Thwomp!

We'll have to agree to disagree about how awesome the steroid era was in baseball. Baseball wasn't better because "everyone" was juicing. I also don't think the playing field was level because not "everyone" was doing it. It did give us real life people who looked like cartoon characters though. You may have a bit of rose-colored glasses in looking at that era because the Yankees did very well during that time frame. It equates to Lance Armstrong and cycling for me. Yeah cycling was more popular, but it wasn't real and ended up crashing back to earth when the scandal was uncovered. I think more damage than good was done to baseball and cycling in the end. I'm glad she won it, but I loved how the cover and the "photo shoot" was basically presenting her as a model. Just like all the men who have won the award <_< I'm not trying to be an ultra-feminist here, but she should have been presented as more of an athlete and less of a model imo.

And as a matter of fact, our old friend Barry was recently named Marlins hitting coach. Thanks Mattingly for bringing him back to MLB. I'll be curious to see if Bonds' body looks different post-retirement.

I think I jinxed Orange basketball, although I'm sure I'm not alone. I thought they were going to be a big surprise this year after winning the Battle for Atlantis tournament. St. Johns smoked them yesterday and the Orange are looking really bad without Boeheim behind the bench. We'll see how they look when he gets back and conference play starts, but I'm no longer expecting much. Thank god this is the last year of Trevor Cooney. What a four year disappointment he's been for such a "sharpshooter".

Oh I've watched plenty of horrible Mets games and I've given up on them many times before too. I've got limited time for sports these days, so I'm at the point where teams have to earn my dedicated viewership. The Mets were able to do that this year. The Bills were not. I'm on the fence with the Sabres, but they are actually able to be watched most of the time, in contrast to other recent seasons.

Had a chance to watch the 3rd period/OT on Saturday. Glad we pulled out the win because the Kings had a vast majority of the quality chances in the 3rd and OT. Ullmark saved the day. I was less than impressed with our two Winnipeg imports. What was wrong with Bogo? He looked like a monkey trying to have intercourse with a football every time he touched the puck. And I still have nightmare visions of Kane's no look, behind-the-back, slow pass that led to a breakaway for Kopitar in OT. Overall, the Sabres weathered the storm and pulled out a much needed win thanks to that great play by O'Reilly. Great pass by McCabe. And Risto looked really good during the time I watched as well. Also glad that Lucic didn't win the game in the last second of regulation. That was too damn close.

I can't believe how many of you are still watching. Two record-setting weather days in Cbus this weekend and I didn't give the Bills one thought. I mowed my lawn yesterday (on freaking December 13th!) instead of watching the Bills. Due to the weather, the lawn has not stopped growing yet. It looks like I made the right choice. The Bills have ruined countless beautiful days over the years and years of futility.

I'm (probably too slowly) getting to that point. The drawn out battle is really never worth the effort. :beer: That looks downright tanky. Their record is not terrible though and they're a fringe playoff team at this point. Hooray for Offense and Goaltending!

Ok, my last post on the subject: You're giving him the benefit of the doubt that doesn't exist. I understand what you're saying in your post and I originally gave him the benefit of the doubt in saying that his joke was inappropriate. His follow up post removes that doubt in that he says he wasn't joking and that "He probably wouldn't have made it if it had not been for his father", which was categorically contrary to what the article said, implies condoning the father's actions, and was completely tasteless. The point is that there is no upside to the father's criminal actions and jj couldn't/can't grasp that concept. Agreed, and others can post what they want in response as well.

If you agreed with his initial post you either didn't read the article and/or are not a parent. His post is literally the antithesis of the article. I unfortunately can still see jj's quoted posts. Wow, so now he knows better than someone who's actually lived it and shared their experiences with the board. But this is jj being jj. He's had this same "dance" with numerous posters on numerous topics.

The bolded is the offensive part. If you read the article and what that kid went through, it was criminal and no credit should be given to the father. And it wasn't. The guy specifically said his father had nothing to do with him making the NHL. Even if in some alternate universe it was the reason, it still does not remotely excuse any of his father's actions. I actually gave you more credit than I should have because I had to believe you were joking. You have a right to say whatever you want. I and others have a right to let you know that we disagree and consider it inappropriate for the given situation. Disagreements happen everyday on this board and in every thread, and no one else reacts the way you do when called out.

Are you seriously telling me to lighten up regarding your tasteless "jokes" about child abuse? Thanks, I'll take this opportunity to "lighten up" which posts appear on my screen, and yours just missed the cut.

That article was disgusting. Your comment isn't appropriate even if it's a joke. And besides, he gave no credit to his father for him making it to the NHL. Despite all that he went through, it was his love of the game that got him there and through hell. Not his father's psychopathic "methods". Love how the community and his own mother looked the other way as well. As a parent and father I am absolutely disgusted, and hope karma bites back hard and unmercifully.

Agree 100% with the bold. The bolded is essentially my feelings on the issue as well.. It seems like some of the worst people are also the most (self-professed) religious, but are so hypocritical, judgmental, and obviously incapable of introspection.

What does the quote mean to you then? I tried to look at it several different ways and could only come up with "religious people are good people and do the right thing, act the right way, etc." I disagree with that notion and thus disagree that those are "words to live by".

I know Nintendo isn't fashionable these days, but of the "big 3" consoles, they do compatibility between systems better than anyone. It goes all the way back to the Super Nintendo, which had a Game Boy adapter, which I still have and use. The Wii was backward compatible with the GameCube games. One of the main reasons I got a Wii U was that is was backward compatible with the Wii games. I probably have 60 Wii games plus downloaded content. The setup of the Wii U was super easy in transferring everything from the Wii to the Wii U so I have everything I acquired with the Wii and can still play it. I then had an empty, mostly worthless shell of a Wii, which I modded and now have all the Dragon Warrior games and several other of my all time favorites to play and share with my kids. I'm very happy with how everything worked out overall with the systems I currently own.

I see the sentiment you're trying to relay, but no thanks, I'll pass. Bingo! Well stated. I think outsiders have the best perspective on many things.

From what I gather he's definitely an offensive guy, so maybe they'll try to win games 59-55? :P Also, Syracuse got screwed when they joined the ACC. They were placed in the same division as both FSU and Clemson. Have to play both of the perennially strongest teams in the league every year. Pitt somehow got the much more manageable division. Much more of an uphill climb for Syracuse to return to any respectability imo.

I think Syracuse football made a good up-and-coming hire as their new football coach. He's bringing the Baylor offensive philosophy so at least they'll likely be more entertaining. http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/eye-on-college-football/25401915/reports-syracuse-to-hire-bowling-greens-dino-babers-as-coach Name is Dino Babers though :w00t: 2 good years at Bowling Green and 2 good years at Eastern Illinois before this. I don't think their program can get much worse, so I'm glad they took a shot at a new guy instead of a retread.

Thanks chz! Posted my fantastic Friday in the awesome thread. On my way home from work so fantastic Friday has begun for me!

Well, highly unlikely since I haven't been to a concert in years and I don't live in Rochester anymore, or New York State :P But, my kids are getting closer to their teen years so I'm sure concerts may be on my agenda again, but not ones I would normally be interested in I fear.

Well, since the "Fantastic Friday" thread is apparently never opening today: My wife and I are celebrating our 15th wedding anniversary with a nice dinner and drinks tonight. Walking around afterwards around holiday lights displays, then doing some shopping for several items she's had her eye on. Xenoblade Chronicles X as her gift to me (she can't keep a secret). Should be a fantastic evening!

I agree with much of what you say here with a couple differences: 1. I think that where you live can have an effect on how much religion can bother you. There are definitely more secular and more religious areas and states. 2. I think you have the bolded backwards. I think man does naturally have a moral code that religion claimed as their own, since I would say man and his moral code existed prior to religions being formed, but I guess this is the crux of the religion vs. atheism argument (What came first, God or man?).

Don't think I ever made it to Blossom. I've been to Syracuse War Memorial and the State Fairgrounds for concerts. I've been to the Aud and Marine Midland (at the time) in Buffalo. I've been to many around Rochester back in the day.

Sigh, I had a long post and lost it.... The atheist point of view is that religion is everywhere. Media, politics, sports, talking to random people throughout the day, etc. etc. etc. Forgive an atheist if he reacts with a sneer or dismissive attitude when someone starts talking to them about their beliefs. The atheist has been there hundreds of times and just doesn't want to hear it again. They just want to be left alone, which includes not having laws made that are religiously motivated in what is supposedly a secular country. It doesn't help that most of the violence in the world seems to have a large religious element. Religious people often don't tolerate atheists or other religions well, so it leads to conflict. In short, we need much less religion (especially the fanatical kind of all faiths), not more.

Also carrying over from the "Around the NHL" thread: The NFL has become the worst major sport to watch. I'd rather watch NHL, MLB, NCAA FB, NCAA BB, and even the NBA. I think if not for fantasy sports and nostalgia, the NFL would be in big trouble, but since the money keeps rolling in, nothing will change for the better anytime soon.