So I was correct. You are setting up to paint Cub fans in a negative light if the so called plan works.

And getting Sox fans off the hook

What hook?

The "klan" reaction to WC contention, and the plan working are two totally different things. A World Series title can really only be the acceptable answer to the question of "did Theo's plan work." Am I wrong about that?

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As near as I can tell, it's to lose badly for a number of years ("There is no glory in winning 78 games."), use the high draft choices on sluggers, flip pitching reclamation projects at the trade deadline for more sluggers, and accumulate shortstops, along with a definite TINSTAAPP philosophy. It may work, but I don't think The Plan can be divorced from the losing. We can see what The Plan has entailed thus far.

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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

like the sox were for 2/3 of the season

I'll laugh at you, just as I was laughed at

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

I'm going to get shit for this from both sides of town, but even if the Cubs win the World Series in the future (and I don't think they will with this bunch), it'll be tainted to me because of what they're doing to Wrigley Field and to their neighborhood. They're killing the golden goose of the Wrigley experience, they're insulting people's intelligence, and they're treating a living neighborhood as their personal theme park. It sucks. I hate these owners so much.

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I am not painting anyone in a negative light. I am simply restating your conclusion from this thread. 80% of Cubs fans don't believe in the plan. That is what you are saying. If the plan works, that means that 80% of Cubs fans are wrong. If it doesn't work, that means that 80% of Cubs fans are right.
Those who doubted the plan are going to look stupid if it works. A lot of them are Sox fans.

However, they now have 80% of Cubs fans that will also look stupid including 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!

That's everyone's "plan". In this case, that wasn't the immediate plan at all. In fact, The Plan was the exact opposite. It was to be brutally bad for an indefinite period of time as "there is no glory in winning 78 games". THEO. TOLD. YOU. THAT.

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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

The real problem is that The(o) Plan involved intentionally tanking. Everything else involved in it is really just run of the mill stuff for a new administration.

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

Well, it's sad, because I don't think that was Tom Ricketts' intention when he bought the team. In fact, I think he saw himself as a white knight for Wrigley and maintaining the experiences he had there as a college student for future fans. But just as he bought the team, the economy suffered along with the Cubs baseball fortunes. He began being pressured by his old man and the easy answer is to squeeze any possible revenue streams whether it be a ridiculous noodle in front of the park (Hey, whatever happened to Wally Hayward?) or selling fan "experiences" on the field (You took $500 bucks from that five year old's dad so the kid could read the lineup and now I don't know who the fuck is playing first base. Yeah, I know, the Sox do it too. That ain't no Pat Peiper!) I think you and I are in agreement that it's a very shortsighted strategy and will ultimately kill many of the built-in advantages that the Cubs have enjoyed for about 30 years.

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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

just from an outsider's perspective, it seems like it would be difficult to say one believes or doesn't believe in a plan if no one truly knows what it is...

Well, by definition the losing must be part of The Plan. If it isn't, he should be terminated immediately. That's the problem with saying you like The Plan but don't like the losing.

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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

"Wrong place, wrong time" is becoming a disturbing trend with this ownership/management. The economy bottoms out just as they get the team. A new CBA prohibits many of the tricks their conquering hero GM used. Expanding the playoff field means the team will be subject to new playoff randomness that they wouldn't have been subject to before. They embark on a grand Plan to sink to the bottom so as to rise to the top, but they do it just as their broadcast rights expire and end up having to take less money from TV and radio than the lowball fees they thought they already had*. Every time they think they have the answer, the question changes. Half is bad luck, the other half is bad planning, but the halves are coming out of one big pie. It's taken a lot to make Tribune ownership look thoughtful, but by Jove, these Nebraskans have done it.

*EDIT: Just occurred to me after hitting "post" that the new radio deal with 780 already sets up for another patented Ricketts rug-pull. They're taking less money from CBS than WGN was offering on the basis that CBS would promote lots of concerts to make up the gap in rights fees. Watch the neighborhood start getting really pissed about increased night games and videoboards and put the brakes on all these concerts the Cubs want to add. Just watch.

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I will not look stupid. I will still be right. It will always have taken too long. That wont change.

Despite your obsession with Bernstein's opinion.

Obviously the plan, any plan, is to get better. Im sure they thought they'd be further along and it would be showing in the record by now

They dont expect to go from 65 wins to 95

I believe most Cub fans like the part of rebuilding the minor leagues but think it could have been done another way or without so much losing

Wouldn't you agree?

So you don't believe in the plan but if the plan works then you will still be right but if the plan doesn't work you will also be right?

Talk about setting up a "can't lose" argument.

If you don't believe in the plan, that means you don't think it will work.

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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 hate The Plan and do not believe The Plan will work (no WS in next 5 years, and no streak of playoff appearances). Baez, Alcantara, Lake, and Olt flat out suck, Rizzo and Castro are nothing special, the pitching is weak, and Ricketts is cheap. I think when the economy goes into another funk, you will see another round of excuses for why he won't spend.

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Not true.

You can be in favor of something and think the process took way too long (Kinda like Healthcare)



And Yes, Im already right. Its already taken too long. Close the book on that one.

So you are in favor of the plan overall? Your only complaint is the length of time it took. I am really confused now.
Ok. Got it. The plan was bad. Case closed. Final answer.

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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!

Get him to sign a release Rick! What will happen if he goes back on it!?

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The plan might end up working but its taken too long

Its really not confusing in the least

Thread title: For Cub fans only. Do you believe in Theo's Plan?
rpb says he doesn't believe in Theo's plan.


Just don't get it.

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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!

Yes, you do. You're smart.


Im sure you've been satisfied with things but thought they took too long to come to fruition (smoking ban)

Let me use this an example.

I want Robin fired. I don't believe in the Sox having success with him as the manager going forward. If he is retained, and the Sox win 95 games next year I'll be happy with the plan to keep him, but I'll have been wrong to think he should have been fired.

That is just my ultimate confusion. You don't believe in the plan, and if it fails you are right, and if it succeeds you are right. Both can't be true.

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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!

"The Plan" has failed. I don't care if the Cubs win 3 WS in a row. You never allow your team to lose on purpose. Epstein stating what's the difference between 78 wins or 82? Somebody should ask him why the Cubs need to struggle to get to 78 wins!

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favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."

It's a very simple concept but it doesnt fall in to two categories so you dont like that. I know you dont like when I point that out, but its true

There is more than these two options.

The plan is horrible
The plan is perfect

I think the plan is a decent one overall but could have been executed better and quicker.

You created this whole thread with a simple YES or NO answer. It literally does fall into two categories.

Realistically, if you still think the plan could work then your answer is "Maybe". It certainly is not a "No".
I guess I'm just not going to understand how you can think the plan is decent and that you do not believe in it.

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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!

They're running a baseball team, not a museum or a neighborhood.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

Do the Cubs know this?

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2018
#ExtendLafleur
10 More Wins