--- In cubscoven@yahoogroups.com, "Socherball" <socherball2@...> wrote:
  It is much the same way the Obama administration has tried to spin everything
as the previous administration's fault.
>

Interesting.  Especially since the Republicans started blaming everything on
Obama on the day after his inauguration.

--- In cubscoven@yahoogroups.com, "Socherball" <socherball2@...> wrote:
>
>
> I agree it is the latter.  They are cowards - but, I think it is not
completely their fault.  They write what the crowd wants.  When the purse
strings were finally opened up and Hendry went hog-wild on Soriano, Lilly,
Marquis, etc. most Cubs fans were happy we were getting a big name free agent
and finally spending.  So they spin it as good news.
>

This is a bit of a chicken/egg question.  Were the fans so happy about the Cubs
spending because the press was portraying it as a good thing; or was the press
portraying it as a good thing because the fans were so happy they were spending
money?

My recollection is that the writers were all going on and on about how the Cubs
desperately needed Soriano to solve all their problems, and completely neglected
to mention his many many many shortcomings.  Before the Cubs even signed him, I
think the fans (who are mostly sheep (let's call them sheople)) believed he was
worth whatever price Hendry paid.

Sticking with the sheep analogy, I think the press usually plays the role of
shepherd, telling the sheople what to think.  It may be true that they write
what the sheople want to hear, but I think they also have a huge influence over
what the sheople want...so isn't it completely their fault, after all?

--- In cubscoven@yahoogroups.com, "sfwab" <willbassett@...> wrote:
>
> The Cubs beat writers are starting to write about the big contracts Hendry has
given out in years past limiting his flexibility to do much now.
> I certainly don't disagree with the points they are making, but I wonder if
they are really just figuring this stuff out now?  This is old old old news, and
most of us have been criticizing these contracts for years making the point that
it is inevitable that this day would come.
> So the question is: are these writers really just figuring it out now?  Were
they really so clueless while Hendry was handing out these ridiculous contracts
that they didn't realize this was coming?  Or do you think they knew it was
coming, but it wouldn't be well received if they criticized the Soriano signing
at the time and they've just been biding their time to slam Hendry if the
Soriano signing failed to bring a WS championship - in which case they are
cowards.
> So the way I see it, the Cubs beat writers, in general, are either idiots or
cowards?  I suspect it's the latter.
>

I agree it is the latter.  They are cowards - but, I think it is not completely
their fault.  They write what the crowd wants.  When the purse strings were
finally opened up and Hendry went hog-wild on Soriano, Lilly, Marquis, etc. most
Cubs fans were happy we were getting a big name free agent and finally spending.
So they spin it as good news.

Now, most Cubs fans (even the dumber ones) are finally starting to realize that
these deals to Soriano, Bradley, Zambrano, etc. may have done more harm than
good, and are complaining about them.  Hence the beat writers are now
complaining about them.

Lastly, I think part of it is with the new ownership group.  There is so much
joy and excitement over the Ricketts purchase that the beat writers are piling
on about how bad it is when Ricketts took over, so that when/if it fails, the
ground work is laid for someone to blame.  It is much the same way the Obama
administration has tried to spin everything as the previous administration's
fault.

The Cubs beat writers are starting to write about the big contracts Hendry has
given out in years past limiting his flexibility to do much now.
I certainly don't disagree with the points they are making, but I wonder if they
are really just figuring this stuff out now?  This is old old old news, and most
of us have been criticizing these contracts for years making the point that it
is inevitable that this day would come.
So the question is: are these writers really just figuring it out now?  Were
they really so clueless while Hendry was handing out these ridiculous contracts
that they didn't realize this was coming?  Or do you think they knew it was
coming, but it wouldn't be well received if they criticized the Soriano signing
at the time and they've just been biding their time to slam Hendry if the
Soriano signing failed to bring a WS championship - in which case they are
cowards.
So the way I see it, the Cubs beat writers, in general, are either idiots or
cowards?  I suspect it's the latter.

I think there is a big deal in the works involving Bradley and Jay Cutler.

On Mon, Nov 23, 2009 at 11:05 AM, cubbieblueralph
<no_reply@yahoogroups.com>wrote:

> ...for one thing it means that Bradley is still a Cub.
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

...for one thing it means that Bradley is still a Cub.

--- In cubscoven@yahoogroups.com, "sfwab" <willbassett@...> wrote:
>
>
>
> --- In cubscoven@yahoogroups.com, "Socherball" <socherball2@> wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> > --- In cubscoven@yahoogroups.com, Chris Lohroff <chris@> wrote:
> > >
> > > What the heck is he up to now?
> > >
> > > http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/sammy_sosa.jpg
> > >
> >
> > He figured if you can't beat McGwire, join him.  I fully expect a red beard
to be coming shortly.
> >
>
> I fully expect to hear stories about Sosa molesting young boys at the
Neverland Ranch shortly.
>
> I always knew the guy was f***ing nutty, but I never imagined he was Michael
Jackson nutty.
>



I think he's going to change his name to Samuel Sorenson III and join Augusta
National.

--- In cubscoven@yahoogroups.com, "Socherball" <socherball2@...> wrote:
>
>
>
> --- In cubscoven@yahoogroups.com, Chris Lohroff <chris@> wrote:
> >
> > What the heck is he up to now?
> >
> > http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/sammy_sosa.jpg
> >
>
> He figured if you can't beat McGwire, join him.  I fully expect a red beard to
be coming shortly.
>

I fully expect to hear stories about Sosa molesting young boys at the Neverland
Ranch shortly.

I always knew the guy was f***ing nutty, but I never imagined he was Michael
Jackson nutty.

--- In cubscoven@yahoogroups.com, Chris Lohroff <chris@...> wrote:
>
> What the heck is he up to now?
>
> http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/sammy_sosa.jpg
>

He figured if you can't beat McGwire, join him.  I fully expect a red beard to
be coming shortly.

Well I thought the same thing... then i read the article and apparently
others said that too because he said he doesn't think he looks like MJ...

On Wed, Nov 11, 2009 at 3:59 PM, Kerry Smith <ksmithfinancial@...>wrote:

> Looks more like a Michael Jackson wannabe
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Looks more like a Michael Jackson wannabe

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

What the heck is he up to now?

http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/sammy_sosa.jpg


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

This makes sense to me.  With Tejada's age and Theriot's lack of range we
probably would need both of them over there.  And Lee can cover the entire
right side of the infield.

On Tue, Nov 10, 2009 at 7:24 PM, cubbieblueralph
<no_reply@yahoogroups.com>wrote:

> I found this comment on the Official Cubs' website.  It is the kind of
> hilarious "if I were the GM this is what I would do" comment that I was
> talking about:
>
> "Here is my 2010 lineup 1.SS Ryan Theriot 2.SS Tejada 3.1B Lee 4. 3B
> Ramirez 5. RF Holliday 6. LFSoriano 7. CF Fukudome 8. C Soto 9. Pitchers 1.
> Halladay 2. Lilly 3. Zambrano 4. Dempster 5. Wells"
>
> As long as he is engaging in fantasy, why doesn't he just insert a youthful
> Gehrig, Ruth, Greenberg, Hack Wilson, Three Finger Mordecai Brown, Christy
> Mathewson, etc. into the lineup?  (Please ignore the fact that he has both
> Theriot and Tejada playing shortstop. I assume that he meant to put Theriot
> at second)
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

That's just silly talk...we've already got Ryne Sandberg at AA...just put him at
2nd base.

--- In cubscoven@yahoogroups.com, "Dwayne" <dwayne@...> wrote:
>
> Ha.
> Well if we are going insane I trade Theriot for B.Roberts, and insert him at
the top of the lineup.
> D
>
>

Ha.
Well if we are going insane I trade Theriot for B.Roberts, and insert him at the
top of the lineup.
D





   I found this comment on the Official Cubs' website. It is the kind of
hilarious "if I were the GM this is what I would do" comment that I was talking
about:

   "Here is my 2010 lineup 1.SS Ryan Theriot 2.SS Tejada 3.1B Lee 4. 3B Ramirez
5. RF Holliday 6. LFSoriano 7. CF Fukudome 8. C Soto 9. Pitchers 1. Halladay 2.
Lilly 3. Zambrano 4. Dempster 5. Wells"

   As long as he is engaging in fantasy, why doesn't he just insert a youthful
Gehrig, Ruth, Greenberg, Hack Wilson, Three Finger Mordecai Brown, Christy
Mathewson, etc. into the lineup? (Please ignore the fact that he has both
Theriot and Tejada playing shortstop. I assume that he meant to put Theriot at
second)





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I'd trade Wilson for Mantle.

Mantle's taller.

--- In cubscoven@yahoogroups.com, cubbieblueralph <no_reply@...> wrote:
>
> I found this comment on the Official Cubs' website.  It is the kind of
hilarious "if I were the GM this is what I would do" comment that I was talking
about:
>
> "Here is my 2010 lineup 1.SS Ryan Theriot 2.SS Tejada 3.1B Lee 4. 3B Ramirez
5. RF Holliday 6. LFSoriano 7. CF Fukudome 8. C Soto 9. Pitchers 1. Halladay 2.
Lilly 3. Zambrano 4. Dempster 5. Wells"
>
> As long as he is engaging in fantasy, why doesn't he just insert a youthful
Gehrig, Ruth, Greenberg, Hack Wilson, Three Finger Mordecai Brown, Christy
Mathewson, etc. into the lineup?  (Please ignore the fact that he has both
Theriot and Tejada playing shortstop. I assume that he meant to put Theriot at
second)
>