RockRaines

QUOTE(Steve Bartman's my idol @ Jan 9, 2006 -> 03:03 PM) So why are you "closet cub fans" defending him? :headshake

QUOTE(Steve Bartman's my idol @ Jan 9, 2006 -> 03:01 PM) Gave him away??? He sucks! They were lucky to get live bodies for Patterson. Dude, we know, you think he sucks, blah blah blah.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Jan 9, 2006 -> 02:58 PM) Surely this move will demonstrate to Tejada the Orioles do have a commitment to winning... Anywho, at least this will put an end to all those crazy trade formulae that Cubs fans come up with involving Patterson. You mean the Corey Patterson for Soriano rumors that I have been hearing?

QUOTE(mreye @ Jan 9, 2006 -> 02:41 PM) Smiley-whore.

Wow, pretty much gave him away huh?

http://img109.exs.cx/img109/8027/packageavy6eg.gif

QUOTE(DePloderer @ Jan 9, 2006 -> 02:20 PM) Can buy a can of Skoal "vanilla" whenever he wants and doesn't have to beg from his forgetfull brother in law! Pretty giften online sig-maker.

QUOTE(DBAH0 @ Jan 6, 2006 -> 11:13 PM) And this guarantees Tony Batista as the starting 3rd baseman for the Twinkies. Even better. Nice!!! Maybe we can see him try and pull this on contreras http://gorillamask.net/batista.shtml

QUOTE(DePloderer @ Jan 9, 2006 -> 01:46 PM) Has at least four freinds with nothing better to do than critisise. Odds are, has bad dental health.

QUOTE(knightni @ Jan 9, 2006 -> 12:53 PM) Garland's outing hardly seems plausable. Even giving up 5 runs, there is no way Ozzie would have yanked him. BTW, how come Cotts seems to be worse than Viz, Hermy, and Marte?

QUOTE(JimH @ Jan 9, 2006 -> 09:52 AM) Well Rock, I think you and I and quickman are the only three guys who feel this way. Thing is, as you know I doubt the Cubs will want to trade him to the Sox and in addition it is probably best for Patterson that he gets traded out of the city. On another matter I also recall hearing the Sox had some interest in Todd Walker at the trade deadline last year. He can hit. I doubt the Sox have any room or interest at this point though. People need to keep in mind that he did show a few flashes of brilliance at the major league level. Plus his defense is a key asset. I think that the atmosphere of the cubs, and the downright horrible fundamental coaching by the cubs staff and Dusty Baker has helped him regress. If he could be had for a fringe prospect, like the O's were offering, I would take him in a heartbeat.

If the cubs want to dump patterson for a fringe prospect, I would pick him up for sure.

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ Jan 6, 2006 -> 05:05 PM) The best part of the Ruth Chris experience is the sound of your butter cooked steak sizzling as it comes to your table, then the smell of delicioius steak, then the taste. WildFire in Oakbrook is another good place. Nice steaks, great sides, nice atmosphere. Those are my two favorites. It has been fun reading everyones thoughts and now I have a few other places to try out. What about Ponderosa? That salad bar kicks ass Man I am on a red meat roll. Last night, hit up wildfire on Erie. Got the chicago cut prime rib, medium rare, emphasis on the rare part. It was amazing prime rib. Had red skin and creamed spinish sides, casear salad. And the famous cookie desert. We had a great meal, I would recommend it for sure.

QUOTE(Palehosefan @ Jan 6, 2006 -> 04:57 PM) The problem with the graduate rates calculations is two-fold. 1. If a player transfers, they are automatically counted as a non-graduate. 2. If a player leaves early, they are a non-graduate. If a player doesn't graduate on time, he's counted as a non-graduate. Alot of players have to go back to school for more than 4 years to get their degree. The rest, you are right, they just weren't cut out for it. I wish I could see a list of percentage of "regular" students who don't graduate, or don't graduate on time. True, but guys who leave early were basically there for sports, I assure you many wouldnt have gone to college without sports. With that said, since I took an extra summer to do graduate work before graduation, I would have been a non-grad then.

QUOTE(LosMediasBlancas @ Jan 6, 2006 -> 02:11 PM) Noiiiiiiiiiiice. I will tell you what, the 97 Jordan was unbelieveable.

QUOTE(Palehosefan @ Jan 6, 2006 -> 04:50 PM) Things like easier grading, discounts on items, "free" stuff of course do happen everywhere. But I'm arguing that things like free substantial money gifts, free cars, papers written for you, etc DON'T happen everywhere. Most athletes do get "stipends", hell I've seen some female softball players that got higher weekend stipends then I would earn in a week. I guess we could sit here all day and argue what "cheating" is considered, I'm just saying that significant cheating doesn't happen everywhere. The funniest part to me is that I have a good friend, who played and was recruited as a WR at Tennessee, and he got even less than the female softball players I talked about. I don't have a problem with easier jobs for athletes either, or stipends, as being a student athlete pretty much takes up your possible job earnings time. It's almost impossible to be a student, football player, and have a legit job, and stay sane. I'm having a hard enough time with just two of those 3. Oh, I dont know if you thought that I think its cheating. Im just saying that alot of that stuff goes on more than you know. And it happens everywhere. Free stuff, even grade and paper help like that is an NCAA violation. I honestly have no problem with it anyway, because I feel that the players bring in millions, and get the scholarship, which they may or may not use anyway. I mean, I own college players jerseys, but some of them dont have enough money to eat somewhere off campus without some help. My only problem is when people post comments like, oh man, they did someting terrible, why would they do that, when a violation is rumored. But their school probably does and still does the same things today.

Here are some NCAA graduation rates for basketball. If they dont graduate im pretty sure their tenure at school was primarily for sports. Average graduation rates NCAA MEN's Basketball 1993-2001 ACC, Big 10, Big 12, Big East, Pac 10, SEC 81-100 percent Stanford Penn State Northwestern 61-80 percent Providence Notre Dame Villanova St. John's North Carolina Duke Virginia Vanderbilt Michigan State Indiana Georgetown 41-60 percent Boston College Wisconsin Mississippi Washington State Purdue West Virginia Miami Rutgers Pittsburgh Wake Forest South Carolina Iowa Seton Hall California Kansas State Georgia Tech Florida Kansas Oregon Nebraska 26-40 percent Connecticut Oregon State Michigan UCLA Virginia Tech Iowa State Florida State Colorado Mississippi State Baylor Kentucky Illinois USC Auburn Missouri N.C. State Washington Texas Clemson Georgia Texas A&M Ohio State 0-25 percent Minnesota Temple Tennessee Arkansas Oklahoma State Texas Tech Syracuse Maryland Arizona Alabama Arizona State Oklahoma LSU

QUOTE(Palehosefan @ Jan 6, 2006 -> 04:30 PM) I'm not arguing some places have student-athletes going to no-show jobs, but it doesn't happen everywhere. As for half the students not going to college if not for sports, I will buy that for college in general, but cases like the NC State basketball team don't fit that profile. And im telling you, even in places where you dont think it happens, it happens. I went to Miami University in Oxford Ohio. Well known as an upper middle class white haven. Not diverse, even alot of the athletes come from affluent families. Without calling anyone out specifically, I have been there when things were given to players. I saw the unfair advantages that players received. And this school has barely 50 percent of the stadium full on gameday. I can only imagine what it is like with millions of dollars at stake. Its everywhere, and frankly I have no problem with it.

QUOTE(Spiff @ Jan 6, 2006 -> 04:23 PM) And overly defensive fans. Tressel gets the schools he works for overly defensive fans?? I didnt even know youngstown state was like that? Crazy

QUOTE(White Sox Josh @ Jan 6, 2006 -> 04:09 PM) because I would put the character of a person higher. He is going to represent your franchise and you don't want a guy getting arrested and be in trouble with the law. Character first, talent second if the talent is close. He still going to get drafted. Talent is always above attitude. Otherwise the sox wouldnt have picked up bobby jenks for example. People are always willing to take a chance, especially when your last name is Vick.

QUOTE(Jordan4life_2006 @ Jan 6, 2006 -> 03:32 PM) Garland was just one example. What if Mark or Freddy get hurt? What if B-mac isn't as good as we think? What if Vaz gives up close to 40 bombs? All I was saying is that no matter who we add on offense, for us to repeat in 2006, the pitching has to be top-flight. what if the plane crashes on the way to oakland? What if Jon gets polio??

QUOTE(Palehosefan @ Jan 6, 2006 -> 03:34 PM) Its not always what it seems, but I'm not saying cheating doesn't go on. Don't forget, college athletes like that have their 20-30,000 dollar tuition already paid, and alot of their families had money saved up for that purpose, that they then allow their child to spend on something. I know not everyone has 10k+ saved up for college, but my family is of average wealth and I know I could have afforded phones like that if I had my college already paid off. They also get "special" deals on equipment like that or cars from their college's boosters in the area, which can be considered cheating, just not by NCAA standards, atleast to an extent. Come on man. Half of those players wouldnt have gone to college if it wasnt for sports, and half of their families hadnt saved up a a dime. They get stuff for free, that have no-show jobs that they get paid for. Its pretty much industry standard.

QUOTE(Spiff @ Jan 6, 2006 -> 03:50 PM) Hire Jim Tressel, you know what you're getting. Yeah, nothing but BCS bowl births.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Jan 6, 2006 -> 03:07 PM) With Brandon ready to go? I just can't see that happening. I would rather sign Count and get rid of Freddy via trade or FA.

QUOTE(Rowand44 @ Jan 6, 2006 -> 03:01 PM) Bingo. When I was at a wedding in Indianapolis this winter, NC state mens BBALL was staying in our hotel. They all walked down to the lobby at the same time and had me wondering, how did all of these players get the money to have brand new Treo cell phones and video Ipods attached to bose noise-eliminating headphones. I bet they bought it with their own money.