bigruss

QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Mar 5, 2014 -> 10:33 AM) I love the newish downtown vegas. Go there if you got an afternoon to kill. It'll also save you a pretty penny since everything over there is ridiculously cheap compared to the main strip. Interesting, I'm going later this month, any specific recommendations for over there?

QUOTE (Ozzie Ball @ Mar 4, 2014 -> 01:56 AM) Sounds like a good trip. Dublin aside I have visited all these places, and have lived in London, so if you're looking for any recommendations just let me know, especially for places to eat. Where in Belgium are you planning to go? Brussels, Ghent and Bruges are all very beautiful, though Bruges was crawling with tourists (almost to the point that it wasn't enjoyable). Yea I've been to a few places on that list, but most of them are new. I went to Brussels and Bruges when I was studying abroad, I liked Bruges enough to go twice (only 3 nights total). It wasn't packed at all either time, had great times there. We'll be spending one night Ghent and then one night in Brussels. Let me know if you have any recommendations for any of the places, we haven't really planned out what to do yet for a lot of them.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Feb 28, 2014 -> 09:57 AM) Nah, the job has been fine but everything else was kind of a mess. I was waiting for my Rogers Park roommates to find a sub letter before I moved there and that never happened. Because I was still paying rent in RP, I never moved to Milwaukee while working there. The travel was just too much so that's why I started looking for other things and wallah. New job is in Wheeling and my lease in RP ends at the end of April so I'll see where I move from there. EDIT: and thanks, I'm really excited about this one. Wow yea that's a long commute, too bad you didnt get to live in Milwaukee I've had a ton of great nights there visiting friends.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Feb 28, 2014 -> 09:39 AM) Only until we steal you away

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Feb 28, 2014 -> 09:35 AM) So got that job I've been interviewing for. The pay isn't that much better but I got much better benefits, better hours, more vacation time, much more room for growth and it's just a very good company to be with. I start March 11th assuming I come back from St. Louis alive. Congrats! Still in Milwaukee?

Profit sharing numbers were released today, always an annual reminder why you stay at this company

QUOTE (gatnom @ Feb 26, 2014 -> 04:12 PM) I don't get why people are punishing Groce for things he hasn't done yet. Right now he hasn't landed a PG. Let's bash him for that when it's all over and he actually hasn't landed one. Ultimately, his career will be determined with whether or not he can win games. Believe it or not, you can actually win with guys like Aaron Jordan, D.J. Williams, Leron Black, Kendrick Nunn, etc. He still needs to get his pg, he's come incredibly close his first 2 years recruiting but hasn't sealed the deal yet. Still early and I think he can get one for 2015, but it's definitely an uphill battle. My biggest worry with Groce is if he can coach in Big Ten play. He didn't win a lot in MAC at Ohio in conference play, and he's struggled in the first 2 years here. If next season they don't go over .500 in conference play then I will start to worry a bit about his coaching ability. I still think he's been a great hire and is setting us up for sustained success going forward.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Feb 26, 2014 -> 09:38 AM) Who's the PG they are recruiting after Brunson? I see at Scout they have Jawun Evans listed, some dude from South Carolina. Doubt that's a legit possibility. It's basically Brunson or bust in 2015 from what I understand. Evans plays in Texas I believe, they've been recruiting him pretty hard from what I've read. Coleman and Eric Davis as well, both hard gets but the fit the combo guard that Groce needs. Pipkins could be a option if he proves himself this summer in AAU play.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Feb 26, 2014 -> 09:33 AM) With Snider de-committing and better programs offering Brunson, I'd say expect to strike out on decent PG's for the next 2 seasons. Tate will be the starting PG in 2015-2016 unless he goes with a combo guard instead. And he's most likely going to strike out with with the two top center recruits (Stone and Thomas), so there may be a hole there as well unless Morgan really takes a leap. I guess there is always the transfer route, and he's been good at that so far. Stone was a long shot anyways, getting a guy like Thomas or Sharma is a more reasonable yet lofty expectation.

QUOTE (Boogua @ Feb 26, 2014 -> 09:32 AM) How does missing out on a wing, on a team loaded with wings, prompt a response like this? In his first year he recruited every position. He was a last second change of heart from recruiting his impact PG in 2014 as well as 2 bigs that fit different roles. He's already recruited one of the better shooters in the state for 2015 and has gotten a top 50 player from Simeon. Complaining that the guy has missed out on Cliff Alexander and Charles Matthews to KU and UK is a bit nuts. Especially considering the dumpster fire he inherited. Exactly, and they are recruiting a ton of guys they would love to play PG for them in the 2015 class. If they miss out on every single one of those guys, then I would be disappointed.

QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Feb 26, 2014 -> 09:25 AM) He's recruiting like Bruce Weber at the end with similar issues with balance. I believe we should expect better than that. Lolz, look at what he had to start with, this was a major rebuild for any coach coming in, whether it was Smart, Stevens or Groce.

It would've been a shock if it was elsewhere, it sucks but he was the cherry on top. Brunson is key, hopefully we can somehow get him.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Feb 25, 2014 -> 04:34 PM) Bernie Pleskoff ‏@BerniePleskoff 32m In Fort Myers today, Johann Santana threw in the high 70's and touched 81 in front of scouts from 7 clubs. Also threw his changeup. Oof.

QUOTE (Brian @ Feb 25, 2014 -> 03:00 PM) Sounds like DJ Williams has been playing PG. So Illinois won't need Brunson. Matthews tweeted something about shocking people tomorrow. Most likely trying to build hype, Im just trying to stay cool on this one.

QUOTE (Reddy @ Feb 25, 2014 -> 11:33 AM) weird that surprises me. they often have great deals ala Southwest in their early days. It very well could've been the route, I was using skyscanner and jetblue's cheapest option was $500 something, United and AA were both at like $311.

QUOTE (Reddy @ Feb 25, 2014 -> 11:18 AM) b****es get with it. JetBlue is the bomb. I wanted to take them for a trip to Orlando this summer for a conference Im going to, but they were a full $200 more than United/AA.

Rock, saw some rumors that Mitchell is backing off of his commitment to OSU since he and his brother may want to stay closer to home. I assume if this happens then Matta goes all out for Bragg.

Charles Matthews announcing tomorrow. Gotta imagine that bodes well for Illinois, we shall see though.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Feb 20, 2014 -> 08:54 AM) WHy do I want to watch a replay of IU basketball? Weird link He's had a weird start to his posting career.

Solid win, nice to see some fight. Hopefully we can keep up some momentum and get to the NIT and make a run. Nunn shooting that well points to good things in the future, hopefully he can keep it up.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Feb 19, 2014 -> 01:32 PM) Sure, you want a car rotting in your driveway for two years, and probably not running once you actually need it. And depreciating, since it's now 2 years older.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Feb 18, 2014 -> 03:43 PM) MLBTR mentions PIT is still looking for a LHH 1B. I doubt they'd take Dunn without a ton of money (like, all of it), but... they do like cheaper, younger talent... maybe ship them Conor Gillaspie and Andy Wilkins, both for basically the league minimum in salary, hoping one of them pans out. Would solve some problems for the Sox and likely get them a prospect in return, albeit not an elite one. Gillaspie hit RHP last year kinda OK (.738 OPS) for a rookie, and he adds flexibility to also play 3B. Wilkins has hit 17+ HR in each full season through the minors, draws some walks, plays solid 1B defense, and is 25. Also had a strong winter ball run, and hits RHP better than LHP usually (so add some values to his career numbers if you platoon him). I'd think those two would give PIT what they need somehow, possibly even a long term solution if Wilkins develops as the 5th round talent he is. That should net back some sort of prospect in their T20, and they do have a deep system. This also allows Davidson to take over at 3B, removes some of the INF crowding. The only downside, really, is if you trade Wilkins, he is the only guy who seems to have even a small shot move to 1B/DH in 2014 internally. Barnum is years away, Black probably won't be able to get it done enough at that position in the majors. Wilkins is far from a guarantee as well, but he has a shot maybe if he rakes in AAA in 2014. Maybe they'd take just Gillaspie for a lower level prospect, and call it a deal, and the Sox keep Wilkins. But that would be a patch-job for PIT, and they'd probably prefer to have some sort of long term option available, even if it is a gamble. Thoughts? Not really sure Wilkins is all that appealing in a trade for other teams, maybe as a throw in. I want Davidson starting but I want him to have to earn it, Gillaspie provides that. If PIT was desperate enough to give us something useful then I would have no problem trading them for a spect.

That would've been terrible if it happened during the game.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Feb 18, 2014 -> 03:04 PM) We easily got 10 in yesterday. But its all melting now. The mounds near the street were crazy, we were trying to shovel open spots to street park and the mounds were a good 4-5 ft tall after moving the snow. Glad a lot of it is melting now because if it snowed again not sure where any shoveled snow could go.

QUOTE (chisoxfan310 @ Feb 16, 2014 -> 02:47 PM) Too bad Dunn won't sit this year out... Would you pass up on that salary? I know I wouldn't.