Soul

IF. Big ifs. If he can actually put in enough time to make a difference. If his skills haven't diminished. If he is actually signed.

Biggest issue has been the lack of OBP in the acquisitions. Here's hoping D Lee brings his high OBP to Wrigley for the full 81 games, thus lifting us off the bottom of the league in OBP and Walks. I still think some other team will jump up, keeping us from making the playoffs. Yes, the NL is weak, but there were still so many others ahead of us, and they're all trying to get better too.

If IP is accompanied by solid effectiveness, than it is extremely important. By itself, it's worthless, just like knowing a guy can throw 98 or that a player is really fast. Marquis' IP went down in Aug/Sept, which was when his ERA tanked big time. He probably would have made the 200 IP if he would have had his August level of production (which admittedly is very very marginal---I'm not trying to defend Marquis here). I think if Marquis reeks from the beginning he won't make 200 IP this year. He'll have to have some level of performance; maybe 1 good outing followed by 2 bad ones, something like that. If he doesn't, he's just going to get pulled too early.

agreed... can't you find a pic with MORE than three shirtless guys plz??? At least photoshop some Cardinals' logos on them or something :lol:

I have to be honest here, if I was a Lions fan I would be fuming right now. Why does Millen still have a job? Has anybody had worse drafts than this guy? He is just plain terrible. Yeah I don't see why this is a bad thing. Sure they've got your money already, but that's not going to change. I'd be looking to do anything that shows anyone who cares enough to notice that I'm unhappy as a fan. That team and franchise has been so bad for so long. I can imagine the fans are just sick of it. But didn't they protest last year? And they suck again... It just is something that hasn't proven to be terribly effective. I hear you. But give them a break. If it makes them feel a little better on Christmas Eve, they hey-----let them do it. I'm certainly not looking for a Lions' resurgence :wink:

I have to be honest here, if I was a Lions fan I would be fuming right now. Why does Millen still have a job? Has anybody had worse drafts than this guy? He is just plain terrible. Yeah I don't see why this is a bad thing. Sure they've got your money already, but that's not going to change. I'd be looking to do anything that shows anyone who cares enough to notice that I'm unhappy as a fan. That team and franchise has been so bad for so long. I can imagine the fans are just sick of it.

Actually, voting ends tommorow at 11am. So I guess we'll have to concentrate on both. :) Really? Bah, my info was bad! Sorry about that :oops:

goony must have voted because Rexaramus has taken a 2 point lead, 38% to 36%. :mrgreen:

Floyd will get hurt and Murton will be the full-time starter, anyway. Everyone knows Floyd's body is no longer cooperating with him.

Let's hope he figured it out. Typically, to re-program the slightest mechanical flaw takes 6 weeks to correct and then it becomes a wait and see if he fully processed it. Throwing BP in the Fall/Winter won't give you an idea that he won't go back to what he was comfortable with in '06. The 1st test will during one of his 1st starts and he becomes fatigued on the mound, struggles and gets himself into jams, how he responds to that adversity will determine the 1st test. Some pitchers will go back to what got them there. The 2nd test (depending on if he passes the 1st test) will be during the season probably around the AS break or August when the daily grind of every 5 days drains the pitcher physically and more importantly mentally. You'll never be as fresh as you were at the start of the season. Then if he does pass those tests, whose to say the correction of his mechanics doesn't lead to tipping? For years everyone has been commentiong on Wood's mechanics. He's throwing across his body, he's rushing, he's off balance and it's causing him to fall to the 1st base side, etc. It's not easy to correct mechanics, this article simplifies to overall process too much. Just drink your koolade and everything will be fine. Until April, that is 8-)

Are you referring to this thread, or the media? It's still early in the week. The Bears themselves weren't even practicing/game-planning for Sunday until today. Just in general. All of Monday and Tuesday was dominated by Tank talk. So far, it looks like everybody is ignoring the Lions game, from the team to the media to the fans. It's just a bit concerning. Come on, quit being grouchy and VOTE! 8-) In 30 minutes we can concentrate on next week. Rex still leading by the slimmest of margins.

It's kind of difficult to imagine a pitcher putting in 200 innings if he is truly awful. I think the # of innings is at least partially tied to performance. If a guy comes in and gives up 5 runs immediately every game, I doubt he's going to be left in the rotatation long enough to rack up the innings. If you can get deep into the games enough, then I'd say you are at least putting out performances that are mediocre. When you compare that to what we had last year----with starters getting bombed in the early innings regularly, I guess I would have to go with the mediocre. But it's not particularly exciting, especially because I don't believe our offense will keep up with mediocre starting pitching.

Have any of you heard that guy who comes on Murph every week? I think he's from Baseball InfoSolutions, or something like that. Anyway, he thinks Hill is going to blow up this year. Apparently James does too. That does it. Hill will officially rock this season. Can there be any doubt?

Rex leading now 37% to 36% with only 2 hours to go!! Where can we scare up a few more votes? 8-)

What does that even mean? They are a football team that has been in cruise control because of how thoroughly they dominated the conference this year. They haven't played at their peak in every game, but they've won 3 straight, and only 2 teams have won more consecutive games. They have the largest PF-PA differential in the league. They've beaten playoff contenders at home and on the road, have come from behind, blown teams out and everything in between. What are they? They are clearly the best team in the NFC, that's what they are. Most important point of your post. They find ways to win even when they aren't clicking on all cylinders. Good teams don't have to be playing their best to win every game. How can he say the Bears should be ranked poorly becuase of how they are playing, when the Saints just lost to a terrible team and we won? How are the Saints playing then? Worse than the Bears. He makes no sense whatsoever.

Alright Larry, you wanted him, you fix him. Here's hoping we aren't sitting here in August talking about how Marquis is stealing from the team.

I voted just now, and it showed Manning at 42% of the vote, Grossman at 34. His numbers are definitely better. Manning definitely had a good week too, just not as good as Rex. I'm okay with the Bears being underrated, as long as people shut up when they're the last ones standing in Miami. Eh, in truth, Manning's numbers last night were probably better.. same amount of completions in fewer attempts, 4 TD's to Rex's 2... On the other hand, Rex did have a better yardage total and yards/attempt. Good to see that Rex is slowly catching up, though. He only had 32% earlier. I just voted. Rex is really catching up now. It's 37% for Manning to 36% for Grossman. Go Rex !! All tied up now!! VOTE VOTE VOTE

That's cool. I'm still angry at Tank for making himself a distraction, but now that the facts are coming out little by little, it's starting to look more like he was just unable to sever a friendship that was poisonous to him and his career. I can certainly understand this. It's difficult, but you have to part ways with bad people. But----I don't think people should be thrown down the toilet because they have a close friend who is trouble. It's a hard situation for everyone involved. From now on, Tank, please no more guns. That is all.

I am also considering retirement in 2010. Also, I think I will eat more strawberries starting in that year. And leafy greens.

It was never Sosa, people. It was the damn voodoo 30/30 necklace which started everything. Keep those custom jewelers away from Soriano. They're the devil.

Appearently. And with the monumental loss of Tank Johnson our team will simply fall to pieces, unable to even imagine winning a playoff game. Don't forget RMJ and Hester will be their starting corners in the playoffs will certainly help make the team fall to pieces. It's ok, I like that the team will be playing with a chip on their shoulder. Vasher will be back. If Tank isn't, I don't see how anyone could think that doesn't hamper our chances. It's not just the loss of tank, it's having only 3 DTs in the rotation, only 2 of which are NFL-grade players.

Appearently. And with the monumental loss of Tank Johnson our team will simply fall to pieces, unable to even imagine winning a playoff game. Don't forget RMJ and Hester will be their starting corners in the playoffs will certainly help make the team fall to pieces. It's ok, I like that the team will be playing with a chip on their shoulder. The Bears wish they lost 4 more games this year, that would mean they'd be on a relative hot streak by winning late in the season, and proving themselves against other near .500 teams. At 12-2, their record in the past 7 games is just 5-2, worse than their overall record. If they were, let's say, 8-6, and won 4 of their last 7, that would mean they would be on a hot streak, compared to their first 7 games, when they were just 4 of 7. Winning 3 in a row is not impressive when you've won 7 in a row already this season. 3 in a row would be really good though if you had lost 3 in a row at one point as well. Philly must play Dallas this week, so one of those clubs is going to be coming out the new ESPN golden child, and the other will now be "finished" or at least no longer the latest hot commodity.

I'm glad to hear that. If they make it clear to Tank this is his absolute last chance, then I think we can all be satisfied if he still won't clean up and we need to let him go. Looks like they might not let him play the rest of the year. I know of few, if any, other franchises that would so seriously hamper their chances at a championship.

There's nothing wrong with going out. But it is insubordination if your employer explicitly tells you to not do something, yet you do it anyway. Is that insubordination a fireable offense under the terms of the CBA? We don't know. But it's still insubordination. I think we're speculating that the Bears actually TOLD Tank "do not go clubbing." How do we know that? I haven't heard Lovie, or Angelo, specifically say that he should not go out or do anything. And anyway----you gave the guy the weekend off. What's he supposed to do? Coup himself up at home like a prisoner? Does an employer really have the right, after telling someone they aren't working, that they must also do nothing but sit around? This whole thing is wacky. I know Tank is a problem, but I don't see how the Bears could have made all these specific prohibitions during one meeting Thursday. Or even that they really have the right to do that. I don't think it has anything to do with clubbing, I think it's specifically hanging out with a felon that pissed them off. We don't know if they said that, but every indication is that they were adament about him disassociating himself with known felons. Hanging out with felons simply increases your chances of getting in trouble. That's why people on parole are told to stay away from other felons. It's not about the Bears telling him to lock himself in his home alone, and really, making claims like that just weakens the pro-Tank argument. It's about the Bears protecting their own assets and interests in trying to prevent a repeat offender from repeating his offenses once again. I believe the Bears have every right to try and influence how Tank handles himself outside of Halas Hall. I do not think they have the legal authority to enforce any of these rules, however, and I don't believe it will do the team any good to get rid of him at this point. Man that's rough. The guy was his best friend from childhood. He's a felon, it's bad. I can imagine it would be real tough to walk out of Halas Hall on Thursday, tell Posey "I don't ever want to see you again" and then by Friday there's no friendship. All his stuff what?---thrown out into the street? I can only imagine. What if it was a last night out together? Farewell----we've got to stay away for the good of your career, but tonight we will go out for old time's sake. Then this happens---some freak starts harrassing Tank. Tough break. I go back to the fact that Tank---who would be the most likely guy to freak out on this dude who was harrassing him---seemed to have deliberately not fired back. Seems like Tank was making an effort.

It's possible, but I have my doubts. Certainly Jerry has the right to tell a player in Tank's position what not to do when he leaves the facilities. But I really doubt whether they have any authority to actually enforce such rules. It would be insubordination, but, it's probably completely legal (if not justified) insubordination. But I'm sure there's a clause in his contract for something like that. Contracts can be voided for injuries from other sports played in the players free time. Or motorcycle riding, that kind of thing. I'm not a lawyer, so I don't know all the legalities of it, but I imagine that's the kind of thing they're finding out if they can do. I'm quite certain there's no clause in any contract on the planet that grants an employer carte' blance authority over someone's comings-and-goings after they leave work and are officially on their own time. Sure, if they represent the company poorly there are repercussions. But the Bears are going to have a tough time saying Tank was representing the Bears poorly by showing up at an upscale club unarmed, just dancing on the dance floor like anyone else. Also----when he was harrassed by someone in the club, it was Tank who didn't fire back. All reports I have seen say he did not involve himself, though his friend (probably quite predictably) went crazy.