Again, if I was in enough money trouble to worry about it, I would not be buying other houses. It's pretty simple.

He knows he will easily survive this and instead of paying down his debt he's investing in other things. He is not in any financial danger whatsoever which is why the "poor Ricketts" thing is dumb.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Rick is clearly getting tangled up in his anti Cub propaganda.


Why do you keep comparing your situation to Tom Ricketts?

Oh good, the baseball version of "You just hate Jay Cutler" from you!

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

He's investing in other things because he wants to make money. It's finance 101. Get your money to work for you to make more money. That's how investing works. The hotel is an investment that will ultimately make him more money.


You're almost implying it's like he's spending the money on a toy.

You have been master of pointing out the obvious recently.

I understand why he is doing it. It's because he knows his financial situation isn't as dire as many want to make it out to be. The financial issues give him cover for low payroll while he builds a hotel to make more money down the line.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Rick, Im calling it like I see it.

You go out of your way to try and paint everything the Cubs do as bad. Everything.


Do you not see this about yourself? I find it very hard to believe a guy as smart as you truly believes he's not biased.

I'm pointing out in a discussion about how tough of a financial situation Ricketts is in that he is spending big money building a hotel. It's a valid point. I understand why it would be disheartening to think that your owner has a lower than expected payroll while he uses the massive profits to increase his net wealth but it doesn't mean it should be ignored.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

You are, as per usual, painting the most recent Cub news as proof that everyone in the organization is inept or flat out trying to lose to purposely fuck with the fans.


Your whole thought process on this specific hotel thing is coming off naive, though. Your thought that people wouldnt build something new while they are in financial trouble is just so far away from reality, I dont even know how to respond to it.

You ignored dolphins post that pretty much blows up the whole theory anyway, but even if Ricketts was paying BIG MONEY for the hotel, that would not be proof he has a lot of money.


Also, Im not sure anyone has called Ricketts situation DIRE. I think he's just an owner that doesnt have a ton of extra money. Like a Steinbrenner or a Cuban may have had.

The Cubs are purposely losing. That's not even an opinion.
You already admitted the Cubs aren't in financial trouble. What are you arguing?
His post did no such thing. Ricketts is going to make a ton of money on the hotel. Why would it matter if he is running it or if it is a Holiday Inn that pays him for it?
He has access to a ton of extra money. You already said he did.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

If you really thought Sanchez was that far superior to Jackson prior to each of them signing, I tip my cap to you. And in hindsight, after Sanchez has had his best year and Jackson led the league in losses or, if not, came close, it looks as if that may be the case. But at the time, Sanchez really broke the bank. I can remember thinking the Cubs got lucky he wanted to go to Detroit and that in Jackson, they got the same basic guy for a lot less money. And if I had to guess, I would say the two guys will be a lot more similar for the duration of their contracts than they were last season.

I've often mocked Theo's reputation as this "boy genius", but I can't really say the Jackson signing was horrible. Theo's problem is that he oversold the timetable for contention to fans. When he arrived they were going to contend in three years. They're still going to contend in three years. If you look at the Jackson signing in the context of the original timetable Theo provided, He would be in the middle of that deal and pitching in the four or five hole as a solid veteran on a contending team. Even if we go with the current timetable, I still won't be that critical since you have to field a team and you can't just keep slapping season ticket holders in the face by running out career AA guys. Either way, I don't think Jackson is a big problem, except maybe for Ricketts' pocketbook.

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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 Matthew, Tulsi, and Don

No, I didnt. I said Ricketts is not a rich owner.



Because it changes the numbers and the BIG MONEY thing you posted. But again, the whole idea that someone needs to have a lot of extra money to invest in a hotel is shortsighted and that is being kind.




He has access to a ton of extra money. You already said he did.[/quote]
No, I did not. I said that Joe Ricketts has money and that almost any ultra Rich guy can get funds to do anything.




Again, you have now spent over two and a half years ripping every single move made by the Cubs. Every. Single. One.

Are you so deep in the trolling, you've forgotten its a troll?


As with the Cutler situation, you are more interested in proving your original theory right, then the actual truth. You should have been a lawyer.

That's just not true. The rent you get fro one home (unless it's paid off) will likely pay the mortgage and taxes on that home, with a little money left over. But it's not going to be enough to pay off 2 mortgages as well as the taxes on 2 homes. You need to re-think this.

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Go Cubs!!!!

I honestly don't remember... did he specifically state 3 years?


Even if he did, I think the holdup in revenues has shifted the timetable. It's entirely possible that the plan was 3 years, and has been pushed back. I can't say that's awesome to know as a fan, but I also understand it.

I should have included the word 'help,' as in it could help pay for your house. I wasn't implying it would be enough to pay for both houses.

So basically, my post stated that Ricketts spent too much of his own money on the team. Then further explained, that my point was that he's not one of the richer owners.

I didnt say he was poor. I didnt say he should have a low payroll. I didnt say he was in dire straits.


So apparently, Rick thinks Ricketss IS one of the RICHER owners in the league.


I disagree.

Just like the Cutler situation, I need to learn to ignore people who think like this.

It looks to me that Ricketts is keeping payroll artificially low while he uses the massive profits made by the Cubs to build things that will make him a lot of money in the long run while also having the benefit of excuses being made for losing based on financial hardship that helps explain away poor results on the field.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

I believe that is definitely the case. With regard to all the stadium issues, Tom Tunney was painted by nearly everyone as some goof who was carrying water for rooftop owners. It's starting to appear that wasn't necessarily the case. Ricketts & Co. wrung everything they could get out of the City and now they will only make the changes which directly benefit the pockets of people named Ricketts while continuing to use the rooftops and the contract with them they inherited when they bought the team as the excuse for why they can't live up to their end of the bargain.

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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 Matthew, Tulsi, and Don

That's a pretty useless statement. Of course a second house could generate some profit! That's the point. The financial situation is good enough that you can afford to invest in new profit making ventures rather than fix the financial issues you already have.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Are you truly this self unaware?

This is now your GOTO whine when anyone disagrees with your 100% opinions.

Congrats, you've set it up so that if anyone disagrees with anything you say on Jay Cutler or The Cubs then they're just doing it because they dont like you.




Yeah, that would be the worst possible way to look at it.

Maybe you're right. Every single thing done by Ricketts and Theo is designed to lose and rob the fans. If they could, they would just kill the fans.


Rick, have you ever given the Cubs credit for anything on this board?

If the answer is no, how can you say that you are unbiased?

I bring it up only when people play the "You just hate" card.
Stop being irrational. The Cubs have been intentionally losing. That's a fact.
I have been very high on the CUBS network and how valuable they are. I have been one of the biggest advocates that the Cubs are valuable even without Wrigley and could excel in the suburbs. I have said many times that the Sox will never be more popular than the Cubs and that the Cubs are the prominent franchise of Chicago and always will be. I also hate Jay Cutler. Oops, bad habit.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Right. So you are free to troll and when someone correctly labels it trolling, you can act upset.

Stop being irrational. The Cubs have been intentionally losing. That's a fact[/quote]
Oh are they throwing games, now?




I have been very high on the CUBS network and how valuable they are. I have been one of the biggest advocates that the Cubs are valuable even without Wrigley and could excel in the suburbs. I have said many times that the Sox will never be more popular than the Cubs and that the Cubs are the prominent franchise of Chicago and always will be. I also hate Jay Cutler. Oops, bad habit.[/quote]
So, in 6 plus years on this board (2 of which included division titles for the team), you have not applauded ONE move from the Cubs.


The best you can come up with, is they are more popular than the White Sox?



Let me just ask you flat out. Do you believe you look at the Cubs situation objectively?


And you should stop acting like the Jay Cutler thing is your crowning acheivement. You ended up being right, but we all know what motivated your thoughts originally

No. They are keeping an artificially low payroll and trading players at the deadline to try and be good down the line. I can't believe this is a controversial stance.
I don't remember what I said when the Cubs were good. I'm guessing I said other good things. After all, I was rooting for the Cubs to win it all then.
Once again, I only bring it up when people use the "You just hate" card. It's not to take a victory lap. It's to point out how stupid it is to use some sort of perceived hatred. It's possible I could hate the Cubs and still be right about something about the Cubs. What if I were to say "You just love the Cubs" to discount your opinions. Would that be fair?

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

So, you've said nothing positive in 6 years other than they are more popular than the White Sox.



No, because Ive demonstrated the ability to look at it objectively while still maintaining that I probably have bias.


Ive criticized the Cubs more than Ive lauded them here and I could point out several White Sox moves that I applauded.

Not the case with you.

Hmmmm, wonder if that other board is still accepting apps.

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.

I don't remember what I said 6 years ago about them. I don't have all my posts memorized. I've said more than that though. I've talked well about Wrigley and how I enjoy games there too.

They haven't really done much well lately. Don't hold that against me. When they are competitive again I promise I'll be nice.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

That's bullshit.

I call you out for your obvious bias. You have nothing to say to argue against it, so you go with the "I promise, Ill be nice"

That's weak.

I dont know why you cant admit your biases like everyone else. Really, we all have them.

Deep down, you know that part of the Anti Cutler sentiment was because he was replacing your guy and its the same thing with your thoughts on the Cubs.

But anyway, we just disagree. Let's move on

That's absolutely true, but I think he turned out to be right, don't you? There is absolutely nothing special about Jay Cutler.

_________________
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 Matthew, Tulsi, and Don

That's the point. I can't argue with anyone saying "You just hate the Cubs". You just discount anything I say against it. I can root for the Cubs to win, go to Cubs games, and think the Cubs are very important and you still think I hate the Cubs because I point out things like the Cubs have been intentionally losing which is something even the most casual of baseball observers can see is obvious.
If that is true it still doesn't discount my opinion. We all come from a unique perspective. With Cutler, I had the benefit of not being a meatball celebrating an offseason move like it was the greatest day in Bears history since the Super Bowl. The fact that I'm not willing to give the Cubs a pass for keeping an artifically low payroll while being the most profitable team in baseball probably allows me to be a little bit more unbiased than you who not only loves the Cubs but also loves Theo Epstein.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Yeah, I started that comment out by saying he "ended up being right"

Going to games and rooting for them doesnt mean you're objective about them.

Im sorry, but if every comment you make for six years is negative, then Im gonna assume bias.







Of course it's true.

I dont know why it took so long for you to admit this.


No, you were a meatball, except your meatball loyalty was with Kyle Orton. But you picked the right side. It happens.



I have not given anyone a pass.

I think my track record of honest assessment on teams I like and dislike speaks for itself.

I think Theo is a good gm. But even with him, Ive been critical. In fact, my first post in this thread criticized Theo!


Its just a shame because Id like to discuss baseball with you without the agenda. We all have one, but we put it aside for the sake of honesty at least some of the time.

I mean, I think JORR has a bias against the Cubs and would admit it. But Ive seen him give credit where its due and rip his own team as well. The same can be said of dolphin.

Anyway, I dont care enough to argue your specific reasoning, any further. Maybe Ive got you all wrong. Whatever.

Hopefully, when the Cubs clinch the 2nd wild card this september, we can celebrate together