UMFan83

Basketball season is quickly approaching...

Makes it more and more likely that Michigan isn't nearly as good as everyone thought they were after beating ND too.

Pie is a little overrated too

Platoon? Has anyone looked at Brown's stats vs. Lefties? .231/.316/.471 SLG is alright, but the BA and OBP are woeful His 3 year splits tell a different story against lefties: .313/.368/.538 I wonder why that is?

Len, How do you maintain that squeeky clean image that you portray while still managing the appeal to the 'in crowd'? How do Cubs execs feel about you using terms like VORP during your broadcasts? Are they usually confused by it and excuse it as some sort of inside joke between you and your listeners? If you could have one of two players, both with a career .900 OPS, one has an OBP of .420 and a SLG of .480 and the other has an OBP of .350 and a SLG of .550, which player do you think is more needed for THIS team and do you think the organization would make the same choice? Thanks for another fun year, hopefully the Cubs can do better next year so I do not continue to associate your voice with losing.

How binding are those things? Even if one were in place, someone could come after me for damages, anyway. Then I'd still be subjected to lawyer costs and everything else to defend myself. I know I would come after you with everything I've got ;) Honestly, I've done about 6-7 ticket exchanges on this site without the help of a ticket forum. It would be nice to have if you could prevent any legal action taken against you, but its not necessary.

Yeah the risk is not worth the reward. There is a small chance that Rex in his first full season could put up decent numbers (look for 19 TD, 17 INT as like a best case scenario), but the chances are better taht your two current QBs will do better. Theres also a pretty good chance that Grossman stumbles a bit as the season goes along, and a chance that he gets injured again.

Meh, Brian Westbrook misses Friday practices all the time and ends up playing on Sunday

2007 will be another bleak year. I don't see how it can't be. Too many holes, not enough resources (FA and trade bait). Hendry also thinking that 5 moves will completely reverse the team. He'd have to have a great offseason + Mark Prior turns into at least 2004 Prior, Wood becomes dominating closer, Lee plays like 2005 Lee, Barrett isn't scared of the ball, the bench is built up, little to no injuries, etc. Doesn't seem likely, but hey anything is possible. With such a low emphasis on OBP, the only way the Cubs can win is with dominating pitching and a decent amount of power (or the complete reverse small ball). I can't see that happening

Same here. That was the most pathetic excuse of all time. I'm sorry, Clemens wins easily. Sammy's was implausible, but Clemens' was just absurd. My two-year-old daughter knows the difference between a bat and a ball. OK maybe I should have emphasised that his statement was said in very broken English, while normally he has a decent command of his second language. But yeah, I guess your right

Well I am 3-0 and I'm doing it without the help of my QBs Drafted: Warner Brunell Rivers Currently: Warner Grossman Rivers Right now honestly, all 3 of them are on the same level as each other regarding this weeks matchups. I start 2 QBs and can't figure out which 2 to start. Grossman vs. Sea Pros: Decent number of receiving yards, has consistantly found the end zone at least once a game Cons: Facing a great secondary, the run has gotta pick up somehow, somewhat exposed against Minnesota, mistake prone when blitzed Warner at Atl Pros: Tons of options, playing in the dome, good arm Cons: Injured hand, butter fingers, pretty good secondary, one bad start and hes gone is in the back of his mind Rivers @ Bal Pros: Conservative QB, doesnt make a lot of mistakes, LT's running will give him a few red zone opportunities Cons: Facing a great defense, LT takes red zone opps into his own hands and runs for TDs, Doesn't get a lot of passing plays called for him I am leaning towards Grossman and Warner, but there is really no winner in my mind. Maybe you guys can help (as always thanks in advance!)

OK, I don't like him because if he was never on the Astros, the Cubs might have won the Wild Card in 2004, happy?

Wow, sarcasm? Name one instance where Clemens has exhibited anything below class-act standards, personality wise. throwing the broken bat at mike piazza as he was running to 1b. "I thought it was the ball" I've hated Clemens ever since. Same here. That was the most pathetic excuse of all time.

Cubs lose, stake claim for return to cellar

When Jock pounded that first pitch into the ground for a rally killing DP, I got the WGN promo high pitched girl saying "I LOVE MY CUBBBIEEEEEES" in my head. Now I have a headache

Good effort. I'm not sure it's going to tell us much about Tillman though as the Bears do not rotate corner backs from one side of the field to the other. For example, the Cinci game, C. Johnson burned Vasher for a long touchdown when Vasher whiffed on his jam at the line of scrimmage. Steve Smith burned Thompson for one of those long TD's in the playoff game, etc. Tillman is at his best when covering big receivers and not as good when covering small speedy types. I still say Tillman is good, though. Maybe we can agree to disagree. Yeah I know there are inaccuracies there. I wasn't going to go back and recall each game (but now that you mention it I remember it being Vasher that was burned on that play). I just wanted to throw some numbers out there. I am not saying Peanut is bad...and to be honest, I think he had a very good year in 2003 and a decent year when he played in 2004. Anyways, we'll have a better idea of how good the Bears secondary is after this game. I just wonder what kinda schemes they are going to use with the Linebackers and Safeties. Lovie says that they are going to use their normal schemes, but I am not sure I believe that.

Wow, sarcasm? Name one instance where Clemens has exhibited anything below class-act standards, personality wise. When he threw the bat at Piazza?

I think he was talking about Curry. He just happened to post that seconds after my post

Actually, its Dusty's final gift to Cubs fans, a crippled Z!

Playoff integrity or something...

He's on the #1 receiver, and lets look at how those #1 receivers did against Tillman last year. Note that I am just picking who in my judgement the #1 receiver is. I am not 100% sure that Tillman was covering each of these guys: Washington - Santana Moss 4 catches 96 yards Detroit - Probably Roy Williams 5 catches 96 yards 1 TD Cincinnati - Chad Johnson 3 catches 77 yards 2 TD Cleveland - Antonio Bryant 6 catches 83 yards 2 TD Minnesota - Koren Robinson 1 catch 4 yards, Marcus Robinson 4 catches 41 yards (not sure who he covered there..could have even been Williamson) Baltimore - Derrick Mason 2 catches 38 yards Detroit - Was probably on Mike Williams 3 catches 27 yards New Orleans - Joe Horn 2 catches 27 yards San Francisco - Brandon Lloyd 1 catch 13 yards (only completed pass all game, no one was catching anything that day) Carolina - Steve Smith 14 catches 169 yards Tampa Bay - Joey Galloway 7 catches 138 yards Green Bay - Donald Driver 8 catches 64 yards Pittsburgh - Hines Ward 3 catches 27 yards 1 TD Atlanta - Brian Finneran 6 catches 75 yards Green Bay - Donald Driver 6 catches 107 yards Minnesota - Did not or barely played Carolina - 12 catches 218 yards 2 TD Obviously, he was not responsible for all of that, there are different coverages, bend but don't break, etc. But the fact of the matter is, this is how his target receivers did against him. A few good games, a few bad games, a few terrible games. I will average these out, but remember that there was 1 game where he did not play (which I'll throw out), 1 game where it was nearly impossible to throw, and 2 other games where conditions were pretty bad (also a few games where conditions were great to throw) Totals: 16 games 86 catches 1296 yards 8 TD Average: 1 game 5.4 catches 81 yards 0.5 TD

Let's vote: Which action is a better tribute to Harry: 7th inning stretch 81 times a year by celebrities on their promotional circuits for movies, albums, sporting events, books or Len and Bob broadcasting from the bleachers one time per season.

The article quotes Dusty talking like he knows he's done with the Cubs. Of course it couldn't have been written without a classic Dusty quote: The only thing I'll miss with Dusty is his misguided use of similie. http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2607545

He did a good job of working the count, but I can't call any AB where the player had a runner on 3rd and 1 out and doesn't get them home (and doesn't get on base himself) a great AB. Yes, it was about as an AB goes without getting the runner home.

Z really wanted to break the bat. See usually I miss baseball a lot and usually I have much more interest for the game of baseball outside the Cubs. But the Cubs have been so woefully bad, that they've killed my interest for the rest of the game. This winter, I am actually more excited for Bears and Bulls season, that the Cubs season will only be missed slightly, mainly because Cubs season reminds me of long days and warm weather.