ZoomSlowik

QUOTE(Steve9347 @ Feb 6, 2007 -> 09:13 PM) payroll's only 77 mill... I was referring more to the insanely high talent level in the lineup in this case, not the payroll.

QUOTE(T R U @ Feb 6, 2007 -> 08:43 PM) Which is one of the problems.. there is too many elite players, teams in this league are either really bad (because of their GM) or really good.. there are superstar players all over, not enough middle of the road growing teams. The league is watered down with superior talent Yeah, it's insane how much stronger the top couple of teams are than even the middle of the road teams. Arizona is in the middle of the pack, and they have like 5 guys that would crack my roster, two of those guys in the bullpen and another of them on the bench, and there are teams better than me and teams weaker than Arizona. And then there's Steve, that guy's team is just insane, it's like the Yankees only it's twice as bad and they can pitch.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Feb 6, 2007 -> 08:17 PM) See I knew he took over the Angels and I got the feeling he's been pretty successful from a few of the posts here but I tried not to really read into it because it would only piss me off. Figures, I'm in the league for how many years and not once did I get past the A's then that asshole Zoom takes over my team and finds immediate (somewhat) success. Ridiculous. You'd have been fine if you maxed out some of your guys with points. Alden and Junichi are monsters now, Smit is having a huge year, and McDowell has been pretty big as well. Actually, the bigger factor is that Oakland has fallen off a bit, he only won 88 last year and is on pace for only 89 this year. Plus I still made some changes, I added Delmon Young, Heath Schwandt and Christopher Lozano last year, and got Phillip Hughes, Mike Ferris and Mark Carrillo this year. Those guys made a fairly big difference.

I also wouldn't totally be against re-starting, in fact I suggested that back when my team sucked in Arizona. I'd kind of like to win a ring though first.

QUOTE(T R U @ Feb 6, 2007 -> 07:29 PM) Im not trying to argue that Durant WILL be a post player, I am just saying that I don't think he is going to have a problem in the post And again, I don't see how thats an assumption.. He is definitely going to add size to his frame, he may be done growing (Which I doubt) but he WILL add some size. He is an 18 year old kid, its as close to a guarantee as you can get. I don't know if adding bulk to his frame is going to make him lose mobility, hes not just going to add weight, but bulk in terms of muscle size. I wouldn't think he would lose too much from it. I have been arguing with you all day on two different message boards, I am starting to think you have an Oden obsession. I don't really see how you can assume massive changes, hosts of other guys have been in the same situation and there aren't a whole lot that have drastically changed their size, makeup, and playing style. Plus, come on, how many 240 pound wing players do you see? Not many, cause it's just not neccesary. I would think working on his defense, passing, and to some extent ball-handling would be much higher priorities, since he can be a very good SF without bulking up too much. He can be decent in the post, but it's unlikely that posting up will become a huge part of his game. He's just too good on the perimeter, I just seriously doubt anyone would put that much effort into developing his post game at the expense of his perimeter abilities. Hey, is it a crime to discuss a dividing and interesting topic so much?

QUOTE(T R U @ Feb 6, 2007 -> 07:15 PM) Tim Duncan is 6'11 260... you don't think that Durant right now at age 18 6'9-10 ish and 225 lbs cant add 30-40 lbs over the course of the next 4 years in the NBA with a person assigned to him for the sole purpose of bulking up and adding weight to be able to also play on the inside? Its not an assumption, he is an 18 year old kid who has freakish size. He is going to grow more, theres no doubt about that. Not really, that's still an assumption. How many prominent players have grown significantly since they first hit the scene? It's not THAT common for a guy to suddenly grow 2 inches and add 40 pounds, that's a hell of a change, especially for a guy with a pretty thin frame. Plus if he bulks up THAT much it's likely to be a detriment to his mobility and his outside game, which is something you'd really hate to lose. Adding bulk just isn't as big a goal for perimeter players as they have many other things to work on. Plus there's still a big difference between him and guys like Duncan and KG besides size. They've been post players their entire career and have worked a lot on improving their strength, positioning, and moves. That's something that Durant just hasn't done and probably won't given his immense abilities on the perimeter, at least not regularly.

QUOTE(CanOfCorn @ Feb 6, 2007 -> 06:27 PM) He's going to grow another inch or two and he SHOULD be better than Gasol, who the Bulls may trade for. Durant, when he gains some more weight, will be greater than Oden. As was said before, Oden will be limited to the inside. Durant will be able to do both. Gordon, Hinrich, Deng, Durant and Wallace would be wonderful. That's not really true at all, Gasol and Durant are significantly different players. One is primarily a perimeter player, the other is a post player. Plus assuming growth spurts and massive weight gains isn't really a good argument. He'd need to significantly bulk up to play PF in the pros, and he'd still be better suited to play outside. He could be decent inside, but he's already damn good outside. His post game is really more of an individual matchup type thing. We're basically talking about a Tracy McGrady clone here...

QUOTE(qwerty @ Feb 6, 2007 -> 06:08 PM) What season do you all actually plan on simming this league to before a new one starts? My guess would be that we're going to keep going until enough vets and/or Knightni leave. All of the hardcore players seem to be really attached to their teams.

QUOTE(Soxbadger @ Feb 6, 2007 -> 03:41 PM) Call me when you get a ring SoCal. ;p Haha, I got pwned. We'll see, my team's in pretty good shape the next two years, and even after that my lineup is still in good shape. Getting by Steve and AJ will be rough though. I'm not SoCal anymore though.

QUOTE(CanOfCorn @ Feb 6, 2007 -> 01:56 PM) After watching Durant last night against A&M...wow. But, his defense, besides shot blocking, is atrocious. I think, depending on need, Oden. But, if I'm the Bulls or Pistons or a team that relies on defense. I might take a flier on Durant. I disagree on the Bulls part, Oden is EXACTLY what they need. His inside presence makes them significantly more dangerous, and makes their defense ridiculously good. They're already loaded in the forward department with Deng, Noc, and Tyrus. While Durant can potentially be better than those 3, that just wouldn't make much sense to me. QUOTE(T R U @ Feb 6, 2007 -> 02:32 PM) Durant Oden is going to be restricted to inside play, while Durant can play inside, outside, and anywhere in between.. Like it was already said, he has been adding weight and for someone who could easily be around 6'11 with the added weight he should be a monster at the next level.. I am not sold on Oden, sure he could be a good player.. but I dont think he is this cant miss going to be an all star player.. But then again, it all depends on who has the #1 pick and what they need I wouldn't be too quick to assume that Durant will be a good inside player in the pros. He's still woefully thin, that'll make a much bigger difference in the pros than it does in college. He'll get shoved around and pin-balled on his drives a lot more. He does have a nice turnaround in the post, but he's still much more dangerous on the perimeter, especially since it makes him harder to double team. Oden has been arguably the best big man in the country despite playing with one hand most of the year. Statistically, he compares very favorably to Patrick Ewing and Hakeem Olajuwon. There really isn't THAT much more he can do when facing a double team every game, though his scoring is picking up recently. He'd immediately be one of the top centers in the league, and will probably be pretty similar to Dwight Howard in the short term (fewer boards, more blocks though) and more like Tim Duncan in the long term.

QUOTE(Soxbadger @ Feb 6, 2007 -> 01:31 PM) So A's to NL west or AL East? Sweet? Oh nm i am the AL West (2 years dont change s*** Zoom!) The current standings say otherwise.

QUOTE(Tmar @ Feb 6, 2007 -> 01:25 PM) Who is switching teams? Are you also moving THE Texas Rangers to the NL West? The plan is that Mac's Atlanta team is going to become the Cubs and that the Cubs will become Atlanta with a new GM, since Jose has been so comically negligent of late. And for about the 40th time, no, the Rangers are not moving to the NL West, please stop asking. You'd still be in 3rd in that division anyways, actual record or pythag...

Give me the big man. With one major exception, big guys win championships. Durant could very well be the next T-Mac, but Oden can very easily be the next Duncan. Both are fantastic prospects, and both have their positives and negatives. Oden strengths- Size, defense, athleticism, post offense looks a lot better now that his wrist is healthy. Is still a dominant force even though he has played much of the year at less than 100%. weaknesses- Not a great offensive player yet, though he is still farther along than the vast majority of big men, especially for a freshmen. Defense away from the basket still needs some major work, MSU just abused him on the pick and roll. Durant strengths- Monster offensive player, can score in basically every way imaginable, great athlete, good size on the wing, very good ball-handler for his size. weaknesses- Needs to bulk up, will be harder for him to finish inside in the pros. Not very good at creating shots for others. Defense is a major negative right now, though he does have the athleticism to be an excellent wing defender. In the end I don't think you can go wrong with either player. Both look like they will be future stars. However, to win big I think Oden is the answer. You've got a lot more margin for error with the other pieces around a dominant big man than you do with a dominant wing player.

Steve9347 will be taking over for Brainfart, making this an All-Soxtalk crew now. Still waiting to hear from 2 players, but I'll still give them a while to respond...

QUOTE(WHarris1 @ Feb 5, 2007 -> 10:24 PM) They are having a great offensive game, better than anyone has had vs. A&M all year. But just atrocious defense. Definitely, their team defense is brutal. They can't do much about their interior D because they just don't have the horses, but Durant should be a defensive monster, and Augustin and Abrams have enough athleticism to be decent as well. Honestly, I thought Durant forced a few too many shots tonight too. He shot just under 40%, that's really low for a guy with his talent. They'd probably be better off if he layed off some of those shots and tried to setup his teammates a bit more. You'd think he could create some easy shots for guys under the hoop when he drives, and Abrams and Augustin can hit some shots. I'm really nitpicking though, the guy is obviously an incredible talent that will make some NBA team very happy and put some butts in the seat. However, I'd still take Oden first, he's much better defensively and has looked better on offense recently now that his wrist is better.

Durant has 29 points and 12 boards, and Texas is still losing by 15. I know his supporting cast isn't the greatest, but they're not THAT bad.

QUOTE(Jimbo @ Feb 5, 2007 -> 04:45 PM) Can we do some kind of pay league? Its more fun with money I personally will not be responsible for that, though it's possible if there is enough interest...

Since Yahoo should be opening early next week, I'm going to get started on sign ups. Please include the following information in your post: 1) What format you prefer playing (head to head or roto) 2) Your relative level of experience (experience is not required to play, I'd just rather not put beginners in the stronger leagues) 3) Your league preference (if you have played before) 4) Whether or not you are willing to be a league commisioner (especially for people that have done it in the past and/or veteran players/posters) Leagues will be setup/announced when the rosters are full, with new leagues being formed as demand requires. Nothing will be announced until Yahoo opens at the earliest, and probably later. Do not panick if I haven't responded or placed you in a league yet, I will be paying attention to this league and taking notes. Good luck and have fun!

That is just absolutely awful, Mayo didn't hang on the rim AT ALL, and he barely touched the ref. That was definitely Duke defense/NFL kicker/Vlade Divac (or insert your own comparison)level diving by the official. That is just flat out awful.

QUOTE(AssHatSoxFan @ Feb 2, 2007 -> 09:29 AM) Hitters: carlos beltran jimmy rollins Pitchers: Johan Santana Erik Bedard Rich Harden also do we have a set date in case i decide to change mine? I'm going to lock the keepers a week before the draft. I'll post a reminder to that effect once I have a set draft time.

Cavaliers just took down Duke. Singletary hit a ridiculous fallaway with a second left, Paulus missed an open 3 at the buzzer.

Awesome, UCLA-Oregon is on a bunch of the FoxSports regional networks. God, I love having the sports pack sometimes.

QUOTE(Rex Hudler @ Feb 1, 2007 -> 06:51 PM) All of this makes me long for the days when we saw players stay for four years. Or hell, at least three. I really wish college basketball/NBA had the same rule as college baseball (I believe football is also the same) where a player can't leave before he has been in school for three years. College basketball is great as it is, but think about how much fun it would be if these guys stayed in school I'm sure somebody could provide a nice list of players that would be juniors and seniors right now had they stayed or went to college. Man, the league would be significantly different. UConn would be a monster with Rudy Gay, Josh Boone, and Marcus Williams, and Texas would be downright scary with LaMarcus Aldridge teaming with Kevin Durant, as well as Daniel Gibson and PJ Tucker. Plus LSU would get Tyrus back and UCLA would get Jordan Farmar. That doesn't even count guys that went pro before last year that would still be in college like Lebron (senior), Chris Paul (senior), Luol Deng (senior) Dwight Howard (junior), Marvin Williams (junior) and Josh Smith (junior), and guys like Gerald Green, Al Jefferson, JR Smith and Shaun Livington that never went to college but probably would have been studs.

QUOTE(Soxbadger @ Feb 1, 2007 -> 12:53 PM) But why take the risk? Even if the risk is .01%, why take it? You are not talking about financial security here, this is about so much wealth that his childrens children will probably never have to worry about money if he does not spend it foolishly. Playing 1 more year is just not worth the risk. Unless your parents are Bill Gates, etc and the money does not mean anything anyways. Otherwise its time to move from being a big fish in a medium pond, to big fish in big pond. I agree, I'd be gone without a doubt. However, if he really likes college that much and wants to work on his game some more before making the jump, I can't totally fault him for that. There's like a 99.99 percent chance that the money will still be there, and if he can live with that it's his call.

QUOTE(Soxbadger @ Feb 1, 2007 -> 12:33 PM) I agree that the risk for Oden is not that high. But some of the guys you mentioned did severely impact how much money they were paid. McGahee went from potentially top 10 pick, to late first round. Cromartie left the first year he was eligible, had he stayed this year and then left this draft he most likely would have been one of the top cb's on the board. A guy like Lee Evans is the best comparison. He stayed after 2001 tore his ACL in 2002, therefore had to stay in 2003 as well, and then finally went to the draft. Its hard to project where he would have gone but his 2001 stats were significantly better than his 2003 and there was no injury history also. Its just very hard to leave 100mil (salary, bonus, endorsements) on the table for college basketball. That is true, but they haven't totally lost all of their NFL-related income (though obviously there are lesser-regarded players that did). Evans just lost a couple of years on the end, and the other guys I mentioned lost some money on their rookie contracts (realistically, I don't think Allen really lost anything, that was probably about as high as he could go). Plus I was merely using that as an example, the rate of serious injury like that in basketball isn't as high, and even for major surgeries like ACL's and micro-fracture surgery guys can still come back and play at a fairly high level unless it is really serious or multiple surgeries are involved (ie Penny Hardaway, Grant Hill or Antonio McDyess, and those guys still aren't exactly broke). Realistically for Oden barring a truly catastrophic injury he'll still make well into 8 figures regardless, and if that isn't enough for you to live comfortably you truly are an idiot.