UMFan83

Clinic

On a Sharks board: Haha, keep believing that. We already have more PPG than you, and we just got back one of the better players in the NHL for the first time all season. You are a month behind on your news. I agree I still don't completely trust Huet, especially in the playoffs, but he's been pretty great for a few weeks now. In fact, for the season he's 4th in the NHL in GAA

Sweet...penalty on the Hawks!

Hawks dominating SOG, 26-7 for the game 18-1 for the period.

Buff! 4-0 wow, the Sharks don't get dominated like this too often.

You should join the bandwagon. I was indifferent towards the Hawks for several years despite growing up a big big fan (early to mid 90s) and I got back on 2 seasons ago and am enjoying everything about it.

The Hawks are controlling the puck like they are on a power play. The Sharks can't clear it!

BTW, don't know if it was mentioned but the Hawks are number 1 in ESPN.com's power rankings. Pretty sweet...I don't think they were number 1 at all last year so this is probably the first time since the power rankings were created that the Hawks are on top.

Unbelievable...2 shorthanded goals in 28 seconds. This team is unbelievable. Congrats Hossa on your first Hawks goal!

It's time to see if the Blackhawks are really above the mediocrity and depression that is Chicago sports. If they are no different than the Bears and Bulls, Hossa will come out, give up 4 own goals and the Blackhawks lose big.

How about the Cubs should get the All Star game because Chicago is the greatest city ever? There, that's reason enough for me.

I'd like to see a competitive game rather than get blown out 3 games in a row....if you remember teams like the 04-05 Bulls would play the best of teams and win a few but stay competitive in most.

So much for a surprising team this season. They'll play better once they get back to the central time zone, but this is a .500/7th seed of the playoffs type of team. Guess we just gotta keep the focus on the FA market this offseason and realize we're basically punting this season anyways.

If the White Sox are considering non tendering him, then surely theyd rather get something in return. Fox would be a great fit for them as a DH instead of going after another old guy. I haven't read anything that suggests the Sox are considering non tendering Jenks, just media speculation about non tender possibilities.

Jake Fox has no value as anything but a throw in. Bobby Jenks does have value. Obviously this trade would never ever happen.

I wonder if completions to the other team count as completions for that.

Illegal forward pass anyway The thing that you don't mention is that he was going down at the Ravens 40 yard line, so they are about 25 yards away from a FG try with 17 seconds left. Very hard to do but not impossible. It's not like he was going down at the 20 yard line, where the odds are significantly worse to get a FG try.

I am going to this one.....yay? Oh well, Sunday Night Games are fun regardless of how bad the team is.

Flacco just pulled a Cutler

Whoops, Browns have 24 points in the first quarter....story of my life

I'm strangely considering picking up Detroit's defense (against Cleveland) and starting them tomorrow. Am I completely stupid? I need someone to tell me to use my common sense, or tell me it's not a horrible idea. In a 3 week span, the Bears gave up 45 points against Cincinnati, and 41 against Arizona. The week inbetween they gave up just 6 points to Cleveland. They are that bad. I think I can get points for lack of points given up and maybe a turnover or two.

As long as we are still able to sign mediocre middle relievers for $4 million a pop.

Again, I don't think the 1 year on the contract is a huge deal for a couple reasons: 1) The Cubs wouldn't trade for Halladay unless they intended to have the resources to resign him 2) I cannot think of a player that played well for the Cubs and didn't want to resign here if all offers are equal. I understand a team like the Yankees or Red Sox or Mets could come in and blow him away with an offer, but most likely Halladay would fall in love with the Cubs by the spring and he might not even make it to the offseason without being resigned. 3) The Cubs would most likely try to extend him upon making the trade (a la Santana), and I can't see him turning that down assuming the offer is fair, all caught up in the hype of going to one of baseball's "cornerstone" franchises, and to a team likely to contend for a title with him in the rotation. Yes I can buy an argument that it's not guaranteed he'd resign, but I guess it just doesn't bother me because I think he will.

Do you think a division rival like the Brewers or Cardinals will get involved in the mix? I don't think the Cardinals would, but maybe the Brewers if they can discuss an extension. The Brewers seem to be looking in the 2nd tier of FA starters this offseason, but if they can get one with the money they were going to give to Sabathia last offseason they might be willing to throw part of what is left in their farm system.

Page 1! But seriously, you gotta think the Cubs could take on the money for an impact player if they really had to. This is certainly an impact player. Bottom line is, the Cubs don't have a dominant ace pitcher or a dominant middle of the order hitter. It doesn't mean they don't have very good pitchers or hitters, but still. So is that important to have? I don't know, did Cliff Lee help this Phillies this year? I would accept arguments of the contrary, but I think if you have an opportunity to get one of the top 3 hitters or pitchers in baseball, and they come to YOU asking about it, you have to pull out all the stops to do it. Maybe they ask for too much and you don't want to mortgage your long term plan (wait this is the Hendry led Cubs were talking about, there's no long term plan), but at least you can rest easy knowing you offered all you are willing to give for a player like Halladay. This isn't Peavy we're talking about, who is a top tier pitcher in his own right. Halladay puts up ridiculous numbers in a tougher league, a much much tougher division and a tougher ballpark to pitch in (mostly). If you were in the running for Peavy, you without a doubt have to be in the running for Halladay. All we have to do is not sign a bunch of MRPs for 3+ million dollars a year and we can find a space for him (WHOOPS). As for him being a FA after next year, I am assuming they would try to work out an extension as a precursor for a trade, and if not, I don't know too many (white) ballplayers that don't want to be Cubs after playing here for a year. Edit: If he can put up a 2.79 ERA in the AL East, I can only imagine how much better that would look in the NL Central. I know it doesn't always work like that but still.