UMFan83

Not to be a jerk, but that's insanely bad. What do you look at when you make your picks? I just go on gut and instincts, and maybe spending a few minutes a week thinking about picks . I am doing alright in the pick'em NSBB league for straight up picks, and I am in first place in 2 fantasy leagues. Oh well its for fun, and yes that was a really really really really pathetic week for me. Oh and I am good at winning events, as evidenced by my HR derby title, so this is obviously an abberation :) Edit: Oh and I should mention that I made this week's picks after coming from from the bars hammered at like 3am Second edit: Somebody has to be the Cubs of the ATS competition

QFT. I almost forgot why it is so great to trade in Dusty Baker for ANY other manager. No more crappy excuse making and complaining about everything. Please hold people accountable Lou

I read that they already tabbed Philly @ Indy for that game.

Everyones favorite and most reliable sports station WSCR says that sources indicated that the Yankees would be asking for Rich Hill and Felix Pie for starters.

Despite what I just said about how hard it is to acquire an ace, I think Pujols would carry a higher trade value too.

...well after I 1-13 week, I've decided that I am not going to Vegas anytime soon until I learn how to gamble.

Michigan Mile? Nice try though...:)

Oh no...did NOT like his comments on OBP....kinda brushed off the teams woeful OBP as no big deal

You don't trade aces. They are just too hard to acquire through trades and FA. Thats the Yankees problem. They can sign and trade for all the hitters in the world, but any pitcher they try to acquire is going to have issues. Z wants to stay in Chicago, the fans love him, he loves the fans and the city. I am going to say that there is no way this happens, and if this is even rumored Jim Hendry should lose his job.

Too early? I am suprised that we don't have a Cubs/Reds Opening Day game thread up yet.

Wow I completely missed that. What did he say? Lovie scoffed at the result of the preseason game, talked down Leinert, and gave the overall impression that he nor the Bears were concerned about Arizona. The way they came out just chucking it all over the place and with no heart on defense in the first quarter, it shows they were more interested in making a show on MNF than winning the game. The emotion Lovie showed during and after the comeback indicated to me a man who realize Brian Urlacher just covered his ass and he was dead wrong in how he prepared his team. You are right, listening to his interiews during the week, he definitely was saying different things then he said before the Buffalo game. Its hard not to let it all go to your head if your a player and you are being told how great you are and people are telling you that you are going to go 16-0. The thing is, even after the game, the players were sounding really cocky.. . I don't even know if they learned anything.

Easily. Including today, you can't say enough about our front 7. I heard Mark Anderson was a LB/DE tweener, any chance we can move him to LB for Hunter? That way we can get him in the rotation and still have a great front 4. Obviously I'm kidding, but I can dream :)

IBL

Am I the only one that has absolutely 0 desire to part with Hill. Maybe Hill for ARod straight up, which obviously is not happening, but good pitching is essential if the Cubs actually want to compete, and Hill looks to be that good pitcher we need. I'd put our untouchables at Lee, Ramirez, Z, Hill. That's it. That said, if we aren't looking to get rid of Hill or Z, its either the Yankees fall in love with Prior or we are forced to find a 3rd team to deal with.

I'm off this weekend and had delusions of taking my three year old son to one of the Detroit games, but face value was out of our price range for an impromptu trip like this. I knew scalped tickets would be really high, but I had no idea teams jacked up playoff tickets that much. I'm pretty sure MLB dictates a lot of the pricing for the playoffs. Not that the teams wouldn't gouge you anyway, but it's not entirely their fault. This is true. MLB sets playoff ticket prices. MLB told the A's to open the upper deck also. And told the Astros to open the dome

You know me too well...but I'll start with the bruising plays. The Bears play SF so much (2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006), they are almost like a division rival. http://images.nfl.com/images/2001/brown_102801.jpg This was Brown after his INT return in 2001 http://www.detroitlions.com/photos/Bears_XBody_Defense.jpg OK Vasher time http://www.sportsrecords.us/files/images/nathan-vasher-returns-108-yards_0.jpg http://www.sportsrecords.us/files/images/nathan-vasher-celebrates-108-yard-return_0.jpg http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/040821/040821_bears_niners_hmd9p.hmedium.jpg http://www.oakparkjournal.com/sports/2004-Bears8-21-2004-brock-forsey-4th-quarter-touchdown-01sm.jpg http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/news/2001/10/28/niners_bears_ap/t1_bears_ap.jpg http://images.lancasteronline.com/ap/49ers_bears.sff_ful.jpg http://www.sfgate.com/c/pictures/2004/11/01/sp_49ers193.jpg http://www.chicagobears.com/uploads/photos/perm/main/AOLALLOBMICH/urlacher_49ers.jpg Can't really tell, but this was a picture of Soldier Field after the INT return in 2001 http://www.students.dsu.edu/suratw/homepage/pics.h31.jpg Plz Grossman don't throw off your back foot

You want to know my story of the game? I feel a little ashamed telling it because I pretty much gave up on the team. I was at the Cubby Bear watching the game, dejected throughout, screaming at the TV. It was bad. I left after the 3rd Grossman INT (the one that was returned for a TD, then reversed). I left knowing that it would likely be reversed, but also KNOWING that it was done with. As I was about 5 minutes into my 15 minute walk home, I checked the score of the game on my cell phone. That is where I learned of Grossman's 4th INT. By that point, I was calculating his pathetic comp. % on my cell phone. Bad times. I got home and decided that I needed to clear my head and drive around the neighborhood listening to the end of the game. I got in my car and heard Joniak recapping the game score by score, expecting to hear him stop when he got to 23-10 Cardinals. It was at this point that I learned of the Tillman fumble return. I did get a bit excited, but was still in doubt that they would have enough time for a Grossman led TD drive. So 4th down comes, and I decide to turn around, I gotta watch the end of this one at home. So I turn around in the Jewel parking lot on Southport and Waveland, and as I am making a left onto Waveland, I hear Hester's punt return. I spend the next 3 minutes screaming at the top of my lungs (to myself mind you, no one else was with me) and flying over the many speed bumps and rolling past the many stop signs going west on Waveland. I get home and gleefully watch Rackers FG to wide left with my roommates. I am a little disapointed that I was not there to watch the end of the game at the bar, but despite my giving up on the football team that I hold dearest to my heart momentarily in a period of irrationalness, I think my game experience was unique and exciting.

Holy cow. Hilarious. I'd feel bad for him if they weren't playing the Bears. I still feel bad for them. Their defense is nothing to be ashamed of though. Rex was bad because Az played very good defense. He didnt adjust. You know, despite the fact that they outplayed us, I STILL cant believe that they are referencing the preseason game, as if it actually meant something. I really don't believe that despite everything.

From my fantasy team, yes.

Denny Green's tirade made my day

http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/stl/ticketing/worldseries_tickets.jsp?loc=form Thank you (even though they aren't going to make it)

I like every word of that, especially the part about Soriano in CF. Prepare to be bombarded by the "Soriano is overrated and sucks" faction. Last year the guy was a bum who didn't get on enough and was going to stink now that he's not in a hitters park and low and behold...40/40. Seriously, what is your problem with posters on this board? Soriano is overrated. But he's still good. Most everybody on this board would be happy with him being here next year, especially when you consider the limited options. And, if he's in CF, all the better. I'd rather have Soriano then say Pierre, but for the cost and his career numbers, it would just be another slap in the face to the team's OBP woes. That said, I'd rather have the majority of the team's money going towards 1-2 starters, upgrading the bench (a lot) and then one above average offensive player at either CF or 2B, and if there is money left, a platoon for Jones (could also be part of bench players)

A bad win or a loss could really damage all the national respect we've accumulated in the last 3 weeks....but to me a win is a win. Just win boys.

What time is the press conference? Since I have nothing to do tomorrow, I might wait out in front of Wrigley and chant "We want a winner" repeatedly for hours so he gets the picture of what he is getting into.

Awesome! Now let's start constructing the team. Lou is as good as any of them and comes with an expectation of winning. I'm back to being excited about Cubs baseball. dusty had the same thing "expectation of winning" I am still a cubs fan and until the team is wearing a ring I won't believe an slightly above 500, AL manager is right for us. Hope you are right I wouldn't necessarily call him an AL manager....I mean he did win the World Series with an NL ballclub