And they say they don't try to buy championships

[Flock of Moosen]

Nevermind. Either I'm not getting my point across clear enough for you or you just refuse to see it through anything other than rose colored glasses.

Either way, good luck this season. Not that you'll need it though.

[JimmyBlueEyes]

Your stance honestly confuses the shit out of me. As a Devils fan, why on earth would you want to see any team other than the Devils win? I could understand if you wanted another team to be nearly equal in stature to the Devils, to provide a foil for them to struggle against... but for that team (or any other) to win out over the team you support?

Maybe because some fans are a little more grounded than others. I don't expect the team I root for to win it every year. Regardless of the sport. Would I like to see it?? Of course, but I also have a sense of reality. It's not going to happen.


And BTW, FUCK JAMIE PRESSLY AND HER FLITHY CUM DUMPSTER!!!! ANNOYING SKANK!!!!

[The Brain]

Originally posted by JimmyBlueEyes
It's nice to see a little variety out there. I for one, would have loved to have seen a Cardinals/Red Sox or a Cubs/Red Sox Series last year.

Personally, I think a Cubs/Red Sox World Series would have been an impending sign of the Apocalypse... then again, they probably would end up playing 16 games, and coming up in tie.

No flaming (from me, anyway) on what you said, Jimmy.

But I question why Steinbrenner's "win now, win all the time" attitude is so despised by everyone else? Moreso, I question why that attitude isn't <i>adopted</i> in more clubhouses around the league.

The Detroit Tigers, to name one organization with a history as long and illustrious as the Yankees, have fallen into a constant rebuilding state. The same thing has occurred with newer expansion franchises, including the Expos (who should have already been contracted), Devil Rays, Rockies-- none of whom have even a fifth of the Tigers' history.

Yet they all share this attitude that "don't worry, someday down the road we'll actually give you something to be proud of... maybe. We promise. Sort of. Eventually."

I think we can all agree that if you're a fan of one of these franchises, when you see this type of apathy coming from <i>ownership</i>, you will ask yourself, "then why the fuck should I care about this?", and go find something better to occupy your time.

I'm sorry, but we live in a society which insists on immediate gratification. We like our cars fast, our pr0n internet download speeds blazing, and our sports teams in championship mode from the get-go. Later is not an option if you want to succeed, and Steinbrenner adheres to that maxim.

[Flock of Moosen]

Originally posted by The Brain
Personally, I think a Cubs/Red Sox World Series would have been an impending sign of the Apocalypse... then again, they probably would end up playing 16 games, and coming up in tie.

See, I personally wanted to see that this year and no not to rub it in Yankees fan's faces either.
Just think of the story behind it. The two teams that have struggled for so long to finally make it to the World Series (I know, Boston was in in 1986, but they never win) and on top of that against each other.

I'm sorry, but to me that would have been a cool thing for the sport historically especially since it was the 100th anniversary, not the friggin' Marlins vs the Yankees.

[JimmyBlueEyes]

Probably because it's not realistic. You're eventually gonna lose. And there will be a time when the Yanks will end up not making the playoffs for a few years. Joe Torre has done great things with the tools he has been given but the magic eventually runs out. Like I said earlier, they lost to teams they should have beaten, simply on what was on paper. And at the same time, there is jealousy amongst other owners that just don't have the money to spend. I'll bet they would love to have the money to do with it, but they don't and they can't put up what Steinbrenner has. I am not debating this one anymore, I am going to bed...good night my friends and remember, less than a week till pitchers/catchers. Fasten your seatbelts and CANCEL YOUR APPOINTMENTS!!!! It's gonna be a bumpy ride.

What is pr0n anyway?? Is that something like Faella??

[Flock of Moosen]

Originally posted by JimmyBlueEyes
What is pr0n anyway?? Is that something like Faella??

Everyone loves a good dish of Faella. :biggrin:

[The Brain]

Originally posted by Flock of Moosen

Originally posted by JimmyBlueEyes
What is pr0n anyway?? Is that something like Faella??

Everyone loves a good dish of Faella. :biggrin:

And I like my pr0n hot and lesbian-filled. pin:

And just to answer Jimmy's point about the "magic" running out:

The Yankees have gone through long dry spells in the past, both prior to, and during Steinbrenner's willingness to spend money. Hell, I grew up during the Don Mattingly era, which falls directly in-between the Yanks last World Series appearance (a 1981 loss to the Dodgers), and before their next World Series appearance in 1996 (the memorable win against the Braves). During that entire time, their only playoff appearance was the 1995 wild-card round where they lost to Seattle. 14 years is a long time to root for a team without seeing them at least compete for a title.

Prior to that, they went through another drought, from their 1962 win until 1977, when Reggie Jackson turned into Mr. October.

So we all understand that these things happen sooner or later, and the drought(s) can come as real doozies. But that's OK... every year, good or bad, I'll continue to root for my team to win it all, until standings or playoff elimination dictates otherwise.

[JimmyBlueEyes]

Nothing wrong with rooting for your team all the time...

I was going to explain this to you in an analogy.

Say you and I are neighbors, I work for a big fortune 500 company, you punch a clock at the post office. I buy tons of stuff and day in day out, flaunting my riches. You try to make ends meet on your salary, and treat yourself occasionally. Tell me you wouldn't be jealous of my riches and my goodies?? This is the same situation as what has become baseball today. Fans of teams can't be happy when their teams can't afford to "keep up with the Jonses" as it were.

[The Brain]

Originally posted by JimmyBlueEyes
Say you and I are neighbors, I work for a big fortune 500 company, you punch a clock at the post office. I buy tons of stuff and day in day out, flaunting my riches. You try to make ends meet on your salary, and treat yourself occasionally. Tell me you wouldn't be jealous of my riches and my goodies?? This is the same situation as what has become baseball today. Fans of teams can't be happy when their teams can't afford to \"keep up with the Jonses\" as it were.

Eh... I can see the point in your analogy, but at the same time I see the flaw in it.

Let me try this analogy:

You work at one construction company. I work at another. Your construction company purchases Grade-D (I'm making this up, I have no clue about construction material) lumber to build its houses. Grade-D lumber is certainly solid enough (the house won't fall down), but it's inferior quality-- but it's also inexpensive, and your company is willing to use it to keep overhead cost low.

My company always goes out of its way to import Grade-A lumber. It's highly expensive, but the quality is unmatched, and it shows in the final product. And my company is willing to risk always buying such expensive lumber, because the houses made from it sell at a higher price. And as a side benefit, more consumers purchase houses built by my company than yours. The more Grade-A houses sold, the more money my company has to buy more Grade-A lumber, to build more Grade-A houses, in a very profitable cycle.

Even if both companies started out with the same budget, yours never takes the risk to upgrade all the way to Grade-A, deeming it too expensive. Yet they complain that my company always overspends, and doesn't need to have such expensive lumber, when they could (or should?) be able to get by on lower grade material.

Now: is it my company's fault for always going to get the best material, or your company's fault for trying to play it close to the vest (or wallet, in this case)?

*Bonus hypothetical: Our companies both belong to some huge construction union, where we all have to pay dues which directly correlate with our overall spending. Because my company spends more, it pays a higher due, which gets divided among all the companies with significantly lower overheads (including yours). Your company president, instead of using this money to upgrade to Grade-A lumber (or at least Grade-B or -C), instead goes out and buys his mistress a new Mercedes, and a couple of furs to keep his wife's mouth shut about the mistress.

His reasoning is that if he spent the money on better lumber, your company's overhead would go up, and <i>his company</i> would either end up paying larger dues to the union, or at the very least receive less of a cut of the dividend from my company's dues. And why do that when every year, my company is handing yours cash on silver platter?

Now: who is still at fault? My company for spending above every other company? Or your company for not taking an opportunity to upgrade your materials with what essentially amounts to free money. Remember that with every lumber upgrade, your houses improve in quality, and people will purchase them at higher prices, giving you more money to buy better lumber to build better houses.

[The Man]

Holy shit you are clueless. Worst analogy ever.

You think that the problem with other teams is that they aren't willing to take the risks or spend the money that the Yankees are? That if Milwaukee had some balls and spent $190 million that they'd become the new Yankees?

The Yankees are going to sell out 50,000+ every game at ticket prices that are twice the price of other teams, no matter who they put on the field. Coupled with millions and millions of TV, advertising, and product revenues that dwarf that of any other team.

Because they take more risks? No. Because their market is the largest on the planet by a factor of about three.

And complain about the salary cap all you want, football has been more interesting then baseball for the simple reason that you have no idea who is going to be in it from year to year. That fact always creates an underdog; a cinderella team that everyone gets behind. Like the Panthers this year, the Bucs the year before, the Pats before that. Everyone's got a realistic shot and that uncertainty gives every game more energy.

In baseball; playoffs are playoffs. Anyone can go on a run and win a series, but with the regular season you can pick 75% of the playoff teams in April. And you could probably pick 50% of 2005's playoff teams at the beginning of 2004.