CuseCubFan69

With the possible Floyd signing does this mean Pagan doesn't make it as that would be 6 OF's?

I'd hate to depend on Floyd though. Wasnt he signed to be a 4th OF?? Everywhere you read is saying he will play on days Murton or Jones needs rest I hope so because they would make a decent offensive OF. Defensively it'll lack a lot IMO.

I'd hate to depend on Floyd though.

The Colts have 5 Oranges playing for them. So you're a fan? I go where the Cuse kids go just like you do with the Vols. Sorry, that was my bad attempt at a lame joke (Orange Men) I'm the king of lame jokes...sorry I didn't get it!

did you hear something I didn't? They're still just "nearing a deal" aren't they? I'm assuming ahead of time!

If Soriano plays like Pierre everyday, there will definitely be some holes. Ha! Probably in one of those TV's of yours.

Opening Day Roster guarenteed contracts without injury: OF: Soriano, Murton, Jones, Ward, and Floyd Infield: Lee, Ramirez, Barrett, Blanco, DeRosa and Izturis Pitchers: Zambrano, Lilly, Marquis, Hill, Eyre, Howry, Dempster, and Ohman Postion Possibles: Pagan, Theriot, Cedeno, Meghee who else am I missing? Pitching Possibles: Prior, Wood, Miller, Marshall, Wuertz, Guzman.... I still see holes in CF unless Soriano plays everyday like Pierre did or Jones can slide over if he sits.

The difference between Rex and a typical game manager is that Rex completed multiple big time passes. A game manager is just supposed to complete short passes and not screw up. Rex provides an opportunity for big plays. True he does have that ability to go long but they ran the ball enough to keep the game out of his hands. That pass that the Bear WR made a wonderful play for a TD on should have been an interception. Somebody else wrote something very wise about the "should have been an interception" theory. It just doesn't hold true. The only time you can say that is when a guy is standing still and it hits him in the chest. DBacks are not receivers. QBs can take risks because they know their WR are the better receivers back there, and the vast majority of the time, the pass will end up complete or incomplete. There's no reason why that "should have been an int". It wasn't, and the only way it could have been is if the DB made an amazing play. I don't think you can assum players should be able to make amazing plays. I don't think by any means the DB would have had to make an amazing play to intercept that ball.

The difference between Rex and a typical game manager is that Rex completed multiple big time passes. A game manager is just supposed to complete short passes and not screw up. Rex provides an opportunity for big plays. True he does have that ability to go long but they ran the ball enough to keep the game out of his hands. That pass that the Bear WR made a wonderful play for a TD on should have been an interception.

Solid bat off the bench. If Prior, Guzman, and Miller all come to spring training healthy and pitch lights out. (Big IF). Will the Cubs be willing to sit Marquis and his $7MM or Lilly and his $11MM contract in the bullpen? I know Lou has been saying all along the best players will play, but how do you justify wasting $7MM and/or Lilly's $11M in the bullpen?? I asked Hendry a variation of this question, and he tiptoed around it a bit. He said Miller could be put in the pen and said the best 11-12 pitchers would be on the team and that performance not salary would be the determining factor. Did you make sure that it was really Hendry talking? Thanks for the info by the way Vance. It's pretty interesting to see what the Cubs players and brass think and let's hope Hendry sticks to his word about the best playing.

Man....I still can not watch any of the Viking Super Bowl games. Some old wounds just never heal.

Agreed. If the Bears are going to win, Grossman is definitely going to have to make some big plays. Or no stupid ones. I'm not sure if Rex just playing safe is going to do it. The Colts are going to put up points. Rex might have to answer the call on one or more occasions. The one thing I'm nervous about is the mystique of the Super Bowl getting to a guy like Grossman. Manning seems to be the seasoned vet that might thrive under Super Bowl pressure. (Although I am aware of his past playoff problems) This is the type of game that could define Rex Grossman's career. If he does well under this type of pressure, I can see him becoming great. If he folds, well, lets not get into that. I heard one expert say that Grossman had a very good game yesterday. I suppose 11-26 and a little over a hundred yards is a very good game in some peoples book but I do think he got away with a couple of bad passes. He reminded me of Trent Difler yesterday. The running game and defense won that game and Rex made no mistakes.

I think they do a pretty good job with holding. It's a tough one. But they basically let anything go until you are reaching for guys or literally wrapping your arms around them. If you're in close with hands in front, you can clutch, but you can't reach. I'm fine with that. I like the if it doesn't effect the play don't call it kind of an idea. Granted, who's to really know sometimes but some of these stupid calls when they have absolutely no effect on what happened in the play drive me crazy.

And I hope Hendry is right about Izturis. But, I'm very, very skeptical that Izturis will be any better with a bat than the worst SS's in the league. if he stays healthy & plays great defense, does it really matter what he hits? the sox & cards won the WS with guys who had .713 & .694 ops's respectively. Of course it matters. That black hole in the lineup has more of an impact than anything he does on defense, no matter how good his glove is. Those teams may have won with those shortstops, but it wasn't because of them. how many teams have won anything on the offense of their 8th place hitter? You mean dispite their 8th place hitter! I really didn't like it when the Cubs had AGonz, Miller and then the pitcher in 2003.

Agreed. If the Bears are going to win, Grossman is definitely going to have to make some big plays. Or no stupid ones.

I agree. Just get refs that can do their job and that helps eliminate the problem. Yeah, I don't like the 15-yard PI call. That idea didn't make it in the pros because it would lead to the "good" pass interference, sort of like a "good" foul in basketball. And the NFL doesn't want 13-6 games to be the rule. And as much as I love defense, I agree with them. As far as roughing the passer, there's no way they are going to change those calls. I'd settle with just better officiating on the PI calls. That horsecollar crap needs to go the way of the do-do bird though. And the "illegal contact" calls have gotten out of hand. You can't even so much as lay a pinky finger on the receiver after 5 yards or it's a penalty, but you can effectively trip him to the ground if you play it right and it will be called "incidental." Doesn't make any sense. They need to start calling holding better too. They're letting OLines get away with blatant holding on nearly every pass play now. You could call holding on about every play in football and that's the funky thing about the game that bugs me...the times they call it and the times they don't. I know whatever happens happens and IMO football is a very subjective sport. Just look at the marks the refs give just to get an idea. Where they come up with some of those are simply beyond me.

The Saints have nothing to be disappointed about. They will be a team to take seriously next year. Not that they shouldn't have been taken seriously this year. They were the team I was most afraid of in the NFC this year. Brees is an awesome QB. If Brees had time he could have done a lot of damage. I'm not sure why the Saints abandoned the running game just to ease the pressure but Peyton knows his team and I'm sure he had a reason. Can you really say they abandoned the run when they never really ran in the first place? Deuce and Reggie combined for 10 carries. Brees threw the ball 49 times. I don't get the abandoned the run story. New Orleans lived by the pass and they died by the pass. They are not a good running team. They had one of the lowest running averages in the league this year. They were top 5 in passing attempts this year. People were talking about the Deuce and Reggie show, but the fact is that team relied on the passing game more than anything else. It was a question of whether or not Drew could lead that offense threw the air against the Bears. And he couldn't. Didn't they run the ball more often then that though during the year? I understand they fell behind and had to throw at one point but a draw once in a while would have been nice.

It's funny you say that because I'm waiting for the next "expert" to say that the Colts already have the best teams out of the way.

The Colts have 5 Oranges playing for them. So you're a fan? I go where the Cuse kids go just like you do with the Vols.

I can see why some experts say Brady needs more help offensively but didn't they score 34 points in that game and a bunch against SD? It seems to me the defense didn't do their jobs more than the Pat's offense.

Unless Marquis is giving up a touchdown a game like last year. I'm curious on how long the Cubs would wait if he is struggling and Guzman is ready.

The Colts have 5 Oranges playing for them.

Especially if the teams in their divisions continue to stink.

I think the key for the Bears is to get the lead early and keep the Colts off balance defensively. If the Colts jump out to an early 14-0 lead and the Bears have to pass they are going to be in trouble. It's going to be very interesting to see how this all will fall out.

I'm hoping that Irvin and Parcells try out for Dancing with the Stars and are never heard from again after that.