erik316wttn

What time?

what time do you think you could be available to draft? Well, I work till 630 central on Sunday, and then I have a draft at 830. I'm free all day Monday and Tuesday, though.

Well, there's another few weeks for the setback. Over/under on Kerry's return: The All-star break. I'll take the over. You knew, you just KNEW that he wouldn't be back when expected. I hate being a Cub fan sometimes. I really do.

I'd join if I could make the draft. :(

I have. I'm not debating the fact that some are better than others, or some throw harder, etc. I just don't like the David vs. Golliath comparision (or at any time, rather) because people always misuse it.

I really don't like the David vs. Golliath comparison. People tend to forget that David won.

Please explain.

Thanks for the heads up. Maybe they'll have some video on today's game. ESPNews had the 2 HRs Corey gave up. :x 2 bad plays in the field?

This team really needs a youth movement. Theriot, Cendeno, Murton, Greenberg all would do wonders for this team, IMO.

Yeah, but those teams have won the World Series. Isn't that the goal? Yes. But you still haven't explained how tearing down Wrigley is going to help us accomplish that goal.

I appreciate that's your opinion. I happen to disagree with it. We genuinely *TRIED* to win in 2004, after the Cubs had a taste of success in '03. Once '04 tanked, the desire and effort to win from this organization took a nose dive. The results speak for themselves. We need to ask ourselves why only one year? Why didn't they keep trying like they did in '04? No motivation. That's why. Why is there no motivation? Because that ballpark is filled no matter what. The sales stay pretty much constant no matter what--or at least more than almost every other team. This sounds more like a gripe with management or the ownership to me. Nowhere in this statement do I hear anything about why Wrigley is bad.

Replacing Wrigley won't make a difference. It would if attendance was sagging and they absolutely needed a new park. However, new does NOT necessarily equal "better". Bad management and bad baseball people are the reason that this team is where it is. It's not Wrigley. I really don't see how more bathrooms and a jumbotron is going to help the Cubs win the World Series.

Why Wrigley will be standing forever is in bold print. Ok. Why the Cubs will never win a World Series is in bold print. I sense a circular arguement coming.... Seriously, though, Wrigley isn't the problem. Look at 2003. Assuming they won Game 6 or 7, are you saying it would have been impossible for them to beat the Yankees simply because of Wrigley? You can get luxury boxes and jumbotrons anywhere. I want baseball as it used to be. I want the neighborhood atmosphere. I want the old scoreboard and the ivy. I want the rooftops. You're going to lose most of that with a new stadium. I would not in any way be opposed to a full and complete 1-year rennovation of Wrigley, with the Cubs splitting home games between Milwaukee and US Cellular while the remodeling is being done. However, Wrigley is not the cause of the Cubs losing.

Why Wrigley will be standing forever is in bold print.

After looking at what they actually banned, it's not so bad. They just can be on the sidewalks of Wrigley itself. It sounds like they can still be across the street and everything else. With all of the traffic immediately outside the park, it's probably a good idea. I suppose if that's the case I could live with that. If they're eliminated totally I'm going to be extremely pissed.

Well, not really "featured". It's not the cover story or anything. But there is a whole page of the magazine devoted to it. He works out five days per week in the offseason near his home in Georgia at a training center where a lot of NFL stars work out in their offseason. Some of the things he does.... --Catching a ball thrown softly from 5 feet away, with 45 pounds of resistance attached to him. He then jumps up into a throwing stance. 3 sets of 15 --Wearing cords on his feet with four pounds of resistance attached from waist to heel. He does stepping exercises on the ground, and even goes up and down a 15-foot ladder. -- One knee and both hands drop down in a blocking motion to the right, and then to the left. He does 3 sets of 15 each way with 45 pounds of resistance. Great exercise for blocking balls in the dirt. --A hitting exercise: Three sets of 15 swings with a harness attached around his waist and over his shoulders with 30 pounds of resistance. He then does one set of 15 without the weight. -- Does a set of 10 quarter jumps (only about a 1/4 squat before jumping), a set of 10 full jumps (squatting down as far as possible and jumping as high as possible), and 10 "fast jumps" (jumping as fast as he can) with 100 pounds of resistance. It's a great exercise for popping up trying to throw a runner out. And finally, he does 20 minutes of sparring and punching a heavy bag, 20 minutes of muay thai (hitting a padded surface with his shins, knees, and elbows), and 20 minutes of "ground and pound" (don't think I wanna know). Talking about his hour of self defense exercise, he says this: "....I wouldn't mind trying to be an Ultimate Fighter after my baseball career."

Glenallen Hill was one of my favorite Cubs ever. I'll never forget that rooftop shot.... although my memory had it more left-center than left. Huh.

You've got enough to work with.

Looks like you got your work cut out for you. You're not in terrible shape. You have 3 good closers there. Two could be traded for whatever.

I'd wait till at least May to try to trade one of our bullpen guys.

Come on. You know you want to.

Ghostbusters?

That story will be told at every Thanksgiving in the Clemens house from now on.

I say these things about people from Illinois in jest. I love Chicago. It's one of my favorite places in the world. Every time I've been to Illinois the people have been kind and courteous. But Wisconsin is still better. ;)

Gracie was good, but not one of the all-time greats.