Tracer Bullet

you mean a young PG prefers a 2-guard that can handle the ball but is effective without the ball in his hands all the time, won't demand 30+ PPG and suddenly be anointed leader of the team that the young PG wants to lead? You mean he might prefer that to the second-coming of MJ? Maybe Rose just isn't wild about being pushed to the back burner by the team and fans just a couple years after being ROY and becoming a leader of this team. Maybe he thinks the team could win titles with JJ and Lee without having to deal with the LeBron circus. I could certainly understand some resentment by other players when a guy like LeBron wallows in the spotlight while their fans and FO kiss his ass.

Omar Infante? Michael Bourn? wtf is going on?

pity meetings aren't where deals are done

Not that surprising. Hendry doesn't seem like a bad guy, just a bad GM.

LeBron is actually meeting with the Clippers? That's just mean.

Did you stay in midtown and/or times square area? yes - almost all of my experience in nyc is midtown/edge of times square. next time i'm out there, you'll have to show me where they hide all the pretty ladies.

ALL FAs WANT TO PLAY FOR THE BULLS FOR FREE quit being such a debbie downer

There's also a lot more hot chicks in NY and a lot less fat ones than in Chicago. In my experience, which is admittedly limited, I think the hot chick ratio of NYC is overrated. I've only been to Manhattan and only for a total of about 4 weeks in the last 6 years. But I was really disappointed in the number of hot chicks out on weekend nights. You probably ran across the bridge and tunnel types (my friends) and/or were in the touristy sections. It's the weeknights where you'll find the cream of the crop. there were weeknights out as well. when i'm traveling on the company's dime with a buddy from work, i'm rarely just chilling in my hotel at night. i don't doubt that there are hot chicks in nyc, i was just surprised that the ratio was so low.

who, the As? who is the victim? certainly not the players.

What they said was that you can make a killing without being Michael Jordan in New York. In Chicago you have to be Michael Jordan in order to have a chance to match New York's earning potential. Right and I think more than that. I think they said, in Chicago, you have to be better than Michael Jordan and you still may not earn as much as you would by being in NY and not being as good as Michael Jordan. I don't think it's the pitch I'd make to a kid that has multiple tattoos touting his greatness all over his body. I don't really get the idea that his NY earnings potential is higher than his Chicago earnings potential. It's not like he's doing personal appearances at local malls and card shows. His big earnings are going to come from a lifetime of gatorade/nike type ads, and those are going to be there whether he wins in NY or wins in Chicago. Derek Jeter didn't struggle to make money in NY with a lot less WS success than Mickey Mantle. I agree. I'd guess that MJ was at or very near the top of that list in the 90s even though he not only wasn't based in NY, but he was hated by many people in that city. maybe big time athletes do more local optometry radio spots than i realize.

There's also a lot more hot chicks in NY and a lot less fat ones than in Chicago. In my experience, which is admittedly limited, I think the hot chick ratio of NYC is overrated. I've only been to Manhattan and only for a total of about 4 weeks in the last 6 years. But I was really disappointed in the number of hot chicks out on weekend nights.

What they said was that you can make a killing without being Michael Jordan in New York. In Chicago you have to be Michael Jordan in order to have a chance to match New York's earning potential. Right and I think more than that. I think they said, in Chicago, you have to be better than Michael Jordan and you still may not earn as much as you would by being in NY and not being as good as Michael Jordan. I don't think it's the pitch I'd make to a kid that has multiple tattoos touting his greatness all over his body.

Gay gets $81m/5 years?

I'm not sure if they can combine enough contracts to get 2 maxes without Deng. But they could (in theory) trade Deng somewhere other than Toronto. Again, I think it's all moot. I think Bosh ends up in Miami with Wade. But I suppose it's something they might want/need to do to include a 2nd tier FA with James (Boozer or whatever).

The sign and trade would clear cap space, presumably. They are very close to enough space for two max as it is. Not unless they trade Deng it won't. right. I think it counts against the cap. The reason to do it is to get the player (Bosh) money he couldn't get with another team while getting Toronto something back. I either read or heard today that Toronto has no interest in taking back Deng, so I think we're out of that running. Unless Bosh wants to play for Chicago as a regular ol FA (b/c he wants to be on the Rose/James title teams), he's not going to be a Bull. And in order to sign as a regular FA, one of him or James would have to take less than max. right, unless the Bulls trade off some more cap space before July 8, which I guess is possible. But I think Bosh's preference is S&T. I guess if he's willing to come to Chicago even though it won't be via sign & trade, he might be willing to do it for a few million under max. I don't think so, though. I think Bosh wants to be in Miami with Wade.

The sign and trade would clear cap space, presumably. They are very close to enough space for two max as it is. Not unless they trade Deng it won't. right. I think it counts against the cap. The reason to do it is to get the player (Bosh) money he couldn't get with another team while getting Toronto something back. I either read or heard today that Toronto has no interest in taking back Deng, so I think we're out of that running. Unless Bosh wants to play for Chicago as a regular ol FA (b/c he wants to be on the Rose/James title teams), he's not going to be a Bull.

If you're LeBron and you know Bosh is going to Miami, don't you think you have to put yourself in the best position to contend? Seems unlikely that he would look at Cleveland and say, yeah, we can play with a Wade/Bosh-led Miami team for the next 5 years with this group. People keep saying LeBron is the first chip to fall, but I think he's going to see how the teams shape up before he decides. At least, I would if I were him.

His first three aren't included because people want to find any way they can to discount him and pimp Jordan. in this particular scenario, it's not that hard to do.

+1. Lou should fear Ricketts' reprisal at least enough to avoid making bonehead statements to the press. He should have been fired, from the top if necessary, the moment he said "I don't know what to do" in public. The ridiculous commentary and the insane lineups should not be tolerated by the Chicago Cubs, if this is indeed "YEAR ONE." Ricketts said he wanted the Cubs to be a first-rate organization. The New York Yankees are his only competition if that's the case, and the Steinbrenners sure as hell aren't taking off for the jungle while there is baseball to be played. in what world is it possible for Lou to "fear reprisal" from Ricketts? He's in the last year of his contract, he's ancient, he's filthy rich and he manages a team put together by a crappy GM. What's the worst Ricketts could do? Fire him. Big deal - so you pay him his salary to stay at home rather than go to the ballpark for the next 3 months. Your anger should be directed at Hendry. If the manager is incompetent, the GM should handle it. And for all we know, he has. Maybe he's told Lou that he's finishing the year only b/c there's no point in bringing in a new manager for this sinking ship and after that his contract won't be renewed. Or maybe Hendry is as incompetent as I think he is and he hasn't addressed the issue at all. In either case, the last thing I want is an owner that goes over (under?) a GM's head and publicly calls out the manager. Handling the manager is the GMs job and if you want the GM to fire the manager and he won't, then you fire the GM and let the new GM handle it (or fire both of them and let the new GM hire a manager to take over from the interim guy). I don't understand why public comments from the owner are good for anyone at this point.

I didn't miss it. Your point was Steinbrenner is a meddling owner and meddling owners are bad. My point was your point is full of [expletive]. Andy Pettitte has more world series rings than t's in his name. And it's not solely b/c they spend more than everyone else. The early Jeter teams weren't that expensive. I want an owner who is more concerned with winning than making a profit. I want an owner who is not afraid to put people on notice for poor performance. I don't want a country club type who yucks it up in the bleachers than goes on vacation during the middle of his first season. And I don't particularly care that there are other "family members". He's the CEO. no, you missed the point. or at least, misinterpreted to fit your argument. you can have everything in your last paragraph without having Steinbrenner. I'm not saying whether wanting such an owner is good or bad, but you can be dedicated to winning and hire a GM to run the team without meddling and whoring for attention like GS did.

no you couldn't. teams from both leagues fight for the same players (except DH-only types). So? A NL team could still spend a crap-ton more than every other NL team. There's more than one good player at each position. technically, you can only have 1 team that spends more than every other team. your statement is incorrect.

What Steinbrenner does is disgusting. It is downright un-American. I will not accept a World Series done the "Steinbrenner way". I would accept it with open arms. Unfortunately, there can only be one team that does it the Steinbrenner way, by definition, since that way is to spend a crap ton more than every single other team. Technically, you could have one in both the AL and NL. no you couldn't. teams from both leagues fight for the same players (except DH-only types).

i can't believe the point of my post was missed so wildly.

You don't think he has a feel for the team, having spent several years with them already? I suppose he does. I don't know, I just want Lou gone and I don't buy this "Well, the season's gone anyway so you might as well let him finish it out" talk. It's the talk of someone who really doesn't give a damn. If he's not performing, can him and bring in someone else. Managers are replaceable. Let Trammel take over and see what he can get out of them. It'll help toward making a managerial decision for next year. What harm could come of it? did you miss the part where we suggested it would give fuel to the "well, Trammel can't cut it, looks like Sandberg is our man" crowd? seriously, Lou isn't harming the team or any players. What good could come from putting another guy in charge of a sinking ship full of veterans? Really? Really. He's not helping them win, but he's not costing them enough to make a significant difference here on in. Even if Lou were the primary reason we're in 4th place, it's too late for a new manager to make much difference. Maybe if it were April, it would be worth it. But we're 3 days from July. A new manager isn't going to make us play like a .600 club here on in. We're closer to last than first at this point.

You don't think he has a feel for the team, having spent several years with them already? I suppose he does. I don't know, I just want Lou gone and I don't buy this "Well, the season's gone anyway so you might as well let him finish it out" talk. It's the talk of someone who really doesn't give a damn. If he's not performing, can him and bring in someone else. Managers are replaceable. Let Trammel take over and see what he can get out of them. It'll help toward making a managerial decision for next year. What harm could come of it? did you miss the part where we suggested it would give fuel to the "well, Trammel can't cut it, looks like Sandberg is our man" crowd? seriously, Lou isn't harming the team or any players. What good could come from putting another guy in charge of a sinking ship full of veterans?