Derwood

Except, y'know, that inning where got everyone out in 5 pitches. End result, he lost the game. 15 MEN ON BASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DEMPSTER!!!!! Geovany Soto lou was saving him for, what, the 19th inning?

if you're planning on being on the board much, you should probably just put that in your sig for the next 20 days or so fixed

So who would have you used there? I don't care if Dempster sucks in non-save situations, that's practically a save situation there and he's the best pitcher remaining in the pen. Oh, and he was dynamite that first inning. yep. i'd have no faith in wuertz, ohman or whomever to do any better there

giving up outs with your catcher who doesn't strike out is asinine.

YAY for men LOB!

The only thing ridiculous is that the Michigans of the world can put 8 home games in a year on their schedule as opposed to the Ball States that play 4 or 5. I don't see what the big deal is about everything else. some teams play 11 games. some play 12. some play 13. some conferences have championship games. some don't some conferences (coughBig10cough) mandate 12 game schedules with no bye weeks. some schools (coughUSCcough) are still playing 3 weeks after other conferences are done (and if you don't think that makes a difference in the polls, you're delusional). Every school can independently negotiate it's own non-con games with no semblance of order or even parity within a conference I've used this analogy before, but it bears repeating: Imagine an NFL where the AFC teams played one more game than the NFC teams, but the NFC teams got two bye weeks and the AFC got none. Also, the NFC teams play championship games to determine conference winners while the AFC goes just by record. Also, some teams can play CFL or AFL teams for their non-divisional games but others don't.

12 teams means 2 divisions with 6 teams per division. No other conference with conference championships (SEC, Big XII, etc) have problems with ties. They have set tiebreakers that decide who goes to the championship game. right, i didn't say that but it was implied...every conference would have 2 divisions and a conference championship game

to remove the inequities of scheduling among other things geography no ties, as conference championship games determine the playoff teams I could be wrong about what you're proposing. Are you saying that each conference champion then enters a post-season tourney to determine the NC? If so, I don't understand how that eliminates scheduling inequity? Individual conferences will still be better than others. Which means many times the best teams (say, the second best team in the SEC) will be eliminated from post-season contention because it had a much harder schedule. College basketball works fine with unbalanced conferences, etc. A system that mirrors college hoops would be much better, IMO, then realigning every college team in the country, and it would also spare us from the confusion that arises during other sports' seasons. i mean in terms of # of games played, when games are played, etc. right now it's ridiculous

to remove the inequities of scheduling among other things geography no ties, as conference championship games determine the playoff teams

well that is certainly true. it's not a perfect solution But football trumps bball. I dont know what tv market Hawaii brings but Boise expands the Pac10's market a little. And as you know Penn State didnt get invited to the Big Ten for its Bball. (i see what others are listing in this thread as more likely) The Big East isnt that whacked because Providence/Nova/Georgtown/Marquette dont even have a football team. Im sure they would remain in the Big East when it comes bball season. The Big East becomes a 20 team conference in basketball. Their current number of 16 is already too large-20 wouldn't be feasible. Boise and Hawaii might get the TV market a little higher, but it also makes sure that the Pac 10 has no chance to be a great basketball conference. I'm sure there would be problems in other sports as well. It's simply not worth it for a small benefit in football to greatly hurt some other sports. i guess the point is that the complete lack of formality or uniformity in college football needs to be remedied by whatever means necessary

well that is certainly true. it's not a perfect solution

i've been thinking about this for awhile, and now is as good a time as any to discuss it. I really think that the Division 1-A should add a school to move to 120 teams, and then realign into ten 12-team conferences as follows: ACC Boston College Clemson Duke Florida St. Georgia Tech Maryland Miami North Carolina North Carolina St. Virginia Virginia Tech Wake Forest Big East Army Cincinnati Connecticut East Carolina Louisville Marshall Navy Pittsburgh Rutgers Syracuse Temple West Virginia Big Ten Illinois Indiana Iowa Michigan Michigan St. Minnesota Northwestern Notre Dame Ohio St. Penn St. Purdue Wisconsin Big 12 Baylor Colorado Iowa St. Kansas Kansas St. Missouri Nebraska Oklahoma Oklahoma St. Texas Texas A&M Texas Tech MAAC Akron Ball St. Bowling Green Buffalo Central Michigan Eastern Michigan Kent St. Miami (OH) Northern Illinois Ohio Toledo Western Michigan Mountain West Air Force Brigham Young Colorado St. Idaho Nevada New Mexico New Mexico St. Tulsa UNLV Utah Utah St. Wyoming PAC 10 Arizona Arizona St. Boise St. California Hawaii Oregon Oregon St. Stanford UCLA USC Washington Washington St. SEC Alabama Arkansas Auburn Florida Georgia Kentucky LSU Mississippi Mississippi St. South Carolina Tennessee Vanderbilt Southwestern Conference Fresno St. Houston LA-Lafayette LA-Monroe LA Tech North Texas Rice San Diego St. Southern Methodist TCU Tulane UTEP Southern Conference Arkansas St. FAU FIU Memphis Middle Tennessee South Florida Southern Miss Troy UAB UCF W. Kentucky

i'm just of the opinion that the Independent thing is played out, that's all. i no longer think that it's "good for college football" that ND is an independent. there is no reason they can't join a conference and maintain their rivalries with USC, etc.

Well, you certainly seemed to say it wasn't the biggest in your original post. I don't know if it's Scarlett Johansson bigger, but it's definitely bigger. Regardless of where the viewers come from, it still gets the most viewers. Edit: I'll also add that maybe it doesn't really even matter anymore, since all the BCS games payout the same. (Though it's still much easier for Michigan to get to the BCS out of the Big Ten than it is for LSU out of the SEC.) Of course, that fact alone may make Notre Dame the best job: it's easiest for them to get to the BCS, then they don't have to split the $17 million. Notre Dame doesn't get $17 million. They get $4.5. I actually didn't know that. Thanks. That amount was "renegotiated" by Notre Dame's completely and totally incompetent and idiotic athletic director Kevin White. That man is going to mess up ND football, I just know it. well it's only fair. If they got all $17 million while conference teams were splitting that up, well you and I know that's BS Yeah, but think about the years where for example Penn State does not make a BCS game. For example, last year. They get the money from the Capital One Bowl+their share of Ohio State's BCS game+their share of Michigan's BCS game. For the bad teams in the conference like Indiana, that means they've pocketed over 15 million in the last 10 years that the BCS has been in play without ever having made a BCS game. ND for years was all or nothing. If they went 5-7 one year, they didn't have that guaranteed 2-4 million dollar check from another team in their conference going to the BCS. It was either the full 14 million for the BCS , or going away completely empty handed. It ended up evening out money wise over the long term. Now ND has a money arrangement that is very similar to all the other conferences. They get 4.5 million if they make the game, and 1 million if they don't. It still won't quite add up to what the conferences get (because if conferences get 2 members in all the schools get paid double) but it's a fair approximation. and i'm fine with that. there SHOULD be financial incentive for them to join a conference (as opposed to making more $$$ by being Independent)

Well, you certainly seemed to say it wasn't the biggest in your original post. I don't know if it's Scarlett Johansson bigger, but it's definitely bigger. Regardless of where the viewers come from, it still gets the most viewers. Edit: I'll also add that maybe it doesn't really even matter anymore, since all the BCS games payout the same. (Though it's still much easier for Michigan to get to the BCS out of the Big Ten than it is for LSU out of the SEC.) Of course, that fact alone may make Notre Dame the best job: it's easiest for them to get to the BCS, then they don't have to split the $17 million. Notre Dame doesn't get $17 million. They get $4.5. I actually didn't know that. Thanks. That amount was "renegotiated" by Notre Dame's completely and totally incompetent and idiotic athletic director Kevin White. That man is going to mess up ND football, I just know it. well it's only fair. If they got all $17 million while conference teams were splitting that up, well you and I know that's BS

Ankiel, cuz I don't have him on my HR Derby team

:(

walks = death, so no Z

i need to catch a few of these Houston games as i'll probably miss all the Cardinal games this weekend (work/guests)

and right now, trachsel is the 5th starter, leaving Marshall off the playoff roster Right, I think that will be the case. But I don't expect Trachsel and Marshall on the roster with Murton off. That's the comment I was responding to. ETA: I could conceivably see Marshall on too instead of Ohman. the murton comment was just snark

and right now, trachsel is the 5th starter, leaving Marshall off the playoff roster

If Trachsel is on a short leash for this game, hopefully Marshall is ready in the bullpen to fill in any missing innings and receives a chance to earn his job back. Marshall is supposed to pitch in one of the games on Saturday, so I don't know how much he'd be used on Thursday. Kevin Hart will probably be available to pitch, unless Marquis flops tomorrow night. I think Trachsel is going to be used as long as possible with 4 games in 3 days against the Cards this weekend. Marshall is scheduled to pitch game 2 of the DH on Saturday, so he's not likely to be used out of the pen. I'd much rather see them go with Hart or Gallagher as a long man...or better yet...not need to use a long man... i just hope everyone is mentally preparing themselves for a playoff roster that includes Trachsel but not Marshall Disagree, they'd go with Marshall for a potential roster due to his leftiness. you're right, they'll keep them both and leave Murton off I don't know what's the point of having both Tracshel and Marshall - how many long men do you need, esp. with 4-man rotations (and sometimes 3-man rotations)? try thinking like Hendry instead of like a logic-minded baseball person

just PM me when it's my turn

If Trachsel is on a short leash for this game, hopefully Marshall is ready in the bullpen to fill in any missing innings and receives a chance to earn his job back. Marshall is supposed to pitch in one of the games on Saturday, so I don't know how much he'd be used on Thursday. Kevin Hart will probably be available to pitch, unless Marquis flops tomorrow night. I think Trachsel is going to be used as long as possible with 4 games in 3 days against the Cards this weekend. Marshall is scheduled to pitch game 2 of the DH on Saturday, so he's not likely to be used out of the pen. I'd much rather see them go with Hart or Gallagher as a long man...or better yet...not need to use a long man... i just hope everyone is mentally preparing themselves for a playoff roster that includes Trachsel but not Marshall Disagree, they'd go with Marshall for a potential roster due to his leftiness. you're right, they'll keep them both and leave Murton off

he got a web gem tonight. keep the hype a-rollin'