RibbieRubarb

US Cellular Field! Followed closely by PNC and Safeco.

QUOTE(Alpha Dog @ Jun 12, 2007 -> 11:52 AM) The story isn't too clear on this, but the way I heard it, during Bush's visit with the Pope, he answered ONE question with 'Yes Sir'. How many times during his visit did he say 'Your Holiness', or did he call his 'Sir' throughout? if it was one question that he said that to, you all are making a mountain out of a molehill. Pelosi probably crapped bigger f***ups than that while trying to play ambassadore over in the middle east. Why bring Pelosi into this? Why are you making this a political argument? As for Bush...I agree the "sir" comment might have been the only time he did that and that he addressed the Pope as "Your Holiness" other times. I am not a Bush supporter by any means and I am Catholic. But this is a minor gaffe. When addressing the Queen, you can refer to her as "Your Highness" or "Ma'am". I'm sure the Pope took no offense being called Sir. "Sir" is still a formal sign of respect. At least he didn't say "You're doin' a heck of a job, Benny!"

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Jun 12, 2007 -> 10:32 AM) Kenny Williams shouldn't do anything rash just because some people on the internet feel the season is over. There is a right way and a wrong way to do this, and if the perseption of panic able to be portrayed in this town all of the inroads the Sox made in the last 10 year are gone. If the people on the internet had their way, we would have had a fire sale in mid-May. QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Jun 12, 2007 -> 10:51 AM) Sure. People are much more likely to cancel their season tickets because they view the team as not being able to win ballgames versus canceling them because Ozzie Guillen is an idiot. So why should Kenny not be worried about media perception again? Heck I can pretty much write Jay Mariotti's next column the day after the White Sox make a trade of someone big named. I bet it will have pretty much all of these parts to it... -Shot at JR over the strike and White Flag trade -Shot at Ozzie for being a terrible manager -Shot at KW for not being loyal to the people who brought us the 2005 World Championship -Houston and Minnesota overcame bigger deficits in a shorter amount of time -Cleveland just about caught the Sox in 2005 in a shorter time, with a larger deficit -Mention of the attendence -Dye's taking less money to come here -Clubhouse problems because of Ozzie -Failure of the farm system -the few bad deals Kenny has done, and how this deal is similar to them -JR getting rich off of the Sox -slam of Sox fans intelligence/loyalty, and how they deserve better than this treatment... all in the same sentence You forgot: - How the White Sox will never win a World Series while Jerry Reinsdorf owns the team

QUOTE(Y2HH @ Jun 12, 2007 -> 09:12 AM) And sorry, but the romeo and juliet reference IS valid. Chase wrote for the masses too. Or do you consider yourself special in that lot of MILLIONS upon MILLIONS who watched the Sopranos? It's YOUR point that isn't valid, because the Sopranos was mass marketed to the masses. And because modern day audiences have come to accept garbage non-endings doesn't mean my analogy was bad because people at one time expected things to END for better or worse. Actually my point is valid. Chase was never asked to write for the masses, Shakespeare was told how to end his shows. Chase was given free reign. The masses followed him. Whether or not you like that style is entirely up to you. My original post was never intended to sway opinion, it was just mine. You took it personally. But I will carry on and never stop believin'

QUOTE(Y2HH @ Jun 12, 2007 -> 07:49 AM) Oh ok, it's all better now! I've seen the light! As a matter of fact, from now on, I hope every book I read, every movie I see and every song I hear ends abruptly without an actual "ending" so I can feel as if I'm more "part of the story." That combined with a dash of, "because that's how real life is", doesn't make it work, it doesn't make it better, and no, it's not all right by me. This was a 6+ year song without a final verse. This was a movie without an ending. This was a book missing the last few chapters. That's well and good for REAL LIFE, but I already have one of those. You see, I get to deal with the fact my parents will someday die, that I will get old (if lucky enough), and eat dinner with MY family, the family I choose to be a part of through marriage and friendship. The Sopranos were NOT my family, nor did I ask nor want to be "welcomed into it". It was a short story, not meant to carry on forever after, no matter what anyone says. This decision was driven by money. Period. Imagine Romeo and Juliet without it's ending. Yea...it would suck. Sure, it could have been left up to our imaginations, but the definitive ending is what sent it down in history. Here is my issue with David Chase. It's clear this was about ego tripping after the first few seasons booming success. The very fact he finds it "funny" that true fans of the show were bothered by things like the un-resolved Russian storyline show this. It wasn't about making a statement or leaving things unresolved because they were meant to be unresolved...no, instead, it was because he found it funny! Chase has made it clear on a FEW occassions that he didn't finish some storylines because it bothered the fans and he found it funny! WTF is that?! He wasn't making a documentary that goes on after the show ends (such as Global Warming, or whatever other cause you may or may not believe in). This was a FICTIONAL story, and it needed a definitive ending. Instead, what we got was a cop out...which they can continue a few years later in a movie if they so choose. And why?! Because...nothing happened. Yet another case of a modern day writer weasling his way out of having to tell the end -- because there is still potential money to be made after a few years of vacation! M. E. H. I don't read books or watch movies to "come to my own conclusion". This wasn't a choose-your-own-adventure. So any excuses people come up with for how brilliant Chase was...I'm not interested in. Because unlike you, I like when my movies, music and books have an ENDING. Even if I don't always like the ending -- at least there is one. Oh, and as for the Chase had integrity and wasn't after ratings thing...that's a clear load of crap, since Sopranos was never supposed go this many seasons -- it was CLEARLY stretched out to make more money because of TV ratings, (ratings that steadily declined since it's peak season 3 or 4). The storyline was becoming watered down with inconsequential characters and flat out bad/boring writing in the latter seasons, and anyone watching could tell. I'm sorry, but I've seen hundreds of movies, read hundreds of books that did not have complete endings and left things abrupt. Maybe Fox can have Jack Bauer kill more people for you and you won't have to think when you watch TV. You were obviously watching the wrong show. So don't read my post if you have no interest in my points. But thanks for calling some of them crap and being sarcastic. You seem to know how to have a mature discussion. I see why this great show frustrated you, now. You couldn't handle it. Oh...By the way, your Romeo and Juliet reference is not valid. Shakespeare wrote for the masses. His language was sheer poetry and beautiful, but his plotlines weren't. They were "soap-opera"-esque in their plotlines and contrivences. They were to be wrapped up neat and tidy because theat was expected then and by the audiences. Bad analogy.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Jun 11, 2007 -> 01:53 PM) So we have the worst offensive team in baseball, and we have no players who made a Top 100 list... Thanks Mr Obvious, you're a lifesaver! I just found this other chart on ESPN called "standings". Can you believe the White Sox aren't in the top part of that, too?!?

I posted this in the other Sopranos thread, but I thought I'd post it here too. It seems appropriate. A wonderful final episode to a landmark series that NEVER settled for standard TV/Mafia cliches...no matter how much the public demanded of it. David Chase created a living, breathing work of art in a medium that is dominated by predictable fare that pushes "ratings" first and "integrity" second. Ultimately , The Sopranos was just that...the story about a family. And the show ended like it begin with the Soprano family eating and unsure about their fate. Life goes on and this series was never shy about it's focus on that sentiment. Chase was never tidy with with all plot points...because life isn't tidy folks. I know many wanted the story to have a clean ending because it brings closure. But if you wee really expecting that, I think you have been watching a different show since 1999. I expected this ending...one chapter closed and the next to begin away from our eyes. As for the abrupt ending? I thought my cable went out too. But I see it as NOTHING to get mad over. Think about it. If the show ended 10 seconds later with Meadow walking in and sitting down then a fade to black...this would have been better? Does this ten seconds make or break the series?!? No...also that kind of ending would give the audience a false sense of security about the Sopranos, that everything would be all right. But, my friends, that is not the case. I know we have invested years with them and have grown to love this family. We want that sense of security. But Chase knows that is not truthful. That would be giftwrapping the entire series in a lie. I think we expect more from this great show. The abrupt ending was just that. Removing any sense of security you have about them. No symbolic nature to it. Their lives with forever be "looking over the shoulder", "denial" and "depression". This is life the enitre family chose. There is no backing out. Tony, Carm, AJ and Meadow are all now involved in it. The ending made you, the audience, feel anxious, nervous and angry. Just like the Sopranos will feel every day from now on. David Chase just welcomed you into the family...finally.

A wonderful final episode to a landmark series that NEVER settled for standard TV/Mafia cliches...no matter how much the public demanded of it. David Chase created a living, breathing work of art in a medium that is dominated by predictable fare that pushes "ratings" first and "integrity" second. Ultimately , The Sopranos was just that...the story about a family. And the show ended like it begin with the Soprano family eating and unsure about their fate. Life goes on and this series was never shy about it's focus on that sentiment. Chase was never tidy with with all plot points...because life isn't tidy folks. I know many wanted the story to have a clean ending because it brings closure. But if you wee really expecting that, I think you have been watching a different show since 1999. I expected this ending...one chapter closed and the next to begin away from our eyes. As for the abrupt ending? I thought my cable went out too. But I see it as NOTHING to get mad over. Think about it. If the show ended 10 seconds later with Meadow walking in and sitting down then a fade to black...this would have been better? Does this ten seconds make or break the series?!? No...also that kind of ending would give the audience a false sense of security about the Sopranos, that everything would be all right. But, my friends, that is not the case. I know we have invested years with them and have grown to love this family. We want that sense of security. But Chase knows that is not truthful. That would be giftwrapping the entire series in a lie. I think we expect more from this great show. The abrupt ending was just that. Removing any sense of security you have about them. No symbolic nature to it. Their lives with forever be "looking over the shoulder", "denial" and "depression". This is life the enitre family chose. There is no backing out. Tony, Carm, AJ and Meadow are all now involved in it. The ending made you, the audience, feel anxious, nervous and angry. Just like the Sopranos will feel every day from now on. David Chase just welcomed you into the family...finally.

QUOTE(BigSqwert @ Jun 8, 2007 -> 10:30 AM) No wonder players bad mouth the Sox organization when they leave. Even the fans trash the players when they leave. LOL...Seems like this board doesn't wait till after they leave. No matter what they do right or wrong.

It's times like this I wish Frank Thomas was still on the team. He'd have at least 2 hrs off of Mussina, by now.

QUOTE(fathom @ Jun 7, 2007 -> 08:29 PM) So, from watching Molina, Owens, Sweeney, and Fields so far.....do we teach our prospects to ground out every at-bat? I think its called "making contact"

QUOTE(fathom @ Jun 7, 2007 -> 08:26 PM) Nope...we have more pitching depth in the minors than offense, yet we don't draft a single offensive player? The first 3 pitchers we took were fine....the last two were horrible picks. Meanwhile, the Tigers gave themselves a great chance to have an incredible rotation in a few seasons. I do agree with you there. After all the trades Kenny made in the off-season to acquire the young arms, I thought we'd draft some offense.

QUOTE(fathom @ Jun 7, 2007 -> 08:26 PM) Did you intentionally neglect to read when I said "shaping"? I did not see "shaping" my bad. I'll get ya next time

QUOTE(fathom @ Jun 7, 2007 -> 08:22 PM) Shaping up to be another terrible baseball day. Sox lose, Cubs win, Tigers/Indians win....combine that with an average draft, and I'm looking for a positive today. MLB went to 5 inning games?

QUOTE(Greg The Bull Luzinski @ Jun 7, 2007 -> 04:27 PM) I am beginning to think Ribbie is incapable of leveling any criticism against the White Sox organization. You speak in absolutes. "If you don't like what the White Sox are doing, you are a bad White Sox fan." Chill out and agree to disagree. Well then you never read my posts. I can be critical of the team. But what I do not stand for is extreme negative assumptions by a few. I prefer a more balanced approach to analyzing a team. Not the fortune-telling methods of some that exclaim the Sox are through and the Tigers will be dominant for years to come whent wo guys haven't thrown one pitch yet. Could our draft pick be a bust...Hell yes. Does he have issues? Yes. He needs a secondary and third pitch that are conisitant. But to call for Kenny firing over this...that extreme and not thought-out. The major misconception on this board that those like me are uncapable of not liking what the Sox do... WRONG. We are able to put our reactionary emotions aside and look at the big picture and analyze what is going on. Every loss doesn't send us to a ledge and every win doesn't send us buying World Series tickets. Take a breath and ease up.

QUOTE(CWSGuy406 @ Jun 7, 2007 -> 04:25 PM) No, Ribbie Rubarb is 100% correct, it's the rest of us who are morons. The rest of us need to get a clue, he's the smartest man in the room. It's the burden I live with everyday.

QUOTE(CWSGuy406 @ Jun 7, 2007 -> 04:20 PM) Wasting? Who said anything about wasting? WTF are you talking about? Do you bring anything unique to this thread at all? No? Oh, right, all you do is b**** about people who b**** about our GM -- not me -- making you just as bad as those very same people. Christ, get a clue. Pal, I have a clue. I think having a player with a plus fastball with an excellent chance of signing with a good upside is better than wasting a pick so you can get another pick next year...which is your concept. You need a clue.

QUOTE(WHarris1 @ Jun 7, 2007 -> 04:20 PM) BUT YOU ARENT DEFINITELY LOSING IT. Best case scenario: You sign the best high school pitcher in the draft. Worse case scenario: You can't sign him and you get the same pick the following year. So...it's ok to have NO pick this year to get the same pick next year??? This makes ZERO sense...ZERO.

QUOTE(CWSGuy406 @ Jun 7, 2007 -> 04:15 PM) And I don't see any problem with that. At the very least, by taking Porcello you're keeping him out of the hands of two of the better teams in the AL, the Yankees and the Tigers. And hey, if you don't sign him and he goes to play for UNC, you're drafting twice in the top 30 next year to add onto any supplemental picks from Dye, Iguchi and Buehrle. You approve of wasting a first round pick instead of picking the pitcher we got????...and Kenny's the bad GM, eh?

I just hope Jim Leyland tosses his cigarette at him and tells him to shut up and hit the ball hard...we don't pay you to think.

QUOTE(SoxAce @ Jun 7, 2007 -> 03:51 PM) 29. Wendell Fairley-San Francisco Crap!!! Why didn't Kenny Williams pick him?!? Fire him!!! (just trying to fit in)

QUOTE(thedoctor @ Jun 7, 2007 -> 03:45 PM) so, i should just pencil in poreda as a bust and porcello as a cy young candidate? got it. Porcello should start getting his bust ready for Cooperstown if I understand correctly.

QUOTE(Flash Tizzle @ Jun 7, 2007 -> 03:42 PM) LOLLERZ. Obviously you haven't been reading the last several pages. Specifically, where I said picking a power arm who never produces for the Sox is acceptable if he atleast gives the club a projectable arm. Sometimes the thoughout posts slip in between the biased, reactionary angry ones.

Detroit's not that far of drive. Why don't you all pack up and go root for them. I'm sick of this constant bashing that the White Sox cannot do anything right. It is so extreme it's pathetic.

QUOTE(Flash Tizzle @ Jun 7, 2007 -> 03:34 PM) If Minnesota or Detroit picks Smoker, Griffith, Harvey, or Porcello, we may be in trouble for quite a long time. And if we picked Smoker, Griffith, Harvey, or Porcello all of you would have found reasons to blast the White Sox for those picks too. "They'll get hurt" "Wasted pick...we can't develop pitching" "We'll trade them away" "We'll never sign them"