Disco72

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Apr 27, 2011 -> 09:31 PM) The AP is reporting 25 dead in Alabama The most recent video of that tornado is unreal. You can hear the person filming it breathing - I'd be completely terrified.

Also reports of funnel clouds... looks like I'm staying up late tonight until this thing passes.

QUOTE (elrockinMT @ Apr 27, 2011 -> 02:47 PM) I considered going to Direct TV, but these are not good stories to hear. Answer me this though. Do you get the various FOX channels? If they have FOX-Chicago or something can you get a Sox game on Saturday on one of those FOX feeds? It might be offered, but I do not have any other Fox than the regular, local Fox station. I never get any of the Fox games when the Sox are on; I usually get Atlanta.

QUOTE (Tex @ Apr 27, 2011 -> 12:37 PM) DirecTV Monday Tuesday blacked out Same for me.

Blacked out on MLB Network...booooooooo!

I was just going to post something similar to what Tex said. When you aren't very smart (or knowledgeable) on a topic, you can be swayed by facts. However, when you are reasonably well informed, it becomes a philosophical debate and stances on issues reflect the philosophical (note: not necessarily party) views of the opinion holder. There is no out and out proof that any one philosophy is better than the other, and since most different philosophies have their merits, you cannot discredit most philosophical views. As a result, you get endless arguments that sometimes don't lead anywhere.

QUOTE (hi8is @ Apr 10, 2011 -> 12:36 PM) I really like this quote from Humber: Specifically - the part about "allowing yourself to get out of the way." In any productive craft or creative endeavor - this is so true. Baseball and life relate so closely in terms of the lessons that can be applied and gleaned. I think this is how Sox fans should take it too. He had a good first start. Give him another - let him keep going as long as he's performing. As a fan, I am not expecting this to continue, but you gotta ride it as long as you can especially since it buys more time for Peavy and extra rest for the other starters.

As long as Thornton doesn't keep blowing it, he'll get the vast majority of the save situations. Ozzie's never liked to use his closer 5 days a week; this is just his way of saying it. Also, with so many (potentially) good relievers, I think this means Ozzie is going to try not to overwork any one of them.

Keep pitching inside - if someone gets hit, they get hit, but there's absolutely no reason now to throw at him. AJ backed his pitcher, then both the manager and the player "apologized." Who would look like the idiots if the Sox hit him on purpose after all that? Go win the game.

I think farmteam's view is pretty accurate, on average. The craft brewing industry has advanced far enough that there are beer snobs on par with the wine snobs out there. However, I think true beer lovers just want everyone to find something that they like. Sometimes what comes off as snobby, like encouraging someone to step out of the mainstream, is really just an effort to get someone to find a whole different set of beers and hopefully find something that they really like. When I first tried really hoppy beers, I wasn't a fan; now, I really enjoy a glass or two of some hop-heavy beers (like Terrapin's Big Hoppy Monster). However, I also really enjoy other beers as well across a variety of styles. One of my favorite things is seasonal beers and switching my main "fridge stocked" beers as the seasons change (darker beers in the winter, lighter beers in the summer). I think we're in a "golden age" of brewing - and I love it!

QUOTE (FlaSoxxJim @ Apr 2, 2011 -> 09:35 AM) I think Glissade is pretty good myself. I had only had it in bottle form until this past week and it was quite good on draft. That said, it was the least memorable beer of the evening, but that was because I was at a Sierra Nevada beer event that you would have flipped for. At the start of the event they were serving up Glissade and their regular and Pale Ale, but also had tapped a keg of their wonderful wet hopped Northern Hemisphere Harvest Ale and a keg of 2011 Bigfoot. I thoroughly enjoyed the Northern and opted away from the Bigfoot because I had to drive home and was also saving my tastebuds for the really special things to come. A couple of hours into the evening, the bar tapped a sixtel (5 gallon 1/6th keg) each of the 30th Anniversary Grand Cru as well as the star attraction of the evening, the much-anticipated whole-cone Hoptimum Imperial IPA. An amazingly easy-drinking 10.5% abv/100 1BU beer made with lots of Magnum, Chinook, Cascade and Simcoe hops as well as a new proprietary Sierra strain that they are not revealing much about. I had enjoyed the bottled Grand Cru a few months earlier, and he draft version was excellent. This was probably my favorite of the various 30th Anniversary releases, and it gets my mouth watering in anticipation of the Ovila Abby beers slated for release in a couple of months. As for the Hoptimum, I wish the bar was a stumble away from home rather than an hour's drive because one pint of that was not enough. I'm sure it will be at least another year before the place manages to get their hands on another keg of the stuff. Yummy stuff for sure. That's just awesome!

Anyone a fan of the Sierra Nevada Glissade? I've been trying more Sierra Nevada due to my unnatural love of their Celebration Ale, and I'm also becoming a big fan of the Glissade.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Mar 31, 2011 -> 04:16 PM) Thanks Matt...called them and made the change...my cell service can get a bit iffy, so this was a great tip! I always find it is easier to walk around while doing the interview so I don't get too nervous or find myself distracted by anything (e.g., email, soxtalk...), but I'll still take notes on what is going on and who is saying what (especially when there's more than one interviewer). I also try a little harder to ask some questions earlier in the interview so it doesn't get too one sided with them asking all the questions and so I can show off whatever it is I want them to see/know/hear.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Mar 31, 2011 -> 12:22 AM) Oh my goodness. dan, this was a splendid piece by you. But a small part of my soul died after reading it. This franchise has the nerve to not want to hand out contracts over 3 years to pitchers? This has to be the worst collection of SP talent I've ever seen. So let's compound the problem of having no minor leaguers by crippling the major league roster with ineffective, injured, and expensive starters? That doesn't sound like a great plan to me.

BUMP. My wife actually volunteered to watch the Sox opener with me this Friday (meanwhile my Friday afternoon meeting got cancelled!). Anyone know a good place to watch the game here in Knoxville? I'm sure Buffalo Wild Wings on the strip would have it, but I'm not sure how crowded it will be on a Friday afternoon.

QUOTE (bigruss22 @ Mar 29, 2011 -> 08:00 AM) Neglecting the farm system for so many years is actually KW's worst move. Think about it, KW's strength is in finding other team's prospects/players to contribute to the Sox, he has a pretty fair record in trades, and I do love that he isn't hesitant to make a move (thought I do disagree with his targets sometimes). But he and JR are pretty terrible when it comes to building from within, they restrict themselves and because of that they have held back the potential of where this organization could be. Yes, they have had a successful decade in Sox standards, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't have done better. They couldn't put together consistent years, mainly because they didn't have the depth to recover from injuries or lack of production on players that they relied heavily on. Have a strong farm system to help with injuries or to use as trade bait could've been the difference between a good 10 years (and I really only call it good because they won the WS, I know "only" but they weren't consistently good enough), and a great 10 years. Fair criticisms, but at the same time, KW has traded away a ton of talent to get major league contributors. As bad as the farm system has been rated, it has still been good enough to keep restocking the major league club both through trades and through the rapid advances of guys like Beckham and Sale. Having said that, your main point is well taken - not wasting so many good picks on bad players could have made a "good" 10 years great.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Mar 22, 2011 -> 10:31 PM) You missed the point. I realize those were for the most part, I rather have brought back Putz or signed Scott Downs over Crain, and Ohman sucks, the best options for a team trying to win in 2011. The point is you can't blatantly ignore the farm for years, refuse to ever go over slot and never deal with the agent who represents the top talent yet want to have this strict policy in place. Peavy was damaged goods when we got him. That was the first sign. And like I said to Chicago White Sox, you can't have it both ways. Nothing wrong with not wanting to overpay in years/coin for FA pitchers. But damnit, stop trading away every decent pitching prospect we have, spend some money and draft better and you won't have to. Gio Gonzalez and Dan Hudson would look REALLY good right about now. How come we couldn't pony up for Tanner Scheppers over Josh Phegley in 2009 but we can overpay for mediocre relievers like Scott Linebrink and Jesse Crain and extend garbage like Mark Teahen in what is shaping up as KWs worst move ever? If that is my GM's worst move, I'm a pretty happy fan. Especially if his best moves include those like Thorton, Danks, and Floyd.

QUOTE (Elgin Slim @ Mar 22, 2011 -> 03:27 PM) Unfortunately, the Sox would be doomed pitching wise if they don't start handing out some long term contracts to good pitchers and continue drafting poorly. All good pitchers command at least 3-5 years on the open market if they are 31 or younger. Aces or borderline aces/#2s command 6-7 years. Carlos Silva got 4 years for christsakes. I know what happened to Peavy would probably make JR want to not give longer than 3 years ever again, but if they don't start doing so, then the only pitchers the Sox would have after this group's contracts expire would be older pitchers or cost controlled pitchers. In other words, if they want to continue this policy, they better hire the best pitching scouts they can and be prepared to pay over slot in the draft so they can build a staff through the draft or trades. I don't want to see the day where we act like any good pitcher in the free agent market is like what a Boras client is now. Clearly, the key to your argument is that they can't avoid long term contracts AND draft poorly. The Sox have been absolutely right in not signing pitchers to long term deals. Look at how people complained about Linebrink...or Teahen (I know, not a pitcher)...and now Peavy's contract. If we had Zito's contract, the meltdown on this board would be epic. However, people should keep in mind that only one member of the 2005 starting rotation is still on the Sox. KW has done a fine job restocking the major league rotation with good pitching...while often using their "terrible" minor league system to do so.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Mar 22, 2011 -> 10:17 AM) This phrase appears in the AD's statement on the Pearl firing: WTF did Pearl do in March? I just read that email and was thinking the exact same thing. Assuming it's true, what complete stupidity by Pearl.

Did anyone go out and see Ayers Rock (Uluru)? It was on our to-do list, but it's going to be very expensive to fly out there and stay for a couple of days.

QUOTE (The Gooch @ Mar 15, 2011 -> 02:58 PM) I agree that you can find out important information from letter of recommendation, and I also agree with you about full disclosure. I just think calling a reference is much better than asking for a letter of recommendation.. Subjective information from a letter can be misinterpreted without a little prodding. I could find out much more about an applicant in a 5 minute reference interview, or even an email. Those in charge of selection are usually looking for some specific knowledge, skills, and abilities. Instead of a general letter of recommendation that may or may not tell you what you want to know, how about an email with specific questions or a prompt that you ask the applicant to give to their references and send back? This will get at what you really want to know. Make the last question just about additional comments about the applicant so that you will get some of the unique information about an applicant that you might find in some letters of rec. I guess I probably should be more clear in what I have been trying to say. I do not think cover letters and letters of recommendation are useless. I do think that there are more efficient and productive methods to determine the best applicant(s). I don't think we're as far apart as it may seem. Mostly, I was trying to convey the importance of these things to those that may be applying for jobs or schools, especially getting good references (either letter writers or those that are contacted by the potential employer/school). If I had to read them every day, I think I would be pretty sick of them too!

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Mar 15, 2011 -> 02:03 PM) Lillibridge is a way better defender than Teahen. But he's not a good enough defender that you can get excited about him coming in as a defensive replacement. Versatility is the Bridge's only skill.

QUOTE (The Gooch @ Mar 14, 2011 -> 11:36 PM) I think this is more often true for the latter. Cover letters can be useful, but they are not worth the cost and time it takes to read them. Especially with the volume of applications that are received today due to the internet. If you don't have the basic qualifications, you probably aren't getting an interview. If you get an interview because of a clever cover letter, you will most likely be weeded out during the interview process. The only bigger wastes of time that are commonly used are letters of recommendation (but these are mostly used for internships, college admission, etc, and not so much for actual jobs anymore). I don't totally agree with you, but the first scan should always be qualifications for the job. I agree that nobody should advance just because of a good or clever cover letter if they don't have skills, knowledge, and ability to perform the job. Like cover letters, a lot of recommendation letters are cookie cutter, but as someone who both writes them for people applying to jobs and school and reads applicants' letters, there are lots of subtleties in letters of recommendation. I've written pretty mediocre letters of recommendation that the person I was writing it for thought was great, but I'm sure the person reading them could tell that I was not exactly praising the applicant to the highest. I guess I'm agreeing with SS2k5 that be sure you have good references because just because someone agrees to be a reference (or a letter writer) doesn't mean they'll sing your praises above anyone else's. I actually recently read a letter for someone applying for a PhD program that stated the person needed to learn to write better... don't you think that applicant would like to have that letter back? (As an aside, I always share the letter I write with the person who asks me to write it - I'm all for full disclosure).

I'm a huge proponent of studying abroad and looking at international programs, but it doesn't seem to fit for your program. What benefits will you get from doing an international program that you won't get in the United States? If an employer asked how the program helped make you better at your job, what would you say? It even seems possible that the coursework could be different and that you won't learn what you might need to learn to be successful in your field in the U.S. As Scenario said, it may be better to separate the two.

Lingering Injuries: torn rotator cuff; tendonitis in both knees Like others have said, the best thing is to stay active but be cautious not to overwork the trouble areas. I tore my rotator cuff swimming (I do agree, though, that it's a great, low-impact workout), so I have to be careful not to swim too much or fall into old habits of only breathing on one side of my body. I can't run much with the knees, but I find a good run once in awhile doesn't hurt as long as I've been doing other things to stay in shape. Also, yoga isn't a bad idea either. I thought I'd hate it, but it really isn't too bad at all.