CuseCubFan69

Right and I agree. Luckily no one from Illinois will ever get hurt so a 6 win season would never happen.

I heard that Bowden from Clemson is going to be the next Hog coach? Is this true, did anyone else hear this?

Invoking the spirit of Jim Hendry ... "this fills our need for a speedy LH bench player." Anyone get the feeling that this offseason's LH + speed obsession essentially gives birth to the inevitable Piniella & Hendry statement of "what we could use is a good, power-hitting RH batter off the bench" when we approach the '08 trade deadline? That's funny...I see that happening!

That's about $3M saved - which could be Mark Prior money for 2008, if he's not dealt. And then you pull me back in. Why waste money on this guy to rehab? Make a clean break, give him a hug and start out new. Somebody must see the potential in him to make a decent offer. Because it's not wasting money. It's investing in a real asset, regardless of your personal hatred of the man. Just because I don't have a man crush on the guy doesn't mean I hate him. I just see him as a Miller who will waste the money time and time again. The Prior you once knew is gone and will never come back. Doesn't seem like jersey has a man crush. Did I say he did?

That's about $3M saved - which could be Mark Prior money for 2008, if he's not dealt. And then you pull me back in. Why waste money on this guy to rehab? Make a clean break, give him a hug and start out new. Somebody must see the potential in him to make a decent offer. Because it's not wasting money. It's investing in a real asset, regardless of your personal hatred of the man. Just because I don't have a man crush on the guy doesn't mean I hate him. I just see him as a Miller who will waste the money time and time again. The Prior you once knew is gone and will never come back.

I say Tim finds 3 good men and they kidnap Hendry and blame it on Gilder.

McLouth is left handed and a CF? That doesn't make sense to me with Pie ready to come up.

That's about $3M saved - which could be Mark Prior money for 2008, if he's not dealt. And then you pull me back in. Why waste money on this guy to rehab? Make a clean break, give him a hug and start out new. Somebody must see the potential in him to make a decent offer.

I've seen you throw, I doubt you could! Did Lidge choke? Was he beat up from throwing 1000 innings on no days rest? Ooooh...the ball just went past my house!

That's what I was going to ask...you all prefer Marquis or Dempster as the #5? It's the same either way... If it is I suppose it would be better to trade the more expensive one, if they can but yeah, I suppose moving Dempsters salary would give Mr. Hendry even more to spend. Wisely I hope.

They saw you Cub/Illini fans from a mile away! Hey, if these guys will pay a ton of money for some winter convention surely they will pay a fortune for some Rose Bowl tickets.

That would pretty much ensure that no non-BCS conference school would ever make a BCS game again. Not true. It still leaves room for them and let's face it, a lot of teams try to play the worst (Flor Int) they can. Also, by playing more BCS teams we would have more losses making a Hawaii or Boise St more attractive if they go undefeated.

That's what I was going to ask...you all prefer Marquis or Dempster as the #5?

Or it makes Ascaino feel pretty good about himself!

Then after this trade the Yanks sign Fukedome. I have a feeling they are a snake in the weeds.

okay, i stand corrected. espn only had their record back 2002. i still think OSU is getting a big-time free pass on their schedule by the talking heads while KU is getting ravaged. I know --we are an at-large while OSU is an autobid-- but they shouldn't be in the NC game. The media seems content to ignore that, though. I was getting ready to post what Meph did earlier regarding OSU's schedule. In fact, I mentioned it earlier. I dislike OSU greatly -- who doesn't? -- but they do NOT duck people. They are one of the few top programs that consistently plays another top program. Washington's down this year, yes. Could they have expected that? I don't think so. But, either way, 1) they only have them once and pick up USC the next two years, and 2) OSU did lose a great deal off last year's team. However, I do agree with you that their schedule this year left a lot to be desired for a BCS Championship Game appearance. I don't think they should be there, I'd rank them about fifth. Their schedule and wins aren't deserving of #1. It's just not exactly their fault and they do schedule real teams. I'd like to see all BCS teams schedule at least 2 BCS OOC teams, a home and an away.

What does that have to do with anything? They still played a weak schedule and got rewarded for it. You guys should have just taken 2 teams to add to the original 8. You think Texas and A&M were coming without Tech and Baylor? And a Big East fan preaching about conference size... :) Hey, I hate this 16 team thing and I've said that since day one!

I'm thrilled for your school. What bugs me is this tie in with the Big 10/Pac 10. It rewards teams from being in a certain conference and not for being deserving. Illinois was in a pool of teams that qualified to go, I don't deny that. It's the guarantee that the Big 10 got another team in that bothers me.

That guy! I love that Illinois is basically in a no-lose situation. Everyone expects them to get blown out, so they can only impress. People who think Illinois is going to get blown out either just hate Illinois or they don't follow Illinois or both. We were being blown out just once this season and it was the first game of the season. And we ended up losing by just 4. USC is playing well right now, but did anybody watch the USC/UCLA game? USC didn't look all that dominating to me. They looked much better against Arizona St. to me. If there was a Pac Ten vs Big Ten challenge in football, how many games do you think the Big Ten would win of the following? Maybe two or three, like they do in basketball vs the ACC. OSU vs. USC Illinois vs. ASU Mich vs. Oregon State Wisc vs. UCLA Penn State vs. Oregon Iowa vs. Arizona Indiana vs. Wash State Mich state vs. Stanford Purdue vs. California Northwestern vs. Washington Indiana vs. Best High school team in California Seriously? The Big 10 might win every one of those. I'd probably give the Pac 10 2 wins. seriously. let's see, stanford: terrible, california: can't beat anyone, oregon: terrible, ucla: lost to notre dame at home, wash st: coach just got fired for being bad, arizona: bad, washington: average, usc: lost to stanford. i actually think that minnesota could beat stanford, oregon, wash st., and maybe arizona--and minnesota was unbelievably bad. What teams outside of the Big 10 did your league beat this year that were BCS over 500 teams? Cal beat Tenn, Oregon beat....Michigan by how much? This at a quick glance and UCLA beat a top 20 BYU. well, you got me there, but incidentally, the b10 is 2-1 against the pac-10 this season. Bottom feeders...yep, just the bottom feeders!

You guys will be fine. You'll some 6-6's and if things go well a good shot at the Big 10 title. Did you just say we will see some 6-6's? I really highly doubt that with the talent that is being brought into Champaign, and thats before they were making Rose Bowls, and beating #1's? From this point on I really see no reason the Illini arent at least 9-3 year in year out, depending on their schedule. We arent that far off from getting to be equal with Michigan and Ohio States talent level. Wow...one 9 win season and it's 9 wins from here on? Your talking about someday getting Michigan talent and I am assuming you must know they won only 8 games. You beat a team that played a horrible non conference schedule, a nice win but come on.

With Z, his pattern rarely changes either way, you get FB and FB and a frisbee slurve occasionally on the inner half which breaks across the plate during the rare times he actually stays on top of the pitch. It all depends on how bad the hitter's weakness is compared to how much a pitcher's strength is. Use a Marquis vs. Chris Young (AZ) matchup & say it's close in the 7th inning & Marquis is ahead in the count 0-2. Young is a good FB hitter at any level, Marquis' best pitch is the 2 seamer, if I'm calling pitches my next pitch is a curve from Marquis out of the zone, despite Marquis' curve being below avg. My hope is not to strike him out, but to get him to roll over to SS. If it was Webb or Z that Young was facing, I would have them challenge Young with FBs. If a hitter is clutch, he would be able to produce regardless of how the pitcher is pitching to him. Yeah but a lot of pitchers get cute when ahead and nibble. Also, what happens if player X has had worse pitchers to hit against in the clutch while player Y has faced the upper echelon? It's a pretty small number and each year this may differ.

What does that have to do with anything? They still played a weak schedule and got rewarded for it. You guys should have just taken 2 teams to add to the original 8.

You guys will be fine. You'll some 6-6's and if things go well a good shot at the Big 10 title.

Maybe not but they did choose to play 4 horrible non conference teams.

If they met now, yes. If it was in October, no.