brwrsfan

Wow. I hadn't heard that, and I'll be just downright STUNNED (as I think virtually all of us will) if he is in fact exonerated. I'm trying my best to not get my hopes up, but that would be good news for sure. Wow.

While the cancer obviously did kill him, there is something to be said about a persons "will to live". And as others have talked about, the last few months had to be pretty rough on Joe Pa and potentially seeing everything he built slipping away...he very well might have not had that will any more and simply just gave up.

The fact that there are even play in games no is just a joke to me. I do like that they make the at large teams play in finally. Imagine you're a small school, win your tournament and get in. Then the bracket comes up and the committee thinks you suck so bad that you're team 64 or 65 and have to play a game just to get into the actual tournament. I know it counts as a real game, but we know it's not. They earned their spot in there, being a 16 seed is bad enough, the play in game of the 16's I just find to be embarassing and a joke. That being said, there shouldn't even be more than 64 teams. Yeah, you occassionally get a team like VCU and George Mason that make a run, but those are rare. Anyone that is in the final 5 as an at large bid, generally speaking, isn't that great of a team. You had a whole season to earn your spot in the tournament, if you didn't win your conference, and you're not one of the top 35 or so at large teams, you really don't have that much of a gripe. You simply weren't that good. I hate hearing about teams 66, 67 or now 69, 70. We're talking about someone that isn't in the top 50 or so in the country (take out the auto births that are ranked higher and the other at large schools), and we should change the whole structure just so very marginal teams can feel better about themselves? Really NCAA? You can add as many teams you want into the postseason basketball tournament (and mind you, if you reach the finals that's 3 additional weeks of play, in 3 different cities)....but we can't add an 8 team football playoff? Which would also be 3 weeks in 3 cities?

I only saw the final five minutes of of the game but it's hard to disagree with this. His acting job on Bogut's sixth foul was embarrassing.The worst part of this was that the way the officials handled it. They didn't call the foul right away. Bogut tipped the ball back out, Jennings (I think) had it and was dribbling. The shot clock was at 19, so a full FIVE seconds came off the clock. During this time, Lebron grabs his face and falls to the floor, THEN they called the foul. If it's a foul, and you think it's a foul, then call it. To retroactively call a foul a full FIVE seconds afterwards (confirmed with the shot clock) is a complete joke.

Nobody else has picked up on this story so I don't htink he's signed yet. MLBTR doesn't have it, says they are talking and that there is a "final four" for him but that's it. It's possible that guy has very inside info, but nobody else has sniffed it yet if it's true.

They have like 25 days before they are required to make a ruling, but usually it is known within a week or so. They had the hearing, then it's my understanding that both sides can also submit a written presentation making their case, both of which would I assume be read over. Each of the board members then can take as much time as they would like to make the ruling. They may have already decided but are required to wait for the written part before they can do any sort of "vote" on it. We should know sometime this week I would imagine, they can announce the verdict now, and then submit their official paperwork on it by the deadline.

Greinke and I don't think it's close. Marcum doesn't seem like a guy that will age very well. His stuff isn't really dynamic and when he ages, these are the types of guys that really seem to crash hard. Grinke can flat out dominate and has better pure stuff. Even aging, he still seems to project much, much better. If both were on the FA market, would we have any shot at Greinke? Probably not, so this is really the only shot to get/keep a pitcher of his caliber. Obviously though it really depends on the cost difference and if either has any interest in actually extending his stay here in Milwaukee. I think both like it from what I can tell.

If I recall the bottom line said something like "Ryan Braun tests positive for PED", which if the new information we've since learned is correct...it wasn't a PED, it could have been medicinal. Maybe. Other than that, it's ESPN's job to report the story. If we're going to be mad at anyone it's whoever leaked it in the first place.

Yes, Melvin said "I don't think we could"...but that's not the same as saying "No, absolutely not". If it actually happened, I think we'd have to consider it. We have parts that could be moved to clear some money if we wanted as well. It's extremely unlikely but it's not impossible. And I think Melvin/Mark would think long and hard about it if they had any shot at it.

Northwestern is likely a tournament team this year I think. It's a decent win. Nebraska...not so much. Though they did just beat Indiana. It's not a team we should be excited to beat, but given how Wisconsin has played at times this year (that game included), they should be happy with every win they get. Wisconsin is pretty solidily in the tournament right now but they need to beat a good team or two just to make sure. They're probably in the 7-9 seed range right now, but go on another skid and that could really put them in a perilous position. Next month or so is tough, so they'll have some chances to get a quality win or two.

I know it's normal for it to take this long, it just seem silly to me that it should take 5 months to go through an appeal of a positive test that occurred in October. ----- Continued here: viewtopic.php?f=63&t=30578

I thought I read initially that it could take the arbitrator a couple of weeks to decide. I may be remembering that completely incorrectly though. It could be a matter of only a day or two I guess, in which case they could hear the appeal well into February and still be able to make that decision prior to spring training. It just seems that this process could have been handled much faster. I mean, he tested positive in October and we won't get a verdict until February? Why wasn't this whole thing done much sooner? If he does wind up being suspended, it would have given the Brewers much more time to figure out what to do and prep themsevles, etc. I don't understand why it needs to take this long.

I can understand the argument on both sides, but just because somebody PLAYED the game for 15 years, doesn't mean they are automatically going to be good at coaching, broadcasting, or in this case, the front office. Sure, some succeed, but I think training and education in those areas is really a lot more valuable than actually playing the game. That being said, I really don't think he's doing all that much. I just think it was a nice way for the Brewers to allow him to retire with some dignity and respect (though in fairness to Craig, he does have an accounting degree from Notre Dame, so that can't hurt).

I thought I read somewhere else that those dates had since been un-true and that it was purely speculation.

The Jericho thing is getting really old to me. 3 weeks now, no words, one "match" that he tagged in, worked the crowd then walked out. I mean, I got it the first time but this is just getting stupid now.

That's gotta be taking place soon right? I mean, it's January 18th already, and they're supposed to hear the appeal and make a decision by the start of spring training. If you factor in even like 2 weeks of "deliberation", that doesn't leave all that much time for the appeal to occur.

Yeah, I know social media is important these days, but honestly, do they need to talk about "trending worldwide" on virtually everything during the entire show? I fast forward through a lot of stuff these days and I still get HIGHLY annoyed with it every week.

But we can't shoot it, and when the shots aren't falling, we have virtually no fall back options. Taylor can create his own shot or for his teammates, but he almost never does unless there is 5 seconds on the shot clock, which is very low percentage. Bergeron has some post moves, but they almost never give him the ball there. When the threes aren't falling, good teams find other ways to score and they just don't seem capable of doing that.

I think Ryan's system works, but like any college team, it only works to a certain extent. If you look at the years where they were very good, they always had an elite player that could make things happen or could deviate from the system to the teams benefit - like Harris, Leuer and Tucker. The problem is, with the way Bo recruits, these players are few and far between. He almost always recruits to fit the system, and those guys have very specific skill sets. One of these players has to dramatically improve or happen to be elite (with the correct skill set) to come to Wisconsin. Other big name programs get all kinds of elite players, throw them at the wall and some of the stick and become studs. Wisconsin just doesn't have many guys to throw at the wall so to speak. Looking at the current roster, it's hard to even find a player that has a chance to reach that level, they all seem like role players to me. I can't figure out whats going on though. The last couple of years it's been all three pointers. That was always part of the Ryan system but I just don't remember it being to the extent it has been the past few years. Last year it made some sense as guys like Nankivil, Leuer and Taylor could hit them with a lot of consistency, but this years team just simply can't do that and they haven't adapted at all. It's hard to complain too much about a coach that's never missed the NCAA tournament, won a couple of Big Ten titles and is usually ranked in the top 20, but unfortunately I think this may be the cap for Bo. Solid teams, the occassional Big Ten championship, but in most years, very very little chance at a Final Four or national title contender.

Yeah, my wife continuously asks me "why do you watch that? all you do is complain about it and talk about how it's lame". But I just have no reasoning really, it's about the only thing I do in my life that is just kinda silly and whatnot. But it just pulls me in. It's fun to watch, it's funny at times, sometimes it has some really cool moments and you just want to see whats going to happen with the characters. Glad you're enjoying the discussion http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

They lost one in Charlotte that they shouldn't have, and could have easily won in Denver. The rest of the games Bogut missed, and this team is really, really awful without him so it's hard to be too harsh on them. We'll see how they do the next month or so. Dallas tonight should be a tough test for sure.

I think you hit the nail on the head here. People won't like it when players underperform or "suck". But as you stated, with Kotsay and Betancourt, the writing was written on the walls in 100 point font and everyone could see it except Roenicke and Melvin. Very few people wanted Yuni to be the every day SS and almost nobody wanted Kotsay on the roster. Maybe as the 5th OF, but when it became apparent that he was going to get way more playing time than warranted, that's when people got mad. Then when those two played poorly (as every expected), thats when it really got out of hand. On the current roster, it's hard to find someone that really "sucks" and that virtually nobody wants. Players have their faults and people might underperform, but it won't be to the extent of Yuni and Kotsay. Granted, as some have stated, Melvin will probably add a grizzled veteran at some point yet, and that guy will almost instantly become hated if he gets playing time that really isn't warranted.

I think for Leuer to truly become a good player, he's going to have to bulk up some. He's played a lot but most of his points are on jumpers or dunks when he's open. I haven't really seen him do too many effective post moves in the NBA, he's going to have to work on that and can a little bit of strength, but he's been much, much better than expected. Also pretty cool to have the Badger/Bucks connection. I know Harris has just started playing, but Leuer has looked way, way better than Harris did. Too early, but that looks like another horrendous first round pick. Granted, this aws to be expected I guess as Harris has very little experience and was very young, but still. Seems like virtually every Hammond pick has been a guy that's years away, and to this point, really only Jennings has shown any sort of potential. Alexander - out of the league Jennings Sanders - plays some but looks to be way over his head Harris

I'm going to go with Gamel. People already seem to hate him and if he struggles as the replacement to Prince, it could get ugly. Personally, Randy Wolf really, really gets to me but thats just me. His numbers are solid but I just don't see it with him. But as far as a guy on the roster that "sucks" to the degree of Yuni and Kotsay, I really don't see that person. The worst offensive player is likely to be Gonzalez, which is expected. As long as people expect that and he isn't horrid, I don't see a truely crappy player on the current roster.

I just can't see any scenario in which Prince/Boras comes crawling back to the Brewers. Even if he wanted a short term deal, I just don't see it happening with us. I wish it would, but it seems pretty unlikely. I'll be pretty surprised if he doesn't wind up in Washington.