Connor McConnor

Hmmmm........0-2 and have played like crap their first two games. What exactly is different? What would be "refreshing" would be solid play and wins......not what spin the manager puts on the situation. Way too much made of Baker as the problem with the team.......way too much. Players either execute or they dont. Piniella's managed some great teams....and some real dogs. He is one in a very, very long line of Cub Saviours. Dont get your hopes up.

Prior? Even when he was "healthy"....the last few years....he has been very average. Whatever happened....I dont know....but the "Prior as Saviour" idea.....died a few years ago. I think most fans haved moved on....its the smart thing to do.

you can't be serious - or else you didn't read that he followed that up with "I can't understand but I don't want to sit too close to you." One of the most obnoxiously racist comments ever said on the air. Absolutely shocking and offensive. To categorize that level of ignorance as political correctness is misguided and ignorant. Oh please. You have got to be kidding. Harmless....not very funny....and dumb. But not by and stretch of the imagination "One of the most obnoxiously racist comments ever said on the air." What Piniella said about the wallet ( or billeto....if you will)...made no sense...and Lyons tried (and failed) to be clever and funny. You want offensive? Watch Fox News. Now THATS offensive.

Thats easy. No.

Bingo. You are exactly right. This team needs a serious shake up....like when Dallas Green/Jim Fry came in. Something big. Moves like promoting the marketing guy to be President....is like making the Cruise Director Captain of the ship. It's very small time, and likely to end in disaster. Not that disaster really even matters anymore.....after 2003....this year....all the other years....honestly.....how could it get any worse? Very hard to be optimistic about things.

Really? Thanks for pointing that out. Most of us hadn't noticed.

Why? Because he seems like a nice guy and used to be on the Cubs? Because he was a mediocre catcher? Because he had one mediocre year with the Marlins....and was promptly FIRED? You are moaning about them hiring an in-experienced team President.....yet you want a filed manager with 1 year of experience who was fired after his first year?

Amen. Amen, Amen. It's unbelievable that the mangager and general manager are still employed by the team. It truly is.

Lots of coaches have been churned up by the Cub experience over the last 100 years. Baker is just the latest. I wouldnt get your hopes up on this making much of a difference.....no matter who is chosen.

Do you have to give up your seat for viewing the current Cubs meltdown? I guess it does not matter...since it happens EVERY YEAR. When "things turn sour" (I guess that means them not winning.....status quo in Cubland) it wont matter. They won it all. It would be wise for Cub fans to ignore the South side for the forseeable future. They actually have a shot of becoming the baseball team in this town (if they arent already). I would have thought that an impossibility a few years ago. Its now a probability. Complaining about anything down there is going to be rightfully viewed as jealousy and sour grapes. Save your venom for the Cubs front office. They deserve it. Since your response here seems personal I have to say that your pattern of telling others how they can feel about the Sox, Guillen, or anything short of the Cubs is really irritating. Your "they won it all" statement doesn't excuse the team or its manager from being professional. Please stop trying to be the mouth piece of Cubs fans by advising us where our focus should be. Oh jeesh man. Here is an idea. Ignore me if you dont agree with me. Im not trying to be the "mouth piece" for anyone....just spouting my opinion...like you are. Here's an idea, why don't you heed your own words the next time you feel like calling out Cubs fans (and a Cards fan) about the number of posts they have (on any subject) and the kind of opinions they hold. He said he was not a Cubs fan....I noted that he had 1000 posts. Seems unusuaual that a person would invest that amount of time in a team he is not a fan of. He certainly has the right to do it. Im not "calling" anyone out. If waiting "for things to go sour" on the southside....or berating Guillen because he called someone some names.....makes the current collossal mess of the Cubs situation....easier for you to handle.....then enjoy. FYI....Im Cubs fan for 40 years. I have no love for the White Sox or their manager. But I do give them credit for winning the World Series.

Do you have to give up your seat for viewing the current Cubs meltdown? I guess it does not matter...since it happens EVERY YEAR. When "things turn sour" (I guess that means them not winning.....status quo in Cubland) it wont matter. They won it all. It would be wise for Cub fans to ignore the South side for the forseeable future. They actually have a shot of becoming the baseball team in this town (if they arent already). I would have thought that an impossibility a few years ago. Its now a probability. Complaining about anything down there is going to be rightfully viewed as jealousy and sour grapes. Save your venom for the Cubs front office. They deserve it. Since your response here seems personal I have to say that your pattern of telling others how they can feel about the Sox, Guillen, or anything short of the Cubs is really irritating. Your "they won it all" statement doesn't excuse the team or its manager from being professional. Please stop trying to be the mouth piece of Cubs fans by advising us where our focus should be. Oh jeesh man. Here is an idea. Ignore me if you dont agree with me. Im not trying to be the "mouth piece" for anyone....just spouting my opinion...like you are.

Do you have to give up your seat for viewing the current Cubs meltdown? I guess it does not matter...since it happens EVERY YEAR. When "things turn sour" (I guess that means them not winning.....status quo in Cubland) it wont matter. They won it all. It would be wise for Cub fans to ignore the South side for the forseeable future. They actually have a shot of becoming the baseball team in this town (if they arent already). I would have thought that an impossibility a few years ago. Its now a probability. Complaining about anything down there is going to be rightfully viewed as jealousy and sour grapes. Save your venom for the Cubs front office. They deserve it. I'm not a Cubs fan. That said, I doubt very much if Cubs fans are "jealous" that your manager is an illiterate goon. It's much easier to be a good winner than a good loser. Unfortunately, White Sox fans have failed at both. 1000 posts for a team you are not a fan of? Point? A lot of Cub fans around here would use "illiterate goon" to describe Baker. Not me mind you...but some would. And is "illiterate goon" any worse/better than anything Ozzie said? Not really. Nothing you said or Ozzie said bother me in the least. Cub fans thin skin is sure showing in this thread. I had no idea we were all so prim and proper about colorful language. I sure hear a lot of it when I go to Wrigley.

Do you have to give up your seat for viewing the current Cubs meltdown? I guess it does not matter...since it happens EVERY YEAR. When "things turn sour" (I guess that means them not winning.....status quo in Cubland) it wont matter. They won it all. It would be wise for Cub fans to ignore the South side for the forseeable future. They actually have a shot of becoming the baseball team in this town (if they arent already). I would have thought that an impossibility a few years ago. Its now a probability. Complaining about anything down there is going to be rightfully viewed as jealousy and sour grapes. Save your venom for the Cubs front office. They deserve it.

It could also be called....."Cub fans have their panties in a bunch" because World Series Manager for the hated White Sox tells it like it is about blowhard reporter. Nothing Ozzie said there offends me....he happens to be right. And his team won the World Series last year. And just annihilated the Cardinals. A couple of things that Cubs havent been able to figure out how to do. We can go back to crying about WoPriDust now.

That about sums it up....doesnt it? A grunt and a fart would also be appropriate...but other than that....I think Ronnie about said it all there.

Wow. From 6 outs away from the world series...all the way down to this. Being a Cub fan is really really hard.

What does Ron Santo have to do with the Cubs winning? Of course I want the Cubs to win. I'd also like to be able to listen to a broadcast and find out how they won -- not listen to him read faxes from 87-year-old women and talk about a volleyball court in his dead buddy's backyard. If they won....they scored more runs than the other team. In this day of 24 hours sports channels.....internet....non-stop media.....there are plenty of ways to find out the details....if you are really interested. You were bashing Santo for being a representation of Cub fans...."silly..misinformed...rah rah"....my point was....MOST baseball fans are silly and rah rah. Baseball isnt that important....and people just want thier team to win. Santo is a fan...not an analyst...and he does not pretend to be. There are plenty of stuffed shirt broadcasters...around....and stats out the ying yang to keep you amused if thats what you are after. I like Ron....and I know he feels my pain. Pat is there to keep things going..and he will inform you of the details. I think Ron is harmless..and he adds to the enjoyment of listening to the game on radio....for me anyway. Obviously...some people dont feel this way.

Ron Santo may be you in the booth, but he is NOT me. He's awful, and I can't stand listening to him. He isnt the best at analysing a game, but he is the most entertaining to listen to. I use to put WGN on mute (back when Chip was announcing) and listen to Santo call the game while watching it. I can see your point though if radio is your only means to watch it then you dont always know whats going on...but you gotta love his enthusiasm. I just think that Santo represents a lot of misconceptions about Cubs fans. He's very rah-rah and silly, he's pretty uninformed and doesn't seem to really pay attention to the game at points. That's the stereotypical view of Cubs fan and Ron just isn't helping us shed that image at all. He's been a nice story for the organization -- and I think he was a great player and is still a great guy -- but I just don't want to listen to him during broadcasts. I want better and think we deserve better. Oh he's like the vast majority of ALL baseball fans. He just wants his team to win. Really.....isnt that what we all want? At this point I dont care how they do it....or how "informed" anyone is or is not....I just want the Cubs to win.......for the love of God......just let the Cubs win.....for a change.

Getting close...anyone know if expansion is almost completed? Pics?

None for me. I stopped believing them 4 or 5 injuries ago.

Indeed. If kids are not playing the game....they certainly are not watching it either. Although the article is talking about black players.....less kids in general are playing for the reasons that Baker mentioned. Also....baseball is a very difficult sport....especially for the younger ages.....the kids are afraid of getting hit by the ball....and its very demoralizing to fail in such a "personal" way....by striking out or dropping a ball. Its much less obvious in a team sport where things are moving along. Youth games tend to be incredibly boring....most kids walk or strikeout.....and fielding is usually poor. Its just hard to do when you are young. Add to that overzealous jock/dad/coaches who can be moronic.....and its not very appealing to a kid. More fun to play a video game, shoot hoops, or skateboard. Or do nothing. Baseball is going to have serious fanbase trouble in about 20 years. It still living off the golden ages of the 60-70s (us)...but when we are gone....they are not going to have enough fans to pay for the big salaries. Baseball is in going to be hurting big time. Maybe enough to kill it as a huge spectator sport.

Next up. Prior.

Nice pic Roast. I agree. Say what you will about Sammy. He loved being a baseball player. He was always entertaining. It was fun just to watch him warm-up. Hasta y Gracias Sammy!

Would this be a normal breakdown for any team.....or is this unique to the Cubs? Either way....that's a VERY sobering little list.

Excellent point. Fans are not supposed to know any better....but Hendry and his bunch get paid well to know legitmate talent when they see it. Patterson was going to be a superstar....5 tools....on and on......you never heard a "maybe" out of any Cubs people with regards to Corey. Choi, Hill, Patterson,......were going to be the future of this team. Not only are they NOT the future....they are barely major leaguers. Prior is the latest "can't miss".....and he's not exactly rock solid at this point. Will he be next? This team has proven that it cannot develop its own position players. It can't do it! Egads it's painful to be a Cub fan.