imb

I really dont think this issue has as much to do with the "mean people vs. stupid people" debate as people think. The site's genesis luckily coincided with huge national interest in the team. It was started because cubs.com was full of idiots and there was no place to actually discuss the cubs without all the meathead [expletive]. The popularity boomed and it was still basically cubs.com, this place or [expletive] desipio, so of course people were flocking here. And there was a lot of interest in stuff like the convention, and Q&As, etc, not necessarily because those things were insanely cool, but also because we were all just excited about the position the cubs were in. Even the awful 2005 and 2006 seasons were met with lots of interest, because you were just switching positive interest for negative interest. Instead of OH MAN PRIOR, WOOD, ZAMBRANO, PATTERSON, SOSA it was FIRE DUSTY, IS PRIOR HEALTHY, stuff like that. The cubs were bad, but people were still interested. They were just riding the downslope of the rollercoaster. But somewhere during the four-year stretch, tim realized he could make money off the site. You can't blame him for that. I mean, people were paying $50 a year, and the only difference was the ability to change avatars and usernames. Remember the beginning of the premium service? It was basically "look, we can't actually offer you anything yet, but it's coming, so will you please support the site." And people did. Hell I wanted to, but I was broke and in college. But some did. Do you think they were doing it because of all the sweet avatars they could switch to? Of course not, it was more because they were excited about talking about the team. But eventually that money dried up, and it was too late to go back. The site had been profitable and it needed to be in the future. It was like the peter principle of websites. The hits had to be driven to the front page instead of the message board. So we got FRONT PAGE ARTICLES from (no offense, seriously) Andy, who I dont even think lives in illinois, meph, a sociopath idiot and roast, who was an usher and couldnt even watch the games he was at. What are we supposed to learn from them? There was no accountability or editing, the articles were poor, no one looked at them and they just stopped. So we got stuff like the ducross bros, who were basically cubs.com posters with a microphone. They were the type of people everyone made fun of in the insiders forum and we're supposed to be excited about their podcasts? So they stopped, and we got B-Squared, and they were actually good! But again, there was no accountability and they stopped posting podcasts all the time. Am I supposed to check the front page breathlessly every day for 2 weeks on the off chance they're going to post something? No one is going to do that. So, money can't be made here, there has to be another way. So we end up with second city hoops (failed), the bears board (failed), some all-encompassing chicago sports forum, where people without credentials or ability watch the games on tv and then post stuff worse than what you would get from just going to espn.com (failed. Did anyone think this would work?) Let's not forget SPORCLE. The site got monetized and sterilized, the money went away and instead of getting back to the basics (a good place to talk about the cubs) the misplaced effort went toward making money. The end.

2. Totally agree on Springer. A HS who might perhaps have a contact problem eventually, that's one thing. Going for a guy who's certain to have a contract problem and be a K-king, that's another. MIght as well just trade for billy rowell

cant afford rehab assignments when you're fighting for a playoff spot to keep your job

*presses reset*

He's saying that there was a time when nsbb worked hard at being a presence, which is obviously hard to do consistently. For a time a lot of work went into going to the conventions, Q&As, ST updates, things like that. But the energy level dropped and all of a sudden we started getting half-assed front page articles, the [expletive] ducross brothers and that sporcle [expletive] instead.

the site started out small, then blew up when the cubs got on a little run and people realized that cubs.com sucked. so tim and co. tried to monetize and overly legislate the place, it got stale and when the cubs fell apart, interest just sort of faded away. When interest is high, people are more willing to shell out cash and check out a new site, but the cubs suck and this place is totally sterile, so what would be the point of coming here unless you already have an established reason to do so? If you want to talk about the cubs, there are dozens of places better suited for it than a website with an absentee creator starting and abandoning 4 or 5 new ideas a year and a 500-1 social to cubs post ratio.

thanks buddy… see Vinestal, there are still some friendly posters here after all, keep the faith you broke my boy's heart

The NFL would have to miss way more than a full seasons worth of games before it makes any dent. It may even take more than that.

Is the draft over much earlier for other team's scouting director? He's clearly just saying that Wilken has drawn some gems out of the low rounds.

Another thing to think about is that Monta Ellis is about as a bad a fit you can find for Derrick's style. Dominates the ball, takes too many shots, high usage rate etc. Yeah, can't have two Roses in the backcourt.

what a load of [expletive]. f you steve nash

I don't think the Nationals are trading Bryce Harper He said one of the best, not the best. what does mike trout have to do with this

all started once they banned the bum

Where do you go? digiorno pizza and wyngz

Simpson's almost striking out a batter/inning. That is ... much better than I assumed.

i think in the end we're going to find out that we overrated lemahieu because his AA hot streak lasted a little longer than Barney's major league hot streak.

the bigger issue than "lemahieu vs. barney" is WHY IS LEMAHIEU UP IN THE FIRST PLACE

That's kind of a weak story considering all the hype and the fact that SI is acting like it got Tressel fired.

WHO THE F IS THIS GUY

The Dayton Swim Club is proud to announce Tony Campana Tuesdays!

i cant believe a universe exists in which tony campana is a starting outfielder

Grant Wahl

Great thread. Spicy garlic is my favorite, with asian zing a close second.

you could have at least pooped in his seat when he got up for a minute

STORY TIME When I was in little league, i asked our coach one day what to do if i was rounding second and the shortstop was in the way. And he said "just hit him." So our next game, I was rounding second, saw the shortstop standing in the basepath unsuspectingly, and thought to myself "if he gets hurt, it's his own fault." So I drilled him. I slid into third base safely, and dusted myself off to the boos of all that team's parents. I looked up at my base coach, who looked at me with those big "wtf did you just do" eyes. I still remember them taking the SS off the field, and the dirt had mixed with the tears on his face and turned to mud.