^Agreed.

The continuing trend, in all sports really, of expanding playoffs is just a tool to put more meat in the seats.

I'd love to see MLB create two new expansion teams (bringing the total to 32) then grouping each league into 4 four-team divisions.... and then let only the division winners into the playoffs.

I just never warmed up to the Wild Card set-up. Baseball has the absolute best, most thorough means of determining who the best teams are. If you don't know who the best teams are after 162 games, then you've got serious problems. Bud & Co. seem hell bent on de-legitimizing the regular season by letting more and more teams compete in the playoffs. This is a money grab, plain and simple. More teams in contention, more playoff spots, more playoff games.... more money in the till.

"3- voting for HOF to be changed.. allowing current HOF players a vote!"


Sounds like you just described the Baseball HOF Veterans Committee.

While I don't agree with what you wrote, I do think HOF voting is broken. The Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) members have the great privilege of being able to vote, and they are beholden to not a single person. How can you explain that NOT ONE SINGLE player has ever been voted unanimously into the HOF? Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Brooks Robinson, Jackie Robinson, Cal Ripken, Ted Williams, Joe Morgan, Lou Gehrig, Hank Aaron, Willie Mays.... Not one. I think that needs some explaining.

All too often, I think this is due to public opinion and sometimes some old grudges that never went away. That guy was a **** when I tried to interview him.... I heard that guy was a horrible teammate.... Word around the campfire of this guy is.... Nobody should ever be voted in unanimously.

I think this is a great opportunity for the BBWAA to police themselves. I think a panel of senior members of the BBWAA should be able to review the ballots of their members. Sure, every writer is entitled to their own opinion. And, in most cases, I think writers would be able to make a decent argument for their decisions. But every once in a while, some wingnut would leave off a player that just couldn't be argued against.

Bottom line: BBWAA voters need to be reminded of what a great privilege they have. And, as the saying goes, with great privilege comes great responsibility.

TD complete. Good stuff Frog!

F!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just typed out a long argument, clicked submit, and it vanished!

Must remember to copy just in case next time.

Good luck Frog!

Sorry to break it to you, but Arsenal not going to beat AC Milan. Ibrahimabeach and Pato are going to run all over a depleted Arsenal back line. In Arsenal's last six EPL matches, they have lost to Fulham and Swansea, tied Bolton, and needed some last minute magic from Henry to beat Sunderland.

Hardly convincing.

I don't think that most teams are better served by short corners. Most teams (including my favorite, sadly) don't have the combination of ball control, passing skill, and creativity, to fashion a quality chance from a short corner.... when the defense will have all 11 of the players between the attack and the goal.

Nice TD from both sides!

While I do think that short corners are a good option for some teams (like Barca), truth is that there are few teams that have the passing skills and the ball control to really benefit from short corners. That said, there are also some teams just don't have the aerial threat to reasonably try for a headed goal.... so their hand is forced.

But, left lost me when he wrote:

"Corners do not lead to goals. Corners do not work."

I just can't support that statement.... even in relation to Barca. If you have a corner and you have Puyol and Pique in the box, you have to take a shot at a goal from a corner.

RIGHT.

Barca would agree with your argument.... they take a lot of short corners. Of course, they're just short all around, aren't they?

Oh really? I didn't know you felt that way about soccer.

Voted left.... just to tie it up.

Easy vote for this one. I think there could be a case made for ManU winning, but rezzza couldn't find it. Summing up his arguments, he basically said "We're more experienced.... We'll get better while the other teams get worse." Hey, he may be right. But, unless you're a ManU fan boy, he didn't really provide anything to back up his claims.

Great subject for TD.

Unfortunately the Sox have a made a habit of this. Pedro Martinez could be on this list as well.

TEAM. IN. DECLINE.

So Kobe's wife got $75 mil [i]and[/i] three mansions OR the value of the mansions is included in that $75 mil?

Wow.

I think it's you.

'Tino has already come back out of retirement and has signed with the Indian Premier League!



Apparently they are going to be grossly overpaying him, according to Goff.

Apparently, I can't reply to a specific post on TDs so I'll explain my vote for J11. Maicon is a better all-around right back. Alves is a better offensive wing back but he's a lousy defender. That's why Dunga was lining up Maicon at RB and Alves as a winger. So there.

Looks like you can officially close the book on Austin da Luz.