I get tired of hearing Bartman jokes relating to the Cubs and their supposed curse. Let's see if I can try and set the record straight about Steve Bartman.
It is possible that Moises Alou could have gotten to the foul ball but no one will ever know for sure. I think Bartman should have been called for interference on the play. Since Bartman wasn't called for interference, he did not cause the Cubs' shortstop Alex Gonzalez to commit a costly error a few minutes later. Bartman did not cause Mark Prior from losing his composure and start giving up hit after hit after hit. Bartman didn't cause the Cubs manager Dusty Baker or the pitching coach to do nothing to stop the bleeding in that inning until it was too late. Bartman didn't cause Kerry Wood from having over 100 pitches in the 5th inning in the following game or from poor managing of the pitching staff by Dusty Baker in that game as well.
I believe that a pattern developed during game 6 and 7 of the 2003 NLCS. That pattern was poor play by the players and bad managing and coaching by Dusty Baker and his staff. It's time to understand this and stop giving Steve Bartman so much grief about that game because it wasn't his fault that the Cubs lost. All of the media hacks and meatball fans who blame Bartman should stop blaming him and move on because the jokes aren't funny.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Thoughts on the Sandberg decision.
I hope these will be my final thoughts on this issue but I wont guarantee anything. I feel the Cubs made a major mistake in not retaining Ryne Sandberg in some capacity in their organization. In fact I believe that Jim Hendry really didn't take Sandberg's candidacy for the manager of the Cubs seriously and doesn't want him around.
I have been told that it's time to let it go. I am having a hard time forgiving and forgetting they way the Cubs(my all time favorite sports team) treated Ryne Sandberg(my all time favorite athlete). I feel that Jim Hendry must not like or be jealous of Sandberg to treat him with such disrespect. I get it that the current team may not be the right fit for Sandberg, The team has a lot of holes and parts that do not fit together very well. At the very least he should have been offered the bench coach position. Sandberg is a classy individual who would not be trying to back stab Quade to get the manager's job. Sandberg wants to learn and get better at being a coach and eventually a manager. If that wasn't going to be an option either the team should have at least communicated that he had an option to stay in triple A Iowa and/or be a candidate for the bench coach position when they told him that he would not be the manager of the team.
From all the reports out there, Sandberg found out that he would be welcome back to the organization through the media just like the rest of us. This is not the way to treat you hall of fame player who gave it his all day in and day out, everyday during his playing days. Sandberg has since taken a Triple A job with the Phillies organization and recently was quoted in a story by Columnist Barry Rozner that taking the job was "a lot like coming home". This breaks my heart and I am sure the hearts of many other Cubs fans. Obviously the Cubs didn't treat Sandberg with the feeling that it was home for him.
I have been a defender of Jim Hendry for awhile. He has done many good things for the team. That being said the he has made a mess of this situation as well as the rest of the team that he has built. The new owner should take notice and terminate him. The Ricketts family also should have handled this situation better but they left the baseball decision to the only baseball person on the staff and that was Jim Hendry who screwed it up.
The Cubs hall of fame icon has been treated very poorly by the team. We Cubs fans may never again see him in a Cubs uniform because of the way he was treated. I am sure I am speaking for many Cubs fans when I wish Sandberg the best of luck and he will be missed.
I have been told that it's time to let it go. I am having a hard time forgiving and forgetting they way the Cubs(my all time favorite sports team) treated Ryne Sandberg(my all time favorite athlete). I feel that Jim Hendry must not like or be jealous of Sandberg to treat him with such disrespect. I get it that the current team may not be the right fit for Sandberg, The team has a lot of holes and parts that do not fit together very well. At the very least he should have been offered the bench coach position. Sandberg is a classy individual who would not be trying to back stab Quade to get the manager's job. Sandberg wants to learn and get better at being a coach and eventually a manager. If that wasn't going to be an option either the team should have at least communicated that he had an option to stay in triple A Iowa and/or be a candidate for the bench coach position when they told him that he would not be the manager of the team.
From all the reports out there, Sandberg found out that he would be welcome back to the organization through the media just like the rest of us. This is not the way to treat you hall of fame player who gave it his all day in and day out, everyday during his playing days. Sandberg has since taken a Triple A job with the Phillies organization and recently was quoted in a story by Columnist Barry Rozner that taking the job was "a lot like coming home". This breaks my heart and I am sure the hearts of many other Cubs fans. Obviously the Cubs didn't treat Sandberg with the feeling that it was home for him.
I have been a defender of Jim Hendry for awhile. He has done many good things for the team. That being said the he has made a mess of this situation as well as the rest of the team that he has built. The new owner should take notice and terminate him. The Ricketts family also should have handled this situation better but they left the baseball decision to the only baseball person on the staff and that was Jim Hendry who screwed it up.
The Cubs hall of fame icon has been treated very poorly by the team. We Cubs fans may never again see him in a Cubs uniform because of the way he was treated. I am sure I am speaking for many Cubs fans when I wish Sandberg the best of luck and he will be missed.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Instant replay thoughts
When I was growing up it was fun to watch a football game or Baseball game at home because we could see the instant replays. In Baseball the umpires got the call right most of the time, If there was an argument by the manager it was because he didn't see the play correctly. The umpires were always pretty good at what they did and very rarely did I have a problem with what I saw.
I have a problem with what I see the past 2 or 3 seasons. The major league umpires these days are awful. They are either not trained very well or not paying attention. It seems like every game has some sort of blown call that could potentially change the outcome of the game. What is worse is the calls are so obviously wrong that it makes the game as a whole look bad.
Instant replay could help with correcting these errors. I am not talking about balls and strikes. There is something to be said regarding the human element to these types of call. Even though every umpire has their own interpretation of the strike zone, the calls should be more consistent rather that having to "feel out" what the umpire is going to call. That has a lot to do with training or retraining the umpires. Regarding instant replays, I am talking about close plays at first, I am talking about fair/foul calls, I am talking about whether a ball was trapped by a fielder. I am talking about whether a player may have been hit by a pitch(Derek Jeter). These reviews can be done quickly and accurately to improve the integrity of the game and the umpires themselves.
As far a football goes I think instant replay is a good because the game has gotten so much faster that the refs have a hard to keeping up. Most of the time they get the call right.
Instant replay has gone from a cool thing that you could see at home to something that could become an integral part of sports. It should be implemented to make sure the calls on the field are correct.
I have a problem with what I see the past 2 or 3 seasons. The major league umpires these days are awful. They are either not trained very well or not paying attention. It seems like every game has some sort of blown call that could potentially change the outcome of the game. What is worse is the calls are so obviously wrong that it makes the game as a whole look bad.
Instant replay could help with correcting these errors. I am not talking about balls and strikes. There is something to be said regarding the human element to these types of call. Even though every umpire has their own interpretation of the strike zone, the calls should be more consistent rather that having to "feel out" what the umpire is going to call. That has a lot to do with training or retraining the umpires. Regarding instant replays, I am talking about close plays at first, I am talking about fair/foul calls, I am talking about whether a ball was trapped by a fielder. I am talking about whether a player may have been hit by a pitch(Derek Jeter). These reviews can be done quickly and accurately to improve the integrity of the game and the umpires themselves.
As far a football goes I think instant replay is a good because the game has gotten so much faster that the refs have a hard to keeping up. Most of the time they get the call right.
Instant replay has gone from a cool thing that you could see at home to something that could become an integral part of sports. It should be implemented to make sure the calls on the field are correct.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Thoughts on Melo and Noah
There are all kinds of rumors regarding the Chicago Bulls again. This time it relates to the Bulls interest in Carmelo Anthony. According to speculation, Denver would want Noah in any deal and the Bulls are unwilling to deal him. My question is why?
Noah is a high energy guy who plays hard on the defensive end. His main liability is his offense. His jump shot is awful and his free throw shooting is not much better. What you would get is an all start player to play with Rose and Boozer and can score a lot of point. This deal has to be done and done as soon as possible.
You can never have too much talent on a team and Noah is not as talented as Anthony who can score a lot of point in a hurry and if combined with Derrick Rose will have a great 1-2 punch. The Bulls need to make this deal and will be better off if they do.
Noah is a high energy guy who plays hard on the defensive end. His main liability is his offense. His jump shot is awful and his free throw shooting is not much better. What you would get is an all start player to play with Rose and Boozer and can score a lot of point. This deal has to be done and done as soon as possible.
You can never have too much talent on a team and Noah is not as talented as Anthony who can score a lot of point in a hurry and if combined with Derrick Rose will have a great 1-2 punch. The Bulls need to make this deal and will be better off if they do.
Thoughts about the WTC Mosque/cultural center
I will start off by saying that the Mosque that is being proposed near the World Trade Center site has the legal right to be built. I will not argue that point at all. I do feel that even proposing that it be built on or near that site is insensitive to the victims and their families of the worst act of terrorism in American history.
I see the protesters who are against the proposed mosque and some of their signs are racist and horrible. I am not against Islam or Muslims and feel that these signs are worse than the idea of the proposed Mosque itself. These signs promote hate and bigotry which is not what the United States should be about.
My point is that the horrific events of 9/11 were done by extremists in the name of Allah and having a mosque on that site is insensitive to the horrific tragedy that happened there. It seems like the people who want it there want to make names for themselves by causing controversy and that is wrong and should be stopped.
If the Mosque is built I believe that it should be left alone and the people who go should be allowed to pray in peace. I do believe that it should not be allowed to be built as a sign of respect for the people who died there.
I see the protesters who are against the proposed mosque and some of their signs are racist and horrible. I am not against Islam or Muslims and feel that these signs are worse than the idea of the proposed Mosque itself. These signs promote hate and bigotry which is not what the United States should be about.
My point is that the horrific events of 9/11 were done by extremists in the name of Allah and having a mosque on that site is insensitive to the horrific tragedy that happened there. It seems like the people who want it there want to make names for themselves by causing controversy and that is wrong and should be stopped.
If the Mosque is built I believe that it should be left alone and the people who go should be allowed to pray in peace. I do believe that it should not be allowed to be built as a sign of respect for the people who died there.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Could the Bears become irrevalent?
Since the Chicago Bears were major players in the NFC in the 1980s, they have been a average to below average team. The team was very inconsistent under Dave Wannstedt who, I believe, is a very bad coach anyway. Dick Juron was an average coach who did lead them to the playoffs once. And now Lovie Smith, who took the team to the Super Bowl a few years ago, is leading the Bears to what most likely will become a very sub par season.
I think the Organization as a whole needs to be fixed either by new ownership or a change in philosophy. I am not going to say they are cheap because they have spent a lot of money on players over they last few years. I feel it is on how they spent the money on the players, the coaches and the stadium itself that has gotten them into the predicament that they are in.
This reminds me of how the Blackhawks became irrelevant in this city for many years until the Bill Wirtz passed away and they changed they way they did business. What the Bears have on their side is a solid base around them in terms of their sport. The NFL is far more popular in the United States than the NHL and is still growing. The fact that they will remain on TV every week while the Blackhawks were practically invisible helps the Bears.
The Bears need to get better leadership at the top whether it be someone in the McCaskey family takes control and organizes the team better or the family sells the team and the new owners reorganize how the team does business.
Whatever happens with the Bears organization, the team needs to scout new players better and coach existing players better. This falls under the parameters of Jerry Angelo, Lovie Smith and his staff. Angelo has proven a sub par GM who does not know how to scout players. He takes too many risks on players from small schools and "projects" who do not turn out.
Lovie Smith has become very arrogant and does not think he can do wrong. He and Angelo continue to bring in players who he used in the past and many have failed. Smith continues to use the cover 2 defensive scheme when he does not have the proper players for that defensive scheme. The team has not upgraded their offensive line to a point where they are good enough to protect Jay Cutler on a regular basis.
On top of that, the team and the city did not build a stadium that is conducive to the area where it is located. The new stadium should have been built with a retractable roof. This would allow the the city to compete for a super bowl. In addition the playing conditions on the field i.e the grass is usually in poor condition. The team and the city are unwilling invest in turf real or artificial that is safe and better to play on.
The fans of the Bears will eventually tire of the dysfunctional way the team is run off the field and the lack of success on the field. Chicago fans are loyal, but with the reemergence of the Blackhawks, the improvements to the Bulls, and the competitive Baseball teams, the Bears will have to start fixing their organization from the top to the bottom or they will be in trouble.
I think the Organization as a whole needs to be fixed either by new ownership or a change in philosophy. I am not going to say they are cheap because they have spent a lot of money on players over they last few years. I feel it is on how they spent the money on the players, the coaches and the stadium itself that has gotten them into the predicament that they are in.
This reminds me of how the Blackhawks became irrelevant in this city for many years until the Bill Wirtz passed away and they changed they way they did business. What the Bears have on their side is a solid base around them in terms of their sport. The NFL is far more popular in the United States than the NHL and is still growing. The fact that they will remain on TV every week while the Blackhawks were practically invisible helps the Bears.
The Bears need to get better leadership at the top whether it be someone in the McCaskey family takes control and organizes the team better or the family sells the team and the new owners reorganize how the team does business.
Whatever happens with the Bears organization, the team needs to scout new players better and coach existing players better. This falls under the parameters of Jerry Angelo, Lovie Smith and his staff. Angelo has proven a sub par GM who does not know how to scout players. He takes too many risks on players from small schools and "projects" who do not turn out.
Lovie Smith has become very arrogant and does not think he can do wrong. He and Angelo continue to bring in players who he used in the past and many have failed. Smith continues to use the cover 2 defensive scheme when he does not have the proper players for that defensive scheme. The team has not upgraded their offensive line to a point where they are good enough to protect Jay Cutler on a regular basis.
On top of that, the team and the city did not build a stadium that is conducive to the area where it is located. The new stadium should have been built with a retractable roof. This would allow the the city to compete for a super bowl. In addition the playing conditions on the field i.e the grass is usually in poor condition. The team and the city are unwilling invest in turf real or artificial that is safe and better to play on.
The fans of the Bears will eventually tire of the dysfunctional way the team is run off the field and the lack of success on the field. Chicago fans are loyal, but with the reemergence of the Blackhawks, the improvements to the Bulls, and the competitive Baseball teams, the Bears will have to start fixing their organization from the top to the bottom or they will be in trouble.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Wade is the bad guy
To most Bulls fans the big free agency prize would have been getting LeBron James, a great consolation prize would have been to get Dwayne Wade. It never seemed possible until the Bulls had two meetings with him, within a span of 24 hours.
As it turns out these meeting were a ploy by Wade to get an idea of what the Bulls' free agency plans were. He never had any intention of coming back to Chicago, despite it being the city where he grew up. To me Wade was very disingenuous when he said on ESPN that Chicago was his heart. I don't believe that Wade had any intention on leaving Miami and if he had would not have come to Chicago.
To tease a fan base the way he did and then stab them in the back is wrong and should not be forgiven. James did tease The Bulls fans but he is a sad case of a person who doesn't want to have the pressure of being the guy that everyone depends on, on a team. He should no longer be compared to the great like Jordan, Johnson, Bird and others. But the person who Bulls fans should boo every time he gets the ball is Dwayne Wade for acting like he wanted to come back when it is clear he had no intentions of doing so.
As it turns out these meeting were a ploy by Wade to get an idea of what the Bulls' free agency plans were. He never had any intention of coming back to Chicago, despite it being the city where he grew up. To me Wade was very disingenuous when he said on ESPN that Chicago was his heart. I don't believe that Wade had any intention on leaving Miami and if he had would not have come to Chicago.
To tease a fan base the way he did and then stab them in the back is wrong and should not be forgiven. James did tease The Bulls fans but he is a sad case of a person who doesn't want to have the pressure of being the guy that everyone depends on, on a team. He should no longer be compared to the great like Jordan, Johnson, Bird and others. But the person who Bulls fans should boo every time he gets the ball is Dwayne Wade for acting like he wanted to come back when it is clear he had no intentions of doing so.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
diet update, update
For anyone who has not followed my weight loss or didn't see my facebook post, after 6 months I have lost 50 pounds!! I have found that my diet has been an evolving process. I have found out a lot of things about myself and have tried new things that I never thought I would like.
If you have read some of my previous posts, I started off buy trying to eat a lot of soup. I was advised by several people that may not have been the best way to go so I cut back to eating it for lunch or dinner 4 days a week. Eventually I eliminated the soup and replaced it with a serving of fat free pringles with a turkey sandwich. That's 180 calories that I was saving!!!
For years I was a person who ate whatever I wanted, when I wanted and I paid for it by gaining A LOT of weight. This diet is not just about losing weight. For me it's a lifestyle change. I have learned how to eat better and how many calories I should have per day to remain healthy.
I have tried new healthier things recently as well. Many of you know I am a picky eater and I don't eat salads or too many veggies. My wife Jen gave me some of her cut up cucumbers recently and I discovered that they were pretty good. She then made me a little salad with mainly lettuce and shredded cheese and some french dressing. It wasn't something that I could eat every day but it was something that I could eat.
Many people go on fad diets where they eat prepared meals to lose weight. While it may work for them to lose weight, what happens when they stop eating that food after they reach their goal? Many people gain the weight back. While I haven't reached my goal which is another 25 pounds away I believe that since it is a change in my lifestyle I will not gain the weight back.
I can't wait to get to my goal weight so I can eat more through out the day and feel fuller after I eat. The funny part of it how much weight I have lost, is if I continue at my current pace I will reach my goal prior to the holidays starting. I just hope I don't have to restart my diet next February hahaha.
If you have read some of my previous posts, I started off buy trying to eat a lot of soup. I was advised by several people that may not have been the best way to go so I cut back to eating it for lunch or dinner 4 days a week. Eventually I eliminated the soup and replaced it with a serving of fat free pringles with a turkey sandwich. That's 180 calories that I was saving!!!
For years I was a person who ate whatever I wanted, when I wanted and I paid for it by gaining A LOT of weight. This diet is not just about losing weight. For me it's a lifestyle change. I have learned how to eat better and how many calories I should have per day to remain healthy.
I have tried new healthier things recently as well. Many of you know I am a picky eater and I don't eat salads or too many veggies. My wife Jen gave me some of her cut up cucumbers recently and I discovered that they were pretty good. She then made me a little salad with mainly lettuce and shredded cheese and some french dressing. It wasn't something that I could eat every day but it was something that I could eat.
Many people go on fad diets where they eat prepared meals to lose weight. While it may work for them to lose weight, what happens when they stop eating that food after they reach their goal? Many people gain the weight back. While I haven't reached my goal which is another 25 pounds away I believe that since it is a change in my lifestyle I will not gain the weight back.
I can't wait to get to my goal weight so I can eat more through out the day and feel fuller after I eat. The funny part of it how much weight I have lost, is if I continue at my current pace I will reach my goal prior to the holidays starting. I just hope I don't have to restart my diet next February hahaha.
Thoughts on the Blago trial
It's been over a week of jury Deliberations and they are deadlocked on several counts. I guess it's time to ask what part of extortion does the jury not understand. Blagojevich has tried to extort money and favors from a children's hospital to the president-elect. The former governor even tried to extort the Chicago Tribune to have the state buy Wrigley Field if the editorial board wrote nice things about him.
Granted the Wrigley Field thing never happened and he never got a job in the President's administration(one of the few things Obama has done right). The issue should his intent and the prosecution should have proof that he did accept money for favors. If the prosecution does not have this proof they should not have gone forward with the trial.
The evidence in this case is so overwhelming bad for Blago that is he is not convicted, all the lawyers for the federal government should lose their jobs for incompetence. In addition, if the former governor is found innocent he will never let this state and country for that matter forget it. I just want to see this guy go away because he and his wife are out of their minds!!!
Granted the Wrigley Field thing never happened and he never got a job in the President's administration(one of the few things Obama has done right). The issue should his intent and the prosecution should have proof that he did accept money for favors. If the prosecution does not have this proof they should not have gone forward with the trial.
The evidence in this case is so overwhelming bad for Blago that is he is not convicted, all the lawyers for the federal government should lose their jobs for incompetence. In addition, if the former governor is found innocent he will never let this state and country for that matter forget it. I just want to see this guy go away because he and his wife are out of their minds!!!
Friday, August 13, 2010
Back by semi popular demand
I have been getting requests recently regarding when I will be adding more posts to my blog....namely my mother hahaha. I have found out that it is hard to come up with stuff to consistently feel strong about and want to write about them.
I went though a Cubs stage but at this point they are not worth wasting the time and energy on that "dead ass" team. Bob Brenly was right on about that.
Our President has not done anything stupid recently....come to think of it he hasn't done anything at all. Which is why he is not worth putting the time in to write about nothing. Seinfeld was a show about nothing but at least it could be funny. I don't find anything funny about the current administration.
I have tried not to make a big deal about my weight loss. I don't want to become too self focused because that does get old pretty fast. People don't always want to hear about your trial and tribulations regarding how much you lose and how often you feel hungry. I will post an update about it though because I have lost a significant amount of weight and if I can help someone else that would be all the better.
I will post some thoughts about the Blago trial and awaiting the jury's verdict. I don't know what the debate on some of this stuff is.
Anyway stay tuned for some interesting stuff because it's coming!!!!!
I went though a Cubs stage but at this point they are not worth wasting the time and energy on that "dead ass" team. Bob Brenly was right on about that.
Our President has not done anything stupid recently....come to think of it he hasn't done anything at all. Which is why he is not worth putting the time in to write about nothing. Seinfeld was a show about nothing but at least it could be funny. I don't find anything funny about the current administration.
I have tried not to make a big deal about my weight loss. I don't want to become too self focused because that does get old pretty fast. People don't always want to hear about your trial and tribulations regarding how much you lose and how often you feel hungry. I will post an update about it though because I have lost a significant amount of weight and if I can help someone else that would be all the better.
I will post some thoughts about the Blago trial and awaiting the jury's verdict. I don't know what the debate on some of this stuff is.
Anyway stay tuned for some interesting stuff because it's coming!!!!!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Bad contracts and Jim Hendry
Jim Hendry does not deserve all the blame for the crazy contracts given to Soriano, Fukudome and others on the Chicago Cubs. I believe, when John McDonough took over the team, he wanted to get the team to a World Series quickly and thought spending a lot of money on free agents would be the way to go. I believe McDonough pressured Jim Hendry to spend more money and offer certain terms in contracts than he otherwise wouldn't have done because of the mandate to win the World Series before the Tribune Company was sold.
Soriano and Fukudome were the "hot" free agents during that winter and McDonough made sure that he was not going to get outbid for these players whom he believed would take them to the World Series. I think that he was also behind the no trade clauses for other players like Zambrano, Lee and Ramirez.
Hendry is certainly not blameless in the current fiasco that are the Chicago Cubs. Over the years he consistently has had problems with identifying quality relief pitching. Hendry did ok with Bobby Howry during his first go around with the team. Scott Eyre, John Grabow, and several others never really panned out for the team.
Then there was the Milton Bradley fiasco. Bradley conned Hendry into believing that he was a changed man and could thrive in Chicago. We all know how THAT worked out. Hendry did make up for that by trading him for Carlos Silva who has done very well. Hendry also got money BACK in the deal as well. One thing that Hendry has done pretty well over the years is get making trades for quality talent while giving up very little in return. Aramis Ramirez(regarless of how he is doing this year) is a prime example of how he can make great deals for the team.
There is a lot of blame to go around regarding why the Cubs are an awful team and are loaded with a lot of bad contracts. Some of the blame may be Hendry's fault and some of it is someone else's fault who is not with the organization any longer. Due to the attempt to spend their way to a World Series title, the Cubs are farther away from it than ever.
Soriano and Fukudome were the "hot" free agents during that winter and McDonough made sure that he was not going to get outbid for these players whom he believed would take them to the World Series. I think that he was also behind the no trade clauses for other players like Zambrano, Lee and Ramirez.
Hendry is certainly not blameless in the current fiasco that are the Chicago Cubs. Over the years he consistently has had problems with identifying quality relief pitching. Hendry did ok with Bobby Howry during his first go around with the team. Scott Eyre, John Grabow, and several others never really panned out for the team.
Then there was the Milton Bradley fiasco. Bradley conned Hendry into believing that he was a changed man and could thrive in Chicago. We all know how THAT worked out. Hendry did make up for that by trading him for Carlos Silva who has done very well. Hendry also got money BACK in the deal as well. One thing that Hendry has done pretty well over the years is get making trades for quality talent while giving up very little in return. Aramis Ramirez(regarless of how he is doing this year) is a prime example of how he can make great deals for the team.
There is a lot of blame to go around regarding why the Cubs are an awful team and are loaded with a lot of bad contracts. Some of the blame may be Hendry's fault and some of it is someone else's fault who is not with the organization any longer. Due to the attempt to spend their way to a World Series title, the Cubs are farther away from it than ever.
Monday, June 28, 2010
How can you trust Zambrano in the bullpen?
Carlos Zambrano had a childish tirade in the dugout on Friday andapparently he demanded a trade. My question is, if you do bring him back to the team and stick him in the bullpen, How do you trust him to pitch for the team and not give up runs on purpose?
I believe that the Cubs have to trade or release Zambrano without him being allowed to perform on this team at all. Zambrano has shown that he is a me guy who is on the downside of his career. He can not be allowed to poison the clubhouse anymore than it already has been.
The Cubs have a lot of problems and the last thing they need is Zambrano acting like Milton Bradley for the rest of the year. It's time to move on and not even take the risk of Zambrano sabotaging this team anymore than he already has. Besides all he will be is a mop up guy anyway. I doubt Piniella will give him many important innings.
I believe that the Cubs have to trade or release Zambrano without him being allowed to perform on this team at all. Zambrano has shown that he is a me guy who is on the downside of his career. He can not be allowed to poison the clubhouse anymore than it already has been.
The Cubs have a lot of problems and the last thing they need is Zambrano acting like Milton Bradley for the rest of the year. It's time to move on and not even take the risk of Zambrano sabotaging this team anymore than he already has. Besides all he will be is a mop up guy anyway. I doubt Piniella will give him many important innings.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Time to fire Lou and rebuild this team.
Ok so the Cubs can no longer use the excuse that it's early because it isn't. Right now they have been playing awful defense and can't seem to hit when it counts. I believe that this mainly falls at the feet of the players, but I think that Lou has failed to properly prepare the team and coach them correctly. I believe that the team should send him on his way to retirement and either call up Ryne Sandberg to manage the rest of the year or have the bench coach Allen Trammel do it. The team needs a shakeup and I believe nothing will help more than a new voice in the clubhouse.
Lou has failed to take advantage of the skills of many of his players and puts far too much faith in other players. Tyler Colvin should be playing somewhere nearly every day and Fukudome should be sat on the bench or traded for whatever the team can get for him.
Carlos Marmol should not be seen in the eighth inning and Andrew Cashner and Sean Marshall should be the duo for getting the game to the ninth. I do not want to see Grabow and Howry anymore. These 2 players are awful and should not even be on the team. I think it was a mistake to send Russell back down to the minors just because Grabow was due to come off the DL.
I believe the team should put Theriot, Fukudome a Lee on the trade market. Lee will not be back next year anyway so you may as well get something for him like prospects or a decent veteran reliever who can still pitch. Fukudome is a waste of money and is too streaky. Theriot is a streaky player who does not have good defensive instincts and is not patient at the plate.
If the team does not start to play better management should start to plan for next year starting with a new manager and playing the prospects like Tyler Colvin.
Lou has failed to take advantage of the skills of many of his players and puts far too much faith in other players. Tyler Colvin should be playing somewhere nearly every day and Fukudome should be sat on the bench or traded for whatever the team can get for him.
Carlos Marmol should not be seen in the eighth inning and Andrew Cashner and Sean Marshall should be the duo for getting the game to the ninth. I do not want to see Grabow and Howry anymore. These 2 players are awful and should not even be on the team. I think it was a mistake to send Russell back down to the minors just because Grabow was due to come off the DL.
I believe the team should put Theriot, Fukudome a Lee on the trade market. Lee will not be back next year anyway so you may as well get something for him like prospects or a decent veteran reliever who can still pitch. Fukudome is a waste of money and is too streaky. Theriot is a streaky player who does not have good defensive instincts and is not patient at the plate.
If the team does not start to play better management should start to plan for next year starting with a new manager and playing the prospects like Tyler Colvin.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
The problems with the Catholic Church
I am a Roman Catholic who grew up going to catholic elementary school and high school. I was raised to go to church every weekend and to believe in the Church's teachings. Like many people, my relationship with the church has faded with time. Recently I went to mass and listened to the Priest speak about the problems the church is having with the shortage of priests. He also spoke about other problems that he had with the church.
I believe that the church as an institution has many problems and needs to be reformed. The church is stuck in its old traditions that no longer apply in this ever changing world. One of these traditions that should be changed would be that priests can't get married. The Church should allow priests to get married and allow women to become priests. I think you would get a better quality of person to lead the parishes.
There have been many sex scandals involving priests. I am not saying all priests are child molesters. I am saying that you may get a better quality person who is allowed to be married. This person would be able to relate better to his or her congregation. I know all men and women are not perfect and some cheat on their partners. While cheating on your partner with another man or woman is not right and a sin, it is better than molesting a 13 year old boy.
I realize that the church relies on donations to run. I find it distasteful when they request money during mass. I feel that during this sacred time, that you spend with God, you should not interrupt it asking for money. Lastly the church should stay out of politics and lobbying. This is a violation of church and state and this practice should be stopped.
The Catholic Church has many problems but it also does good things.
I am not going to deny the fact that it helps many people through its words and actions. I feel the institution needs to reform itself and change with the times. The Church should learn from it's flaws and adapt to the modern world. I have my own personal reasons why I have moved away from the Church but I think that the reasons stated here are the primary reasons why I am not involved with the church like I used to be.
I believe that the church as an institution has many problems and needs to be reformed. The church is stuck in its old traditions that no longer apply in this ever changing world. One of these traditions that should be changed would be that priests can't get married. The Church should allow priests to get married and allow women to become priests. I think you would get a better quality of person to lead the parishes.
There have been many sex scandals involving priests. I am not saying all priests are child molesters. I am saying that you may get a better quality person who is allowed to be married. This person would be able to relate better to his or her congregation. I know all men and women are not perfect and some cheat on their partners. While cheating on your partner with another man or woman is not right and a sin, it is better than molesting a 13 year old boy.
I realize that the church relies on donations to run. I find it distasteful when they request money during mass. I feel that during this sacred time, that you spend with God, you should not interrupt it asking for money. Lastly the church should stay out of politics and lobbying. This is a violation of church and state and this practice should be stopped.
The Catholic Church has many problems but it also does good things.
I am not going to deny the fact that it helps many people through its words and actions. I feel the institution needs to reform itself and change with the times. The Church should learn from it's flaws and adapt to the modern world. I have my own personal reasons why I have moved away from the Church but I think that the reasons stated here are the primary reasons why I am not involved with the church like I used to be.
Oil Spill
Like many of you, I have been watching the progress, or lack of progress for that matter, in attempting to stop the oil spill in the gulf. BP has repeatedly shown its ineptness in stopping the leak and preventing a possible worldwide ecological disaster. There is a webcam which shows the amount one of the earth's greatest natural resources being wasted. I am not riveted to this webcam because it makes me sick seeing the amount of oil coming out of the earth without it being stopped.
I also want to blame the President for not taking control of the situation by recognizing that BP is failing to fix the problem. At this point the President should find out if the military can take control of the situation and stop the leak themselves. I find it hard to believe that a company worth billions and a superpower nation, with so many smart engineers in both, can not stop this leak in a reasonable amount of time.
I am not an environmentalist but I do believe that we should do what we can to protect the earth. I do believe that this oil spill is one of the world's worst natural disasters in history. The fact that no-one knows what to do about it is even worse.
I also want to blame the President for not taking control of the situation by recognizing that BP is failing to fix the problem. At this point the President should find out if the military can take control of the situation and stop the leak themselves. I find it hard to believe that a company worth billions and a superpower nation, with so many smart engineers in both, can not stop this leak in a reasonable amount of time.
I am not an environmentalist but I do believe that we should do what we can to protect the earth. I do believe that this oil spill is one of the world's worst natural disasters in history. The fact that no-one knows what to do about it is even worse.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
What's so wrong with Lebron to the Bulls
I was listening to sports talk radio today and they ran a segment on Chicago Bulls fans who would not be in favor of Lebron James signing with the Bulls this off season. I am not sure what the issue would be. Lebron James is one of the best players in basketball and will be the best free agent available.
People who don't like LeBron complain about his antics on the court and feel he is too arrogant. I believe they are forgetting that Michael Jordan was probably just as arrogant when he played. MJ trashed talked all the time, he would shoot free throws with his eyes closed once in awhile and he would be in the referee's ear constantly lobbying for calls to be in his benefit. Everyone forgets this because Jordan was the best basketball player of his era. I wont say that he is the best player ever because I think it's hard to compare players because they all played in different eras where the challenges were different.
Currently Lebron James is one of the best players in the league and if you combine him with Derrick Rose, Noah and another free agent you will have a team that will be hard to beat. After all the goal of a team is to win the championship and James would give the Bulls a better chance to do that.
People who don't like LeBron complain about his antics on the court and feel he is too arrogant. I believe they are forgetting that Michael Jordan was probably just as arrogant when he played. MJ trashed talked all the time, he would shoot free throws with his eyes closed once in awhile and he would be in the referee's ear constantly lobbying for calls to be in his benefit. Everyone forgets this because Jordan was the best basketball player of his era. I wont say that he is the best player ever because I think it's hard to compare players because they all played in different eras where the challenges were different.
Currently Lebron James is one of the best players in the league and if you combine him with Derrick Rose, Noah and another free agent you will have a team that will be hard to beat. After all the goal of a team is to win the championship and James would give the Bulls a better chance to do that.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Thoughts on NASA
The United States has reached a period in its history where it has financially overextended itself. Instead of creating more government programs there should be less. One way to start the reduction of the out of control government spending is to incorporate NASA into the air force and reduced to a research program.
I believe that we have reached a point in our history that we no longer can and should reach for the stars and worry about the moon and Mars. We should be cutting the national budget and use the money saved to reduce the national debt, fund other needed programs or even reduce taxes. Obviously not all the money going to NASA will go somewhere else. The air force would need some additional money to fund their version. But I believe that as a research program, it can augment what the air force already does.
Our nation is at a financial crossroads and the government needs to be more responsible with our tax money. I believe that reducing NASA to a program under the air force is just a start.
I believe that we have reached a point in our history that we no longer can and should reach for the stars and worry about the moon and Mars. We should be cutting the national budget and use the money saved to reduce the national debt, fund other needed programs or even reduce taxes. Obviously not all the money going to NASA will go somewhere else. The air force would need some additional money to fund their version. But I believe that as a research program, it can augment what the air force already does.
Our nation is at a financial crossroads and the government needs to be more responsible with our tax money. I believe that reducing NASA to a program under the air force is just a start.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Possible trade scenarios
I am not trying to turn this blog into a blog only about the Cubs. At some point I will have some strong feelings about politics, an update about my diet(If I ever lose any more weight haha) or just a random diatribe about an issue.
That being said I do have some thoughts about possible trade scenarios that the Cubs could look into. After Carlos Zambrano was moved to the bullpen to help in late inning relief, reports came out that when Hendry goes looking for a late inning guy, it will be a major move instead of a small one. I believe that some of the players that could be in possible trade scenarios are Derrick Lee, Geovany Soto, Tom Gorzelanny, Carlos Zambrano and Fukudome.
The first possible trade scenario could be with Geovany Soto and the Boston Red Sox. Boston is in need of a catcher and Soto could help them out while we get Hideki Okajima or Daniel Bard who are statistically their best relievers. Koye Hill is a good defensive catcher and could be a trade option as well but I believe that Soto will give you the best bang for your buck.
Another possible trade scenario would be to trade Carlos Zambrano or Tom Gorzelanny to the Dodgers for Jonathan Broxton. The Cubs may have to eat some of Zambrano's salary but in the end they should be able to save some money on Zambrano's contract and improve the bullpen. If Gorzelanny is traded, the team can move Zambrano back to the rotation where he belongs.
Another trade scenario could to trade Derrick Lee to San Diego for Adrian Gonzalez and Heath Bell. It's possible that the trade could be a three way deal that would get the Cubs at least one reliever and another team may get Gonzalez. The only reason to consider trading Lee is because the Cubs may not bring him back next year and would want to get something for him.
Another scenario would be to trade Fukudome to the Nationals for Tyler Clippard. The Nats are looking for an everyday outfielder and Clippard would be a good fit in the bullpen. The team may have to eat some of Fukudome's contract as well but in the end should save money for the budget. This would let the Cubs start Tyler Colvin and see if he can play.
I am not sure if any of these trade options are viable so early in the season or if another player or team is an option. I believe the longer the Cubs keep Zambrano in the bullpen the more willing he would be to waiving his no trade clause. If that is the case, the trade to the Dodgers could be a likely scenario. It is something to think about and I look forward to seeing what happens. Some of the trade scenarios could include trading some of their prospects. I believe that there should be few "untouchable" prospects except for Tyler Colvin, Andrew Cashner, Brett Jackson, Starlin Casto and Jay Jackson. The team should consider trading anyone else to help strengthen the team.
That being said I do have some thoughts about possible trade scenarios that the Cubs could look into. After Carlos Zambrano was moved to the bullpen to help in late inning relief, reports came out that when Hendry goes looking for a late inning guy, it will be a major move instead of a small one. I believe that some of the players that could be in possible trade scenarios are Derrick Lee, Geovany Soto, Tom Gorzelanny, Carlos Zambrano and Fukudome.
The first possible trade scenario could be with Geovany Soto and the Boston Red Sox. Boston is in need of a catcher and Soto could help them out while we get Hideki Okajima or Daniel Bard who are statistically their best relievers. Koye Hill is a good defensive catcher and could be a trade option as well but I believe that Soto will give you the best bang for your buck.
Another possible trade scenario would be to trade Carlos Zambrano or Tom Gorzelanny to the Dodgers for Jonathan Broxton. The Cubs may have to eat some of Zambrano's salary but in the end they should be able to save some money on Zambrano's contract and improve the bullpen. If Gorzelanny is traded, the team can move Zambrano back to the rotation where he belongs.
Another trade scenario could to trade Derrick Lee to San Diego for Adrian Gonzalez and Heath Bell. It's possible that the trade could be a three way deal that would get the Cubs at least one reliever and another team may get Gonzalez. The only reason to consider trading Lee is because the Cubs may not bring him back next year and would want to get something for him.
Another scenario would be to trade Fukudome to the Nationals for Tyler Clippard. The Nats are looking for an everyday outfielder and Clippard would be a good fit in the bullpen. The team may have to eat some of Fukudome's contract as well but in the end should save money for the budget. This would let the Cubs start Tyler Colvin and see if he can play.
I am not sure if any of these trade options are viable so early in the season or if another player or team is an option. I believe the longer the Cubs keep Zambrano in the bullpen the more willing he would be to waiving his no trade clause. If that is the case, the trade to the Dodgers could be a likely scenario. It is something to think about and I look forward to seeing what happens. Some of the trade scenarios could include trading some of their prospects. I believe that there should be few "untouchable" prospects except for Tyler Colvin, Andrew Cashner, Brett Jackson, Starlin Casto and Jay Jackson. The team should consider trading anyone else to help strengthen the team.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Horrible start
Just as I started my last post on the start of the season for the Cubs, I am going to start off by saying it is still early. That being said, the Cubs are off to a horrible start and it will be very difficult to fix it.
Starting off the bullpen has been awful. Jeff Samardijia needs to be sent to the minors or released so he can go play wide receiver for the Bears. He can't can't anyone out on a consistent basis and can't seem to throw stikes. The same goes for Grabow who is supposed to be the veteran presence. Marshall has probably been over used because since his good start, he has not pitched as well. Russell has pitched well and has been a bright spot. Marmol has pitched very well. Even though he blew a save on Sunday, he made the Astros earn their runs. They had to hit their way on. I don't like the strategy of pitching him for more than one inning and in non save situations. He will get tired and wont be as effective for the save situations.
The Cubs have to figure out what to do with Soriano. He is an awful outfielder and is only getting worse. Maybe they can put him on waivers in August and someone can claim him like the Sox did to Rios last year. I want the guy traded or released as soon as possible. Another player I want to go is Fukudome. He is a good right fielder but is too inconsistent at the plate. If they can get rid of him and his contract. The Cubs would be in better shape next off season.
The rest of the offense will hopefully come around. Ramirez who is awful right now can not be this bad all year. I really feel that Tyler Colvin needs to get a fair shot playing somewhere on a consistent basis. If that will not happen he needs to be sent to the minor leagues to get regular at bats. I would rather see him play for Soriano or Fukudome.
Pinella may not be a great media interview but he know how to manage a game. I am sure he will be able to figure something out and get Hendry to call up the right players from the minor leagues. Jim Hendry has done well getting rid of mistakes but has a hard time judging pitching talent. I am not calling for his firing yet. He needs to fix this team and fast otherwise that will change.
As for the help that they have coming in the Minor leagues, I think they need to call up Starlin Castro as soon as possible. He needs to start at shortstop moving Theriot to second base. That will help the infield defense quite a bit. I was not overly impressed with Andrew Cashner and some of the other pitchers in the minors during Spring Training. That being said I many of them are now pitching well and should be considered for call ups in order to shore up the bullpen. If they can throw stikes and get people out that would go along way to what is wrong with this team.
Starting off the bullpen has been awful. Jeff Samardijia needs to be sent to the minors or released so he can go play wide receiver for the Bears. He can't can't anyone out on a consistent basis and can't seem to throw stikes. The same goes for Grabow who is supposed to be the veteran presence. Marshall has probably been over used because since his good start, he has not pitched as well. Russell has pitched well and has been a bright spot. Marmol has pitched very well. Even though he blew a save on Sunday, he made the Astros earn their runs. They had to hit their way on. I don't like the strategy of pitching him for more than one inning and in non save situations. He will get tired and wont be as effective for the save situations.
The Cubs have to figure out what to do with Soriano. He is an awful outfielder and is only getting worse. Maybe they can put him on waivers in August and someone can claim him like the Sox did to Rios last year. I want the guy traded or released as soon as possible. Another player I want to go is Fukudome. He is a good right fielder but is too inconsistent at the plate. If they can get rid of him and his contract. The Cubs would be in better shape next off season.
The rest of the offense will hopefully come around. Ramirez who is awful right now can not be this bad all year. I really feel that Tyler Colvin needs to get a fair shot playing somewhere on a consistent basis. If that will not happen he needs to be sent to the minor leagues to get regular at bats. I would rather see him play for Soriano or Fukudome.
Pinella may not be a great media interview but he know how to manage a game. I am sure he will be able to figure something out and get Hendry to call up the right players from the minor leagues. Jim Hendry has done well getting rid of mistakes but has a hard time judging pitching talent. I am not calling for his firing yet. He needs to fix this team and fast otherwise that will change.
As for the help that they have coming in the Minor leagues, I think they need to call up Starlin Castro as soon as possible. He needs to start at shortstop moving Theriot to second base. That will help the infield defense quite a bit. I was not overly impressed with Andrew Cashner and some of the other pitchers in the minors during Spring Training. That being said I many of them are now pitching well and should be considered for call ups in order to shore up the bullpen. If they can throw stikes and get people out that would go along way to what is wrong with this team.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Diet update
It's been over 2 months since I started my diet and I have lost about 20 pounds!!! Since I started the diet I have received all kinds of advice and suggestions. I have taken some of advice and incorporated to what I am doing.
One of the main things I have been trying to do over the past 2 months is keep my daily calorie count to under 2000. I feel I have been successful doing that. My daily diet normally consists of the following
Breakfast-2 mini bagels w/cream cheese
Mid morning snack-Banana
Lunch-Turkey and cheese sandwich and a bowl of Healthy Choice Chicken noodle soup and a serving of crackers
Mid afternoon snack-small tub of pringles
Dinner during the week 1 breaded pork chop, 1 serving from a tub of microweable mashed potatoes and a serving of corn
Desert-If I have desert it is sugar free vanilla pudding.
For the most part I try and find food(especially snacks) that is low in calories. I have figured if I can cut as many calories out of the foods that I do eat it will help me with my daily count and I can continue to lose weight.
During the week I normally drink 2 bottles of water a day plus a cup or two when I get home. I have all but given up pop. I tried diet pop but I don't like it enough or need the caffeine that badly : ) Depending on my calorie count for the day I may have Milk with dinner.
I have been going to the gym about 3 days a week. I do some weights and then the treadmill for about 40 minutes.
Do I cheat once in a while? Yes. When I do eat McDonalds I get water and only one Double Cheeseburger instead of 2. When I do splurge I try and offset those calories by eating something with less calories for my next meal. I eat more Subway Sandwiches that I eat McDonalds or other fast food place.
Thanks again to everyone who has made suggestions. So far so good and hopefully I can keep it up.
One of the main things I have been trying to do over the past 2 months is keep my daily calorie count to under 2000. I feel I have been successful doing that. My daily diet normally consists of the following
Breakfast-2 mini bagels w/cream cheese
Mid morning snack-Banana
Lunch-Turkey and cheese sandwich and a bowl of Healthy Choice Chicken noodle soup and a serving of crackers
Mid afternoon snack-small tub of pringles
Dinner during the week 1 breaded pork chop, 1 serving from a tub of microweable mashed potatoes and a serving of corn
Desert-If I have desert it is sugar free vanilla pudding.
For the most part I try and find food(especially snacks) that is low in calories. I have figured if I can cut as many calories out of the foods that I do eat it will help me with my daily count and I can continue to lose weight.
During the week I normally drink 2 bottles of water a day plus a cup or two when I get home. I have all but given up pop. I tried diet pop but I don't like it enough or need the caffeine that badly : ) Depending on my calorie count for the day I may have Milk with dinner.
I have been going to the gym about 3 days a week. I do some weights and then the treadmill for about 40 minutes.
Do I cheat once in a while? Yes. When I do eat McDonalds I get water and only one Double Cheeseburger instead of 2. When I do splurge I try and offset those calories by eating something with less calories for my next meal. I eat more Subway Sandwiches that I eat McDonalds or other fast food place.
Thanks again to everyone who has made suggestions. So far so good and hopefully I can keep it up.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Early thoughts about the 2010 Cubs
Well so far the Cubs are 1-2 when they could easily be 2-1. the opening day blowout loss was very disappointing and should be a the end of starting Zambrano on opening day. I am tired of waiting for Zambrano to get his act together and be a consistent pitcher.
I have been impressed with Sean Marshall and the Esmilan Caridad. They have pitched well and gotten people out. The rookie lefty, Russell did well holding the Braves in the first game as well. It's too bad that Samardijia and Grabow have been to this point completely useless. They need to get their act together soon or they wont get to pitch in meaningful innings. I think that Samardijia should go back to playing football. The bears need another Wide Receiver and he was a good one.
The team went up against some tough pitching playing against the Braves. That being said, they need to start hitting. I think the team needs to get rid of Fukudome and start Colvin full time in right field. I think once this team starts to hit and the bullpen figures it out it will be in the hunt all year. I believe the Cubs will take the wild card and have a good shot in the playoffs.
I have been impressed with Sean Marshall and the Esmilan Caridad. They have pitched well and gotten people out. The rookie lefty, Russell did well holding the Braves in the first game as well. It's too bad that Samardijia and Grabow have been to this point completely useless. They need to get their act together soon or they wont get to pitch in meaningful innings. I think that Samardijia should go back to playing football. The bears need another Wide Receiver and he was a good one.
The team went up against some tough pitching playing against the Braves. That being said, they need to start hitting. I think the team needs to get rid of Fukudome and start Colvin full time in right field. I think once this team starts to hit and the bullpen figures it out it will be in the hunt all year. I believe the Cubs will take the wild card and have a good shot in the playoffs.
A few thoughts about Pete Rose
Say what you want about Pete Rose and his gambling, but I believe that he should be in the hall of fame. I understand that Rose has been banned from baseball because he gambled on the games that he managed and other baseball games around the league. I do feel he should be suspended for life from the game because of his actions. However inducting Rose into the Hall should be a separate issue based on his accomplishments on the field.
We are talking about a player who broke Ty Cobb’s hit record. As far as I know, the baseball hall of fame is not operated by Major League Baseball and this does not have to abide by their rules in terms of who should be let in and not let in. Pete Rose’s accomplishments on the field should be honored by his induction into the Hall. Rose should not be given a pass in regards to his past transgressions and should not be allowed to be reinstated into baseball.
The baseball hall of fame has several players who were either dirty or cheated during their time playing the game. The aforementioned Ty Cobb was a “dirty” player who had no problem sliding, spikes up, into a base to try and hurt the fielder. “Catfish” Hunter was an admitted spitball pitcher.
I am not talking about the players that took performance enhancing drugs to increase their home run totals. That is an issue for another post. I am talking about a hard nosed player who broke a long standing record by hard work and longevity. Rose deserves to be in the Hall but not let back into the game that he betrayed.
We are talking about a player who broke Ty Cobb’s hit record. As far as I know, the baseball hall of fame is not operated by Major League Baseball and this does not have to abide by their rules in terms of who should be let in and not let in. Pete Rose’s accomplishments on the field should be honored by his induction into the Hall. Rose should not be given a pass in regards to his past transgressions and should not be allowed to be reinstated into baseball.
The baseball hall of fame has several players who were either dirty or cheated during their time playing the game. The aforementioned Ty Cobb was a “dirty” player who had no problem sliding, spikes up, into a base to try and hurt the fielder. “Catfish” Hunter was an admitted spitball pitcher.
I am not talking about the players that took performance enhancing drugs to increase their home run totals. That is an issue for another post. I am talking about a hard nosed player who broke a long standing record by hard work and longevity. Rose deserves to be in the Hall but not let back into the game that he betrayed.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
If I weren't a Cubs fan
People have always asked me if I grew up on the Southside of Chicago, how could I be a Cubs fan? They also ask how could be a Cubs fan since they haven't won in 100 years.
Well let me think about this for a second? I could be a Sox fan but until they won in 2005, they hadn't won in 88 years, that's not a winning tradition. The Sox haven't won anything since either Besides the vast majority of their fans worry more about the Cubs and their fans than their own team. No I couldn't be a Sox fan because they are any better to root for than the Sox and Cubs fans are much more loyal and focused on their team.
I could have been a Red Sox fan but up until they won twice within a couple years of each other they hadn't won for a long long time as well. They are probably as close to being a Cubs fan as you can get. That wouldn't be an option either.
I could have been a Yankees fan because they have won many championships over the years. Lime many people though it's always more fun to root for the underdog instead of the big rich dog on the block. The Yankees certainly identify with that.
I grew up watching the Cubs on WGN TV back in the 1980's. Those teams had likable players like Bill Buckner, Keith Moreland, Rick Sutcliffe, Jody Davis and my favorite player of all time Ryne Sandberg. I care about the Cubs more than any other sports team that I root for. Just becaue they haven't won in a long time does not meen I am going to stop rooting for them. I certainly am not going to root for the White Sox; )
Well let me think about this for a second? I could be a Sox fan but until they won in 2005, they hadn't won in 88 years, that's not a winning tradition. The Sox haven't won anything since either Besides the vast majority of their fans worry more about the Cubs and their fans than their own team. No I couldn't be a Sox fan because they are any better to root for than the Sox and Cubs fans are much more loyal and focused on their team.
I could have been a Red Sox fan but up until they won twice within a couple years of each other they hadn't won for a long long time as well. They are probably as close to being a Cubs fan as you can get. That wouldn't be an option either.
I could have been a Yankees fan because they have won many championships over the years. Lime many people though it's always more fun to root for the underdog instead of the big rich dog on the block. The Yankees certainly identify with that.
I grew up watching the Cubs on WGN TV back in the 1980's. Those teams had likable players like Bill Buckner, Keith Moreland, Rick Sutcliffe, Jody Davis and my favorite player of all time Ryne Sandberg. I care about the Cubs more than any other sports team that I root for. Just becaue they haven't won in a long time does not meen I am going to stop rooting for them. I certainly am not going to root for the White Sox; )
Thursday, March 25, 2010
A letter to Congress
Dear Congress
I am a very unhappy constituent regarding the health care bill. I feel the bill is too large and expensive for the country to handle. In addition I believe that it fails to deal with one of the most important issue related to health care: rising premiums. Many of Americans feel that we no longer have a voice in our federal government and that needs to be changed.
The following are a list of ideas for a common sense health care reform bill that will not cost the country as much as the current bill did:
1. The increase in health care premiums have to be tied to a benchmark like inflation or the cost of living
2. People who receive unemployment benefits get to keep their insurance as long as they are on unemployment.
3. People can not be dropped due to the amount of their claims
4. No pre-existing conditions
5. If you get insurance on your own it is tax deductible
I feel these are more common sense approaches that the nation will support and keep premiums down for the average person. This letter will probably not get to you and be pushed aside by one of your aides. If it happens that you do read it please provide some feedback.
I am a very unhappy constituent regarding the health care bill. I feel the bill is too large and expensive for the country to handle. In addition I believe that it fails to deal with one of the most important issue related to health care: rising premiums. Many of Americans feel that we no longer have a voice in our federal government and that needs to be changed.
The following are a list of ideas for a common sense health care reform bill that will not cost the country as much as the current bill did:
1. The increase in health care premiums have to be tied to a benchmark like inflation or the cost of living
2. People who receive unemployment benefits get to keep their insurance as long as they are on unemployment.
3. People can not be dropped due to the amount of their claims
4. No pre-existing conditions
5. If you get insurance on your own it is tax deductible
I feel these are more common sense approaches that the nation will support and keep premiums down for the average person. This letter will probably not get to you and be pushed aside by one of your aides. If it happens that you do read it please provide some feedback.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Spring training
I will start out by saying that I understand that it is still spring training. That being said, so far Colvin has been tearing it up this spring after gaining about 20lbs of muscle over the winter. If Colvin can keep it up, I would like to see the Cubs trade Fukudome for a pitcher of some sort. In his place I would like to see Tyler Colvin get a shot at playing right field every day.
By trading Fukudome, they can free additional money up and go after a reliever to bolster the bullpen or even the starting rotation. Up to this point, Fukudome has been a disappointment. He has had great starts to the 2 seasons he has been on the team but has not finished strong. I think it’s time to move on and start the process of mixing in some of the up and coming kids with the veterans.
It also appears that the Cubs prized prospect Starlin Castro will start in the minor leagues. I don't have an issue with that except for their plan to not give Theriot time at 2nd base. Theriot mostly likely will be moved to there when Castro is called up and he should get time there to be able to get comfortable.
It sounds like the Cubs have several prospects that will be good major league players. Hopefully they can develop them and the players will perform as expected when they get here. The future looks bright for the team.
By trading Fukudome, they can free additional money up and go after a reliever to bolster the bullpen or even the starting rotation. Up to this point, Fukudome has been a disappointment. He has had great starts to the 2 seasons he has been on the team but has not finished strong. I think it’s time to move on and start the process of mixing in some of the up and coming kids with the veterans.
It also appears that the Cubs prized prospect Starlin Castro will start in the minor leagues. I don't have an issue with that except for their plan to not give Theriot time at 2nd base. Theriot mostly likely will be moved to there when Castro is called up and he should get time there to be able to get comfortable.
It sounds like the Cubs have several prospects that will be good major league players. Hopefully they can develop them and the players will perform as expected when they get here. The future looks bright for the team.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Health care summit
The health care summit today turned into a gripe session among politicians instead of the doing what it was supposed to do...you know.....GET SOMETHING DONE!!!!!!
I think it's too bad that the republicans want to play politics with the issue and the democrats want to pass something that is too big and too expensive for the country to handle.
I have gotten to the point where I think that the democrats should just go ahead and get the bill passed. Some of it may actually do some good and when the rest of it proves to be too costly for America to handle, The Republicans can take credit for doing everything they could to prevent what happened to the finances of this country.
It's a cynical way to look at this issue but since big issues like this are paralyzed by the politicians it is the only way to look at it. This country is going to hell in a handbasket and the politicians get rich from it.
I think it's too bad that the republicans want to play politics with the issue and the democrats want to pass something that is too big and too expensive for the country to handle.
I have gotten to the point where I think that the democrats should just go ahead and get the bill passed. Some of it may actually do some good and when the rest of it proves to be too costly for America to handle, The Republicans can take credit for doing everything they could to prevent what happened to the finances of this country.
It's a cynical way to look at this issue but since big issues like this are paralyzed by the politicians it is the only way to look at it. This country is going to hell in a handbasket and the politicians get rich from it.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Next Cubs manager
Many people expect that when the Chicago Cubs manager Lou Piniella retires, hall of famer Ryne Sandberg will be the next Cubs manager. I for one would love to see Sandberg as the manager of the 2011 Chicago Cubs. I do have my reservations about it as well.
Sandberg was one of the best Second basemen of all time and was a quiet leader on and off the field. After he retired he left the game for awhile and then slowly worked his way back when he started off as a coach during spring training. Since then he has manager for 3 years in the minor leagues and is entering his fourth at the Cubs triple A affiliate in Iowa.
By all accounts Sandberg has done very well learning the craft of becoming a manager of a team. Sandberg is a leader and a defender of his teams and has no problem getting in the face of an umpire to stick up for his players. Arguing was one thing you rarely saw when Sandberg was playing. Last year Sandberg led his Double A minor league team to it's playoffs and they did very well.
My concern regarding whether Sandberg is ready to manage in the big leagues is that he has not coached or managed there before. Coaching in the major leagues is different than the minor leagues because the money and the egos are a lot bigger. Granted Sandberg was a hall of fame major league baseball player who played with Sammy Sosa and other players who have had huge egos. My question is how will he deal with the egos Soriano and Zambrano as a manager. He knows how to deal with people like that as a player but not as a manager and it has to be different.
Sandberg may have been better served to be promoted to a coach this year or have Piniella stay another year and have Sandberg be a coach on the team next year. It appears that if Ryno gets a shot as a manager with the Cubs, he will be thrown head first into the fire. I hope he can handle it but only time will tell.
Sandberg was one of the best Second basemen of all time and was a quiet leader on and off the field. After he retired he left the game for awhile and then slowly worked his way back when he started off as a coach during spring training. Since then he has manager for 3 years in the minor leagues and is entering his fourth at the Cubs triple A affiliate in Iowa.
By all accounts Sandberg has done very well learning the craft of becoming a manager of a team. Sandberg is a leader and a defender of his teams and has no problem getting in the face of an umpire to stick up for his players. Arguing was one thing you rarely saw when Sandberg was playing. Last year Sandberg led his Double A minor league team to it's playoffs and they did very well.
My concern regarding whether Sandberg is ready to manage in the big leagues is that he has not coached or managed there before. Coaching in the major leagues is different than the minor leagues because the money and the egos are a lot bigger. Granted Sandberg was a hall of fame major league baseball player who played with Sammy Sosa and other players who have had huge egos. My question is how will he deal with the egos Soriano and Zambrano as a manager. He knows how to deal with people like that as a player but not as a manager and it has to be different.
Sandberg may have been better served to be promoted to a coach this year or have Piniella stay another year and have Sandberg be a coach on the team next year. It appears that if Ryno gets a shot as a manager with the Cubs, he will be thrown head first into the fire. I hope he can handle it but only time will tell.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Acting like a grown up
In so many ways it's tough to be a grown up with responsibilities. This issue is never so obvious as days like these when my wife and I have to take time out of our weekend to go to the nursing home/rehab facility that her dad is staying at to get better after falling and fracturing his arm and hip. This is not something wants to do but it is our responsibilities to go see him and keep his spirits up.
Seeing all the elderly people, who have a hard time doing anything on their own, makes one appreciate the independence that you have when you are healthy adult. Once in a while, I used to tease my mom about putting her in a home. Since I have been going to one once a week I have told her that I wont be kidding her any more about it because it really isn't funny.
The responsibilities of being an adult are so much more than just going to a nursing home once a week. It's about getting up everyday to go to work even when you don't feel like it. I have a 60 mile one way commute to my job. If I had my choice, I would quit and find something else closer and that would pay more and have better benefits. I can't just quit my job though because I have bills to pay. I am married and we have rent, utilities, student loans and car payments that we have responsibilities for. We would like to be able to buy a house some day, go on another vacation and be able to buy things that we want like CD's, movies and hopefully someday a large flat screen TV: )
As you can see blowing off work to play video games or sleep in or even quitting is not an option. I have a hard time respecting people who think life revolves around them and don't want to take life's responsibility seriously. I don't want to be one of those guys like DA Coach who says "In life" every other sentence but as one gets older one will realize those two words will mean more and more.
On the other side of being an adult, when you work hard you can enjoy more the pleasure of life. You can enjoy taking a vacation, buying a video game, going to a movie or going to a nice restaurant with someone special. At this point that large flat screen TV will have to wait. I have come to believe that you enjoy these more when you know how hard you worked to get the item that you desire.
Seeing all the elderly people, who have a hard time doing anything on their own, makes one appreciate the independence that you have when you are healthy adult. Once in a while, I used to tease my mom about putting her in a home. Since I have been going to one once a week I have told her that I wont be kidding her any more about it because it really isn't funny.
The responsibilities of being an adult are so much more than just going to a nursing home once a week. It's about getting up everyday to go to work even when you don't feel like it. I have a 60 mile one way commute to my job. If I had my choice, I would quit and find something else closer and that would pay more and have better benefits. I can't just quit my job though because I have bills to pay. I am married and we have rent, utilities, student loans and car payments that we have responsibilities for. We would like to be able to buy a house some day, go on another vacation and be able to buy things that we want like CD's, movies and hopefully someday a large flat screen TV: )
As you can see blowing off work to play video games or sleep in or even quitting is not an option. I have a hard time respecting people who think life revolves around them and don't want to take life's responsibility seriously. I don't want to be one of those guys like DA Coach who says "In life" every other sentence but as one gets older one will realize those two words will mean more and more.
On the other side of being an adult, when you work hard you can enjoy more the pleasure of life. You can enjoy taking a vacation, buying a video game, going to a movie or going to a nice restaurant with someone special. At this point that large flat screen TV will have to wait. I have come to believe that you enjoy these more when you know how hard you worked to get the item that you desire.
Friday, February 12, 2010
My diet
I started a new diet this week to try and lose some weight. I am taking my lunch again eating a bowl of Campbell's chunky Chicken Noodle soup and a turkey and cheese sandwich. The sandwich is optional depending on how hungry I am. I am also trying to eat this same thing for dinner as well. Hopefully it will assist me with losing some weight.
I had been doing a decent job last year of taking my lunch and maintaining my weight in order to try and lower my cholesterol. The past 3 or 4 months I went off the wagon and started to eat out a lot. It started with Subway which is good. After awhile it went to some other places which weren't nearly as good for me. I think I gained some weight and I don't even want to think what it did to my cholesterol level: )
I don't mind what I am eating but it is still leaving me hungry at times. I don't want to be miserable or be miserable to be around which may be why I have been going to lunch earlier than I had been in the past to eat with some friends at work. I think talking and laughing with them helps take my mind off how much or little (depending on how you look at it) I am eating. It also helps me take my mind off of not eating a slice of pizza or a cheeseburger; )
I will make sure that I don't deprive myself of eating something I really want once in awhile. Next week a couple friends will be going to get an Italian beef at a restaurant by work and than our monthly outing for a beer and burger at Finn McCool's in Schaumburg. I just have to figure out a way to off set eating this stuff with keeping to my diet the rest of the time. This means less McDonalds and maybe more Subway and/or Soup. It doesn't help when I walk into my Mother in-Law's kitchen and she is eating McDonalds or my wife buys a bag of mini bagels.
I had been doing a decent job last year of taking my lunch and maintaining my weight in order to try and lower my cholesterol. The past 3 or 4 months I went off the wagon and started to eat out a lot. It started with Subway which is good. After awhile it went to some other places which weren't nearly as good for me. I think I gained some weight and I don't even want to think what it did to my cholesterol level: )
I don't mind what I am eating but it is still leaving me hungry at times. I don't want to be miserable or be miserable to be around which may be why I have been going to lunch earlier than I had been in the past to eat with some friends at work. I think talking and laughing with them helps take my mind off how much or little (depending on how you look at it) I am eating. It also helps me take my mind off of not eating a slice of pizza or a cheeseburger; )
I will make sure that I don't deprive myself of eating something I really want once in awhile. Next week a couple friends will be going to get an Italian beef at a restaurant by work and than our monthly outing for a beer and burger at Finn McCool's in Schaumburg. I just have to figure out a way to off set eating this stuff with keeping to my diet the rest of the time. This means less McDonalds and maybe more Subway and/or Soup. It doesn't help when I walk into my Mother in-Law's kitchen and she is eating McDonalds or my wife buys a bag of mini bagels.
Friday, January 29, 2010
He may be a one termer!!!
After historic election, President Obama faces the danger of becoming a one term president and can thank his own party for that. Congress has a majority of Democrats, whom the President thought would do his bidding on what ever he wanted. As we have seen, that is not the case.
The president allowed Congress to overspend on a stimulus package that has not worked very well. The president’s main mission when he took office was to fix the health care system and he had the majority in Congress to get what he wanted. Politics is politics even in your own party. Everyone in the party has had their hand out in order to secure their vote for the bill. Due to this the bill has been slow to materialize, If the President can’t get his own party to act quickly to get a major piece of legislation passed, what does that say about his leadership?
The president is a powerful speaker and I have a lot of respect for him, but being able to move people by a speech is no longer enough. The president needs to lead and he has not done it. If the President can not exert some leadership soon, voters will be looking for a new leader at the next election. It doesn’t take much for the public to turn against you when you can’t get something done, just ask President Carter and the first President Bush.
The president allowed Congress to overspend on a stimulus package that has not worked very well. The president’s main mission when he took office was to fix the health care system and he had the majority in Congress to get what he wanted. Politics is politics even in your own party. Everyone in the party has had their hand out in order to secure their vote for the bill. Due to this the bill has been slow to materialize, If the President can’t get his own party to act quickly to get a major piece of legislation passed, what does that say about his leadership?
The president is a powerful speaker and I have a lot of respect for him, but being able to move people by a speech is no longer enough. The president needs to lead and he has not done it. If the President can not exert some leadership soon, voters will be looking for a new leader at the next election. It doesn’t take much for the public to turn against you when you can’t get something done, just ask President Carter and the first President Bush.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
The Mass election
On Tuesday January 19, 2010 Scott Brown was elected to the Senate in Massachusetts. This election not only divided that state, but it has divided America on the issue of health care. Congress no longer has a “super” majority to pass the health care plan without some sort of Republican support or filibuster. This insurance plan will be bad for America because it does not fix all the problems in the health care system.
The problem does not just sit with the Democrats or Republicans. The problem lies with both parties. The bill the Democrats have created fails to identify a key issue regarding health care, at least for me. The issue that I do not see getting corrected is the unchecked ability to increase insurance premiums for individual and group plans without a cap. Skyrocketing insurance premiums threaten to hurt the ability of individuals and families to keep their heads above water. In an economy where some companies are not giving out raises and high gas prices, we can not afford to pay significantly higher premiums for less coverage.
The governments health care plan does deal with important issues regarding pre-existing conditions and dropping coverage due to too many claims. The rest of it is expensive “fluff” that will not work. Health care reform is needed but not at the expense of common sense. I have had previous posts with my ideas regarding health care. Short of running for Congress myself, these ideas will not be considered by Congress because the special interest groups take up too much of our Congressman’s time lobbying for their interests.
Our government is broken and anyone who claims they can go to Washington and fix it is either lying or naïve to how the federal government is run. The only way it will get fixed is when Congress starts to listen to the people instead of big money.
The problem does not just sit with the Democrats or Republicans. The problem lies with both parties. The bill the Democrats have created fails to identify a key issue regarding health care, at least for me. The issue that I do not see getting corrected is the unchecked ability to increase insurance premiums for individual and group plans without a cap. Skyrocketing insurance premiums threaten to hurt the ability of individuals and families to keep their heads above water. In an economy where some companies are not giving out raises and high gas prices, we can not afford to pay significantly higher premiums for less coverage.
The governments health care plan does deal with important issues regarding pre-existing conditions and dropping coverage due to too many claims. The rest of it is expensive “fluff” that will not work. Health care reform is needed but not at the expense of common sense. I have had previous posts with my ideas regarding health care. Short of running for Congress myself, these ideas will not be considered by Congress because the special interest groups take up too much of our Congressman’s time lobbying for their interests.
Our government is broken and anyone who claims they can go to Washington and fix it is either lying or naïve to how the federal government is run. The only way it will get fixed is when Congress starts to listen to the people instead of big money.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Tyrus Thomas and the Bulls
I find it very ironic that when Tyrus Thomas came back from his broken arm, the Bulls started playing better and Vinny Del Negro may keep his job until the end of the year. Why is this ironic? It is because Thomas and Del Negro reportedly hate each other.
One of the funnier parts of the whole thing is BOTH of them may be gone by or at the end of the season. Thomas may be gone because he is a flakey and inconsistent player who the team can not rely on to show up and play hard on a consisten basis.
The coach may be gone because he is not a good coach and has no idea what he is doing.
Admittedly i don't watch too much of the Bulls anymore because they are not a good team and are not fun to watch. The team doesn't play defense very well and are always missing layups or throwing the ball away on offense. Derrick Rose is a good player but is not a focal point of the offense. This is another coaching mistake which should get him fired on it's own.
The team needs to get a better coach and some additional players to build the team around Rose. I don't think think that Kobe, Wade and James will be coming here but it's possible you can get Bosch from Toronto. That would be a start to rebuilding the team.
One of the funnier parts of the whole thing is BOTH of them may be gone by or at the end of the season. Thomas may be gone because he is a flakey and inconsistent player who the team can not rely on to show up and play hard on a consisten basis.
The coach may be gone because he is not a good coach and has no idea what he is doing.
Admittedly i don't watch too much of the Bulls anymore because they are not a good team and are not fun to watch. The team doesn't play defense very well and are always missing layups or throwing the ball away on offense. Derrick Rose is a good player but is not a focal point of the offense. This is another coaching mistake which should get him fired on it's own.
The team needs to get a better coach and some additional players to build the team around Rose. I don't think think that Kobe, Wade and James will be coming here but it's possible you can get Bosch from Toronto. That would be a start to rebuilding the team.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Andre Dawson gets into the Hall of Fame
Congratulations to former Chicago Cubs right fielder Andre Dawson for his election to the Hall of Fame. Dawson was a very good player who hit over 400 hundred homeruns and over 2700 hits. He a waa a good defensive player and a good leader.
Dawson's numbers compare favorably with other players of his era who are in the Hall. Even if the Dawson didn't hit 500 homeruns he was a very productive player.
Dawson's numbers compare favorably with other players of his era who are in the Hall. Even if the Dawson didn't hit 500 homeruns he was a very productive player.
A few thoughts and ideas about health care.
Yesterday we had our annual health insurance meeting at work. For the 3rd time in 5 years my company is changing insurance carrier AND the price that we have to pay is still going up. I have to pay an extra $20 a paycheck for a PPO(I wont go with an HMO but there were increases with those plans as well). On top of that it seems like what is covered the the amount the insurance carrier will pay towards a claim is less than previously offered plans.
It got me thinking that the government is leaving out important reform options in their health care reform. First I believe that a cap should be put placed on the percentage of how much premiums can increase on a yearly basis. The increase should be tied to inflation or another benchmark that would allow insurance rate increases to be more reasonable.
The second option that I consider to be very important is to make individual plans from insurance carriers tax deductible. This would happen if someone has to get insurance on their own or chooses to go on their own because their employer does not offer insurance or it is too expensive. Insurance premiums through the companies we work for are before tax premiums which makes them essentially tax deductable. Why can insurance bought on the open market be the same?
The government needs to reform health care but they are over reaching on how to do it. The part of the plan for not dropping coverage for people because of the amount of their claims and the denial of coverage for people with preexisting conditions is a given. They should add the ideas that I have outlined above to it and it the health care bill would not be so big, expensive and controversial. As usual the government is making things more difficult than it needs to be.
It got me thinking that the government is leaving out important reform options in their health care reform. First I believe that a cap should be put placed on the percentage of how much premiums can increase on a yearly basis. The increase should be tied to inflation or another benchmark that would allow insurance rate increases to be more reasonable.
The second option that I consider to be very important is to make individual plans from insurance carriers tax deductible. This would happen if someone has to get insurance on their own or chooses to go on their own because their employer does not offer insurance or it is too expensive. Insurance premiums through the companies we work for are before tax premiums which makes them essentially tax deductable. Why can insurance bought on the open market be the same?
The government needs to reform health care but they are over reaching on how to do it. The part of the plan for not dropping coverage for people because of the amount of their claims and the denial of coverage for people with preexisting conditions is a given. They should add the ideas that I have outlined above to it and it the health care bill would not be so big, expensive and controversial. As usual the government is making things more difficult than it needs to be.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
The Bears
I was listening to the Bears press conference on my radio at work today. I was amazed to listen to Lovie Smith "I kept my job hahaha" attitude. Bringing back Jerry Angelo and Lovie Smith will be very bad for the Bears in the long run.
I believe that if they don't get it right next year, the organization will replace them for a new coach and GM. What i believe will actually happen is the Bears will go the playoffs next year and Angelo and Smith will have saved their jobs for another year or two. Granted it will be good that they go to the playoffs but it will be bad for the team in the long run.
I believe the team should have replaced them this year and started the process of rebuilding as soon as possible. The team does not have the draft picks and the staff that can properly evaluate talent to get better and be a good team on a consistent basis.
I believe that if they don't get it right next year, the organization will replace them for a new coach and GM. What i believe will actually happen is the Bears will go the playoffs next year and Angelo and Smith will have saved their jobs for another year or two. Granted it will be good that they go to the playoffs but it will be bad for the team in the long run.
I believe the team should have replaced them this year and started the process of rebuilding as soon as possible. The team does not have the draft picks and the staff that can properly evaluate talent to get better and be a good team on a consistent basis.
Ted Kennedy's autobiography
I am currently reading the late Ted Kennedy's autobiography True Compass. I am currently trying to sift through what is true, what is completely B.S.(sorry mom if you ever read this) and what is his spin on the issues and memories of people and incidents that he was involved with.
I am enjoying reading about how he idolized his father and brothers. It seemed like they all could do no wrong. This was the complete opposite of the truth at least in the case of his father.
If you want an entertaining read on a colorful character in America politics, pick it up. You will be amazed at the stuff he put himself through just to get a vote for his brothers or himself.
I am enjoying reading about how he idolized his father and brothers. It seemed like they all could do no wrong. This was the complete opposite of the truth at least in the case of his father.
If you want an entertaining read on a colorful character in America politics, pick it up. You will be amazed at the stuff he put himself through just to get a vote for his brothers or himself.
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