"Seasons Over" "Sox Are Done" "First Round &a

[tonyho7476]

Chaos- I'm with you on this one.. Nice original post and there are many negative people in this sad, sad world and we just have to learn to deal with them.. :headshake

 

I think people on this board are a part of the diehard group. Most of us have the Sox as our favorite Chicago team...I know I do. I have invested a lot of time, money, and energy on this team this year. When things look like they are falling apart, I get upset and angry. I think most of this is venting on the part of Sox fans. I think its natural. There are issues with this team. We all know it and hope they overcome those issues.

 

I personally have done so many fun Sox things this year, that its the perfect season to cherish, especially if we get a World Series.

 

Opening Day - Limo to the game...good seats

AJ saves the day versus the Dodgers (best game I can remember)

July 4th, my b-day - surprise b-day party for me, my friends, and my family

Batting practice with the Sox - next week

20+ games for a non-season ticket holder

Playoff tix ready to go

 

If they win it all, I can say I was there to see some great things.

[SnB]

I know for me, as of late, it's about protecting my emotions. If you don't expect much, you're not going to get absolutely crushed if something happens.

 

My worries about them breaking my heart have grown in the past month, that is all.

[Allsox]

Chaos- I'm with you on this one.. Nice original post and there are many negative people in this sad, sad world and we just have to learn to deal with them.. :headshake

 

I agree about the negativity....I'll give an example: If the White Sox win the World Series in 7 games (Please Lord, make that true!), some fans would b**** they would have won it in 4 if not for Ozzie's bad managing or something along those lines....After hearing the gripes and moans from fellow Sox fans over the last 10 yrs about JR being cheap, blue seats make the park look bad, JR being cheap, the upper deck is too high, JR being cheap, I can't believe I only got upper deck playoff tix for my Ozzie plan, I firmly believe some Sox fans will NEVER be happy

[Flash Tizzle]

I agree about the negativity....I'll give an example: If the White Sox win the World Series in 7 games (Please Lord, make that true!), some fans would b**** they would have won it in 4 if not for Ozzie's bad managing or something along those lines....After hearing the gripes and moans from fellow Sox fans over the last 10 yrs about JR being cheap, blue seats make the park look bad, JR being cheap, the upper deck is too high, JR being cheap, I can't believe I only got upper deck playoff tix for my Ozzie plan, I firmly believe some Sox fans will NEVER be happy 

 

I often here this, or some variation to this statement, and it's pure crap. Atleast come up with a better example than moaning after a World Series championship. I don't know why anyone would fail to understand a Sox fans reluctance in this team after the way they've been hitting the last two months. Personally, I couldn't care how many poor decisions Guillen makes in the World Series. If we win, it erases everything. I don't know why it wouldn't.

 

It just seems we're never happy because we've haven't won a postseason series in nearly 90 years. Win one, and I'll stop complaining.

Edited September 1, 2005 by Flash Tizzle

[Yossarian]

Here is the logic of the pessimists. If the Sox lose the World Series on a fluke play or an umpire's call in extra innings of Game 7, they'll say ... "See, I told you they couldn't win it all." And they are happy they can say they were right.

 

If the Sox win it all, they can say "I'll glad eat crow!  How 'Bout Dem White Sox!!!!" And they are happy they won.

 

Pretty f***ing pathetic.

I'll take this one on. I've rooted for the Sox almost half a century. I hung in there in the darkest times of all from 1968-70 when the Sox didn't draw flies, fielded awful teams and even played some home games in Milwaukee. I remember 1975 when the AL promised the White Sox franchise to the good folks in Seattle and had to backpeddle when Bill Veeck came to the rescue. That same Bill Veeck was ready to sell the team to Marvin Allen, who would move the team to Denver, a few years later. I've watched the Reinsdorf regime for a quarter of a century either be unwilling or unable to build a consistently winning franchise. The White Sox are and were my team of choice and I've hung in there with them both monetarily and emotionally. I'm so old I actually remember watching the 59 WS on TV, and could still give a pretty good game by game analysis of it. We lost the Series in game 2 when third base coach Tony Cuccinello did a "wavin' Wally" and sent Sherm Lollar home, ending a rally. Lollar made Paul Konerko look like a track star. I'm not old enough to remember 1917 and don't even know anybody who is. I've been through it all and don't need any lectures. The Sox seem to me to be a few bricks shy of a load, not a World Series caliber team. In the modern day watered down state of baseball a few bricks shy of a load may still be good enough. So I'll continue to call it like I see it and still root for the Sox. I don't need a loyalty test, I passed mine a long time ago thank you.

[Queen Prawn]

I'll take this one on. I've rooted for the Sox almost half a century. I hung in there in the darkest times of all from 1968-70 when the Sox didn't draw flies, fielded awful teams and even played some home games in Milwaukee. I remember 1975 when the AL promised the White Sox franchise to the good folks in Seattle and had to backpeddle when Bill Veeck came to the rescue. That same Bill Veeck was ready to sell the team to Marvin Allen, who would move the team to Denver, a few years later. I've watched the Reinsdorf regime for a quarter of a century either be unwilling or unable to build a consistently winning franchise. The White Sox are and were my team of choice and I've hung in there with them both monetarily and emotionally. I'm so old I actually remember watching the 59 WS on TV, and could still give a pretty good game by game analysis of it. We lost the Series in game 2 when third base coach Tony Cuccinello did a "wavin' Wally" and sent Sherm Lollar home, ending a rally. Lollar made Paul Konerko look like a track star. I'm not old enough to remember 1917 and don't even know anybody who is. I've been through it all and don't need any lectures. The Sox seem to me to be a few bricks shy of a load, not a World Series caliber team. In the modern day watered down state of baseball a few bricks shy of a load may still be good enough. So I'll continue to call it like I see it and still root for the Sox. I don't need a loyalty test, I passed mine a long time ago thank you.

 

[Milkman delivers]

Here is the logic of the pessimists. If the Sox lose the World Series on a fluke play or an umpire's call in extra innings of Game 7, they'll say ... "See, I told you they couldn't win it all." And they are happy they can say they were right.

 

If the Sox win it all, they can say "I'll glad eat crow!  How 'Bout Dem White Sox!!!!" And they are happy they won.

 

Pretty f***ing pathetic.

 

Think that all you want. There might be a few people that will be happy the Sox lose so they can brag about it, but there can't be many.

[Milkman delivers]

I'll take this one on. I've rooted for the Sox almost half a century. I hung in there in the darkest times of all from 1968-70 when the Sox didn't draw flies, fielded awful teams and even played some home games in Milwaukee. I remember 1975 when the AL promised the White Sox franchise to the good folks in Seattle and had to backpeddle when Bill Veeck came to the rescue. That same Bill Veeck was ready to sell the team to Marvin Allen, who would move the team to Denver, a few years later. I've watched the Reinsdorf regime for a quarter of a century either be unwilling or unable to build a consistently winning franchise. The White Sox are and were my team of choice and I've hung in there with them both monetarily and emotionally. I'm so old I actually remember watching the 59 WS on TV, and could still give a pretty good game by game analysis of it. We lost the Series in game 2 when third base coach Tony Cuccinello did a "wavin' Wally" and sent Sherm Lollar home, ending a rally. Lollar made Paul Konerko look like a track star. I'm not old enough to remember 1917 and don't even know anybody who is. I've been through it all and don't need any lectures. The Sox seem to me to be a few bricks shy of a load, not a World Series caliber team. In the modern day watered down state of baseball a few bricks shy of a load may still be good enough. So I'll continue to call it like I see it and still root for the Sox. I don't need a loyalty test, I passed mine a long time ago thank you.

 

That's awesome that you're able to remember the last WS they were in. I can't wait for the day I get to see them actually win one. It must suck to hear about bunch of 20 and 30-year-olds tell you you're not a fan.

Edited September 2, 2005 by Milkman delivers

[TheBigHurt]

QUOTE(Controlled Chaos @ Sep 1, 2005 -> 09:07 AM)

So what is it?  What makes a fan do it?  How can someone be a die hard fan, but constantly preach and predict negativity.  Why do some fans always predict the worst outcome.  I've thought about this a lot.  I'd say probably half the board members have this attitude, as well as a number, of my family and friends.

 

"Seasons Over"  "Sox Are Done" "First Round and Out" are just some of the things I've heard and read.

 

It's a lot easier to deal with losing if you put it in your head that we've already lost. If you say 'we're gonna lose' and then we do lose.... you don't feel as bad cause you were mentally prepared for the loss.  Hell, you might even feel good because you predicted it.  Why else do fans of a team go around saying: "I told you so...I knew we were going to lose that one."  Well wuppty f***in do....you predicted your favorite team to lose and they did...how is that in any way good??

 

Now what happens if you're one of these pessimistic souls and the team wins.  Well you feel good then too, cause deep down you truely are a fan.  Who really cares if you said they sucked 20 minutes ago.  They won!!  Everyone is happy, but deep down you know you are happy about something you couldn't even let yourself believe in.

 

This attitude reeks of weakness.  You can't go through life preparing youself for the worst.  I say you jump in with both feet.  I've always been an all or nothing guy.  Yeah, it hurts more when things don't go your way, but you take solace in the fact that you never wavered and you took the bad with the good. A guarded fan is a passionless fan. 

 

I'm not saying you can't be critical or that you can't be concerned.  In fact, as a fellow die hard fan, I demand it.  However, predicting losses or predicting that we won't make the playoffs or predicting we won't make it out of the first round is a mentally weak thing to do.  Predicting the game is over in the top of the first when the sox are down 1-0 nothing is a weak thing to do.  The simple fact is, this team is capable of winning every single game they play.  At the start of every game, they have just as much a chance of winning as anyone.  So why sell your self short of sharing that belief with them.  Why try to soften the blow?  Victory tastes so much sweeter if you don't.  Believing you can win is part of the joy in winning.

 

In the words of George S. Patton:  "Americans love a winner, and will not tolerate a loser.  Americans play to win all the time.  I wouldn’t give a hoot in hell for a man who lost and laughed. That’s why Americans have never lost, and will never lose a war: Because the very thought of losing is hateful to Americans.”

 

Let's see the American attitude in the white sox fan.  Don't prepare yourself for losing...prepare yourself for winning.  Prepare yourself for the greatest end to a Sox baseball season in over 80 years. LETS GO SOX!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Controlled Chaos

 

You said it, my friend. Sure we may not have jumped on gettign a great bat, and we are having problems, but this team is just as capable of winning as it did at the start of the year. All this negativity makes me sick.

[kevin57]

The reasons for pessimism have all been given (e.g., psychological buffer against "inevitable" disappointment), but you have to have "faith," and faith means something only when it's being tested.

 

Let's face it, almost everyone thought the Sox were charmed the first half of the season. While the pitching has been consistently very good, we often pulled off victories like some guardian angel was watching over us.

 

In August, the tables were turned. No breaks, no guardian angels.

 

I chose to believe that we needed the hard times of these past few weeks. Besides all the other ingredients necessary for wins in the playoffs, there has to be a mental toughness that only losing and scraping back to life can bring.

 

Can they blow it in the first round, or even, perhaps before the season ends? Yup. But I chose to have a different faith.

 

[knightni]

Ok, fine.  You said it, not me.   

 

 

 

Yes, I did.

Stop arguing with him that you agree with him, he'll ban you!

[santo=dorf]

QUOTE(CubKilla @ Sep 1, 2005 -> 10:24 AM)

1st and 2nd halfs of 2005 eerily similar to 2000.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's ridiculous.

Who is left from the 2000 team? Frank, Mark, Garland, and Konerko.

That team was built on offense with a crappy pitching staff, this team is built on a great pitching staff with a mediocre offense. Hell, the only coach from the 2000 staff is the bullpen coach. The dimensions of the ballpark have changed as well.

 

The 2000 White Sox have NOTHING to do with the 2005 White Sox.

 

:rolly

[Yossarian]

That's ridiculous.

Who is left from the 2000 team?  Frank, Mark, Garland, and Konerko. 

That team was built on offense with a crappy  pitching staff, this team is built on a great pitching staff with a mediocre offense.  Hell, the only coach from the 2000 staff is the bullpen coach.  The dimensions of the ballpark have changed as well.

 

The 2000 White Sox have NOTHING to do with the 2005 White Sox.

 

:rolly

Yes the makeup and emphasis of the teams is somewhat different but both struggled in the second half. After going 55-30 the 2000 White Sox went .500 if you include that three game debacle with Seattle to open the playoffs. In 2005 the Sox were 62-29 and are 19-22 since then. We are 1-0 in September, so keep it up and that will make the comparisons to the 2000 team null and void. Everyone will be happy. As a lonely voice in the wilderness, I will say it again, our history is an albatross. Win the big prize and it's all gone. August is in the rear view mirror. Good riddance. It's up to the White Sox to seize the moment and write their own chapter.

[BFirebird]

very nicely put chaos....the negativity needs to stop in my opinion...look around the rest of the AL...everyone has flaws and no team other than the indians have played well in the second half.

 

Red Sox - great offense no doubt...but their staff is lacking some depth. Curt Schilling is not the Schilling of last year and they miss Pedro A LOT. If you look back at their championship team last year they won on pitching and defense....not offense. They traded offense to get defense...remember that.

 

Yankees - look at their starting pitching...nuff said.

 

Angels - most well-rounded, has best chance along with Chi Sox in my opinion to make it to the Show. Colon has been a stud, but other than K-Rod rest of bullpen a little shaky. Offense is also as inconsistent as Chi Sox.

 

A's - great staff...but a little young and inexperienced in key roles like closer and most of rotation. Some key injuries like Crosby's will hurt a lot.

 

Indians - good all around team and will be dangerous for years to come...may still make the wild card but not enough to catch the Sox.

 

After looking at the rest of the league you should feel better about our White Sox. While we my not win it all or even make it to the Show...I believe that we have just a good of a chance as any other team in the AL.

 

Keep your heads up and GO SOX!!!

Edited September 2, 2005 by BFirebird

[Yossarian]

very nicely put chaos....the negativity needs to stop in my opinion...look around the rest of the AL...everyone has flaws and no team other than the indians have played well in the second half.

 

Red Sox - great offense no doubt...but their staff is lacking some depth.  Curt Schilling is not the Schilling of last year and they miss Pedro A LOT.  If you look back at their championship team last year they won on pitching and defense....not offense.  They traded offense to get defense...remember that.

 

Yankees - look at their starting pitching...nuff said.

 

Angels - most well-rounded, has best chance along with Chi Sox in my opinion to make it to the Show.  Colon has been a stud, but other than K-Rod rest of bullpen a little shaky.  Offense is also as inconsistent as Chi Sox.

 

A's - great staff...but a little young and inexperienced in key roles like closer and most of rotation.  Some key injuries like Crosby's will hurt a lot.

 

Indians - good all around team and will be dangerous for years to come...may still make the wild card but not enough to catch the Sox. 

 

After looking at the rest of the league you should feel better about our White Sox.  While we my not win it all or even make it to the Show...I believe that we have just a  good of a chance as any other team in the AL.

 

Keep your heads up and GO SOX!!!               

You're right, everyone has problems. There is no total package. Still the Sox need to pick up the hitting, while the pitching remains strong. Last night was a good start.

[Soxfest]

Nothing would make me happier than a White Sox championship, but at some point have to go from Point A to Point B in the postseason, having best record and winning central division is nice but very hollow.

[Controlled Chaos]

Bump.

 

First post in this thread still holds true!!

 

Don't turn your back Sox fans.

 

[TitoMB345]

Bump.

 

First post in this thread still holds true!!

 

Don't turn your back Sox fans.

 

I think when people do things like that, it just shows how much of a fan they are. Let's put it this way: would you rather have a fan that stops following the team and ignores all the bad when they are sucking? Or would you rather have a fan that can't get the team out of his head, good or bad, and might decide to get emotional when the team is sucking? I prefer the latter, because it shows that the person really cares for the team. We all are guilty every now and then of doing just that, but I think it just reaffirms our love for the team.

 

Maybe you think I'm wrong, but thats just the way I feel.

[Balance]

What is it that they have to say at the end of all those investment commercials?

 

Past performance is no guarantee of future success?

 

Last year was last year. There are some legitimate reasons to be concerned at this point, this year. The Sox simply need to start playing better in every facet of the game, or else the doomsayers will be right. I, for one, hope that they can turn it around. I know they can. But I think we can all agree, the Sox have to increase the quality of their play.

[Controlled Chaos]

I think when people do things like that, it just shows how much of a fan they are. Let's put it this way: would you rather have a fan that stops following the team and ignores all the bad when they are sucking? Or would you rather have a fan that can't get the team out of his head, good or bad, and might decide to get emotional when the team is sucking? I prefer the latter, because it shows that the person really cares for the team. We all are guilty every now and then of doing just that, but I think it just reaffirms our love for the team.

 

Maybe you think I'm wrong, but thats just the way I feel.

First off, I think any fan that stops following the team, cause they're sucking, isn't a fan at all. In fact I'm not sure how a person like that could be a Sox fan unless they just came aboard last year.

 

I prefer an emotional fan too...never said otherwise...

 

 

I just thought this was an interesting thread from last year and if I can convince any of the sox fans out there not to take a turn to negative town, I'm going for it.

 

One interesting aspect was we had a 7 1/2 game lead and about 1/2 the posters thought it was over, yet now we are back 5 1/2 and we have posts questioning if it's insurmontable?

Edited July 21, 2006 by Controlled Chaos

[Gregory Pratt]

I think when people do things like that, it just shows how much of a fan they are. Let's put it this way: would you rather have a fan that stops following the team and ignores all the bad when they are sucking? Or would you rather have a fan that can't get the team out of his head, good or bad, and might decide to get emotional when the team is sucking? I prefer the latter, because it shows that the person really cares for the team. We all are guilty every now and then of doing just that, but I think it just reaffirms our love for the team.

 

Maybe you think I'm wrong, but thats just the way I feel.

 

I prefer a fan who can worry without spiffting his pants.

 

Some guys do it real well.

Most? Not so much.

 

I am surprised that Jose Contreras never had a thread of, "WHY DOES HE SUCK" "WHAT'S WRONG WITH HIM LOL!" "fish HIM, LOL!!" but everyone -- EVERYONE -- else has faced serious criticisms, and unwarranted criticisms. That's not entirely relevant, just something that came to my mind.

[Kalapse]

I prefer a fan who can worry without spiffting his pants.

 

Some guys do it real well.

Most? Not so much.

 

I am surprised that Jose Contreras never had a thread of, "WHY DOES HE SUCK" "WHAT'S WRONG WITH HIM LOL!" "fish HIM, LOL!!" but everyone -- EVERYONE -- else has faced serious criticisms, and unwarranted criticisms. That's not entirely relevant, just something that came to my mind.

Who has faced unwarranted criticism around here, other than maybe Thome, which is completely ridiculous?

[Gregory Pratt]

Who has faced unwarranted criticism around here, other than maybe Thome, which is completely ridiculous?

 

I'll rephrase: excessive and senseless criticism.

 

I think everyone's been worthy of some criticism for somethings at some point or another. What I meant was, things like, "This guy freaking sucks," "Trade him," etc. etc. Everyone's been subject to unnecessarily, and undeservedly, harsh words, IMO.

[Kalapse]

I'll rephrase: excessive and senseless criticism.

 

I think everyone's been worthy of some criticism for somethings at some point or another. What I meant was, things like, "This guy freaking sucks," "Trade him," etc. etc. Everyone's been subject to unnecessarily, and undeservedly, harsh words, IMO.

Most of those are brief reactionary posts from people who are prone to that sort of thing. I really don't think there have been much substantial conversation that carried on in that light. That sort of thing was what you generally see in say the game thread when Javy Vazquez gives up a grandslam to Craig Monroe in the 6th inning of a big game, you'll see basically the same people everytime (it's a small group of them) freaking out completely and calling for Javy to be DFA'd. Basically I see it as being a small group who will post the ridiculous crap in the heat of the moment.

[BigSqwert]

...you'll see basically the same people everytime (it's a small group of them) freaking out completely and calling for Javy to be DFA'd. Basically I see it as being a small group who will post the ridiculous crap in the heat of the moment.

I resemble that remark.