-4 games and hitting 40 HRs was an achievement they would pick league 1. My thought is guys like you, me, and most of the posters here would be at the clean league but the kids who only get to a couple games a year would want dad to take them to the other game. The casual fan would go see the guys with the bulging biceps and bad tempers.

IIRC from another contract discussion, the terms of terminating the contract were probably spelled out and any of the speculations in this thread could be true. Usually the team wants the coach to find another job so they can quit paying him so much, so there is little incentive to keep him on the hook while he does nothing. I really hope Ozzie grows up. I also have a suspicion that Ozzie drinks a bit too much for his own good. Maybe some help for that would also help.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Nov 21, 2012 -> 11:19 PM) You know what I think would be awesome, if Obama just nominated Petraeus to head the CIA again and said f*** this scandal, now we know he did something dumb, it's out there, grow up. This is the term when Obama turns on America, and his evil plot to destroy us is revealed! Seriously, I believe the good General has a six figure book deal to get to, of which his (ex)wife will receive half. Then a consulting job, a speaking tour, damn, he's going to be too busy to be the head of the CIA. HeHe, I said head

As much of a critic as I am of steroids in the game I believe this; given a choice of an all steroid league or an all clean league, the steroid league would draw fans at about 5-1 over the clean league. Those offensive numbers are sexy.

Does anyone disagree with this: Bottom line, I believe good parents want to be with their kids, I believe most children want to be with their parents. I have empathy for parents (regardless of what they do for a living) and especially children, when that can't happen. I don't believe you can buy your way out of that. I don't believe money can replace being there as a parent. "Sorry I missed out on most all the important moments in your life, here's a car"! And honestly, I don't believe YASNY believes that a car really replaces anything. Is not being there and then buying kids things really how anyone wants to raise their children? And I agree Mark's situation is better than some truck driver struggling to pay bills who can't pay off his kids later with new cars. He has the resources to fly his family to him on off days. But imagine being the kid who is leaving your new best friend because your dad gets traded. Are you going to swap your best friend for a new bike? Swap your school for a the latest gaming console and be happy? I have empathy for the kids and adults in that position. Not sympathy, empathy. But maybe money can buy happiness. If you were a friend of an athlete who is sitting in your living room and says I'm really bummed, I have to move again. The kids are just getting settled in, they have new friends, are comfortable with the school, and now we have to move. If they stay with me we have to get rid of their dog. What would you say? Just buy them a car when they turn 16 and they will forget about it? It's your choice, you could quit. You are playing baseball for a living, your kids just have to deal with it? I would say with empathy, man that is tough. Have you thought about some ways to help out the kids? Maybe have a couple of their friends come up north this summer? That is also what I think YASNY and NSS would say. Which is why I'm confused they are disagreeing with me here. Anyhow, unless someone quotes me directly, I'm not certain what more I can say. It seems like some of you are saying f*** it. they are rich and don't have feelings like the rest of us. Or because he is blessed to play a game for a living his kids don't need him at home every night. If I am misreading that. I apologize.

I don't believe when you become a professional athlete you stop being human. Leaving your kids for months at a time should be difficult no matter what you do for a living or how much you are compensated. So whether we are discussing soldiers getting paid $, business people getting paid $$, off shore oil workers getting paid $$$, or athletes getting paid $$$$$, I have empathy for anyone who wants to be with his kids and have a choice in where they are living. Do you really think when you are walking out the door saying goodbye to your son, telling him you will see him in a month he really cares how much you make or what you do for a living? Daddy, will you be at my kindergarten graduation? No, I have to be in Cleveland. Daddy will you be able to see me in my first game like the other dads? No, those dads only make a little money, your daddy makes millions, so I will not be there. But you should be happy I make so much money, you can have anything you want, except a dad at graduation and your first game. I teach so many kids whose parents aren't around. Some voluntary, some involuntary. Bottom line, the parents aren't there and it sucks for the kids. I appreciate the point that they make a lot of money, and they get to play a game for a living. They travel first class, and have all the accouterments of luxury. Their financial futures are secure. But they are still human, their kids are still human. To think that somehow your kids won't miss you because you are a baseball player earning millions isn't right. To think you won't miss them because of your bank account balance isn't right. I don't believe there is much comfort in money and applause when it comes to the bonds of a parent and their children.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Nov 20, 2012 -> 09:04 AM) They can always pick a different profession. Buehrle isn't going to re-locate his family to Toronto. If his kids are old enough for school, I'm sure they will be attending in Missouri. The majority of the baseball season falls outside of the school year, and he's only "home" half the time anyway. It is a pain I'm sure, but not nearly as difficult as moving a family permanently. It's really no different than him being in Chicago or Miami. Those weren't permanent residences either. Up until now, Buerhle has made $90 million. If it were that much of an issue, he could always walk away and lead a rather comfortable life. Are you suggesting that baseball players should not care where their kids are living or if they are with them or not? I don't believe athletes should give up being good fathers and mothers simply because they are athletes. Sure it's easy to say someone can just switch careers, but that isn't reality for many people. Good and bad come with every job. Can't I have empathy for fireman who have to be away from their families for 48 hours at a time? Or business people who have to travel? Doctors who have to be on call? Maybe you have a family and don't mind being away, but most people do. In Mark's case he accepted a position with a company in a place of his choosing but now is forced to change. Most people aren't forced to relocated without any influence on the decision.

Eh, something to talk about. The difference between the two isn't much for next season.

nicely played sir

Nor is it an answer to form some board of animal behaviorists and interview the dogs and dog owners. The breed has been abused, it is sad.

QUOTE (bigruss22 @ Nov 19, 2012 -> 02:39 PM) I thought Hostess officials said that it was too late no matter what. They were playing chicken. It also may have been a nice (short term) marketing ploy.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Nov 20, 2012 -> 08:48 AM) That is not necessarily true at all. At some point a group of people determined that this was a potential breed that could be "altered" to serve this purpose. It certainly does not mean that Pit Bulls should be singled out as some menacing killing machine. Did you read any of the posts they made yesterday about average, ordinary Pit Bulls? Yes I did. I am just rejecting the "dogs don't kill, people kill" argument. When society abuses something, guns, driving speeds, working conditions, you name it, society has an obligation to protect itself. As a responsible gun owner I accept that guns are potentially dangerous weapons and certain types need special regulations. I view certain breeds of dogs the same way. To use an extreme example, I could be a responsible gunowner with a M256 smoothbore cannon, typical on an M1 tank, but I don't think we should allow them unregulated. I believe if we were to pick the most dangerous dog breed, these would qualfy and I see no hypocrisy on my part in suggesting if we are to regulate breeds, this would be the place to start.

As someone who relocated with young kids I do have empathy for athletes who are force to live in areas they might not have selected on their own. It is tough on the kids and the rest of the family. Plus, having to get accustomed to a different country. No amount of money reallly helps the kids getting use to a new school, new friends, and all that.

QUOTE (ChiSox_Sonix @ Nov 19, 2012 -> 08:10 AM) Why is it when I attend a UFC fight or boxing match, the majority of the fighters are really big & in shape guys who could kick my ass? It's a lie that they are inherently dangerous #1 Because they have the best chance to be successful. And Pit Bulls have the best chance to be successful at fighting. What tools would they need to be successful? Powerful jaws, deadly bite, ability to take the pain, aggression. #2 You didn't answer, so I guess we agree here as well, Thank you.

BTW, why hasn't the mispelling Betraeus caught on?

QUOTE (ChiSox_Sonix @ Nov 19, 2012 -> 07:30 AM) And this why there are these stupid laws. Beacuse people who are ignorant to reality believe the public lies about the breeds in question. Why is it when dog fighting is caught, they majority of the dogs are pit bulls? I understand that pit bulls can be really great pets, but reality is when people are into fighting they ain't buying poodles and peek-a-poos. Is it a lie that the most popular breeds for fighting are pit bulls?

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 18, 2012 -> 07:14 PM) No one bought in this year. Fat chance they will buy in again at a later date. It is going to take a playoff trip to change their mind, not just a winning product. Not certain when they would have bought in. They had a losing record at the all-star break and Ozzie, well Oz was Oz.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 18, 2012 -> 07:14 PM) No one bought in this year. Fat chance they will buy in again at a later date. It is going to take a playoff trip to change their mind, not just a winning product. Not certain when they would have bought in. They had a losing record at the all-star break and Ozzie, well Oz was Oz.