CuseCubFan69

On the Mizzou end, the Colorado game next week will be on FSN in many regions, which is good news($$ and exposure). Unfortunately it means another 11:30 start for those attending. Also, the Mizzou website lists the following two games(@ Tech, @ aTm) as TBA, but ESPN has them as 7 PM and 2PM EST starts respectively. Could be good news for Cubbies75's hope that the Tech game is national. Congrats on your hot start TT! When does your team play a divison 1 team? :D After each win the better the exposure. If you guys can continue to go undefeated soon enough you'll have Corso gracing your stage. We were one of the studs SEC powerhouse Ole Miss played! :P It's nice to still have overzealous dreams at this point in the season though. Last year New Mexico crushed any hope real early, and this year there's been a 100% improvement in the defense. I don't think we've called a blitz all year because the Front 4 has been so fantastic. Like others have said, as things have unfolded I'd be disappointed with anything but a 5-0 start, but then going to Lubbock and College Station will show how good we really are. At least now I know why you were pumping up the SEC! I like teams that have a strong front 4 and those guys can hide a lot of weaknesses. What you need to see is when those 4 guys struggle does the rest of the defense step up, if they do you might have something pretty special there.

Ken Rosenthal thinks the Cubs may be interested in having Soriano play CF. http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/5977638 "The Cubs view Soriano as an option in center." That's just Mr. Hendry trying to scare Pierre into signing.

I could see Dusty trying time and time again on the computer to find a scenerio in which he could play Perez and Macias. I think it was Davey Johnson that first started using computer stats for managing but I could be wrong.

On the Mizzou end, the Colorado game next week will be on FSN in many regions, which is good news($$ and exposure). Unfortunately it means another 11:30 start for those attending. Also, the Mizzou website lists the following two games(@ Tech, @ aTm) as TBA, but ESPN has them as 7 PM and 2PM EST starts respectively. Could be good news for Cubbies75's hope that the Tech game is national. Congrats on your hot start TT! When does your team play a divison 1 team? :D After each win the better the exposure. If you guys can continue to go undefeated soon enough you'll have Corso gracing your stage.

So you bid farewell to Mr. Wood? I don't see Wilson leaving the Yanks and signing a small part time role for the Cubs. Could a minor league AAAA guy like Restovich take his place and the money goes elsewhere?

I don't know if this is what you're saying, but are you saying that first place teams are there because they win close games, and some of those are won because they do little things like hustle? I'm saying that doing little things like hustling helps you win some of those close games.

I'm curious if the Cubs do decide on Gonzalez on what his feelings would be towards this trade. It's nice to see that you have a day off Hoops!

What happens when a pitcher doesn't hustle over to cover first? I think it's way more than just for the enjoyment of the game...it's what winning teams do. Yeah, yeah yeah....they have to have talent but look at the 1 run records of a lot of teams that are in first and tell me that doing the little things like hustling didn't help them win a few of those.

Cuse, Bonds is under such intense investigation by the feds that I really don't think he could get his hands on the stuff anymore without being caught. Sorry Tim but I think the whole thing is a farce. I think the pressure has been off him and he has gone back to what he knows...cheating.

I know his team is looking up at the Cards in the standings.

I wouldn't assume he isn't on steroids/HGH. Baseball has yet to catch a player this year in MLB and no way is every player on the level and Bonds has the stuff before so how can we know he isn't doing it again?

Yea, but that will never happen, which is unfortunate. I once did a speech on instituting a playoff system, and with 16 teams it can be done without any income loss to the schools or bowls. Unfortunately the NCAA seems to think that the current system is adequate. Can you detail more how it wouldn't cost anyone any money? I haven't researched the topic, but I'd have to imagine that a playoff system where your team isn't guaranteed to make it to the next game(plus the cost of traveling and paying for tickets to two different bowl sites) would cause lower attendance at later bowl games. It doesn't seem to hurt basketball does it? I think the site would sell X amount of tickets to the general public and Y to the 2 teams involved. Basketball is a different animal though. Yes it is but they both have their own fanatics. I guarentee if Nebraska is in it they will sell out where ever they go if they are in the playoffs and many teams like them. Also, the more the team wins the more of a chance their fans will say, I gotta go. I've seen it here many times and I don't think it would be that different for football. Example: Mizzu is number 16 and beats #1 Ohio State in game one. Now you are playing #8 Louisville, are you going to find a way to go if it's in Texas? Florida or Arizona? You win that game and now your playing #4 Auburn do you go? You win and now you're playing #2 USC for the Championship. Do you think Mizzu fans will find a way to get to that game heck or highwater? Yeah, they are different animals but I think fans would find a way to make it work along the way.

Yea, but that will never happen, which is unfortunate. I once did a speech on instituting a playoff system, and with 16 teams it can be done without any income loss to the schools or bowls. Unfortunately the NCAA seems to think that the current system is adequate. Can you detail more how it wouldn't cost anyone any money? I haven't researched the topic, but I'd have to imagine that a playoff system where your team isn't guaranteed to make it to the next game(plus the cost of traveling and paying for tickets to two different bowl sites) would cause lower attendance at later bowl games. It doesn't seem to hurt basketball does it? I think the site would sell X amount of tickets to the general public and Y to the 2 teams involved.

The SEC has played Cal, Michigan, USC, Louisville, Mizzou, and Hawaii, with games against West Virginia, Colorado, Florida State, Fresno State, and Georgia Tech later in the season. Really, there is very little difference. Now, how many of those SEC teams are playing Auburn? Then we'll look at the records of those games and we'll see as the season progresses. I don't like the SOS because that again helps the SEC. Their teams are ranked high to begin with and have to fail while BE teams like Louisville have to prove they belong and are behind the whole time. Why, Auburn plays LSU and beats them. LSU has one loss now and wins out in the SEC and is a game behind Auburn making their win look even that much better. Both teams, yet again, have beat no one out of conference just like WV. If WV beats Loiusville do they get the same respect and hop above Auburn? No they won't if both are undefeated even if Louisville is undefeated when they play WV. The system won't allow that to happen and it's the same stuff Penn State had to put up with with all their undefeated teams. I'll believe the SEC is better when either Auburn beats WV, middle of the pack SEC team beats a top Conference teams or the middle or bottom/middle teams in the SEC beat up on most of another conferences middle/bottom. Then the SEC will prove they are the top conference. yes, this goes for all conferences not just the SEC but the SEC seems to get cart blanche from the get go and as I said earlier has to be proven to be bad. Then set the same standards for the Big East. I agree. I give USC credit for the Nebraska win. Louisville credit for a win over Miami. Tenn over Cal and thus Floriday over Tenn. But, we have to wait and see how Nebraska, Miami and Cal do over the course of the season. The problem I have Raisin is the problem of hopping over a team even though the team behind in the rankings is better. I want a playoff and let them prove it on the field and not with gool ole boys votes.

Our little debate about hustle vs lazy put a thought in my head. What if you had the best manager in MLB vs a computer and they had the same eaxct teams. You have some guy typing in the information to the computer and he says what the team should do. Absolutely no emotion to the players, just tells them where to go and where to hit/pitch. You have the same humans as the base coaches and instructors for both teams. Which team will win more games? Why?

That's your choice but that isn't what anyone said. That's just my general list of baseball absurdities that I keep hearing that either mean nothing are just not very bright. Wow...you'd rather see guys jog down the first base line on a grounder than run hard? That's absurd? I'll give you the same exact team as I have. Your teams jogs for flyballs and running out grounders while mine hustles. I'll bet my team wins more games. If they're of equal talent. That's why wrote that. I should have said of equal talent. Heck, I'd take a slightly less talented one too!

Yea, but that will never happen, which is unfortunate. I once did a speech on instituting a playoff system, and with 16 teams it can be done without any income loss to the schools or bowls. Unfortunately the NCAA seems to think that the current system is adequate. Because the ones with the money will continue to keep the money. I hate the poll system and it ties right in with the BCS because the polls have so much pull in the SOS.

That's your choice but that isn't what anyone said. That's just my general list of baseball absurdities that I keep hearing that either mean nothing are just not very bright. Wow...you'd rather see guys jog down the first base line on a grounder than run hard? That's absurd? I'll give you the same exact team as I have. Your teams jogs for flyballs and running out grounders while mine hustles. I'll bet my team wins more games. I'm not saying a player should be "lazy" all the time. I just think the idea of "lack of hustle" costing games or even excessive runs is a totally subjective non-issue that ultimately can't be proven or disproven. And "hustling" all the time, in my opinion, doesn't somehow improve or excuse a mediocre player. See: Burnitz, Jeromy. Bottom line, if the choice is between "hustling" players like Jacque and Burnitz and "lazy" players like Dunn, Manny and Aramis, give me the latter any day of the week. I disagree. I think it gives a player more value if they hustle in every way. If Jones or Burnitz are lazy they don't get the PT they do now. I'd rather have a hustling Ramirez than one that jogs. No one siad it was between hustling and talent. The dabate is if it is worth hustling or not. Granted it may not be an excessive runs tally type thing but it certainly is better than just jogging in every way. Even if it wins just 1 to 5 games isn't that worth just giving the 100 percent effort?

The SEC has played Cal, Michigan, USC, Louisville, Mizzou, and Hawaii, with games against West Virginia, Colorado, Florida State, Fresno State, and Georgia Tech later in the season. Really, there is very little difference. Now, how many of those SEC teams are playing Auburn? Then we'll look at the records of those games and we'll see as the season progresses. I don't like the SOS because that again helps the SEC. Their teams are ranked high to begin with and have to fail while BE teams like Louisville have to prove they belong and are behind the whole time. Why, Auburn plays LSU and beats them. LSU has one loss now and wins out in the SEC and is a game behind Auburn making their win look even that much better. Both teams, yet again, have beat no one out of conference just like WV. If WV beats Loiusville do they get the same respect and hop above Auburn? No they won't if both are undefeated even if Louisville is undefeated when they play WV. The system won't allow that to happen and it's the same stuff Penn State had to put up with with all their undefeated teams. I'll believe the SEC is better when either Auburn beats WV, middle of the pack SEC team beats a top Conference teams or the middle or bottom/middle teams in the SEC beat up on most of another conferences middle/bottom. Then the SEC will prove they are the top conference. yes, this goes for all conferences not just the SEC but the SEC seems to get cart blanche from the get go and as I said earlier has to be proven to be bad.

That's your choice but that isn't what anyone said. That's just my general list of baseball absurdities that I keep hearing that either mean nothing are just not very bright. Wow...you'd rather see guys jog down the first base line on a grounder than run hard? That's absurd? I'll give you the same exact team as I have. Your teams jogs for flyballs and running out grounders while mine hustles. I'll bet my team wins more games.

Auburn's schedule is much better, it's not particularly close. As for your question, Tennessee waxed Cal already. Everyone schedules mostly patsies in the non-con(because most conference schedules are bad enough, especially in the SEC and Big 10), it's not exclusive to any specific conference. Tennessee always plays tough teams and as I look at the schedules I don't see Auburn playing Tennessee this year. People always argue that the SEC or other conferences are so tough that they can't play other top teams and that is the perfect thing they want you to believe. Tennesse plays a tough out of conference schedule and Florida always plays Florida St but the rest of them schedule average to horrible teams at best, how are you measuring how good they are? Well Auburn beat LSU and Alabama. ok....who did LSU or Alabama beat to earn this high praise? They didn't have to beat anyone because the SEC is so tough they don't have to play anyone out of conference? I don't deny that Auburn and LSU are talented but you're asking me to believe they are better because of what conference they are from. I don't see how this 3 degrees of schedule separation is more applicable for the SEC than other conferences. Because they schedule so many D2 teams or close to it. There was an article in the paper a few days ago about teams from the SEC telling Buffalo that they'd give them a huge payday if they play them. Big East teams are playing Ohio St, Miami, Kansas St, Michigan St, Virginia Tech and Iowa, and that is with 8 teams while the SEC with 12 doesn't play as many top teams. That's how you measure how good you are, by playing other top conference teams but the SEC except for Tenn skates away from that and thus they get repsect for being undefeated going into conference play and build up obscene stats. That's how the 3 degrees of schedule separation is different.

so, where would you rank ND after that loss today? I would have had them no higher than 20, but I'm not going to complain about being ranked 12 for obvious reasons. What's going to be funny is if the Irish lose next week and Penn St. wins...guess who will be ranked ahead of your ND team? What would be funny about that? It is something that happens every year to many different teams. I agree and it's annoying as heck. Yea it is. Really the whole poll system is annoying to me. I can't think of one year where there has not been some sort of controversy. I don't offer a solution, but something should be done. Maybe get rid of preseason polls would be a good start If you have a playoffs it makes it almost moot like it does in basketball.

Auburn's schedule is much better, it's not particularly close. As for your question, Tennessee waxed Cal already. Everyone schedules mostly patsies in the non-con(because most conference schedules are bad enough, especially in the SEC and Big 10), it's not exclusive to any specific conference. Tennessee always plays tough teams and as I look at the schedules I don't see Auburn playing Tennessee this year. People always argue that the SEC or other conferences are so tough that they can't play other top teams and that is the perfect thing they want you to believe. Tennesse plays a tough out of conference schedule and Florida always plays Florida St but the rest of them schedule average to horrible teams at best, how are you measuring how good they are? Well Auburn beat LSU and Alabama. ok....who did LSU or Alabama beat to earn this high praise? They didn't have to beat anyone because the SEC is so tough they don't have to play anyone out of conference? I don't deny that Auburn and LSU are talented but you're asking me to believe they are better because of what conference they are from.

That's your choice but that isn't what anyone said.

so, where would you rank ND after that loss today? I would have had them no higher than 20, but I'm not going to complain about being ranked 12 for obvious reasons. What's going to be funny is if the Irish lose next week and Penn St. wins...guess who will be ranked ahead of your ND team? What would be funny about that? It is something that happens every year to many different teams. I agree and it's annoying as heck.