jersey cubs fan

A couple years ago, when the extra innings package forced you to watch the home team's broadcast, I remember they pushed Wilson hard as the face of the team (and with a face like that....). He was in some commercial where he was in line at a buffet, but instead of opening up a big tray of eggs or bacon, it was baseballs and they called it something like serving up baseballs. And he was featured prominently in their stadium. If Jack Wilson is going to be the face of your franchise, you are going to suck.

They've been under 500 for like 16 straight seasons now, while they are small market, it's not like that city can't support successful sports teams, and they have a stadium that everybody loves. I think it's safe to say they are stupid. Even if his defense offset his horrible offensive performance (career OPS+ of 79, OBP of .311), he's already 31. Even the elite SS struggle to stay at the position in their 30's.

I realize that he's struggled at home and is much better on the road all season, but this quote suggests that there is a specific reason why he struggles at home. What could that be? He doesn't like cramped clubhouses? I wonder if Piniella meant he is going to try to get Harden more night starts..... If that's the excuse he has to use to get him more rest, fine. But he was fantastic at Wrigley and during the day last year, so it's unlikely that in and of itself, is the problem.

How can you manage to make out the details through the standard def? It might be a Law & Order episode, not sure.

Jimenez just took the lead with a 64

So I lied about not turning it on. Tom Watson leads with an opening round 65. Daly is wearing bright green pants, and dudes are hitting it out of ridiculous bunkers that would make me cry if I played there.

He's hurt. I don't even know why they keep throwing him out there each week at this point. He's going on 5 days rest and thus far, on 5 days rest he's been less terrible than on 4 days rest, don't know if that offers any encouragement. I still want him to get some 6-7 day rest outings sooner rather than later.

Yes, it has, and the single biggest reason is all the draft picks coming up, from years and years of high slots. The next biggest reason may be the death of daddy Wirtz, which opened the wallet. But much like Hendry, while he has acquired some nice players, he's overspent heavily to do so. Tallon may have played a significant role in making the right draft picks, much like how Hendry helped to improve the farm system when he was in that position (or at least the pitching that came out of that system - he couldn't do a thing with bats). I don't think it really matters if he "deserved" to be fired. I didn't want them to wait to see if he could figure out how to deal with the cap issues, and then suffer the consequences if he didn't. My belief was he wasn't up to the task of both acquiring solid players, and doing so efficiently as it involves the cap. The fact that Tallon signed an extension and willingly took the role he took tells me he at least partially agreed with the reasoning behind the move. As a guy in his late 50's still due his 2009/10 salary he probably wasn't hard up for cash and desperate for the job. And if he was a good enough GM that it was a mistake to fire him, he could have sat back and waited for the job offers. I still have my doubts about McDonough. You didn't have to be a genius to make Chicago like hockey again, you needed to put them on TV (a no brainer) and put a better team on the ice (something he has little to do with other than convincing the owner to spend). He knew little about the game of baseball and even less about hockey, but he's done fine so far in my opinion. The elder Bowman hiring was a great move, and as long as he's there I trust that the hockey people are making smart decisions.

I remember watching in the living room, and then in bed. I actually woke up my wife, who isn't a big fan but enjoys watching. She went to sleep thinking they lost bad, and was actually happy that I woke her up to watch the last couple minutes.

So McNair didn't have a will and his wife is going to administer his estate. So are 2 of his sons shut out?

He wasn't just a part of that regime though, he put together some really crappy teams.

Still probably my favorite game of the last few years. Although the Bears/Saints NFC Championship is also fun, but more because it was the NFC Championship. It was a fun few minutes, but it was hardly my favorite game. It completely exposed all of Grossman's weaknesses and essentially served as the beginning of the end of his time at the helm, not to mention the end of Mike Brown's. It was a really ugly game. There were a couple road wins against GB that were more enjoyable, and I think the ugly weather destruction of Favre in Soldier Field was also better. The first two games of 2006, when they destroyed GB and Det were pretty nice, and I was at the latter which makes it better to me. Also the Giants and Jets games from that year, moreso the Giants game, were better efforts from the Bears and I was there.

Harden vs Lannan. Some weather on the east coast could disrupt some of these games, but it would be really nice if they could take 3 of 4.

Yeah, I'm sure everybody would.

Seriously? $80 Million could sign 4 MVP caliber players. Yeah, but if you sign them in the middle of November it will run out fast. The other point stands though, there isn't likely to be 4 MVP caliber players available. Hendry would spend much of that on middle relievers and versatile bench guys.

No argument with what you say, except: All this stuff about the defense being so tired. They're too tired, can't get it done. This was never an acceptable excuse before. If they get too tired, then that also means they aren't as good. They used to get it done IN SPITE OF being too tired. it is an acceptable excuse because performace deteriorates the longer a defense spends on the field, no matter who the players are. Also, it wasn't a necessary excuse before because they were so ridiculously good. They aren't as good a defense now. But they are probably better than last year indicated. Give them an above average offense, instead of one that gained the 26th most yards, and it won't have to be an excuse.

Here's a link that didn't freeze my browser: http://blackhawks.nhl.com/team/app?service=page&page=SubseasonSchedule&season=20092010 Tons of home games early on, customary circus trip over Thanksgiving, but then this trip: Fine, it's 8 games. We have a 9-game trip last year. But the haul from Ottawa to Calgary in one day is rough, then from San Jose to Carolina. WTF? Sorry about the link, should have gone with the blackhawks one first. That is pretty ridiculous. Also, there seems to be a ton of games per week, as a result of the olympics break.

NHL schedule released today. Hawks open in Finland against Florida, which we knew, but open in the states in Detroit. Home opener Saturday, October 10 against Colorado. http://www.nhl.com/ice/app

Is this the one with the different scene? It was getting old when everyone of them was the same scene repeated with different words, but at least the new scene made it a little better.

This guy has been filling in with Zach Zaidman in the mornings the last couple days, and it's a rare coming together of two morons. I don't have a problem with what he said. Strategic bankruptcy is a tricky thing. Using it to get out of obligations you have the ability to pay is morally questionable. But that's not really what they are doing here from what I'm understanding. They're doing it to get out of liability for some of the Tribune's debt. It's really a way to sever themselves from the Trib's finanacial mess. Unless I'm misunderstanding it. No, I understand that, what I'm saying is it's not like he was saying, "I had no idea they were broke", he's questioning the legality of declaring bankruptcy to get out of legal obligations, which I think is a defendable position to take.

I'm fairly certain they broadcast the tourny live. It ends in the early afternoon here.

This guy has been filling in with Zach Zaidman in the mornings the last couple days, and it's a rare coming together of two morons. I don't have a problem with what he said. Strategic bankruptcy is a tricky thing. Using it to get out of obligations you have the ability to pay is morally questionable.

Well I won't be tuning in. They'll still broadcast on the HD channel, just in SD..."upconverted" so that it will fill the screen. even worse

They're not going to get Halladay. What makes you say this? They have the prospects to get it done and could still use the help in their rotation. They aren't exactly the free spendingest team around.

Well I won't be tuning in.