Texsox

QUOTE (Jake @ Dec 2, 2012 -> 10:26 AM) Yeah hard for me to say whether it is that or not -- but it is not adequate to simply cast him off as "murderer" to me unless more evidence to the contrary comes out. My sense is that you don't do that unless you're mentally unhealthy. I'm not about to pin his number on my chest or something, but I don't think our society is programmed to fully understand what went down. It sounds to me like he just went crazy and unfortunately took someone with him to the other side. I will be interested in what further details come out. Jake, I too will "wait and see" but he is a murderer in my mind until something turns up to dispute that. The facts as we know them today are he killed her.

The level of empathy humans show towards each other is one of the areas where humans are different than other animals. And sometimes not. While I try not to cry over something, or someone, that won't cry over me, some situations call for a small level of empathy. We may forget that each of us is a son or daughter, perhaps a brother, sister, niece, nephew, husband, wife, friend, or teammate. Some of all of them will grieve at your passing no matter what you do or to whom. Even if you want to be the cold hearted sort, his wife was probably liked by a lot of players and their spouses. For any and all of those reasons, it could have been a very rational decision to postpone the game. But there are some very practical concerns which make postponing difficult. However, games have been rescheduled for storms, infrastructure problems, acts of war, and I'm certain a few other issues.

I believe something along these lines would be nice Domestic violence struck the Chiefs family yesterday. At this time we would like to have a moment of silence to remember all the families around the world that are affected by domestic violence.

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Dec 1, 2012 -> 12:44 PM) Bet against the Chiefs. Seriously though, every single player on that team has to be contemplating suicide each week. I have respect for them for not taking the easy way out. Wow. I sincerely hope you didn't mean for this to sound as terrible as it does. wow smh

I have always been uncomfortable with taxing any inheritance. For that matter, I don't like taxing the same money twice. I know that no one went broke paying taxes on profits, but I still find a certain unfairness after I have paid my income tax to then pay taxes on profits from the investments made with my post income tax dollars. I wish I had a better plan to propose.

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Dec 1, 2012 -> 09:36 AM) The problem you're over-looking is that retaining AJ will also be a downgrade at the position. The guy just had a career year as a 35 year old catcher and will not come close to those numbers next year. No matter who we go with, we'll be getting less production at catcher than we did this past season. I wasn't overlooking AJ's age. I agree he will most likely drop off (how many said that a year ago and were very wrong). We probably disagree how far he will drop off. I'm not certain what you mean by "not come close". Are you thinking his .278 avg to .225? Slugging from .501 to .300? A 15% drop? 50% drop? Adam Dunn 2011 drop?

QUOTE (YASNY @ Dec 1, 2012 -> 11:52 AM) What happened to Phil Humber is that he went back to being Phil Humber. No matter where you go, there you are.

It seems that what happens with AJ will be a nice indication of JRs and K-Dubs "gut" on the chances for next season. If they believe a playoff shot is less than 50-50, seriously why spend money on AJ? I don't believe they can backslide too much here and remain competitive. I also do not see a no AJ scenario where it would not be a backslide and the chances of Flowers being an upgrade are rather slim IMHO.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Nov 29, 2012 -> 10:25 PM) This had more to do with the priorities of the administration than it did with Powell. Billions and billions for the DoD but the State Department was an afterthought, and they'd even have the military doing stuff State should've been doing. That didn't change until some time well into Bush's second term (by which time Rice was SoS). Remember the surge and Rumsfeld leaving, Gates coming on, and the military doing a complete change in strategy after the administration admitted (through actions, not verbally) it didn't know what the f*** it was doing? Something like that. It all kinda happened at the same time. That wasn't Powell's fault, it was Bush's security team of neocons and loons who had no business in positions of power. I think your military perspective adds extra validity to your points.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Nov 27, 2012 -> 09:17 AM) Sold out his entire career? Where do you get this stuff? Powell was the one guy in the close circle with Bush who tried, repeatedly, to talk him and the others out of going into Iraq. He questioned it from multiple viewpoints, and tried to sell his reasoning to Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and others... to no avail. The policy direction was set, and he could not control that. So, he was given partial charge of getting the intelligence associated with Iraq's bad intentions. He shot down multiple of these as well, and was even accused of hiding some of it from the administration. Finally, when that frat boy who was running CIA had what he called the evidence that was needed, Powell pressed him hard. Frat boy gave the now-infamous "slam dunk" response - the head of the CIA said the evidence was a slam dunk. Powell, at this point, was STILL skeptical, but knew he had a job to do. So he said, fine, I'll show this stuff to the UN and the world... but you, CIA guy, are going to stand right be-f***ing-side me while I do it. If I go down for this, you are coming with me. Now... tell me how, that person, instead of the dozens of others who feverishly pushed the war machine into Iraq, is somehow responsible for starting the war in Iraq. And tell me how he sold out, when he clearly tried every avenue available, and still had a job to do. Powell is the guy LEAST responsible for any of that s***. And his performance during it, is exactly why I think he'd made an excellent SecDef for Obama. Wish I wrote this.

QUOTE (YASNY @ Nov 26, 2012 -> 01:44 AM) If Ozzie's done, he's done because of Ozzie. I am the first one to say that managers receive too much credit and too much blame. But the bottom line is exactly what YASNY is saying, Ozzie is done because he just has not done a good job in five or six years. His teams are a mess. They consistently under-perform. On top of that he is an embarrassment to organizations. I like the guy and really hope he gets a job in the broadcast booth. I think he would become a great color guy in the right situation. I also think after a couple years in the booth, a little mellowing, a lot of maturing, he could come back and win another WS with the right team. But right now, he's poison and will not be getting a job in a dugout. I just don't know how anyone can look at the past few seasons as a whole and not agree his teams are under-performing, lack chemistry, and he's a nightmare for PR.

My aunt and uncle in Barrington had problems with keeping a connection. In their case it may have been user error. I think she still uses an AOL email address which she pays for.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Nov 21, 2012 -> 08:41 AM) With the pitching staff this team has... as long as they can find SOME way to get at least similar production out of 3B, whether by trade or signing... I see no way this team won't compete for the ALC crown in 2013. As long as, of course, they are relatively healthy. Will they beat out DET? Probably not, but stranger things happen every season. The Sox will be in the hunt. This.

I don't get a chance to post this very often but thank you to Southern Illinois for being so kind to my alma mater UTPA. I hope the boys from Edwardsville are enjoying the warm weather.

The one thing with Mark that would make me believe he would come back as a coach is he really seems to enjoy the game. I think he would make a great color commentator as well. But it seems more likely he would quietly retire.

The one thing with Mark that would make me believe he would come back as a coach is he really seems to enjoy the game. I think he would make a great color commentator as well. But it seems more likely he would quietly retire.

Since we have a thread started concerning Kerry, and he isn't everyone's first choice, who else should be considered?

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 24, 2012 -> 11:04 AM) Q: Do you like pie? A: Hmm, pie is OK, but hey f*** cake. What did cake ever do for anyone? That cake is a horrible, evil little snack. And we would never start talking about other deserts in a pie thread lol keep trolling

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 24, 2012 -> 10:43 AM) Exactly. And I'm accused of trolling.

I thought this was a discussion on the next Sec of Def? I want Obama to start reaching across the aisle for some consensus building. Here's a pick, Colin Powell if he would accept. A former GOP cabinet member, and an Obama supporter. regardless, I would llike to see someone with military experience, someone who served with honor. McCain comes to mind. Although the swifitie stigma is on him. I was sickened that people would trash military honors. The men and women that earned those did not need to have them dragged through the mud for petty b.s. politics. Any of the swifty supporters disgraced the military and the men and women that served and should also be disqualified from serving as Sec of Def. How is that not consistent with what I have said before? I said the swifites were a pile of s*** then, and believe they are a pile of s*** now. I will say this for Kerry, he disgraced his own medals, not those of other people, so I actually give him slightly more respect. I guess this is trolling Kap by agreeing with him, or if he wants to stick up for a bunch of people who claimed soldiers do not earn those medals, that they are easily faked and handed out like cookies or for political favors. But I really doubt he will. And just to be very clear KERRY IS A TERRIBLE CHOICE! His nomination would open up a round of partisan fighting that would be terrible for this country. Obama needs to pick someone that the GOP loves and Dems will tolerate. Obama needs to start some healing and Sec of Def is the perfect position to do that with. KERRY WOULD BE TERRIBLE! Do I need to say it a couple more times?

QUOTE (kapkomet @ Nov 23, 2012 -> 07:11 PM) I never said a word about the "swifties". He did throw the medals, and he did testify against his own in Congress. And he accused our soldiers of "that young American soldiers need to be going into the homes of Iraqis in the dead of night, terrorizing kids and children, you know, women,". FACT. That's it. You want a leader like that for Secretary of Defense? If ANYONE can vote him in for that position, they have no conscious. If he wants to go to state, that's one thing, but defense? No Kap, after you listed one person who dishonored the medals, I added swifties to that list. None of them should be considered. Was what I wrote that hard to follow? And shall i mention one more time I don't want him for Sec of Def?

Kerry for SecDef is HORRIBLE. Here, let me throw those medals over the fence. f***er. And forget any of the swifties and their supporters that destroyed the very meaning of medals by revealing how easy they are handed out. See how they flow together.

QUOTE (kapkomet @ Nov 23, 2012 -> 05:37 PM) You have a man that allied himself with Hanoi Fonda and testified against his fellow troops, he can go f*** himself on being Secretary of Defense. It's awesome how little respect you show for that position by saying Kerry's good for it. Where did you read I supported Kerry? I just added to your list of people that should be excluded. The swift boat guys spent tens of millions destroying the meaning of those medals. They should be excluded as well.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Nov 23, 2012 -> 02:24 PM) I don't remember the sleeping pills part but I'll trust you on it. I still say you cannot assume Oz has a drinking problem and it's irresponsible to say that on a public forum. I just went to Black Friday lunch and of the five people there, only one (me) didn't have at least 3 big beers. On a Friday afternoon? I had no beers. They make me sleepy. Drinking is a huge part of society. Do the four guys I was with have a problem? You bring up a interesting point about what is responsible and what is not on a public forum. I believe I clearly stated it was my opinions. My opinion is based on Ozzie's own words and his actions. I'm do not believe it is unfair to take Ozzie's own characterizations about his drinking and blame drinking on some of his bizarre behaviors.

Part of Greg's comments may be because I kept saying I have empathy for anyone in that situation and people kept saying, Yeah, but Mark has money, Mark did this or Mark did that. I'm guessing all those comments could be rewritten to say, anyone with enough money, or anyone with a really cool job, or anyone who can walk away, does not deserve empathy. It isn't specific to Mark, but he was used as an example. And we would take him back under that contract, as long as someone was picking up some of it.