so says Drinky. I came about as close as I ever have to wanting to choke him.

The Cubs did not beat Arizona because they had impatient hitters and their pitchers were giving up the long ball like it was going out of style. Lou Pinella bringing in Carlos Marmol would not have changed the fact that Arizona just wanted it more.

The Cubs did not beat Los Angelas because they had impatient hitters and their pitchers were giving up the long ball like it was going out of style. Lou Pinella pitching Ryan Dempster in the first game would not have changed the fact that Los Angelas wanted it more.

Until the Cubs can be patient in the playoffs and wait for good pitches, they will continue to fail in the playoffs. Lou Pinella is not up there hitting. Lou Pinella is not up there pitching. The hitters and pitchers need to execute. The Cubs executed for 162 games, then did not execute for three straight. How is this Pinella's fault? If you remove Pinella, would Soriano and Fukudome and Rameriz been more patient at the plate? Would Theriot and DeRosa not played soccer with the baseball? Please tell me, who is going to be a better manager to replace Pinella.

Drinky, you have my respect as a sports radio host; however, taking the position that Pinella will never win a world series with the Cubs because of something he did is ridiculous. The players are at fault. They have been and will continue to be. Lets stop making excuses and rip on the real problem here, a team that is generally impatient and not quite as skilled to win big games.

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I'll be honest - in the last two years' 'failures', I can think of one single aspect I would tie to Piniella directly - taking Z out in game 1 in '07. Looking back, it probably still doesn't matter.

The bottom line is, the Cubs hitters were wound so tight in both years, they couldn't breath out of either end.

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LaRussa? Torre? Ozzie? Seriously.

Lou is all over the place assigning blame for failures in May...and October. He provides exactly what spark for a $90-110MM team again?

Over-rated! (clap, clap, clappity clap)

6-3 ...gettin' antsy CLH?

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

1. Possibly
2. No
3. No

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I gotta agree with Spanky about them being tight. Other than his choice for our lead off hitter, I dont blame Lou. A collapse in the playoffs is nothing new, it happens to some team almost every year. Baseball is a crazy game sometimes. Just think about all the weird shit that has happened over the years. Thats why we talk about it.

When players are executing, the manager looks great, aka 2005 White Sox. Ozzie had to do a real lot of tough managing when he had four pitchers that were throwing the ball out of their collective minds.

Torre had a much higher payroll. How come he didnt win more World Series with the team they had over the past 6 years?

Dont get me wrong, I understand what you are saying and you and Drinky are not totally wrong. I just hate this belief that Lou Pinella is the reason the Cubs cant win in the playoffs. He is not totally exempt; however, he is not as to blame as I think some people feel.

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Absolutely. Look at those Braves teams in the 90s.

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I don't blame Lou as these guys went into a funk on their own, but even game 3, up 2-0, everyone in the park, including the players felt this was going to be a loss and Reed Johnson admitted it. Way too many veterans on this team for that shit to happen. This is one of those reasons I am fine with Milton Bradley. We have too many quiet veterans (DLee, Soriano, Aramis) Lou should never let that bad karma enter the clubhouse and if nobody is going to stop it, then I need a guy to do something crazy, like charge the mound to bust out of it!

With the Cubs pitching alone they should win this division, so all I care about is the playoffs and if one guy gets hot, he is my MVP! Milton might just be that guy!

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"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

I think drinky is just trying to stir people up and get them to listen more to his stuff on the Score. I am not really sure he actually believes that as much as just wants to draw attention to his shows. I can't blame him for that, it obviously is a topic that sparks a lot of interest in the fans.

But in reality it isn't like he is going out a limb or anything. I mean the Cubs have not won a world series with how many different managers now? So it is not that big of a stretch to say they will not win it under one more.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Hindsight is 20-20....and I blame Pinella & Hendry for taking their foot off the gas once they clinched the division last year. The team lost its edge almost right away...and the Cubs allowed the Brewers to get in instead of the Mets...and then lined up and pissed all over themselves against the Dodgers.

I think they should have played all the games like they mattered instead of how they did.

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Proud to be UNVERIFIED.

Sorry, but the Cubs were having issues at the plate and with pitching for at least a month or two before the playoffs started. The patience at the plate exuded by Fukudome that had spread to the rest of the team disappeared as guys started to struggle. Why did this happen? There are some that believe Lou pressed the team too hard early in the season, trying to build up a huge lead over Milwaukee. Guys got tired later in the season and their performance suffered. Others directly contribute it to Fukudome falling off before the all-star break, leaving a big hole in the lineup. In either case, I dont think Lou Pinella had a magic switch that would have kept the pedal to the medal. In other words, playing guys more in the final weeks would not have guaranteed that they would have learned again how to be patient like they were early in the season. There is only one thing I blame both Lou and Hendry for. Fukudome should have been put in the minors right after the all-star game to get him some at-bats. They should have tried harder to trade for at least a decent right-fielder, or just lived with Johnson in right and Edmonds in center.

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The pressure put on the Cubs by the media and fans alike is enormous. Everybody knows its been 100 years and counting since the Cubs last one a title. THe media asking every player "what will it be like to end such a long drought" every chance they get, and fans (Looking directly at you and those like you, Elmhurst Steve) proclaiming the Cubs NL Pennant winners in May doesn't help the situation either.

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Boston was able to get over the hump. So can the Cubs. If they cant take some pressure, grow some nuts.

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I'll be deep in the cold, cold ground before these stupid country cocksuckers win a World Series.

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We all have private ails. The troublemakers are they who need public cures for their private ails.- Eric Hoffer

Well, the Cubs won't win it all this year, so how many more chances does that give Lou before he's done?

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I guess if you feel comfortable trying out LaRussa, Torre or another HoF manager, go ahead. Otherwise, keep Lou around until he dies.

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Boston had some superstar players, much moreso than the Cubs. They also had a DH who was argubly one of the best and most clutch lefties ever to hit in the playoffs (since they've gone to the Division format).

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You could argue though that the Cubs had a much better pitching staff that year then Boston. I would have taken Wood, Prior, Maddux, Zambrano and Clement over Lowe, Wakefield and whoever else pitched that series.

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So, do they need erudite, urban cocksuckers, or a different crop of stupid country cocksuckers?

I set up an easy two foot putt for somebody to make a Boystown reference in there. G'wan... take it. You know you want to.

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Stupidity irritates the crap outta me... and yes, I irritate myself far too often.

Who cares? It sounds like a very irrational comment.

[quote="Puckhead"]You could argue though that the Cubs had a much better pitching staff that year then Boston. I would have taken Wood, Prior, Maddux, Zambrano and Clement over Lowe, Wakefield and whoever else pitched that series.[/quote]
Mr. Bloody Sock man.

Doesn't matter how good the Cubs staff is/was, its hard to win if you don't score any runs. Even much harder if you don't score and kick the ball around the infield.

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Those 'whoever' guys. Pedro Martinez and Curt Schilling. Ever heard of them?? I could be wrong but I think they were pretty good.

sonned

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Maybe I am the only one who cares, but I am tired of people putting the blame on everyone but the players for not performing. We have run enough damned managers out of town, granted some did deserve it.

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Cocksuckers by any name still have a dick in their mouth.
In any event, I'll be dead before the collection of losers this fucking team assembles ever wins a World Series.
Does that clear things up and what does that say about us?

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We all have private ails. The troublemakers are they who need public cures for their private ails.- Eric Hoffer

Stubborn. It says that we're very stubborn.

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Stupidity irritates the crap outta me... and yes, I irritate myself far too often.

Cocksuckers by any name still have a dick in their mouth.
In any event, I'll be dead before the collection of losers this fucking team assembles ever wins a World Series.
Does that clear things up and what does that say about us?[/quote]

Stubborn? Sometimes you just have give Cub fans their due...

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

Some of you guys should find a new team. I cant believe the negativity going on here. This may or may not be the year, but thiis team is loaded with talent. I figure they have a couple more years with the current players to get it done. I think we will miss Derosa big time, as he was an all around stud last year. Stop blaming Lou, he didnt figure into the collapse at all. If we get a little luck to go with our talent, thats all its gonna take.
YOU GOTTA BELIEVE

Cubs fans have been getting F'ed in the A for 100 years.
Try reading "Entangled in Ivy" and come tell me it's fair how the Cubs team has been to their fans.
So if there's some negativity against the Cubs, it's deserved at this point. It doesn't fade me as a fan to feel like they've failed me.
So there.

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

Darkside
How have you been screwed by the Cubs? I would like to know. There are a ton of fans of other teams who would love to be in our situation. Ive been watching the Cubs since the 60s and been disapointed many times, but I never felt like they screwed me. They want to win too.


btw......Ill read entangled in ivy