Texsox

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Mar 27, 2012 -> 04:42 PM) So you're saying that they can max out at 88 wins? I don't think that qualifies as "shocking the division" at all. Agreed. It will shock Sox fans

82-85 like most everyone else. Second, if I had to pick over under that range, I am slightly optimistic and believe they could better that.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Mar 28, 2012 -> 09:13 AM) To clarify, that it should have been his legal duty to extricate himself from that conflict, as it should have been Martin's legal duty to extricate himself from that conflict. I think we went into detail about why that is particularly important something like 15 pages ago and I don't wish to retype. To clarify, that is some people's opinion that you are presenting as fact. I'm not certain it should be anyone's legal duty to run. OMG! Look! It's a gang member, we all have to run, get off the street, leave the store, he may start something. I know it is difficult to write a law that allows Zimmerman to be punished for something, while allowing people to walk down a street without having the legal duty to avoid criminals.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Mar 28, 2012 -> 07:24 AM) We need more people to fight back against dangerous hoodlums carrying skittles and tea! Arm everyone! And that is how people who won't, or can't, think past soundbites and one example will feel.

I am missing him.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Mar 27, 2012 -> 01:33 PM) Notice it's called Neighborhood Watch, and not Neighborhood Vigilante Justice, or Neighborhood Cops. As I have always understood them, Neighborhood Watch programs have always encouraged awareness and to take an interest in the members of your community. One unintended consequence of the programs is you often get the guy who failed the police academy test or some overzealous person calling the police every time someone sneezes loudly or thinks it's their duty to get up in everyone's business. The preliminary facts seem to suggest Zimmerman was one of these people. As for the Florida law, I think the victim they had in mind was probably someone being attacked or raped or mugged, not someone that was playing police officer and stalking "suspicious" teenagers. I believe there are two issues here. Neighborhood Watch and Florida Law. The NW really doesn't have anything to do with what happened. I haven't seen where he was given any extra protection, rights, or whatever because they (he) called (him)themselves a neighborhood watch. I can call my self superman, but that doesn't make me fly. I think it is also unfair to begin painting people who are willing to get involved as being some kind of fringe loonies. This victim mentality where we have to allow professionals to help makes us all victims. I understand people who are tired of being victims and are willing to fight back. That doesn't make them all crazies.

Wow, this is interesting. So now a neighborhood watch should hide and call the police? That's exactly what the voters in Florida were sick of when they passed this law. They gave potential crime VICTIMS the opportunity to go do something about it! Yeah, it hasn't really worked out. Are we really going to accept as fact the testimony of Martin's girlfriend? Would we Zimmerman's? I don't see how Zimmerman gets a fair trial.

They both had reason to believe they were in danger, yet neither one really gets out of the way.

I forget the Red Wing, later Blackhawk who got busted at .21 or something crazy like that and when they asked him how he could walk, or drive, he said it must have been the coke. Bob Probert? Whoa, I just noticed he's dead?

QUOTE (JoeCoolMan24 @ Mar 26, 2012 -> 06:11 PM) Interesting picture I saw on FB.... I smell fakes. Both sets are probably misleading.

BTW, nice conversations so far. I love it whenthe 'buster stays civil. Next up, can almost all of us agree the law is wrong? Or at least was not intended for a situation like this? It seems to me that Zimmerman's actions were more at fault than Martin's actions. Zimmerman had an option to report and drive home. It does not seem from a reading of the Florida law to be a legal requirement, but he could have. He didn't. Martin's actions, walking quicker and trying to evade someone who was following him would be a reasonable action for an innocent person, and a guilty person. Zimmerman sees criminals where ever he goes. Yeah, it's easy to say he was predisposed because Martin was black and wearing a hoodie, but from what I've read about Zimmerman, he saw criminals everywhere. So Zimmerman follows, correctly keeping the neighborhood safe from a potential threat. Martin speeds up trying to get away (which may also look like trying to evade someone so he can commit a crime). Stalker/concerned citizen versus criminal/scared stalkee They both are now defending themselves against each other. Is Martin a thief/rapist/whatever and Zimmerman needs to be the hero and step in or is Zimmerman the criminal waiting to abduct Martin? This is the sad part. It seems that by Florida law, they each can justifiably kill the other without penalty.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Mar 26, 2012 -> 01:33 PM) I don't think there will be an issue evaluating talent. That's probably the first thing these coaches learn to do since their success depends on finding the second or third tier guys that can play. Talent is rarely an issue at Illinois. It was for a season or two after the Eric Gordon crap fell through. Otherwise Illinois has had plenty of talent to compete for conference titles and decent seeding. It's come down to work ethic and the inability to get better as the season progressed. That happened about 3 times on Webers' watch - his first two seasons and in 08-09 when they were hot and could have made a run before Frazier broke his hand in the Big Ten tourney. The rest of the time they were about the same from the beginning of the season on, if not worse. And if he keeps Jerrance Howard the contacts with the top Chicago talent (though maybe not the one or two premier guys) will remain intact. Again, coming from a retired D1 AD at a school that has only made two NCAA men's basketball tournaments. Each time the guy moves up he has a tougher time evaluating talent. There are noticable differences between the 300 and 325 best players in the country, far fewer between the 23rd and 25th. It starts getting into intangibles.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Mar 26, 2012 -> 01:06 PM) fwiw this is a pretty dumb move unless you're actually trained in hand-to-hand self defense. Much safer just to give over the wallet. Yes it is, but that's what the public wanted imho. Turning the tables on the crooks. Why should law abiding victims run while criminals run free and harrass and attack them? It plays well with people who are tired of living in fear and who believe the law gives all the breaks to the criminal and none to the victim.

This is one of those cases that I trust witnesses less and less, including the girlfriend. False memories are more likely with emotions running so high. Not picking sides and who is, and who is not, telling the truth.

And near as I can tell there are no requirements to join a national organization to form a neighborhood watch. Most police forces will offer some training regardless of national ties. I suspect most watches do not bother to pay dues.

The question becomes can he evaluate the level of player he needs to attract at UI?

We elect actual humans to make these decisions.

What the voters seem to have wanted was . . . A criminal in a hoodie confronts you demanding your wallet. You have an option to turn and run or, just like in the movies, you reach into your jeans to get your wallet and pull out a 9mm. Or you are the Korea War vet who instead of exiting the bus, you beat the crap out of the thug in a hoodie who is intimidating you. What they received was . . . Zimmerman Be careful what you wish for.

That particular neighborhood watch was not associated with the national association. Think of it like a parents group at a school that does not pay dues to the PTA. So it was a neighborhood watch not a Neighborhood Watch™. Just like you can have an association of parents and teachers without having a PTA.

This highlights how important it is to pick the right career moves. People will look at your record. Really good ADs will look at your record beginning with year three. By year three you should have most of your recruits in place, comfortable with the University and your recruiting area.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Mar 25, 2012 -> 09:26 PM) In other coach searching news the SIU search could not be going in more of an opposite direction than the U of I hunt. Mario Moccia(our ad) has done a great job in keeping the whole thing under wraps, I'm kind of concerned that Robin Ventura might be our new coach... I heard they were checking Monster.com and Careerbuilders for a candidate

QUOTE (IlliniKrush @ Mar 21, 2012 -> 04:08 PM) Not right now there aren't, at least nowhere he's going. So if you are speaking short term, you're clearly wrong. If you want to talk long term, he's not on TV so people can begin to know about him, everyone already does. You don't get jobs based on TV appearances, you get them on results. And a top 5 job, if that's what he's holding out for, won't be influenced by studio work on CBS. That's ridiculous. I am talking about TV in a very general sense. A lot of my opinion is based on my father in law who was a D1 AD. Seeing how a guy handles the media is nice. Being a "name" that will help with fundraising and boosters is a plus. And it isn't just the basketball fans that they want to raise money from, but the average alumni who just wants that school pride and band wagon jumpers. And every coach benefits in different ways and different levels. Certainly the out of work coach gains the most from continued national coverage. A guy who is taking his team to the final 4, probably very little. Unless you make a Jimmy the Greek or Al Companas type remark, you can't be hurt by television appearances.

10-13 after an 0-3 start.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Mar 26, 2012 -> 08:13 AM) And that is what Florida's voters have decided their state should be. Was the current law passed by referendum, which would place it directly on them, or what is passed as most other laws? But not needing to run from criminals strikes a positive chord with most people.

Dunn could make all of those seem like bargains.