lostfan

QUOTE (DBAHO @ Jan 30, 2009 -> 03:46 PM) When was the last time the Federal Budget had a surplus FWIW? Annual surplus or total numbers in the black? Bush inherited a surplus and then basically torpedoed it completely with his combination of the Iraq invasion and tax cuts (which I never understood). As far as the last time the federal government hasn't had debt, I don't even know. A looooooong time ago.

When I figure out that attractive women are flirting with me.

QUOTE (bschmaranz @ Jan 30, 2009 -> 02:51 PM) Didn't stop us with Swish last season. Dunn in Center!!!! Swish really wasn't bad in CF. He wasn't good, but it's not like he was Macowiak blowing plays out there left and right. I'd say he was about league average. Honestly I think anyone who thought he sucked out there are just letting their memories of his non-existent bat affect their memory.

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Jan 30, 2009 -> 02:55 PM) He was definitely below average last year and he didn't really improve as the season went on so there's no reason for me to believe he'll be any better next year. It's gotta be tough for him playing a whole new position after spending his whole playing career on the right side of the outfield but he never adjusted to the position, even as late as August he was having trouble reading the ball off the bat. Fair enough, but at least he has some decent athletic ability. He doesn't have the natural ability to read the ball off the bat like some better OFs do that can play any position (e.g. Anderson) but I still feel like I should be giving him the benefit of the doubt even though he wasn't that good in 2008. He was supposed to bring some pretty good D when he came up.

QUOTE (watchtower41 @ Jan 30, 2009 -> 02:56 PM) Convenient for CQ to save him from scrutiny by almost giving away the Central for smashing his hand into a locker/wall whatever. I'd like to think Wise was actually a better player when he was starting and knew he would be everyday. We don't win the division last year without Wise. period. Owens would not have been capable of that spark. I'm not calling him an all-star, but sometimes journeymen need to find their niche. Wise never played scared... he plays smart. If you want to point to his .206 average and .271 OBP in 72 PAs in September as one of the primary reasons the Sox win the division (along with some pretty bad defense), be my guest. Actually, I'm even being generous with the length of the hot streak as that ended sometime in July. He didn't come crashing back to Earth, but he still came gently back to Earth. I don't see what CQ has to do with this though.

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Jan 30, 2009 -> 02:50 PM) Well one thing's for sure, the Sox will have the worst defensive OF in the game for much of 2009. 3 below average defenders with Dye and Wise being well below average. Toss in Fields at 3B, Pierzynski behind the plate and Konerko at 1B, should be fun. Maybe we can break some records. I wasn't impressed with Quentin's D, but I wouldn't call him below average. I think we expected to find out he was a plus defender and then just saw he wasn't.

Steele would be a good choice IMO.

QUOTE (daa84 @ Jan 30, 2009 -> 02:38 PM) actually i think a guy getting hot during a pennant race is the exact definition of covenient Winner.

QUOTE (watchtower41 @ Jan 30, 2009 -> 02:36 PM) Convenient?? I didnt know pennant chases were convenient. Nobody on our team was hitting after CQ's dumbass injury except for Wise. I'm not saying he is the fastest foot for CF. But at least he is an veteran that understands and knows how to play the game. He is a baseball player, something Owens clearly is not. The fact that his hot streak came during a pennant chase was extremely convenient. Which I was happy about by the way. Wise is just plain not good... 2008 had to be a magic carpet ride for him.

QUOTE (watchtower41 @ Jan 30, 2009 -> 02:08 PM) Actually he was one helluva 4th OF for us last year, if you can remember he was one of the main spark plugs that delivered us a AL Central Crown last year after CQ went down. I'd be one to think that Wise is oozing with confidence right now that he can fit in with this team, we already know he has a better bat than Owens. Expecting more in the starting CF/Lead-off position is one thing, but to think Wise is completely useless on this team in nuts. He's a career minor leaguer whose bat got hot for a while at a convenient time.

QUOTE (Athomeboy_2000 @ Jan 30, 2009 -> 02:18 PM) She is very attractive. I dont deny that. What i am saying is should they have used campaign money to make her sexier in an attempt to draw votes? I find that sleazy. I honestly don't have a problem with it, but it just became one of many reasons that me and many others thought she came off as a phony gimmick (pretending she has things in common with me, as if that's a reason I should be using to decide my vote anyway).

QUOTE (Nixon @ Jan 30, 2009 -> 02:12 PM) Nothing wrong with a good grudge f***. You seem to really be missing the ability to type the F-word.

QUOTE (klaus kinski @ Jan 30, 2009 -> 12:52 PM) Wouldnt have mattered because there would have been endless excuses and covering up the "finally proud" statement or anything else said that was questionable if she was running. "Wouldn't have mattered" still pretty much means "doesn't matter."

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Jan 30, 2009 -> 12:44 PM) Should I be the one to point out that Michelle Obama wasn't running for office? Figured that was a given.

QUOTE (GoSox05 @ Jan 30, 2009 -> 12:35 PM) If you put a ban on Monday, wouldn't Tuesday be the new Monday? It doesn't matter because you'll only have 2 days between then and Friday which obviously is preferable to 3. Which is why Mondays blow ass in the first place. Or, maybe I'll just make Wednesday a mid-week weekend type of day. Then Tuesday will also be Friday. I think I'll leave my advisers to recommend which one I'll do.

QUOTE (Cubano @ Jan 30, 2009 -> 12:32 PM) The problem in the USA is the following: The Government overspend, people overspend, companies overspend, etc. People want to have the lattest Laptop, Blackberry, Nintendo, car, etc. People live in La La Land. I do not need any of that. When my thing break, then I buy a new one. There is no concept of savings. The government want you to spend. They overspend and then want your money. I agree. But. There is a case to be made for the gov't deficit spending right now in certain places (although the Democrats are going way overboard with it, IMO).

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jan 30, 2009 -> 12:23 PM) The problem with measuring BA's statistics is they were almost always put up against the most favorable match-ups possible....whereas Mackowiak faced a steadier diet of top pitching. I know that BA somehow managed to hit two dingers off Felix Hernandez, but typically he gets owned by dominant/ace-caliber pitchers. Who the hell doesn't? That's why they are called "dominant/ace-caliber pitchers." Hell look at the OPS of this lineup vs. Johan Santana. It's pretty sad.

QUOTE (bmags @ Jan 30, 2009 -> 12:15 PM) and closing herself off from the media. Also, when you claim to be just a modest hockey mom just like you and not like the elitists on the coasts, perhaps you shouldn't go dressing at the elitist clothing shops. I forgot about those, they are big ones.

QUOTE (Cubano @ Jan 30, 2009 -> 12:21 PM) Many of you have become extra personal in here. I am not ignorant about USA, etc. On the contrary, I read a lot about history, economy, etc. One thing I notice everywhere that the most passionate are the ones in the left. They group themselves and rally in the streets and in the web against anybody that disagree with their point of view. This happens around the world. I guess the left has the numbers. None of it's personal, that's just how it is in the Filibuster and we do it every day. We have heated arguments in these threads then we turn around and post in other threads like it didn't happen. No big deal. Like the description says, bring your thick skin.

QUOTE (bmags @ Jan 30, 2009 -> 12:13 PM) Cubano, you're extrapolating quite a bit. How many people went there, lets say 200,000, this is a nation of 300,000,000, so... you think that far less than 1% of our population could not afford to travel to Washington for a few days? 2 million went, easily. You saw the reported 1.5 million on TV, there were several hundred thousand more in the streets.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jan 30, 2009 -> 12:07 PM) What choice did Guillen really have that year...to keep running Anderson out there every day in July and August when he wasn't even sniffing the Mendoza Line? In 2006? Yes. Anderson warmed up quite a bit in July and August. Macowiak replacing Anderson's bat is one thing but the dude had no business in CF.

QUOTE (Cubano @ Jan 30, 2009 -> 12:06 PM) You know I am right. I do not like manipulation fo the Media. Remember, I am fresh and I am not American by birth. I came from another background. I despise Republicans too. I am in the middle. I'm not a fan of the media by any means but that's a pretty standard Republican theme and tactic. Taint the message before it arrives. If it's positive for you, you win. If it's negative, claim bias. Whether the bias is really there (it is sometimes) or not. Palin was treated unfairly for a period of a few weeks (right now she's getting more attention than she's earned, IMO) but really she made herself a target by claiming to be something she's wasn't (which people eventually figured out), then mocking her opponents, not backing it up with anything substantive or halfway intelligent, and whining about it endlessly afterwards.

QUOTE (Cubano @ Jan 30, 2009 -> 12:01 PM) Note: I am independent. Complain about taxes, envy of the rich, socialism, class warfare themes Advocate drilling as a cure-all to energy problems Complain about the liberal media That's 3 for 3 so far, you sound pretty lock-step, hard right Republican.

Wade's first name is spelled Dw Y ane... just FWIW

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jan 30, 2009 -> 11:57 AM) Ozzie, please don't make me feel about Wise the way you made me feel about Mackowiak. Trying to make a player into something he is not, never has been, and never will be? I agree.