bigruss

QUOTE (Reddy @ Jan 14, 2013 -> 07:41 PM) Obama says hi. Is Obama not the bacon option?

QUOTE (ptatc @ Jan 14, 2013 -> 07:33 PM) I think I would like to spread it out more. If they all it FA at the same time it would be to expensive. Then it's either a really large payroll jump or a total rebuild. Ideally you'd like at least 2 impact players on the cusp of the majors each year (1 pitcher, 1 position player). By impact I mean a starting player, SP, or closer/setup type guy (potential of average player or higher). If you can get that out of your minors you'd be sitting pretty with your depth and would be able to manage your payroll much easier.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Jan 14, 2013 -> 04:59 PM) You have still failed to mention what you would spend that additional $25 million a year on. Would you have really committed $25 million this year to the ticking time bomb that is Josh Hamilton, leaving yourself little to no wiggle room in the future for further additions while potentially crippling yourself from making other moves in the following offseasons without cutting payroll prior to making them? This sounds like someone who makes $50,000 a year buying a $75,000 car. They can afford it, but they're much safer buying something cheaper so they have some money as insurance. The gamble is if the Sox spend more, will they win more? Because winning brings in more revenue (tickets, food, etc). The risk is, spending doesn't equate more winning necessarily. Given the recent data on how a variety of teams with large payrolls and small payrolls have similar success pretty much debunks the theory that spending more means we will win (hello 2011 as well). The Sox need to invest wisely, meaning more behind the scenes investments (staff, scouting, development), that can pay off in higher dividends rather than the usually poor ROI seen from FAs, especially in an under supplied FA market. Just because the Sox payroll isn't going higher, doesn't mean they aren't spending more. There is still a risk with this strategy, but a lot less and a lot more sustainable.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Jan 14, 2013 -> 10:16 AM) People make me hate religion. This. I get why people are drawn to it, how it can help people, but the cons most definitely outweigh the pros.

QUOTE (Y2HH @ Jan 14, 2013 -> 09:28 AM) It would be impossible for me to say your argument doesn't have some degree of weight behind it. So, I agree to a point. But more than the unhealthy/cheaper choices, I personally believe that more so than any other factor, is people tend to ignore the new reality in which they live. People exercise less than then they once did, as their jobs, and even daily life REQUIRED more exercise. Things as simple as washing dishes has become an automated process with dishwashers. Even kids...smart, educated kids from educated families...they watch too much TV, and play too many video games because the parents are too busy trying to hold down 56 jobs so they can own 2 houses, 4 cars, take fancy vacations, etc, etc...everyone has time to f*** and have kids...but it seems nobody has time to raise them themselves. As for things like making sure sure they do things like exercise...meh, who has time for that? Because, you know, the little amount of time most modern parents spend with their kids, the TV acts their new "baby sitter", because who the f*** has time for that s***? To me, it's excuse after excuse. Take me for example...I'd LOVVEEEE it if my wife worked...as my job alone gets us by, if she had money coming in it'd be PURE cream off the top...we'd have the money for all this extravagant stuff that we don't really need. Sure, our daughter (and the second one on the way) would suffer, but we'd have all that extra stuff people worry about. How about no thanks. How about we raise the kids we decided to have so long as we can afford to NOT sacrifice them in the name of extra spending money. WE chose to have them. WE will raise them. Not some nanny, not their grandparents...US. And right now, that means we don't get to take extravagant island vacations. I took them camping 3 times last summer, once to South Dakota, once to Northern Wisconsin and once to Southern IL. That was our vacation time. Yes, sleeping in tents, not hotels. Also, I have no netflix, and only basic cable...because we cannot afford a 200+$ cable bill every month, unless of course she went to work...then we can have all that extra crap. The reality is, we've become a society of wanting our cake and eating it too. We want to sit in an office all day instead of being a laborer, but we don't want to exercise. We want kids...but who the f*** has time to actually raise them? It's much easier to just blame someone, such as the government, than actually doing something about it DESPITE living in a country where you actually CAN do something about it...like exercising, or living with a little less to stay within your means. I see what you did there. And agreed, live within your means. Just because everyone else is buying a new car, or putting additions on their houses doesn't mean you have to or can afford it as well. Having more education on personal finances, in any neighborhood, is essential imo.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Jan 10, 2013 -> 03:30 PM) No, but the "just stop being lazy and pull yourself up by your bootstraps" discussion in here is quite pathetic. I don't think this applies to everyone, but a fair amount probably do need this said to them (to stop being lazy, not the bootstraps part).

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Jan 10, 2013 -> 03:20 PM) You're absolutely allowed to have an opinion. Just try to examine your own opinions to see if they're coming from a privileged perspective, if there's some advantages you had and maybe didn't recognize that these other people you're judging don't, if you had more room for mistakes and set-backs, etc. Basically "walk a mile in someone's shoes" or at least, to the extent possible without actually living their experience, try to understand a mile in their shoes. What if he has? What if he still holds the same opinions?

QUOTE (bmags @ Jan 10, 2013 -> 03:18 PM) I don't live in Lincoln Park, but I appreciate that you use stereotypes in all aspects of your life. Congrats. At least you are consistent. Excuse shack, he hasn't hit on enough secretaries today. White people don't rationalize well without enough office spankings and layoffs.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Jan 10, 2013 -> 03:14 PM) They found ways to not have to do that and to make it a lot easier. If you make it difficult to walk to the store, few people will walk. I really don't get why you guys are having such a hard time accepting cultural and social factors that go into general health and fitness levels. I think you've actually hit on a really, really good point here. Worrying about your health 10, 20, 30 years from now is a luxury. It's a huge luxury most people haven't had throughout history and hundreds of millions if not billions still don't have. You're worried about surviving until tomorrow or until next week, worried about paying the bills due Friday and not those due at the end of the month. Planning for the future is a luxury for people who don't have to struggle so hard just to get by in the present. Well, in my privileged, white world, I have seen plenty of people who came from foreign countries with completely different lifestyles from my own come in and make the same bad choices that I, and many other American-born people, make. I do think there is an impact from the environment, but I just believe it's up to the individual to make choices in the end. I saw these same mistakes made not only here, but also in other countries.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Jan 10, 2013 -> 03:10 PM)

QUOTE (iamshack @ Jan 10, 2013 -> 03:06 PM) You are condescending to just about everyone, and trust me, I'm not near alone in making this observation. And you didn't correct anyone. You may have a high level of understanding about certain things, but sports, and very obviously nutrition, are not among them. You're white and have a job, you just don't get it shack. These things make you evil, no matter what else you do.

QUOTE (bmags @ Jan 10, 2013 -> 03:04 PM) They weren't healthy. They starved. Oh, sorry, I shouldn't correct you for fear of being condescending. Why don't you tell me some large generalizations about how poor people are stupid and lazy, please. I wouldn't mean to offend you. This is hilarious considering your stereotyping of white people.

QUOTE (mr_genius @ Jan 10, 2013 -> 03:01 PM) Moderation is the key. A slice or 2 of your favorite pizza pie is ok. Soloing a large and drinking a 2 liter of coke with it is all on u when u gain weight. Don't blame anyone else. IMO, this is something most people have to learn on themselves. Growing up, you're parents most likely limited this intake, then you move out on your own and suddenly you can drink, eat, etc all you want. You know the right thing to do is moderate yourself, sometimes it takes a learned lesson (such as gaining weight) to realize that you need to make better choices.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Jan 10, 2013 -> 02:57 PM) Honestly? Do you think all foods that have animal fats in them are bad? Do you realize that animal fats actually help you digest your food more easily, Mr Know-it-all? And how did our ancestors EVER MANAGE to stay healthy without knowing the caloric values of EVERYTHING they ate? How did they know when to stop eating? How did they not explode because they ate too much of that goat they slaughtered? GMAFB, Mr. Smarty pants...if EVER there was a person on soxtalk who was self-righteous, it was you. He can't be self-righteous, he's too busy yelling at white people with decent paying jobs.

QUOTE (bmags @ Jan 10, 2013 -> 02:46 PM) I love in a thread where people are confused that cheese is fattening and they don't need to count calories, they have the self will to moderate, are the same people saying everyone elses choices are so dumb! And that was my answer to all of this! Government meals! pat yourself on the back russ! Is there going to be a nice soxtalk meetup soon where we can all b**** about how we can't grab our secretaries asses, reverse-racism and how stupid and lazy poor people are? let me know! Pat pat pat

QUOTE (bmags @ Jan 10, 2013 -> 02:38 PM) So, the answer to solving the obesity epidemic is shouting at poor people to stop being stupid and decide to stop being poor. Can someone draft this up so I can send it to Congress? Government made meals for everyone!!!

QUOTE (iamshack @ Jan 10, 2013 -> 02:23 PM) And how does that equate to "all people in poverty are lazy and ignorant"? Because you're a white male who hasn't faced any adversity. Or at least I assume that with every poster on here.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Jan 10, 2013 -> 01:36 PM) The bar needs to be higher than that. Agreed, but it is.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jan 10, 2013 -> 01:18 PM) *with no definition as to what "better" actually is. One of the top spenders in a division...Guess not. A long string of non under .500 teams....Guess not World Series win....Guess not Ownership isn't perfect, but that's expected. I at least can't fault JR for hiring guys like Kenny who will do whatever he can in his power to help the Sox win. I didn't agree with KW on a lot of moves, but he worked like hell to try and bring wins to the Sox.

QUOTE (Cali @ Jan 10, 2013 -> 11:31 AM) It's really at a stalemate. Fans says put a good team on the field and we'll come, ownership says come and we can afford to put a competitive team on the field. Ownership tried that very recently, fans didn't support it.

QUOTE (TaylorStSox @ Jan 10, 2013 -> 12:55 PM) For the Sox to draw well, they really need some marketable stars. Last year we were winning, but the team was vanilla as can be. The Sox desperately need Hawkins or Thompson to break out. Throughout Sox histroy it's been proven this is not the case. The Sox need to win, plain and simple.

QUOTE (HickoryHuskers @ Jan 10, 2013 -> 01:07 PM) The county prosecutor has a long history of not getting along with the University. There is no way they cover up anything for the football team. Hell, they go out looking to catch football players drinking underage! THE HORROR!!!!

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Jan 10, 2013 -> 12:49 PM) Pretty sure at sams/costco it's even less than that. I know the package is like 13.99 and i'm sure it's 8-10 lbs of chicken. Frozen chicken breasts yes, the ones in the refrigerated meat section are like 2.89/lb.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Jan 10, 2013 -> 12:44 PM) You made the claim, you prove it. And tacos aren't exactly "healthy food." I can make you a healthy salad for less then 2 bucks (not that taco bell would be less than 2 bucks once you account for the food and travel). But yes, this is a dumb argument. At the end of the day in 99% of cases making your own food and having left overs is going to be cheaper than getting something pre-made or going out to eat. People choose to be lazy and spend more. I'm fine with that choice as well. It's 'merica dammit. Ron Swanson, right again.

QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Jan 10, 2013 -> 11:58 AM) Shaw was a top ten player at one point, finished hs with his RSCI in the 60s. How you can't find minutes at the four with this team is just shocking. Have to assume total bust. Seriously, if the kid can't earn essentially any minutes with a severe lack of depth on this roster, than it means he needs to go elsewhere. I really doubt Groce is sitting him for personal reasons.