While my support of Dan Bernstein's radio show is well documented, he can go fuck himself for all I care with the "nothing but a championship is success".

First, pitching. Lost Danks, who was and likely could still be a number one on the staff. Sale was pitching a first full season and gave a very solid year that was unexpected. Peavy pitched the most innings he has pitched since 2007. Axelrod was shaky in most save opportunities, yet was able to be somewhat consistent. While Liriano fucked the big one, gotta give Williams credit for trying. Overall, gotta give the pitching a solid B.

The offense has a lot of positives. Beckham showed up for a good portion of the season. Dunn had a huge comeback this year. Konerko is... Konerko. You have something solid in De Aza. Rios had a hell of a year. Unfortunately, they were unable to hit much down the stretch.

Ventura was pretty solid as a first year manager. Did he have mistakes? Sure. But it was generally a success when very few knew what to expect.

Lot's of good coming out of this season. While the farm system may still not be great, at least there are still positives to build on, unlike the Cubs who look at a pitching staff that just sucks balls.

Sox fans should be unhappy with the final result but happy with the overall season.

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The season was more of an epic handjob.

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

With no payoff.

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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

I still can't believe they choked.

They're still choking. Nate Jones just couldn't come through in the clutch tonight.

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Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

2004 Cubs was an epic chokejob. They had five starting pitchers that could be #1 or #2 on any staff. They picked up Lee and had a pretty solid lineup up and down. The fact they didn't make the playoffs that year was an immense choke. This White Sox team didn't have anywhere near the talent of the 04 Cubs team and still were able to lead down to the wire against a team that will have a potential triple crown winner and a perennial Cy Young.

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The 2004 Chicago Cubs were 89-73. That would have won the AL Central this season.

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

I'm not looking at the record in that manner. I'm looking at the expectations vs. the result. Everyone thought the 2004 Cubs were going to win the series at the start of the year. Near the end of the season, many still thought they could still make the playoffs. Then the Mets and Reds beat them up.

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The 2012 Chicago White Sox have a record of 84-77. That would have won the NL Central in 2006.

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I guess that means the 2006 Cardinals were chokers.

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

No. They actually won.

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But only because their opponents choked harder than they did.

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

You're so cute when your little feelers are hurt.

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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

Who is he talking to, Panther? I'm not sure, but it's pretty funny being that he's got thinner skin than anyone who has ever posted in this forum.

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

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That picture loses something the 6th time it's used.

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Sorry I haven't been paying attention too much to these threads except for JORR's meltdown. Carry on.

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It's ok.

I still think you're groovy.

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Perception is everything, isn't it Chris? I "melted down", huh? Darkside followed me around calling me all kinds of derogatory names and questioning my mental acuity and all I did was continue to ask him questions he couldn't or wouldn't answer, but I melted down? When you make statements like that, don't get angry when you're accused of being cliquish.

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

_________________

I don't get mad at being accused of being cliquish, because I am. But I can even tell my friends on here when I think they are being foolish. The Sox choked and you running around trying to tell Cub fans they didn't and look at their own team is foolish.

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I never said anything about Cub fans or the Cubs. And I wasn't particularly talking to Cub fans either. I can't understand why so many guys here make shit up.

What's foolish is being so certain of a meatball fan concept that most statisticians agree doesn't exist.

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

JORR is really fighting the good fight here. His thoughts on this shouldnt be dismissed out of hand.

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This also is a thread that I would have thought Juggs would start.


Wait...

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We've probably gone over it for way too long already. I think a lot of guys are misunderstanding what I'm saying. Yeah, the Sox collapsed. The reasons for it really don't matter. As a fan, I don't give a shit why they failed. I just know I won't be going to any playoff games.

I just have a hard time believing that an entire team of guys all cracked under pressure at once. That's why I asked for the definition of "choking".

More than any other team sport, baseball has similarities in common with Sumo. It's all about fucking with the other guy. The batter steps out. The pitcher steps off. The pitcher fakes to first. He throws one under the batter's chin. And on and on. A big part of the game is preparing oneself to be fucked with.

A player has his routines. The opposing player attempts to take him out of those routines. Those who respond best to that are going to have the most success. If someone wants to call those that don't respond as well "chokers", I don't have a problem with that. But I don't really think it manifests itself in specific instances. It's more about the perception of the fans.

You can call Robert Horry "clutch" as much as you want, but I really don't think anyone wants him taking the last shot instead of LeBron James or Derrick Rose.

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

I get it, I just disagree. As far as that last comment though, LeBron himself would actually rather Horry take the last shot.

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Maybe.

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don