Why everyone at DU should support the Chicago White Sox

in the ALCS, and if they are worthy enough to beat the Angels, in the World Series as well:

1. Chicago is a city filled with people who exemplify all that is
great and good about Democrats. Chicago is a consistent supporter
of Democratic candidates at all levels of government. The bluest of
the blue when it comes to that kind of support. Current home of my
new personal hero - Patrick Fitzgerald.

2. Illinois is a blue state. Home of Barack Obama and Richard Durbin.

3. California is a blue state, true, but the California-Anaheim-
Disney World- whatever-Angels reside in Orange County. The reddest
part of an otherwise blue state. Home of the Reagan Library, and
Arnold Schwarzenegger. Oh...yes...Home of Richard "I'm Not a Crook" Nixon. (A tip of the cap to pk-du).

4. If the Sox get to the World Series, both of their potential rivals
are from red states. The Cardinals - from Missouri - the home
state of John Ashcroft (remember "Let the Eagle Soar?"...enough
said).

5. The Houston Astros? From Texas? Geez...what did Texas foist upon
us? Tom DeLay? KKKarl Rove? Every single douche-bag in the Bush
administration? Need I say more?

6. The White Sox are underdogs...we LOVE underdogs here!

7. What's more important...really...in the grand scheme of things?
Pulling for YOUR base-ball team, or supporting the ideals and
principles upon which we all stand? What is more patriotic than
throwing off the shackles of your time-worn support of any other
team BUT the White Sox? What could you, individually and
collectively, do this week-end that would be more emblematic of
your support for everything DU? I'll tell you... throw your
un-dying, fervent and patriotic support to the only baseball team
now playing that mirrors your heart...the Chicago White Sox.
Thank you.

and most likely will get a second term. :wtf:?

GO White Sox Go!!!

So, sorry, I can't switch teams now.

However, I will say that the White Sox are a pretty good team and Chicago is a pretty good city...even if O'Hare airport TOTALLY sucks...but the Hilton Hotel across the road serves up a mean bit of salmon.

didn't pan out for me :( Or the country

It will be added.

But GO WHITE SOX!, anyway.

Chavez is a white sox fan! why? cause ozzie is a Venezuelan!
you can put it on the board---yyyesssss!!

My boyhood idol was Roger Staubach. Great player, very competitive and exciting. His politics, however, suck. Big time Republican, and as far as I know, a Bushbot. That still doesn't take away my respect for what he did on the field. Sometimes, you just have to keep those things separated.

or religion...or marriage...or anything, really...that's why I'm asking people to drop their life-long affiliations with their teams and get behind the White Sox!

example...Buerhle is a headhunting SOB.....ANYBODY BUT the SOX

Go back to Russia, buddy. Whatsa matter, you don't love our country?

There's far too few of us. :hi:

Because everybody else knows that we have the best team!

:hi:

The only thing they throw at us is some variation on "Missouri is a red state!" or "The Cardinals SUCKED in the WS last year!"

Cards fans are the best fans, in any case. :D

Just kidding...As a Sox fan I LOVE the Cards. I LOVE it when they spank the Cubs. They have a great team. I also like LaRussa. Smart guy. Good luck with Houston.

I'm thrilled that the Sox have a chance to win it all. There's been far too many east coast/west coast winners in recent years.It's about time that a good midwestern team kicked some ass. :D

And I must say, that if the Card's don't get it this year AGAIN...then I'd be happy for the White Sox too, because the way they've been playing, I think they really deserve to get rewarded with something (thank goodness you're not a Yankees fan, or you'd get no mercy from me ;) )

About Cards fans being the best fans, and we're always, or nearly always well behaved.

Harry Truman was from Missouri, so was Mel Carnahan, so what are these "it's a red state" people talking about?

What happened against the Red Sox last year, I'm STILL trying to figure out. How could we have done SO badly? Considering that we were the best damn team last season too and then we go and blow it like we did.

I'm terrified of making a comment on the WS, considering last nights awful result...shouldn't Clemens have retired by now already anyhow? ;) Shouldn't the old man be tired and just retire, shouldn't the Astros as a whole be tired after that 18 innings stint last weekend.

Gosh, it's going to be nerve-wracking the next game.

My BP's gonna skyrocket. I take sports way too seriously during the regular season...don't even talk about the playoffs. :)

As for the "red state" thing, I think they like to throw Rush and Ashcroft in our faces. Bah. :(

A shot of Tequila...or eight ;) Just to get us through the NEXT game even. Edmonds and Eckstein had better be on the ball this time.

Surely we can't lose to a team that has such an ugly uniform like the Astros do, I hate their set up.

We've got "home field advantage," but the games are played home-home-away-away-away-home-home. For the first five games, it's the ASTROS that have the advantage. Ah, the things teams will do to save a little money. :grr:

I'm going to be wound up REALLY tight tomorrow.

Even though I'm a lapsed Catholic, during times such as these, I still do the Hail Mary's.

It does seem that the Astros have the upper hand advantage, but if we stay positive and use willpower, then we can overcome this I'm sure.

Heck, I WISH it was Sunday already :scared: :hangover:

if the Yanks lose, they should lose to the best. :)

In case the Yanks lose to the Angels or Rangers, which is the case this year.

Say it ain't so. But that shit was unworthy of a championship team.

Who, what, where, when and how?

Go see "Good Night, and Good Luck" and see what happens to those who make false accusations!

I saw "cheating" and assumed...

Though, in the Sox defense, I don't think what occured the other night was "cheating." I think the blame lays with the umpire. His call of the play could have been clear enough to allow all the players to know what was going on. :)

In truth, the Cardinals are my second choice. Alas, 'twas the same last year. It's just that I can't forgive 'em for what they did in '82.

(Parenthetically, what was Pierzynski supposed to do? hang his head and shuffle back to the dug-out with his tail between his legs? GET OVER IT!!!)

way.

Sorry. National league fan here. I don't believe in Monarchies, Republicans or Designated Hitters.

How is the ump's call the White Sox' fault?
The Angel's mistake on the play isn't worthy of a championship team...

do what ever it take to win and keep doing it until they catch you

They're so durned sneaky!

the umpire balked and the catcher should have tagged (fundamental)The batter was just playing smart baseball.

I guess players shouldnt run to 1st base either when they pop up....

IIRC, the reagan library isnt in OC, buthe Nixon one is.
The area I live in is MUCH redder than OC, which harbors alot more liberals than you are led to believe. It has a large asian and latino population. Unfortunately it also has an entrenched ultra wealthy that run everything- not unlike Winnetka and environs.

California is the state of Barbara Boxer.
Fitzgereald won't be MY hero unless indictments are handed down- soon I hope.

Arnie doesn't live in OC. Dennid Rodman does, and Chicago owes big to anyone who has him in their community

The Angels are horribly beat up and lost in part due to a lousy call. I think that makes them the underdog.

Chicago has donated some pretty lousy stuff to our collective conciousness, just as OC has. Al Capone, Daley siccing the cops on the Dem protestors...but on the other hand the Chicago symphony is a damn sight better than the pacific symphony. YOu have all the nice cultural attractions, can't OC have one thing it can do well at ? ;-)

I'd like the best team to win - a meritocracy. that means not winning by getting extra outs or throwing spitballs or corked bats or whatever.

play ball and may the better team win. THats where my heart lies.

Welcome to DU. But please let go of that "winning by getting extra outs"...there is no crying in baseball...

I'll cry all I want.
And there IS crying in baseball- ever been to a little league game?
And thanks for the welcome!

love your handle.

Finally, something more important than terror alerts!!

This is something I can get my teeth sunk into.

Thank you very much for this.

My fav team? The 1961 Tigers.

Pitchers
Frank Lary-P -- (the Yankee Killer) *always* batted for himself.
Jim Bunning-P -- Before he became political he was a helluva pitcher.
Don Mossi-P -- Mean fastball from a mean looking guy.
Hank Aguirre-P -- batted one for three, one hit for three seasons :-)

Infield
Norm Cash-1B -- whatta player. 41 HR 361 BA 132 RBI 124 BB 992 FP
Jake Wood-2B -- 663 at bats!! 30 stolen bases
Chico Fernandez-SS -- with Dick McAuliffe backing him up!!!
Steve Boros-3B
Dick Brown-C -- 990 FP, with the soon-to-be great Bill Freehan in the dugout!

Outfield --
Rocky Colavito -- 45 HR! 113 BB
Bill Bruton -- 17 HR
Al Kaline -- Pure grace in right field, A great in his prime.

Charlie "Paw Paw" Maxwell -- The pinch hitter's pinch hitter.

I'll never forget that team. Briggs stadium would be rocking and the balls would fly outta the park.

Cool uniforms too. Big fan of Rocky Colavite. He played for the Whits Sox late in his career for part of a season. Al Kaline, Norm Cash...man, great team, indeed.

enough steroids to hit 45 home runs in 1961?

Steroids? I don't think so. But this was 1961. Who knows what went on?

Colavito was connecting like crazy that year. That's part of what made the 1961 team so great. The Tige's won 101 games that year, but didn't make it to the pennant because of the Yankees had Maris, Mantle and Whitey Ford.

It made for very exciting baseball when the Yanks came to town. Of course, Bob Scheffing would pitch Frank Lary against the Yank's best. Lary hit .231 that year, but would always get the clutch hit against the Yanks, spoiling many yank wins.

Don Mossi was as unattractive as any player who's ever played the game. I wouldn't have wanted to be in a batter's box when he was on the mound. If his looks didn't scare the living shit outta ya, his fast ball would have.

Al Kaline, one of the greatest and one of the most graceful players to ever play the game. He could easily throw a strike to the plate from the right field wall. If you're on third base and Kaline was in RF, you think twice before tagging for home on a right field fly ball. And with Dick Brown behind the plate, you'd better think thrice about it. A lot of players tried it and regretted it. Umping behind the plate, Nestor Chylak would give the poor guy the double pumper and he'd be gone.

These guys made baseball so much fun. It didn't matter if they won or lost. It was the fun of the game.

Aha NO......... Nice try though. Can I have some of what you are smoking?

I actually, I have a tendency to pull for the underdog (as long as they are not playing the Cards).

If you were truly patriotic, so would you. (Good luck to the Cards...great team).

"6. The White Sox are underdogs...we LOVE underdogs here!"

What underdog? They won 100 games.

Those guys were a work of art Eh?

Why must you go negative? (Great pics, though).

:evilgrin:

White Sox this year, next year Cubs (unless the Mets have a shot at them)

If my White Sox win the WS (At least in my lifetime) I will put aside my emnity for all things Cub and support them in their almost 100 year quest.

therefore I keep the two separate. I want the White Sox to win because of El Duque.

with Tom Delay there.

:bounce:

Rooting for hated teams is more fun.

in Decatur, ILLINOIS aired the MISSOURI baseball team playing a damn TEXAS team! Southern Illinois (and I will add is very RED) loves the national league.

see the game on TV. It might not have been on here. In Chambana the breakdown goes something like this Townies (Cardinals fans), Students from Chicago(usually cubs fans, but I've noticed some bandwagoneering), and then for the Sox we have people from S Chicago,or out of state people who have NL allegiances or just like to piss off cubbie fans and townies. I'm native to Pittsburgh, so I belong to the last group.

last year, when I joyfully rooted for an American League team in the Series for the first time in my life, just because they were from a blue state. Then that rotten rat-bastard Kurt Schilling takes his bloody sock and goes out on the stump for Dear Leader. Screw him!

As the election drew near, I took solace from the Redskins factor. The trend appeared on the way to continuing, leading to what had always been, under those circumstantial parameters, a Democratic presidential victory. That went bust.

So: lesson learned. Sport is sport. Politics is hell.

My basic sympathies lie with the Sox, although the Angels' Sciosia is an excellent manager.

There is one caveat, one remaining political prejudice. I couldn't root for the Astros if they were playing against the Devil, Himself. It's irrational, I know, but I harbor a profoundly anti-Texas bias right now, and particularly an anti-Houston bias, with its George Bush Int'l. Airport and its close ties to so much of what is rotten about this Administration, including the former Enron Field.

i was rooting for both the sox and the astros to make the WS.
that horrendous caLL did not make me rethink my choice though.. as i admit, bad caLLs happen aLL the time. it's been the response of some sox fans that made me rethink whether i want the sox to win.

so, at the Least, go stros.

Texas? Ronnie Earle and Ann Richards. Missouri? Liberal sleazeball :sarcasm: Dick Gephardt.

The Angels' mascot is the "Rally Monkey"...Irrefutible proof that Angel fans are Bush-backers.