ZoomSlowik

Jordan Danks does look like a decent bet. Looks like he's a decent contact hitter with pretty good speed and a solid fielder, but probably not a star player. Stole this from a previous Soxtalk thread: Early Draft List (alphabetical order)

I've got a feeling you'll see at least one relief pitcher and one Hispanic player on there, the latter because of the lack of regulation in their home countries.

QUOTE(Steve9347 @ Dec 12, 2007 -> 01:56 PM) My argument is and was that they are a better team without Gilbert as currently assembled. I wasn't talking about adding a legitimate inside scoring threat or anything. They play better team defense and take much better shots without Gilbert on the floor. I know what your argument is, we started there. It's debateable, which is pretty sad when you think about it, but I still don't quite think that's the case. I would say they're roughly equal, since they're likely to be somewhere around .500 either way. The defense is essentially the same (this year they're allowing 3 more points per game WITHOUT Arenas), and though the O is more efficient it's also not quite as explosive or diverse because you really only have 2 guys that can kill you instead of 3. We've also seen them for only 13 games without Arenas, they're likely to hit a dry spell when Butler or Jamison hits a dry stretch with the jumpers (as my fantasy team has seen, Jamison is HIGHLY prone to those), since none of their other players are capable of consistently hitting the teens.

QUOTE(Steve9347 @ Dec 12, 2007 -> 01:37 PM) Yeah, with Gilbert the Wizards have just been dominating the Eastern Conference Finals and the NBA Championships... Never said they were, though last year would have been more interesting if Arenas and Butler hadn't gotten hurt at the end of the year. that was my whole point though, he hurts as much or more than he helps. However, that consistent 25+ points a game is still a lot to replace and their D is still suspect. If their only goal is to maintain their decent but not stellar level of success, then sure, Butler and Jamison and a bunch of decent but not stellar players can probably do that. But that supporting cast you rattled off doesn't exactly make up a true contender. Some depth up front would be huge for that team, especially if they could somehow add a legit starter that could help them on both ends of the floor.

QUOTE(Steve9347 @ Dec 12, 2007 -> 01:28 PM) Yeah, a team with the likes of Caron Butler, Antawn Jamison, Andray Blatche, Antonio Daniels, Roger Mason, Nick Young, and hell even Brendan Haywood is really looking for offensive options. Caron Butler is so much better than Gilbert its not even funny. Eh, only the first two are consistent scorers. The other guys chip in their 7-10 here and there. That works if you want to get a 6-seed and maybe make it into the second round, not if you actually want to go somewhere.

QUOTE(Palehosefan @ Dec 12, 2007 -> 01:09 PM) If teams would just put him at SG instead of PG, things would go alot smoother. He wouldn't quite be the same ball vacuum when the PG has a decision to give him the ball or not each possession instead of Gilbert having to create for his teammates. I really doubt that's the case, because he's still your primary scorer. It's not like Iverson or Kobe playing SG ever stopped them from dominating the ball.

QUOTE(SleepyWhiteSox @ Dec 12, 2007 -> 01:07 PM) Hmm...debatable... Really? How many times did his team advance deep into the playoffs even in a weak Eastern Conference? Even when he was a scoring machine he was only able to do anything of note once, and they still got spanked in the final. Granted his teams never had a decent secondary scorer (it would have been hard with his volume of shots anyways), but even now when he's paired with Carmelo he's unlikely to get another good shot with the depth of that conference.

QUOTE(Steve9347 @ Dec 12, 2007 -> 12:53 PM) I already stated over on TalkBulls that I think Washington is better without Gilbert in their lineup. Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison have played much better (especially Butler) without him in the lineup. Gilbert will get a max deal, and I'll laugh at the team that gives it to him. They are playing better without him right now, but I don't think they have enough firepower to succeed long-term with that lineup. Gilbert is flawed, but he's still very talented and a guy that is hard to replace. If they let Arenas go they really need to add another capable scorer, ideally someone in the post that can give them about 15 points and play good defense. Most of the league is looking for one of those guys though.

QUOTE(DBAH0 @ Dec 10, 2007 -> 03:56 PM) Just on Gilbert, do you still think he gets a max deal in the off-season, coming off 2 knee surgeries? I personally wouldn't give him a max deal anyways, though someone clearly will. He takes so many shots and hits at such a low percentage that he shoots your team out of about as many games as he wins you. He really seems to fit as the next Iverson or Marbury, a guy that puts up great numbers that doesn't really get you anywhere because he doesn't make the rest of the team any better and is disinterested on defense.

QUOTE(DBAH0 @ Dec 5, 2007 -> 05:53 PM) I don't know if that offer (Thomas + Noc + future 1st) for Pau would even work cap - wise. The Bulls should be trying to dump Wallace's contract on someone. I wonder if ther Kings would consider a Wallace plus pieces for Bibby offer for example? Because I guess one of Deng / Gordon / Hinrich may have to leave if they wanted to acquire Pau. Also I didn't get what you meant with comparing Gay to Deng etc. since they're on different teams. Unless you meant Gasol? I don't feel like doing the EXACT math, but it should be pretty close. IIRC Gasol is somewhere between 12 and 14 mil and Noc+Tyrus is around 10. Throw in Duhon or some other kind of filler and you're there. You're right though, I would think they'd want Deng or Gordon (or MAYBE Kirk, though his stock has to be really low right now). Wallace would be a pretty tough sell, he's got two years left after this one on that albatross and is clearly in decline. That's probably why he jumped at our offer and signed rather quickly. After next season he's a super-valuable piece, but that is still a long way off. I commented on Gay/Deng ect. because it affects the potential fits in the trade. I would think that's especially the case with Deng because of Gay being cheaper and farther from a pay day. I suppose you could play one at PF in that system, though that could be iffy.

QUOTE(DBAH0 @ Dec 5, 2007 -> 04:55 PM) Well apparently Iavaroni loves Thomas and thinks he could be the next Shawn Marion in his high paced offense. Nothing will happen until the Feb Trade Deadline anyways, but Gasol just doesn't really fit into that offense right now. A lineup of Milicic at C blocking shots, with Thomas and Gay at PF and SF with Miller at SG and Stoudemire / Lowry / Conley at PG is pretty decent for the future. Yeah, that's why Thomas would almost certainly be part of the deal. I know they like Noc as well, that just doesn't seem like great value for Pau though. Granted his stock has dropped a bit with his start, but so has Tyrus' and basically everyone else's on the Bulls' team. Plus not that long ago they wanted Deng and Gordon for him. That'd be quite a drop-off in price. Of course the problem is that with Gay around you don't really need Deng, and if Miller sticks around Gordon isn't that crucial either, and Hinrich has got to be poisonous right now with his contract/poor play, so they might have to take that offer.

QUOTE(SnB @ Dec 5, 2007 -> 02:14 AM) tuition is around 7 or 8, but with room and board and everything else it's probably fair to come out to around 20k, everything included. Well, yeah, if you count books and other expenses I guess... Good thing I didn't need an extra year.

QUOTE(Rowand44 @ Dec 5, 2007 -> 12:34 AM) Everybody does love Hypnotoad. "All glory to Hypnotoad!"

QUOTE(G&T @ Dec 4, 2007 -> 10:36 AM) Agreed. Also I would rather spend for quality rather than quantity. In college it was definitely the opposite. Yeah, that got old pretty fast for me. I think another part of that is that you drink what is available at first unless you go the fake ID route. By senior year I definitely stopped drinking s*** like Ron Rico, Smirnoff, and basically any cheap light beer.

Wait a minute, am I missing a massive tuition increase at Illinois? I know out of state has to be nuts, but if you can qualify under in-state it was about 8k a semester when I graduated including room and board, which is coming up on 3 years ago. Granted it was about 6k a semester when I started, but s***, that's almost an extra 10 grand a year...

If they can get Gasol for that, he better be on the Bulls by 9 AM on the 15th. I seriously doubt that though.

The flavored s*** yeah, definitely chick drink. Vodka was always our drink of choice when we were pre-drinking before going out though (usually just shots).

QUOTE(dasox24 @ Dec 2, 2007 -> 08:45 PM) I'm surprised that they're all these people who like Vodka this much. I guess maybe it's a regional thing, but no one (except girls, no offense. Just how it is) really drink Vodka. I'd say most of my friends drink whiskey. The only thing I like vodka in is a Bloody Mary, which happens to be one of my favorite mixed drinks. I guess I've had it with lemonade once too, and I remember that it wasn't that bad. Kinda curious to what y'all think? Is drinking whiskey just more of a Southern thing? I think it's mostly that vodka mixes with basically everything and is relatively cheap. I had a strict no-flavored policy when I was buying though. I do think region affects it though, I think only like one guy I knew drank whiskey, unless there was an insane special at some liquor store (ie when Southern Comfort was $7 a bottle ).

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Dec 1, 2007 -> 04:07 PM) Wasn't this in the home clubhouse? The grinder bash in recent years has just been the visiting clubhouse. Yeah, it was. It's definitely bigger, and they had big recliners that you can see off on the side by the big flat screen on the wall. It's a pretty similar setup though.

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Dec 1, 2007 -> 03:56 PM) How was the clubhouse? What was off-limits? Well, basically all of the chairs and such were shoved to the one side by the TV, and the lockers were cleared out with merchandise taking their place. You got a better feel for the place at the "Grinder Bash".

We actually went on Friday, definitely worth the trip for us. They don't quite have the full fan shop selection, but it's definitely decent. I got a hoodie with the old hitman logo and a matching hat, Dad got a polo shirt, saved about $40. If you want a Thome or Konerko jersey you should DEFINITELY go, those are 50% off.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Dec 1, 2007 -> 02:39 PM) Do you folks who've been at this longer than me have a favorite wodka wariety? I'm finally getting to the point where I can afford something beyond Gordon's, which is occasionally nice. Well, from my experience if price is not an issue and I have to pick one I'd go with Grey Goose. It's pretty damn smooth, especially if chilled. However, basically any of the ones that are a step above Smirnoff are decent to good, and I'm not totally sure I could tell the difference between most of them, other than that it's not Smirnoff. Ketel One, Absolut, Skyy, or Svedka are all perfectly acceptable. I've never tried Belvedere (I've heard it's overrated and over-priced), Effen, Level, or interestingly Stolichnaya though.

410-78-1 best I got in a few tries, consistently over 60. Some of you guys are nuts, I thought I was moving pretty fast.

QUOTE(Heads22 @ Nov 29, 2007 -> 02:38 PM) I plan to get acquainted with Mr. Smirnoff in about two hours. Smirnoff is absolutely brutal unless you're mixing drinks with it, and even then I'd prefer other vodkas. There are SOOOO many better ones out there. You might as well go bargain basement and get Gordon's or Burnett's if you're going to do that. I know it's fairly cheap, but if you have to go that route get Svedka. It's a lot smoother and is generally only a couple of bucks more per handle.

QUOTE(RME JICO @ Nov 28, 2007 -> 02:14 PM) We can't match that deal? That sucks. Floyd, Uribe, and MMac? There's just a slight difference in ability between Garza and Floyd. Maybe Danks.