UMFan83

Was this after the walkoff? On GRB you said it was the 8th inning right?

Cubs are only 1 game out of the Wild Card now (although it doesn't matter because we're in first!!)

Looking at the ESPN rankings, I don't think it would be a reach to suggest that 4 of their top 10 teams won't be in the top 15 by the end of the season. That's exactly what happened last year, as only 4 of the preseason top 10 remained in the top 10 at the end of the year (Patriots, Colts, Giants, Steelers), while 2 of them fell to a spot in the top 15 (Chargers, Cowboys), and 4 plummeted to amongst the bottom 10 of the league (Jaguars, Packers, Seahawks, Browns). If you accepted this logic (that 4 of the top 10 teams aren't in the top 15 at the end of the year), which 4 teams would you choose? The teams are: 1. Steelers 2. Patriots 3. Giants 4. Eagles 5. Colts 6. Chargers 7. Titans 8. Falcons 9. Vikings 10. Ravens The 4 I'd pick are.... -Falcons. I think they have a great shot of being a good team, but a lot of times when a team makes such a huge leap like the Falcons did last year, they have a difficult time sustaining that momentum in the second year. 2nd place schedule + losing the 'lack of respect' element means they are more likely to take a step back than other teams on this list. -Vikings. In case the Bears really are the world beaters us homer Bears fans think/hope we are, and taking into the account the possibility that Favre isn't a lifesaver in MN, and taking into account the possible Williams wall suspensions occuring, I could see a drop back here -Eagles. They have a solid team, but I feel people are giving them a little too much praise for their playoff run. This team always seems to have turmoil midseason keeping them from being amongst the NFLs elite. Add in that 2 of their most important offensive players are injury liabilities, and the fact that the NFC East is never a picnic, I can see the Eagles taking a tumble next season. (FYI, I wanted to consider the Giants as well, but I don't think two NFC-E teams will tumble into the bottom 17) -Colts. I am tempted to pick a team like Tennessee or Baltimore (the every other year thing), but when thinking about it, usually at least one of the NFL's top tier teams falls from grace each year due primarily to injuries. Last year the Packers and Seahawks were greatly affected by injuries that caused their seasons to tank (more GBs case than Seattle's). So when I look at some of the safer team's in the top 10 (Patriots, Steelers, Colts) I think about which team could least withstand a case of serious injuries. I think the Colts seem like that team the most. Granted although I am an NFL fan, I don't know the ins and outs of every teams depth charts outside of the skill positions for the most part, so some Colts fan here might correct me on this. But the Patriots and Steelers have shown in recent seasons that they can withstand an injury from their top players. Thus by process of elimination I put the Colts up there. Feel free to disagree/agree

Love flying under the radar.

I don't think you can sacrifice a bad player to the baseball Gods. I believe, actually, that it was late in Spring Training when Lou sacrificed Milton for a late July surge. He temporarily drained Dempster and Ramirez for August, Harden and Soto for September, and now Lilly to advance to the NLCS. I'm also pretty sure that he sacrificed Miles, but all that gave the Cubs was extra batting practice over the All-Star break. I'm pretty sure they're just going to give Aaron Miles away to a good family who lives out on a farm if he keeps up his production down in AAA. Did you see Lous quote about Miles today? So that means we will never see Miles again, right? http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/chi-27-cubs-bits-chicago-jul27,0,4824668.story I don't know....can he just be held in AAA forever? He didn't accept an assignment since this was just a rehab assignment so they have to bring him up eventually or release him.

Rick Ankiel

Let's destroy Wandy. I would really like to get a ton of runs off of him. I can't stand that he's good. Let's hold onto first place!

Boy its amazing how much optimism a couple of wins gives us. I like it.

I wouldn't mind him getting out of our league just because I can't stand seeing him after his homer last October.

I doubt the fans are that shocked that their team isn't in first. Yes they had a lot of momentum when they got Holliday, but I think most fans know its gonna be a dogfight, not a run away. 1st place on July 26 does not equal first place in October.

I talked about this yesterday, but imagine this... One year ago today, the Cubs fell into a tie with the Brewers for first place in the Central. One year later, the Cubs are up 0.5 games in the NL Central, meaning that we are actually doing better at this point in the season than last year!

It's not brutal but Flordia is decent and seems to give us fits (although that trend is reversing) and Colorado has been very solid and is a contender. It's harder than the Nationals i guess.

Little early for that, since it would only be .5/gm up if it works out. I still can't get too excited about the standing yet. Long way to go, lots of injuries need to heal, and the Cubs need to put together an extended streak of good baseball to have any hopes of accomplishing anything. It was very early August when it happened last time. I don't see the harm in commenting that the Cubs have just overtaken first place after a season long struggle to get to that point. Doesn't mean they are going to keep first place. Either way, I shouldn't have brought it up, its way too premature to start talking about that, we're up 1 in the 5th inning.

I hope if good things happen and the Cardinals lose and the Cubs win, after the final out Len does something like he did in 07, "and the Cubs Win....the FIRST PLACE Cubs win"

Would be cool to see Colorado lose too so we could be 1 GB the Wild Card too.

Out of curiosity are you watching on a non HD TV? I believe I am. Just wondering....you commented on Ramirez's warning track drive like a split second after I saw the play happen. I am pretty sure HD programming is on a slight 1-2 second delay over non-HD.

Out of curiosity are you watching on a non HD TV?

Grrrr....where is that wind?

Gah, that sucked

Our best run scoring play.

Game is on TBS BTW

I gotta start reading Street Wise

A year ago today, the Cubs were making their infamous swan dive into a tie with the Brewers for the division lead. After the games on July 25th, the Cubs were just 1 game up in the division. The next day they'd lose and fall into a tie before we all know what happens. So for all the issues we've had this year, we are only currently 1.5 games further in the division than we were last year. Of course last years team was still 16 games over .500 and this year we are 5 but still.

Very poor joke thread. You can't make it THAT obvious.

So we're 0.5 GB St. Louis, 2 ahead in the loss column and they have played 5 more games than us. Which means we'd only have to go 3-2 in those extra games to tie them, 4-1 to be up. Good day for us. Hopefully Harden has a good start and we can take over first tomorrow. St. Louis is headed to LA after this series too so it doesn't get easier.