Soxbadger

Bridgewaters 6-6 is one thing Being out rebounded by UT cant help either.

Interesting game going on in Bloomington. Gordon looks really good though.

Jenks, Im not saying Illinois shouldnt be chosen. I am saying that if you go off history, Wisconsin football travels as good as team in the nation. They get constantly picked over better teams who have fans that are not considered to travel as well. There is a chance that if there was not a rule against 3 BCS teams from 1 conference that Wisconsin would have been a BCS team last year. Bowl games make money by the gate, not by how many people watch the game on TV. They dont get a ratings share bonus or anything, they get money from the tickets. The bowls business is to make money, not to put on the best game. Thus you have 2 options: Option A) Team that sells out every game, including away games. If this team is chosen, it will ask to buy the remainder of the opponents tickets if there should be any remaining. Option B ) Team that did not sell out every game, and is a complete unknown in terms of whether it will get 40K people to travel. In school A, you have a sure thing. You know that it will sell out, thus you will get maximum profit guaranteed. In school B, you have a team that had fans unwilling to shell over less than $100 to see games in the beginning of th season. Now you are expecting that they are going to spend in excess of a thousand to get hotel, airfare, and tickets? I think Illinois would sell it out, but I live in Illinois, I understand its a sleeping fan base. But the people who run the bowls only care about a sell out, and Wisconsin gives you a guaranteed sell out.

Roto is suggesting its Grossman.

Well DLS is most likely more than 2 years away, Gio is likely 1-2 years away, I guess you are just arguing semantics and then want to have some sly remark how Ive never seen Gio play. The reason I project him out longer than 1 year is because Gio is built smaller and I believe that the Sox will take it slow with him and not push his development to fast. While he has the pure stuff to probably pitch in the pen today, the Sox are trying to move him slow and build up his arm strength so that he can be a starting pitcher. But I still dont think that it changes the point that the prospects are at least 1 year away from contributing, and most of the White Sox core on offense is 1-2 years away from being close to retire. /shrugs Not sure 1 year changes much in terms of how the Sox should proceed. But maybe Ive only seen them play a handful of times on tv, I only joined this site last week.

I dont think they are the best team ever. What I do know is that Wisconsin has a national reputation for bringing fans to the game that Illinois does not have. You can ask multiple people from Iowa, Indiana, etc. Wisconsin is very well known for traveling, they sell out Hawaii games, UNLV games, etc. Illinois just does not do that, and it has nothing to do with the team. It has to do with your fans. How many games did Illinois sell out this year? http://www.lasvegas.net/Sam-Boyd-Stadium-info.htm The stadium celebrated its 25 th anniversary in the fall of 1996 by hosting the UNLV vs. Wisconsin football game with 41,091 fans attending the event, setting the record for the state's largest attendance at an outdoor sporting event. Thats over 11 years ago. Wisconsin travels really well, it has nothing to do with the players on the field, and everything to do with the fans of the team. (Edit) And why are you even arguing against me, I posted an article that stated Illinois would be picked ahead of Wisconsin by Cap 1, and may even get a BCS at large. But it doesnt change the fact if I was a bowl and had to sell out that I would bet on Wisconsin fans over Illinois fans.

I guess its possible that Gio could play AAA this year, and then make it into the Sox rotation next year. He has pitched over 150 innings in each of the last 2 seasons, so its not out of the realm of possibilities. That of course would be based on him doing well in AAA this year. The only problem with that is he already had to repeat AA once, so if he has to repeat AAA, that puts him at 2 years away. And I meant as a starter, he could be a relief pitcher faster.

I just took that from the Illinios website, if they didnt list NU dont blame me. I couldnt even find a Wisconsin 08-09 schedule.

Id rather have Hunter 2nd than Miggy 2nd. Since basically the trade is to get Miggy as the centerpiece of the White Sox for the next 10 years.

Yes but if they are in the top 14 they may be selected. If other teams in the top 14 lose (which they have to because some of them play eachother) it is hard to believe OSU wont be top 14. And even harder to believe that they wont be in a BCS game if the BCS game can choose them.

Well Richar/Owens is obviously the most glaring problem on the offense. I put them 1-2 because well I dont know who else you can bat 2nd in that line up.

Yeah cant really see Les Miles going to UM, would seem at best to be a lateral move. And Carr being gone is predicated on losing the next 2 games, at that point when would the last time he won a bowl game be?

if Lloyd is even there. If UM loses to OSU, and then loses its bowl game, Carr might get fired regardless. In which case Mallet will have to learn a whole new system.

Well guys like Gio, DLS are over 2 years away from MLB level and really arent even considered top of the line starters. By that time guys like Thome, Konerko, Dye will all be declining drastically. So the options are: A) Hope that our prospects all turn out to be super stars who play over their head so that in 2 years we can build a super young team, save cash, and then in 3-4 years turn that money into all-star FA's. B) Try and win now with the older players we have. Realize that our prospects for the most part are not high ceiling untouchables and hope that in the next 1-2 years we continue to draft players that will build our farm into some thing respectable. I think B is the better option, because Gio and DLS just do not have #1 cant miss starter on them.

Rock, I love Mallet, and probably he will be the #1 pick over all some day. I just dont love a Soph starting at QB against teams like OSU, Wisconsin, Illinois. Not to mention Arrington will be gone, and judging from the Wisconsin game Manningham will be gone as well.

If Michigan wins, OSU could still get into the BCS. Which would mean: Rose: UM BCS at Large: OSU Cap 1: Illinois Most dont see OSU not being in the BCS, regardless of a loss just because they bring in huge revenue.

I dont really think Illinois will improve that drastically next year. First, as Rock pointed out, OSU is going to be devastatingly better. They started this year only ranked 11 and next year most likely will start off in the top 5. They return almost every important player (maybe lose a Laurinatis), and many of the young guys like Saine, etc will be better. Second, Illinois had a very favorable Big 10 schedule this year. They played Michigan, Wisconsin, Penn State, all at home. They only had OSU on the road. Now I dont know the schedule for next year (tried to find it), but conceivably Illinois will have to play @ Michigan, @ Wisconsin, @ PSU. Wisconsin lost 0 at home this year (hasnt lost at home in 2 seasons I believe now) and PSU only lost 1 game at home to OSU. Take a look: 09/27/08 at Penn State * University Park, Pa. TBA 10/04/08 at Michigan * Ann Arbor, Mich. TBA 10/11/08 vs. MINNESOTA * MEMORIAL STADIUM TBA 10/18/08 vs. INDIANA * MEMORIAL STADIUM TBA 10/25/08 at Wisconsin * Madison, Wis. TBA 11/01/08 vs. Iowa * MEMORIAL STADIUM TBA 11/15/08 vs. OHIO STATE * MEMORIAL STADIUM TBA My prediction right now is: 1. OSU - very hard to pick against with the amount of returning players combined with the success this year. 2. Wisconsin- will return almost every important starter, and gain Lance Smith on away games. 3. Illinois- Could do better, but the schedule is very difficult. Also note its a NU skip year. 4. Michigan- yeah i know its crazy that UM is 4th, but the loss of Hart/Henne makes it hard to pick them over the above teams. And Im hearing if OSU beats UM, Illinois will go to the Cap 1 bowl, if they do not get a BCS bid. So there is still an outside chance if some teams lose and Illinois wins, that Illinois could get a BCS bowl. Or atleast thats what the people in charge of the bowls are saying. ttp://blogs.jsonline.com/badgers/archive/2007/11/12/uw-remains-in-running-for-outback-bowl.aspx If Illinois loses though it could drop all the way to Alamo bowl. (Quick Edit) The reason why if Illinois and Wisconsin finish with similar records a bowl may pick Wisconsin is because of tickets. Wisconsin always sells out, they have gone to the Cap 1 bowl 2 times in a row and both times bought out the entire ticket allotment. Also Wisconsin is responsible for the biggest revenue/attendance games in UNLV history, and some other teams that they travel too, so the bowl games often select Wisconsin for their fans. I know Illinois would sell out, but some times those bowl people do stupid things.

What about Weeks? The Brewers sent him down to AAA last year. I know that they wont deal him, but Id love to have that type of speed at the top of our line up.

Well I disagree on your assessment that the White Sox cant win this year. Lets just assume that the Sox are willing to add 2 pieces (Hunter/Cabrera) Lets also assume that the Sox are going to get rid of 2 contracts (Garland, Crede) The White Sox Line Up Would look like: 1. Owens -LF 2. Richar - 2b 3. Miggy - 3b 4. Thome- DH 5. Konerko- 1b 6. Hunter- CF 7. Dye- RF 8. AJ- C 9. Uribe SS Pitching Rotation: Buerhle, Vaz, Danks, Count, Floyd That is assuming that for Garland you get nothing that can play this year. Its not a clear cut favorite, but at the same time I would believe that this team could win a lot more games than this year. (Note) Added assumption that in any deal for Cabrera you will be losing Fields.

Pratt, So your saying its easier for a player like JD Drew to sit out, when they have no money, when they have no idea whether or not they will ever be signed. Versus A-Rod who already has in excess of $100mil, who has already turned down the biggest deal in MLB history this year (yankee offer would most likely eclipsed his 250mil), and will just sign for half that because he wants to play? If A-rod just cared about playing, he would have signed with the Yankees. It is unimaginable to be offered the highest salary in your industry and to turn it down, hoping that another team will offer an even higher salary. I guess maybe at worst he could sign a 1 year deal and try again for the long term deal next year, but I just cant imagine many teams putting in over 25% of their payroll into one player, in a sport where no player can produce 25%. In essence if A-Rod makes 25mil, he would need to be 5x more productive than a player being paid 5mil. Even if the player being paid 5mil only puts up stats like .270 10 50, A-Rod would need to put up 270 50 250. It just does not make any fiscal sense, its not basketball where 1 player can produce almost 33%, or football where the QB may be responsible for 50% + of the offense. My guess is that more baseball gm's have that type of thinking than they did when A-Rods first contract was signed. Not to mention it doesnt help that the Yankees have not been in the WS since A-Rod was signed right? And the last few years have the WS has had at least 1 if not 2 teams, that had payrolls under 100mil. We will see, but I really think that there may be some collusion with the owners wanting to send Boras a message. Because eventually if he keeps pulling stuff like this even the Yankees will want a salary cap.

Turns out Wisconsin is playing IPFW and the Big 10 network guide lied. Butch and Hughes looking good

Wisonsin plays IUPUI tonight at 5pm on the BTN. Should be interesting to see the new Badgers squad and how Bo does his rotation. Predicted Starting Line UP: C- Butch PF- Greg Steisma SF- Marcus Landry SG- Joe Krabbenhoft PG- Mike Flowers Butch and Steisma are interchangaeble, I put Butch at C because I think he is the better player and he will be starting regardless. Steisma may be on the bench, but Im going wtih an all upper class starting line up, because thats what Bo Ryan would do. Potentially Flowers could be SG, Trevon Hughes PG, Krabbenhoft SF, and Landry PF, but these questions will eb answered later. I really like Jon Leur a freshman PF/SF from Minnesota I believe. So far has looked like one of the Badgers most talented players already, I believe hes 6'10 but they have had him defend even guards in exhibition. He grew a lot in HS, so he started off as a guard and then became a big man, which is why he has pretty good ball skills etc. Trevon Hughes is the key to the Badgers at pg though. If he can play to his ability, the Badgers may actually be better than last year. Some questions as to who will score points, but im thinking you are going to see about 5 players in double digits each night, no real guy as "the" scorer. Landry was supposed to be, but just has not shown it so far in the exhibitions. In fact, I already see Leur pushing him for playing time.

Boras has talked other players into sitting a season (JD Drew). That was over a few million dollars and JD did not have millions upon millions like A-Rod. There is a potential that A-Rod could see only half the money that the Yankees offered this year. If A-Rod were to sign a deal like that it would really make Boras look bad. Not saying it will happen, but you never know with a guy like Boras, as he seems to care more about himself than his own clients.

Glad Wisconsin actually played again today. This season has been a real shame in terms of expectations versus results, but ah well. Most of the team should return next year, and I really like Lance Smith. Im guessing OSU wins next week, Michigan just didnt look that good.

And Super Bowl you can jump. There was no jumping in Tecmo Bowl.