My favorite offseason story was Adam Dunn talking about how he really hasn't changed up his offseason routine. Oh man, that may be shaping up to be the worst contract in Chicago sports history.

I'd like to see a drinking contest between Miguel Cabrera and Josh Hamilton.

Cabby was last years off-season MVD (Most Valuable Drinker) and Hamilton has thus far taken the crown (...and Coke) this preseason.

From all I'm seeing this is a one time incident, and there really is no report on if he took a shot, got shiatfaced and grabbed ass or what. Thank goodness for Josh's lord and saviour! Not only is jesus helping him fill the void of substance in his life, he's also got him trapped in a morality spiral that every time he takes a drink now he is a back-sliding, jesus hating alcoholic who has betrayed everyone. Because everyone knows, you are either sober and with the lord, or a backsliding devil lover, even if it's one drink or just one evenings drink. I can't wait to feel the warm hand of the devil pushing me forward when I go get lit tomorrow and sing karaoke poorly!!!

Pitchers and catchers, you say?



FABULOUS!

Josh Hamilton is rapidly climbing the "Top 10 'What Could have Been' Players in MLB history" list for the year 2020. He'll be right up there with Ted Williams Who Didn't Fight In Wars, a host of African-Americans like Oscar Charleston who never got to compete on the grand stage, Tony Conigliaro, etc.

Goes to show how tough it must be to stay clean for normal addicts. He's "got it all" and still falls off the wagon from time to time.

Sobriety's a biatch...

rudemix: From all I'm seeing this is a one time incident, and there really is no report on if he took a shot, got shiatfaced and grabbed ass or what. Thank goodness for Josh's lord and saviour! Not only is jesus helping him fill the void of substance in his life, he's also got him trapped in a morality spiral that every time he takes a drink now he is a back-sliding, jesus hating alcoholic who has betrayed everyone. Because everyone knows, you are either sober and with the lord, or a backsliding devil lover, even if it's one drink or just one evenings drink. I can't wait to feel the warm hand of the devil pushing me forward when I go get lit tomorrow and sing karaoke poorly!!!

Don't blame religion. I know that's asking a lot of the average Farker, but the media, the government, and society as a whole have embraced the addiction/disease model. The fact of the matter is abstinence and zero tolerance is not the answer for some people, it's moderation and self-control. But don't tell the media, the government, and society as a whole that... There's money in their "cures".

Orgasmatron138: My favorite offseason story was Adam Dunn talking about how he really hasn't changed up his offseason routine. Oh man, that may be shaping up to be the worst contract in Chicago sports history.

shiat.

Homer Nixon: Goes to show how tough it must be to stay clean for normal addicts. He's "got it all" and still falls off the wagon from time to time.

Its probably even harder given his career. I mean hes surrounded by women and money. Frankly, even Tim Tebow is gonna end up being caught in a motel with phillipino hookers and blow.

Honestly, who didn't see this coming? His new accountabilibuddy is a recovering addict, Hamilton has a enough money for anything he wants and he just killed a person recently.

SlothB77: Come on now, Hamilton doesn't play for the Red Sox.

The most disappointing part is all the talent and potential that could have been had he not been pulling all these shenanigans.

chimp_ninja: Josh Hamilton is rapidly climbing the "Top 10 'What Could have Been' Players in MLB history" list for the year 2020. He'll be right up there with Ted Williams Who Didn't Fight In Wars, a host of African-Americans like Oscar Charleston who never got to compete on the grand stage, Tony Conigliaro, etc.

Guys, let's wait until he actually flames out before making these pronouncements. He's currently one of the best players in baseball, even if he is a late bloomer because of all of his issues.

gimmeafarkinname: Sobriety's a biatch...

My thoughts exactly.

FTFA Teammates recognize the danger to Hamilton from exposure to alcohol. Out of respect for Hamilton, the Rangers used ginger ale rather than the traditional Champagne to drench each other while he was in the room for clubhouse celebrations during the last two seasons.

Last year I thought i noticed some alcoholic beverages during the ALCS celebration and wondered if Josh gave them the go ahead. Alcoholism sucks, wishes Joshes the best.

Rustybumperjack: gimmeafarkinname: Sobriety's a biatch...

My thoughts exactly.

Harder than it looks to non alcoholics/addicts.

TrainingWheelsNeeded: FTFA Teammates recognize the danger to Hamilton from exposure to alcohol. Out of respect for Hamilton, the Rangers used ginger ale rather than the traditional Champagne to drench each other while he was in the room for clubhouse celebrations during the last two seasons.

Last year I thought i noticed some alcoholic beverages during the ALCS celebration and wondered if Josh gave them the go ahead. Alcoholism sucks, wishes Joshes the best.

/wishes Josh* the best - sorry, have had a little too much to drink this morning.

It must suck to try and make positive changes in your life, just to have a lot of people ready to jump your shiat any time you have a slip up.

Josh Hamilton use to steal cars and do drugs with my cousin when he was a teenager...so I'm getting a kick out of this story. I've spent time around this guy before and after he "found Jesus" and amazingly enough...he was the same dickhead both times.

No sympathy for the weak.

Well when you...

A) Get crushed in a World Series then
B) Assist a fan to a death fall in front of his young son then
C) Lose another World Series, but this time being one Strike away from winning it...TWICE

it has to be difficult not to drink a little.

vinnydoz007: Homer Nixon: Goes to show how tough it must be to stay clean for normal addicts. He's "got it all" and still falls off the wagon from time to time.

Its probably even harder given his career. I mean hes surrounded by women and money. Frankly, even Tim Tebow is gonna end up being caught in a motel with phillipino hookers ladyboys and blow.

FTFY.

funk_soul_bubby: rudemix: From all I'm seeing this is a one time incident, and there really is no report on if he took a shot, got shiatfaced and grabbed ass or what. Thank goodness for Josh's lord and saviour! Not only is jesus helping him fill the void of substance in his life, he's also got him trapped in a morality spiral that every time he takes a drink now he is a back-sliding, jesus hating alcoholic who has betrayed everyone. Because everyone knows, you are either sober and with the lord, or a backsliding devil lover, even if it's one drink or just one evenings drink. I can't wait to feel the warm hand of the devil pushing me forward when I go get lit tomorrow and sing karaoke poorly!!!

Don't blame religion. I know that's asking a lot of the average Farker, but the media, the government, and society as a whole have embraced the addiction/disease model. The fact of the matter is abstinence and zero tolerance is not the answer for some people, it's moderation and self-control. But don't tell the media, the government, and society as a whole that... There's money in their "cures".

His response offered up a lot of words for the lord and his savior. It troubles me that he is basing his complete sobriety in illusions.

Josh, I hate to break it to you but that "God" stuff is all bullshiat, there is no God, the universe is pretty much an empty void

TravisBickle62: Josh, I hate to break it to you but that "God" stuff is all bullshiat, there is no God, the universe is pretty much an empty void

[Citation Needed]

Super Chronic: chimp_ninja: Josh Hamilton is rapidly climbing the "Top 10 'What Could have Been' Players in MLB history" list for the year 2020. He'll be right up there with Ted Williams Who Didn't Fight In Wars, a host of African-Americans like Oscar Charleston who never got to compete on the grand stage, Tony Conigliaro, etc.

Guys, let's wait until he actually flames out before making these pronouncements. He's currently one of the best players in baseball, even if he is a late bloomer because of all of his issues.

1) He's 31 this year, which means he's likely to be on a slow decline. His body's best years, even without accounting for the rough living he did, are behind him.
2) He's played 90, 156, 89, 133, and 121 games over the last five years. All the different injuries are likely not completely unrelated to all of his off-the-field problems, and they don't bode well for what he'll be able to do in coming years, even if he (hopefully) stays on the wagon for the most part.
3) He had one amazing season, 2010. He's had three seasons where he's very good, and a mediocre 2009, but it's a stretch to say he's "one of the best" with confidence. He's a career .308/.366/.543 hitter who plays average CF or good LF, and runs OK. Outside of 2010, he's not in the top 25 offensive players in MLB.

All odds are that he'll be remembered primarily for his personal story and one wrecking-ball season, much like a Tony Conigliaro. If he had his act together, he could have been a fantastic player.

Whar your Gawd now? WHAR?!!?! Oh right, She's a Cardinals fan...

Treygreen13: Ian doesn't have an alcohol problem but you'd think he might be like, "Hey, umm, Josh, why are you in a bar?"

The article made it sound like he showed up with the specific intent to get Josh out of there, and not because Josh invited him. Kinda makes you wonder if there's an extensive network of bartenders or bar managers with contact info to Rangers team officials to "notify us if one (1) Josh Hamilton enters your establishment and wishes to be served".

Trackball: TravisBickle62: Josh, I hate to break it to you but that "God" stuff is all bullshiat, there is no God, the universe is pretty much an empty void

[Citation Needed]

No citation needed. It's the default logical position...

rudemix: His response offered up a lot of words for the lord and his savior. It troubles me that he is basing his complete sobriety in illusions.

Codependency. For some it's religion, for others it's something else. I know a guy who filled the void with fantasy sports.

I have no qualm with people using whatever means is necessary to keep them alive, I just take issue with the idea of addiction society tries to force upon folks working to clean themselves up.

I wasn't really taking issue with you, btw, just referring to one of my pet peeves, that society treats every abuser like the solutions to their problems are all the same. I think we're in agreement on the "complete sobriety" part.

Jimmy's getting angry: Trackball: TravisBickle62: Josh, I hate to break it to you but that "God" stuff is all bullshiat, there is no God, the universe is pretty much an empty void

[Citation Needed]

No citation needed. It's the default logical position...

Because... Aliens are more logical? I'd rather quote from his interview with Ben Stein.. but I doubt the legitimacy of that discussion.

You have to start with something. Whether you believe it was a personal God or an impersonal explosion, that's your choice.
But why hate people for choosing to believe in a world with meaning?

themuze: No sympathy for the weak.

is this a different version of the ITG?

FreakinB: Treygreen13: Speaking of the Brewers, their old logo was probably one of the more kick-ass logos in sports history.

It's an M and a B!

CSB: I had gone through my entire childhood thinking it was just a glove. When I was about 18 my friend got a throwback hat with that logo. Some girl who knew nothing about baseball asked which team it was, was told, and said something like "Oh, I get it. M and a B." One of the bigger "Holy fark!" moments of my life, which was then ruined by me wondering how my idiot self never picked up on it.

I just got it.

/wow, Tony Randall!

TravisBickle62: Josh, I hate to break it to you but that "God" stuff is all bullshiat, there is no God, the universe is pretty much an empty void

You miss the point, as most of you boring evangelical atheists do. I'm not an addict or religious, but heard an AA guy speak once (biker-type guy) and his point was, If you depend on another influence or some 'higher power' - call it God, the Devil, your dog, whatever, to help keep you sober, then that's what you use. Some people drop dead right after their spouses do, some people keel over the day after they retire, becasue they lose what kept them going. When you're an addict, whatever maintains your sobriety, you keep it close to you.

So who gives a fark how the guy chooses to keep himself sober. Good for him and I hope he stays on the straight and narrow. FreakinB: Treygreen13: Speaking of the Brewers, their old logo was probably one of the more kick-ass logos in sports history.

It's an M and a B!

CSB: I had gone through my entire childhood thinking it was just a glove. When I was about 18 my friend got a throwback hat with that logo. Some girl who knew nothing about baseball asked which team it was, was told, and said something like "Oh, I get it. M and a B." One of the bigger "Holy fark!" moments of my life, which was then ruined by me wondering how my idiot self never picked up on it.

You've probably never noticed the intentional arrow in the FedEx logo either...

funk_soul_bubby: rudemix: His response offered up a lot of words for the lord and his savior. It troubles me that he is basing his complete sobriety in illusions.

Codependency. For some it's religion, for others it's something else. I know a guy who filled the void with fantasy sports.

I have no qualm with people using whatever means is necessary to keep them alive, I just take issue with the idea of addiction society tries to force upon folks working to clean themselves up.

I wasn't really taking issue with you, btw, just referring to one of my pet peeves, that society treats every abuser like the solutions to their problems are all the same. I think we're in agreement on the "complete sobriety" part.

We are in agreement and on that and that's where my god cracks came in. It's tough enough to be sober when one is a full blown addict. Coupled with the added stress of being god perfect...it doesn't so much bother me when it works and fuels him to stay sober, it worries me that when he does have any kind of relapse, the self-flaggelation that may accompany it would make it that much worse.

So a reformed alcoholic can never have a drink again without becoming an alcoholic again?

Wow, this thread had brought out the atheist cockface in some people. Whatever happened to "live and let live"?

9beers: So a reformed alcoholic can never have a drink again without becoming an alcoholic again?

Well the theory is that you never are cured from being an alcoholic. It is not that you have caught the "disease" again, just that you eased up fighting against it. Alcoholics I have known generally can't have one or a few and stop. It is an all or nothing thing. If they are "reformed" that typically means they hit some low point where drinking was adversely effecting their life, and since they don't have the same self-discipline (not the best term, but I am struggling for a more apt word) to stop after a few, having one drink can be like letting the camel's nose into the tent.

No one is saying Josh is back to being a rock-bottom alcoholic, just everyone in the situation knows he slipped and most hope he doesn't let the one incident become more.

As for the God aspect of it, generally addictions are treated with other, less destructive addictions. You need some crutch to lean on, since you couldn't right the ship yourself. God is an easy crutch, and from an atheist's view God can be seen as the tool that the alcoholic uses to give themselves self-discipline.

At least that is how I see it. If God is what helped him pull himself together, than the idea of God was good in that instance. It is better to have a man constantly try to better himself than having him self destructing as long as the new addiction is not just as destructive.