WWJBT & The Chicago Cub-Loving Media....

[Hangar18]

With the Sox playing at home, and Winning a Very Thrilling game,
and the Flubs on the road Losing a very important game, what Would DETERMINE THE BACK COVER ? A cub picture Of course.
The title makes it seem that it was a Crushing Defeat, and that the City of Chicago is saddened ...... Again, I offer to you...WWJBT ?? (what would japanese businessman think)
Well, he would think that this was a crushing loss, and that this team with the blue jerseys are whats First and Foremost on the hearts and minds of the Citizenry here. Also.....Mariotti offers his take on the new Soldier Field today, and wastes no time in Ripping Comiskey again (deservedly so). He makes a nice Notation of New Soldier Fields "CANTILEVERED" upper deck and How the SOX foolishly ignored this unique and now very common Construction technique being used these days in the new parks being erected. Good Touch. However, we know whats wrong with the place, and I have to think that this is becoming Overkill. The Sox Can/Should bulldoze the ENTIRE UPPERDECK,
along with that 3rd Level of Skyboxes. Use the Infrastructure ALREADY IN PLACE in the "club" level, and make that the New Upper Deck. At that height, the pitch wouldnt be so Steep, they could then (I know its possible) to RETROFIT the Steel, so that this new deck could now be cantilevered and be able to support the new deck being CLOSER to the field than currently is.

[CHISOXFAN13]

I usually don't get too bent out of shape ovber the coverage, but I did find it interesting that Boers and Hanley were disagreeing with Channel 7's decision to show the Cubs first and to have JIm Rose live with them in Houston while the Sox were busy winning at home again.

It was good to hear them badmouth the decision.

[cheeses_h_rice]

Originally posted by CHISOXFAN13
I usually don't get too bent out of shape ovber the coverage, but I did find it interesting that Boers and Hanley were disagreeing with Channel 7's decision to show the Cubs first and to have JIm Rose live with them in Houston while the Sox were busy winning at home again.

It was good to hear them badmouth the decision.

Well, the Flubs are battling the Astros for first in their division. The Sox are battling for first, but not against the Angels, so I can see that being a justifiable position.

[xil357]

Originally posted by cheeses_h_rice
Well, the Flubs are battling the Astros for first in their division. The Sox are battling for first, but not against the Angels, so I can see that being a justifiable position.

Nope. Not me. The Sox are in just as tight of a division race and they are at home. The disparity in the media coverage is indefensible.

As for Hangar's proposal about the Upper Tank: Although such would be the ideal situation, such a move to tear down the current UD might be too drastic, time consuming and costly. Given Chicago winters and their effect on construction such a move might necessitate the Sox playing as much as a full season in another stadium. However, if such a thing could be pulled off over a winter I say go for it.

But if not, I propose a slightly less drastic fix: Trim the top sections of the UD toward the foul poles so the deck tapers off like at Kaufman Field in KC. Work it so that five rows are shaved off between first and third and then gradually reduce the number of rows as you go from third to the LF foul pole and from first to the RF pole. In the corners there would be only 10 rows of seats. To make up for the lost seating capacity, cantilever three new rows in front of the current front row of the UD and cantilever another three rows onto the front of the club level deck. For people entering the UD from the upper concourse, the entrance to the seats would be slightly below the midpoint of the UD: some seats down, some seats up.

As for the top level of skyboxes -- if they remain unsold then open them up at reduced prices for families at "middle class" prices. Make it competitive with what it would cost for a family to have a kids birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. Or make them available to adult groups to rent out on a game-by-game basis for bachelor parties, anniversaries, etc.

[MRKARNO]

I think that anything done to the existing structure might be too drastic unless reinsdorf pulls a lot of money together (we're probably talking more than 100 mil) and the sox might have to endure at least part of a season in the urinal