As is well documented in several threads. This is a crap franchise. Has been forever. The losers in the 2005 WS went on to build a dynasty (with and without cheating) while the winners went on to be losers. NYY keeps rolling. 

If anyone here tries to be optimistic they are quickly and easily shot down with the facts. We can't draft. We can't trade. We can't develop players. We can't condition them to stay healthy through a season. We can't hire front office. We have the worst ownership group in sports. 

One good thing is we currently have a crappy division but as we most recently proved just being in the playoffs doesn't mean we're contenders. There is no championship window. All there is is playing for the 8th place trophy or pretending to "blow it up and start over" . . . and over, and over again. 

This next season will be another lesson in futility. So what makes it enjoyable for you? What are you looking forward to? 

?

19 minutes ago, Texsox said:

So what makes it enjoyable for you? What are you looking forward to? 

The ONLY thing that keeps me on this board and around this team is because of the memories i have as a kid with this organization, the amazing people on this board, and the fact that I LIVE in Chicago so its the #1 spot for MLB games and following the MLB is one of my great passions in life.

I have tried multiple times to distance myself from CWS and I think I am getting close... I just have to find a way to follow the Padres games late at night that works for my schedule and I can throw this ugly franchise away!

For me I want to return to enjoying baseball at all levels. Being a kid again and all of the sights and sounds of a game. Win or lose I just remember really loving baseball. I still mostly* enjoy watching my high school team play. We have a decent stadium to watch MiLB games. I may even pony up the bucks for MLB again but without the expectation of watching the Sox win a division. I'll just look for fun matchups. 

*Because it reminds me my golf team's season is over short of state if I have time. 

1 hour ago, Texsox said:

For me I want to return to enjoying baseball at all levels. Being a kid again and all of the sights and sounds of a game. Win or lose I just remember really loving baseball. I still mostly* enjoy watching my high school team play. We have a decent stadium to watch MiLB games. I may even pony up the bucks for MLB again but without the expectation of watching the Sox win a division. I'll just look for fun matchups. 

*Because it reminds me my golf team's season is over short of state if I have time. 

Join me on the dark side and start streaming NPB lol. It’s all new, no previous loyalties, you get to let your fandom develop organically, and then there’s tons of history to mine. They’re twenty years behind MLB in terms of strategy, so you get to see lots of burning and slashing like people keep saying they want over here again. The talent range is twice as wide as MLB, so the superstars are extremely exciting. The worst players, though, still find a way to be useful by focusing on one thing like defense or contact at the plate. There are less than ten significant free agents every year and they all sign by thanksgiving. High end prospects see top team action often the very next season (draft occurs after the regular season). 

The only thing is you have to watch all the games on recorded delay and you can’t understand a god damn word anyone is saying.

Because switching and/or abandoning your favorite sports team is unconstitutional and punishable by death…or at least it should be 

Idk why I even care anymore.

Nobody really should. 

Ownership doesn't care about winning, so why should we care about the team? 

I try to not pay attention, but it's hard not to. It's something embedded in us. I couldn't really follow anybody else in MLB or NBA. The NFL was different for me

2 hours ago, iWiN4PreP said:

The ONLY thing that keeps me on this board and around this team is because of the memories i have as a kid with this organization, the amazing people on this board, and the fact that I LIVE in Chicago so its the #1 spot for MLB games and following the MLB is one of my great passions in life.

I have tried multiple times to distance myself from CWS and I think I am getting close... I just have to find a way to follow the Padres games late at night that works for my schedule and I can throw this ugly franchise away!

We been in Florida going on 30 years and I still haven't been able to cut the cord with this franchise. I have no ties to the city anymore and haven't visited since 2015. I have a sister who lives in Arlington Heights but she visits us once a year. I was a die hard Blackhawks fan but am close to giving up on them as I am a big fan of the Lightning. I follow the Ray's also but something keeps me tied to the White Sox. This season might go a long way to deciding if I'm going to put up with JR's incompetence anymore, the 2022 season really tested me like no other season since 1952. 

I never heard cub fans question team loyalty after over 100 years of futility. Ask yourself if you are a fan of  winning or a fan of the team.  Ask yourself if you are a fan of baseball only if your team wins. 2023 Sox will be competitive. Line-up is good, pitching staff is decent, and I am sure Hahn is trying to make a trade to improve. Relax. It's Dec 26.  Go return some shitty gifts .

Eh, the ups and downs are part of life. There’s a reason why people identify with Charlie Brown and why the Fat Elvis stamp beat the Skinny Elvis.  Being a front runner is not all it’s cracked up to be. During the Bulls 6 Championships, people started to get bored.  Plus, I can always turn off the TV and go for a walk.

3 minutes ago, tray said:

I never heard cub fans question team loyalty after over 100 years of futility. Ask yourself if you are a fan of  winning or a fan of the team.  Ask yourself if you are a fan of baseball only if your team wins. 2023 Sox will be competitive. Line-up is good, pitching staff is decent, and I am sure Hahn is trying to make a trade to improve. Relax. It's Dec 26.  Go return some shitty gifts .

True but it's hard with 42 yrs of incompetence by ownership and no improvement on the horizon. I think the Tony thing was the final straw for fans that has had enough of Reinsdorf

People get frustrated and out of anger with their team say they want to switch, but not actually do it.

 

Sox are in my dna. Not much I can do about it. Considering the limitations with the org, they’ve been largely at least competitive for large portions of my life (I’m 32). They are frustrating as can be, but that’s fandom for most professional sports franchises. 

I am hopeful that when JR moves on, we’ll see things operated different the following 3 decades of my life. I prefer to be hopeful than the alternative when it comes to the Sox, there’s enough other BS in life to worry about.

i actually like the players they have quite a bit. i don’t think the core they assembled is a massive failure, they just didn’t aggressively complement it enough and still haven’t, which is frustrating. 

regarding ownership, it obviously sucks. second-place jerry is a pox on the franchise. the only solace i take is that we may be near the end of his awful stewardship. 

I'm looking forward to outliving current ownership and seeing what a new beginning brings.

wellI actually for a brief moment I  successfully detached from following the team anymore after the great  James Shields aquisition. It finally dawned on me this franchise wouldn't ever pursue, keep  or aquire top tier young talent except by accident. And as an old man you begin to learn how to stop doing things to hurt yourself.  But then they suddenly began aquiring top talent in the minors by tradeing sacred cows, and plain ole out hustling other teams in a couple cases. Threy pulled me back in with young prospect baseball. Pursued top level free agents! Very un Sox-like, We. Were. A. Normal. Organization. (Kindof)  But, you knew JR had to start making them weird again, and so I'm sliding into limbo again. We'll see.

1 hour ago, Lip Man 1 said:

I'm looking forward to outliving current ownership and seeing what a new beginning brings.

How would you feel if the White Sox stayed in the Reinsdorf family?  There have been numerous reports that the team will be sold upon JRs passing. I wouldn't be surprised if the family kept the team.  Keep in mind they tried to buy the shares sold to the Lucas family last year. I would think they would only sell the team if his sons didn't want it and I don't know if thats the case.  I know that JRs oldest son (David) wanted to keep the team but he died a few years ago.

2 hours ago, Balta1701 said:

 

Pretty much. 

3 hours ago, tray said:

I never heard cub fans question team loyalty after over 100 years of futility. Ask yourself if you are a fan of  winning or a fan of the team.  Ask yourself if you are a fan of baseball only if your team wins. 2023 Sox will be competitive. Line-up is good, pitching staff is decent, and I am sure Hahn is trying to make a trade to improve. Relax. It's Dec 26.  Go return some shitty gifts .

In 42 of your ownership Jerry, the Sox have only won a playoff series in 2005. Don't you think you owe the fans more than that?

3 hours ago, tray said:

  Ask yourself if you are a fan of baseball only if your team wins.

I'm a fan only if I believe that my team is making a reasonable effort to win.  I think that's fair.

Stop watching the games on television, and also cancel your streaming accounts. There are so many safe streaming sites to watch Sox games, I can help anyone find other alternatives along with adblockers, just send me a PM

You'll be able to watch without the Sox making money off of you. I'd say stop going to games but I think turning off the TV/MLB.tv hurts them more than losing attendance

Sox can afford to spend big, they choose not to.  It's a choice theyre making to maximize profits. Steve Cohen is choosing to limit profits in exchange for building a super team. 

If you believe the Sox are poor and can't spend with the big boys, you're very very naive.

Sox will spend if they feel like their brand is starting to suffer, and a ratings/advertising bomb is a huge red flag of this

 

19 minutes ago, joejoesox said:

Sox can afford to spend big, they choose not to.  It's a choice theyre making to maximize profits. Steve Cohen is choosing to limit profits in exchange for building a super team. 

If you believe the Sox are poor and can't spend with the big boys, you're very very naive.

Sox will spend if they feel like their brand is starting to suffer, and a ratings/advertising bomb is a huge red flag of this

Sox are a corporation that owes its shareholders a duty to show a profit and remain solvent. 

They don't owe the fans anything.  MLB ownership is a microcosm of American capitalism and monopolization.

Just now, tray said:

Sox are a corporation that owes its shareholders a duty to show a profit and remain solvent. 

They don't owe the fans anything.  MLB ownership is a microcosm of American capitalism and monopolization.

I've read a few times that the White Sox gross $250 million dollars a year. With the payroll $200 million dollars I would think they're not going to  spend anymore money on the payroll.

Honestly, I love baseball but when the playoffs come around and the White Sox are not involved, I really don't care.  This team is in my blood and I don't think that will change.  I know Reinsdorf owns them but they are MY team and for other diehards, OUR team.