jersey cubs fan

Holy overreactions Batman. Seriously, you have to actually possess a great tight end before you can trade one away.

For some reason I have a fairly vivid memory of watching him pitch against Atlanta while I was in a Dick's Sporting Goods in south Jersey, and he was decent.

They could quickly turn around and add those respected non-BCS schools and turn it into a 14-16 team mega conference that would maintain it's status with numbers. Take away the best of the WAC and Mountain West, then let the remaining teams from those conferences merge. I guess, but it sounds like they could lose a couple of schools to the Pac Ten as well. Possibly, but then you could just take the Pac 10, Big 12, WAC and Mountain West, and break it down into 3 conferences. There's 39 teams there if Texas leaves.

They could quickly turn around and add those respected non-BCS schools and turn it into a 14-16 team mega conference that would maintain it's status with numbers. Take away the best of the WAC and Mountain West, then let the remaining teams from those conferences merge.

Once you're getting in the air, there's probably not that big of a cost difference between flying to Minnesota or Happy Valley and flying to Texas.

He's been in the discussion for that award, however, he's taken a hit in reputation the past couple years, and despite some highlights this season, he is not all that highly rated right now.

I wouldn't worry too much, though it's possible people may make costly mistakes this year and won't learn their lesson until after this on-sale. Aside from maybe 2 or 3 games, the secondary market profit margin was already slim. If people use this to buy tickets to those games for resale, they're going to lose money. Yeah, with the already high price for premium games (or platinum) games and add 20% premnium to that, buying early to resale doesn't make much sense. Now, if there's a game you really want then paying the 20% might be better than risking getting shut out on Friday. It's crazy how much things have changed in 2005. I remember the hysteria of getting Red Sox/Cubs tickets, as well as White Sox and opening day and any weekend Cardinals game. If you got your hands on any of those tickets, you were going to get a nice profit. Now I don't think the demand is nearly as high. Sure if the Yankees or Red Sox come by, there will probably be some profit to be had, but other than that you can get any game during the season fairly easily. The only tickets I'm interested in February are Opening Day. I don't think it's that crazy, rather it's more of a return to normal. It's not like we spent decades in a situation where tickets were sold out in February and people could make huge profits sellign just a handful of games. Demand went through the roof and the Cubs kept prices articicially low for a couple years.

It's not like the Big 12 is that traditional.

Olsen hasn't come close to living up to his hype, expectations or draft status. I wouldn't be disappointed if they got some value for him in a trade. I think with Martz around it's possible, although with Angelo taking him in the 1st and probably getting lucky to recieve a 2nd for him, it remains doubtful.

I believe it's accurate to reply, not at all.

What I'm saying is forget the word contention, I don't recall if that is what he said. All I remember is CTL was on in the background and Chuck was talking about Vinny having a pretty weak team, in the playoffs, and that's why he should get the award. He probably never said contention and specifically made a point that they have no chance against the top teams in the east.

As things stand now I think both groups, offense and defense, have a decent chance to be in the upper half, although not quite top ten. Neither is a lock though. If they can be somewhere around the 12th ranked offense and defense, this is a playoff team, if either struggles, they are doomed and Lovie is hopefully gone. The one wildcard is if the offense outperforms. It would take a lot of things breaking right, but the offense could carry the team next year if Martz and Cutler each do their best. It would not be a miracle, but it's going to take a lot of work, and luck.

Did he have any reasoning behind that? Because that's clearly insane. He basically said they have no talent but are still in contention. Contention for what exactly? We're .500 at the moment. Chuck's a little nuts. That being said, I really hope we manage to get matched up with Boston again in the playoffs. We're not going to win the title anyway and it'd be nice to have a shot at a little revenge. Sorry, not contention, but rather in the playoff hunt.

I'd say it's more high school field-like. A replacement would be something like metal bars, which is more prison-like. Although I guess they could use something that looks more like nice fencing.

Is he out with a Tiger?

I see no reason why it shouldn't remain a wait and see situation for the foreseeable future. Huet and Khabi split time all last year. Huet has been the main guy most of this year, Niemi has looked good in small amounts of time, but pretty much every time they've looked to give him more time, he's struggled. Keep giving him opportunities, but don't commit to him in any sort of full-time capacity any time soon.

Did he have any reasoning behind that? Because that's clearly insane. He basically said they have no talent but are still in contention.

With the rest of the team looking close to league average adding an average pen makes us average. It is hardly the most useful statistic for bullpens but the Cubs ERA from the pen was 11th in the NL. I think Guzman and Marmol are fine in their roles but I can't say that anyone else down their is useful. Even Sean Marshall is not utilized properly. An average bullpen is fine. It's assbackwards to think that a very good or exceptional bullpen needs to be constructed because it's usually a difficult crapshoot to do so in the first place and doing so requires way too much money to be wasted. It's ridiculous to say that you don't see how anyone beyond Guzman and Marmol can be useful in the bullpen next year. The pen is not and should not be a priority right now. They have more than enough in-house options to plug in if someone falters. Absoposifreakingtivelutely.

Is somebody even considering offering up that bet?

I wouldn't say they are wearing less protection. Maybe fewer thigh pads or something, but the helmets are more advanced than ever before. One thing that could be interesting is having them wear no pads at all. Rugby players try and talk tough by saying football players are pansies because of the pads, but all pads do is increase the violence. Those things don't protect as much as they provide false sense of security.

Then the blame lies with the Bears and you. He isn't a number 1, never should have been marketed as a #1 and should not be expected to be a #1 by anybody.

Why are you talking about whether or not there are more violent hits today than before? That has nothing to do with the discussion.

500 suites would probably require a bigger building.

Footballoutsiders is not particularly good. Their rankings are extremely flawed. Also, what the hell was Welker until he went to a team with Randy Freaking Moss and Tom Brady? He was nothing. The mediocrity of the Bears passing attack holds Hester back. He's not elite, but nobody is claiming he is. He's quite useful, however, and claiming otherwise is just ignorant.

Maybe he will have to find a way to use him, and maybe Angelo would refuse to a deal a guy he spent a 1st rounder on for a 2nd round pick. But Martz has indicated he doesn't value the TE position, thinking it is primarily a blocking position, which Olsen does not do well. If that's his stance, I see no reason to try and force the issue and keeping him. Desmond Clark can catch balls, and if the younger guy is developing, then why not explore all options?