Off Topic / March

by NCChopper on Mar 6, 2026 6:31 PM EST

Here is your March edition of the Off Season/Off Topic thread.

Ain't it grand that the season is just around the corner now! I'm getting excited for some Braves baseball both on my TV and games to share with all of you.

It's been a busy first 3 months of the year for me. I've not read near as much as I had hoped in the off season, but I did manage to get a couple books done. My Javy Lopez book arrived in the mail yesterday and besides being bummed all the photos were black and white, I'm very much looking forward to starting it. I also pre-ordered the John Smoltz one and will look forward to getting into it in May.

What's up with all of you?

Let the 14 day clock until comments close begin....

This FanPost does not express the views or opinions of Talking Chop.

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I got a call from my dad this afternoon telling me that my cousin, who has been struggling with addictions and drugs his entire life, overdosed last night and is currently in ICU unresponsive to everything with minimal to no brain activity. He will probably not survive the night. I am going to call my aunt tonight after class, and I know I need to be able to maintain my composure, but it is going to be extremely hard. Especially when over the past five years, my brother has been close behind everything my cousin does.

You shouldn’t sip liquor.
-justincredubil02

no, Jack Daniel is whiskey.
-ChopMaster

"Welcome to the show, Brandon Beachy. I think you’re going to stay a while."

by abraves257 on Mar 6, 2026 7:00 PM EST reply actions

My thoughts are with you tonight...

I’m so sorry. I wouldn’t worry too much keeping your composure, don’t put pressure on yourself like that. This shouldn’t happen to people, it just shouldn’t.

Better times are ahead.

Go USA, Braves, BU Terriers, Irish, Caps, Skins, NU Cats, Wizards, DC United, Washington Freedom
BU Hockey: National Champions 1971, 1972, 1978, 1995, 2009

by SuperNewb on Mar 6, 2026 10:26 PM EST up reply actions

Just seeing this and hoping your cousin made it through the night. This must be hard for you and his family and prayers go out to all of you.

Let’s pray this will be a serious wake-up call to your brother as well.

~ "Life is hard, God is good and heaven is real."

by NCChopper on Mar 7, 2026 10:45 AM EST up reply actions

I was finally able to get in touch with my Aunt late last night. He is still alive, although unconscious and with minimal brain activity, and the doctors are saying that if he does survive, he will probably have some moderate to severe brain damage. She told me the story of how she went downstairs to see if he wanted a ride to class, found him passed out with one empty needle and one full next to him and then couldn’t wake up, something which must have been an unimaginable horror for her. I appreciate yours and everyone’s prayers here, we are all praying for him as well.

You shouldn’t sip liquor.
-justincredubil02

no, Jack Daniel is whiskey.
-ChopMaster

"Welcome to the show, Brandon Beachy. I think you’re going to stay a while."

by abraves257 on Mar 7, 2026 10:52 AM EST up reply actions

My God. I am so sorry to hear this. My thoughts are with you and your family.

The weather is Bumgarner, traffic’s the shits and you guys need to be nice to each other.

by TheLetter2 on Mar 7, 2026 1:29 PM EST up reply actions

It’s been a scary couple days, but I just got word that he just woke from his coma and is speaking some. Looks like he will be OK, except of course for the heroin issues. But he is alive, which is incredible. I appreciate everyone on here’s support, it really helped.

You shouldn’t sip liquor.
-justincredubil02

no, Jack Daniel is whiskey.
-ChopMaster

"Welcome to the show, Brandon Beachy. I think you’re going to stay a while."

by abraves257 on Mar 7, 2026 2:01 PM EST up reply actions

So happy to read this good news .
I’m sure the entire TC group here has done a huge exhale.

~ "Life is hard, God is good and heaven is real."

by NCChopper on Mar 8, 2026 7:13 AM EST up reply actions

Whew

So thankful he’s going to be ok :+)

A smart person knows what to say, a wise person knows whether or not to say it.
Twitter:Hey_Jude18

by HEYJUDE on Mar 8, 2026 9:37 PM EST up reply actions

Thanks, we are all really grateful. Also, I haven’t seen too much of you around, how have things been?

You shouldn’t sip liquor.
-justincredubil02

no, Jack Daniel is whiskey.
-ChopMaster

"Welcome to the show, Brandon Beachy. I think you’re going to stay a while."

by abraves257 on Mar 9, 2026 3:48 AM EST up reply actions

I'm just seeing this now

Wow…I can only imagine what your family is going through right now, dealing with this. I’m glad to hear your cousin is doing better.

Hang in there buddy. You have my email if you need me.

"Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that." George Carlin

by DolphinNation on Mar 9, 2026 9:09 AM EST up reply actions

Thanks man. You’re one of the good ones on here!

You shouldn’t sip liquor.
-justincredubil02

no, Jack Daniel is whiskey.
-ChopMaster

"Welcome to the show, Brandon Beachy. I think you’re going to stay a while."

by abraves257 on Mar 9, 2026 10:49 AM EST up reply actions

Hey bro.

Not chimed in in a while. Still lurking, just busy. Prayers with u and urs. Regardless of the situation, everyone deserves a shot at a healthy life and I pray this is a new beginning for him. Ur in my thoughts.

Where r u in school?

In the body of other posts, I am often admittedly high and tend to not want to edit a lot.
by willlinn on Dec 2, 2025 12:01 PM PST

if Wren gets Arenado from Colorado, I’ll give him a BJ.
by Scott Coleman on Dec 19, 2025 9:45 PM PST

by Klemson Krash on Mar 8, 2026 9:37 PM EST up reply actions

Thank you. Next thing is to work on his fall back into heroin…

But I have been doing well, I have finals coming up next week, then Spring Break just in time for baseball season! How are you and the misses?

You shouldn’t sip liquor.
-justincredubil02

no, Jack Daniel is whiskey.
-ChopMaster

"Welcome to the show, Brandon Beachy. I think you’re going to stay a while."

by abraves257 on Mar 9, 2026 3:50 AM EST up reply actions

where are you going to school bro?

The wifey is doing great… getting cuter by the day with her preggers belly. :-) We’re getting excited for June 20th to get here! :-) Having a baby shower on March 31st in Columbia, SC w/ the family and friends… should be a blast! :-)

In the body of other posts, I am often admittedly high and tend to not want to edit a lot.
by willlinn on Dec 2, 2025 12:01 PM PST

if Wren gets Arenado from Colorado, I’ll give him a BJ.
by Scott Coleman on Dec 19, 2025 9:45 PM PST

by Klemson Krash on Mar 9, 2026 9:22 AM EST up reply actions

I’m way out here at the University of Oregon! Everyone knows that =P But it is so awesome to hear how she is doing so great. I assume you guys are going the mystery gender route?

You shouldn’t sip liquor.
-justincredubil02

no, Jack Daniel is whiskey.
-ChopMaster

"Welcome to the show, Brandon Beachy. I think you’re going to stay a while."

by abraves257 on Mar 9, 2026 10:50 AM EST up reply actions

Haven't been able to see any ST games yet

How does Heyward look?

It’s March, which obviously means March Madness. Oh boy I just cannot wait to win some big money on this years tournament.

Official Champion on the 2011 Talking Chop Fantasy Football League.

by KINGSLYTUT on Mar 6, 2026 7:25 PM EST reply actions

I don’t know how he looks—I don’t think any of the games have been televised yet.

His results have been sorely lacking, though. I hope he turns it around soon.

by Ivan the Great on Mar 6, 2026 9:45 PM EST up reply actions

Tomorrow will be the 1st televised game. I’m super excited to see a Braves game. It’s been a long off-season.

A smart person knows what to say, a wise person knows whether or not to say it.
Twitter:Hey_Jude18

by HEYJUDE on Mar 8, 2026 9:41 PM EST up reply actions

Trying to get a "feel" for the team

Although last year I was more optimistic about a deep run into the playoffs this year I would have to say I don’t feel so warm and fuzzy….It seems everyone else in the east (and in other div) were making moves to try to get better and we just sat..tick….tick….tick. I got tired of just waiting and resigned to the fact that my Braves were feeling happy with what they could put on the field so I should be content to watch the season unfold….tick tick tick…how many days now to go?

""People ask me what I do in winter when there’s no baseball. I’ll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring." Rogers Hornsby

by bravestatoo on Mar 7, 2026 2:49 AM EST reply actions

Just saw this and thought I’d share it here.

Twitter: @TAlmeyda

by TonyAlmeyda on Mar 7, 2026 3:44 AM EST reply actions

2012 MUST be the year this happens.

Thanks for sharing this Tony.

~ "Life is hard, God is good and heaven is real."

by NCChopper on Mar 7, 2026 11:26 AM EST up reply actions

Not to be skeptical, but I’ve done some reading up on this and there’s more to to the situation than just what the video tells you. While horrible, and this man must be brought to justice, whenever anything tugs at the heart strings that hard, make sure you know who’s on the other end and why.

~ "Life is hard, God is good and heaven is real."

by NCChopper on Mar 9, 2026 8:23 AM EST up reply actions

I encourage everyone to do a bit of research on their own. That video was made regarding events that happened nearly 9 years ago. Since that time Kony has had his army demolished for the most part. He has retreated back to the Congo and is reportedly not in good health.

This video is too old to do anything. Caring about people and awarenss of atrocities should be encouraged and these people had a good idea, its just as with a lot of these things you need to act quickly. This genocide in Africa has already ran its course for the most (not to sound cold hearted), Kony was for the most part defeated. He still needs to be captured and brought to trial for his actions, but he has been stripped of a lot of his power.

Here is a good place to start you research before you go donating to Kony 2012

http://ilto.wordpress.com/2006/11/02/the-visible-problem-with-invisible-children/

"No. Lonely people mixing with one another? Breeding? Creating an even lonelier generation? You're not even allowing natural selection do its work. Pssh. You're like the guy who invented the seat belt."

Dwight Schrute

by Swo12bv on Mar 9, 2026 10:31 AM EST up reply actions

Some good info...

Background

About movement 1

About movement 2

About movement 3

Charity scores

It is sad that people are just finding out about this now since it has been going on for 25+ years. I wonder why more people aren’t outraged about what is going on in Homs, Syria. Bashar al-Assad is a bad, bad man. Maybe people will realize that in 2037.

People will come Ray. The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it's a part of our past, Ray. It reminds of us of all that once was good and it could be again.

by mvandonsel on Mar 9, 2026 12:48 PM EST up reply actions

Good stuff swo, thanks for informing

although I’d edit it to say this batch of genocide in Africa appears to have already run its course, cause with Africa, a new batch in any of a number of countries is always just right around the corner.

http://sportsandgrits.com/

by Mr. Sanchez on Mar 9, 2026 2:19 PM EST up reply actions

genocide in africa is the circle of life…

wow that makes me sound a bit like a dick…o well

Dwight Schrute

by Swo12bv on Mar 9, 2026 3:07 PM EST up reply actions

This. For every person speaking up about this, another two are calling it out as bogus, or a front for something else. Weird stuff going on, I’m just going to sit this one out.

You shouldn’t sip liquor.
-justincredubil02

no, Jack Daniel is whiskey.
-ChopMaster

"Welcome to the show, Brandon Beachy. I think you’re going to stay a while."

by abraves257 on Mar 9, 2026 10:51 AM EST up reply actions

I haven’t done much research on this, but I did do one of my theses on resource allocation in non-profits, so I will say this:

As far as I can tell, their charity navigator and similar scores SUCK. I haven’t read anything about why in particular this is, but I’m guessing that it’s because they have unacceptably high overheads or are otherwise bleeding money where they shouldn’t be.

I’m not going to say that people should or shouldn’t support causes of any sort—I’m a huge believer that people should act and think the way they wish. But I do want to say that if you care about getting bang for your donated buck, please read up on the charities you support and make sure that you are okay with the way your money is being spent. Charities that spend money inefficiently not only fail to give the right amount to the groups they are ostensibly supporting—they also harm aid systems further by eroding confidence that either public (i.e., government) or private (i.e. charitable) giving can and do make a difference.

by Ivan the Great on Mar 9, 2026 10:58 AM EST up reply actions

One of the reasons I’m skeptical.
I’ve seen where only 30% of monies go toward things other than salaries of top folks (who get millions).

~ "Life is hard, God is good and heaven is real."

by NCChopper on Mar 9, 2026 12:27 PM EST up reply actions

Thanks for sharing this.

A smart person knows what to say, a wise person knows whether or not to say it.
Follow @Hey_Jude18

by HEYJUDE on Mar 8, 2026 11:03 PM EST up reply actions

How is everyone?

In baseball, you're supposed to sit on your ass, spit tobacco, and nod at stupid things. Perfect life might I add.

by HeywardFTW! on Mar 7, 2026 8:52 PM EST reply actions

My obligatory post where I share a video of me doing standup.

I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it:
http://www.amazon.com/Four-C-B-Wilkins/dp/1449578454/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s;=books&qid;=1257720610&sr;=1-1
www.dropoutproductions.com

by cbwilk on Mar 8, 2026 12:40 AM EST reply actions

Where can I buy your CD?

If we can land [Stephen Drew], I will give FW a bj.
~justincredubil02

by king of games on Mar 8, 2026 12:48 PM EST up reply actions

Right here. I’m gonna have a DVD (of the same performance as the CD) out in a month or so, so if you prefer DVD to CD, might be worth it for you to wait.

I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it:
http://www.amazon.com/Four-C-B-Wilkins/dp/1449578454/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s;=books&qid;=1257720610&sr;=1-1
www.dropoutproductions.com

by cbwilk on Mar 8, 2026 1:19 PM EST up reply actions

lol..

CB your a bear!!!

"Performance comes from work and dedication, belief and strength. Words and excuses get you nowhere." -Jason Heyward, Atlanta Braves Rightfielder

by jdelsandro on Mar 9, 2026 12:04 PM EST up reply actions

Be careful

When I got mine, I almost mistook it for one of those old AOL discs that promise 780 free hours of service, but then it dawned on me that AOL hasn’t been around in like ten years, and I realized that I had cbtits’ CD.

No wonder nobody likes you, Tuttle... everything's a (Pujols) damn debate.

by royhobbs on Mar 8, 2026 1:52 PM EST up reply actions

Hey, have you tried using it to connect to AOL? Because we don’t know that it can’t do that.

I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it:
http://www.amazon.com/Four-C-B-Wilkins/dp/1449578454/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s;=books&qid;=1257720610&sr;=1-1
www.dropoutproductions.com

by cbwilk on Mar 8, 2026 2:33 PM EST up reply actions

Question....

I need help deciding whether to get mlb.tv or not. The braves games are blacked out in my area and are the only team blacked out. Is it still worth it?

by MVPrado on Mar 8, 2026 9:39 PM EST reply actions

I have the online radio, no blackouts and only $20 for the season

You shouldn’t sip liquor.
-justincredubil02

no, Jack Daniel is whiskey.
-ChopMaster

"Welcome to the show, Brandon Beachy. I think you’re going to stay a while."

by abraves257 on Mar 9, 2026 3:51 AM EST up reply actions

Hubby has the radio subscription as well. He travels a lot and it’s the only way he can get most Braves games.
Besides, the internet connection varies so much from location and other countries the video would likely be hit and miss at best.

~ "Life is hard, God is good and heaven is real."

by NCChopper on Mar 9, 2026 8:25 AM EST up reply actions

Chopper! and TC Family... :-)

I have lurked long enough… no promises on being around consistently but I did want to jump in and say hi and hope all is well for y’all. I am getting into the crazy busy part of my schedule as I will be going all over the eastern US in the next couple of months… Can’t wait for May to get here so I’ll have a break. Here’s the rundown:
At Valdosta St now… Week break then to Vermont and Boston for a week… back for a week then drive to my baby shower in Columbia, down to the Azaelea festival on sunday, drive back to Montgomery AL on Monday, fly to UNC Chapel Hill Tuesday, Augusta, GA on Friday. Masters on Saturday, fly to Kentucky on sunday for a week then back down to Montgomery for a week of rest before heading off to Florida for a week to finish out April…

Waaaaay too much moving for my tastes but should be fun and hectic and crazy and full of work. :-) Miss you guys and I can’t wait to see some Opening Day action!

In the body of other posts, I am often admittedly high and tend to not want to edit a lot.
by willlinn on Dec 2, 2025 12:01 PM PST

if Wren gets Arenado from Colorado, I’ll give him a BJ.
by Scott Coleman on Dec 19, 2025 9:45 PM PST

by Klemson Krash on Mar 9, 2026 9:41 AM EST reply actions

Oh!

The wife is due on 20 June and we will find out what we’re having when we have the baby. I’ve been able to feel it kick for a few weeks now and it’s SOOOOO exciting. I cannot wait to be a dad! :-)

In the body of other posts, I am often admittedly high and tend to not want to edit a lot.
by willlinn on Dec 2, 2025 12:01 PM PST

if Wren gets Arenado from Colorado, I’ll give him a BJ.
by Scott Coleman on Dec 19, 2025 9:45 PM PST

by Klemson Krash on Mar 9, 2026 9:42 AM EST up reply actions

Good to hear from you. I’m glad to see the littlest Krash is progressing well.

The weather is Bumgarner, traffic’s the shits and you guys need to be nice to each other.

by TheLetter2 on Mar 9, 2026 11:29 AM EST up reply actions

Just curious

without knowing the sex, are you having to pick two names in case it’s a boy or girl? Please tell me one of my past suggestions is in the mix.

http://sportsandgrits.com/

by Mr. Sanchez on Mar 9, 2026 2:22 PM EST up reply actions

Up to my neck of the woods (Boston) for a week, eh?

Let me know if you need anything Boston-specific.

by Ivan the Great on Mar 9, 2026 10:54 AM EST up reply actions

SO good to hear from you Krash :-)

Just reading your schedule made me tired, I hope you can take a little bit of time to enjoy the places you visit during work.

Exciting news about the missus and the little Krashette on the way.
Glad things are going well in that regard.
Can’t wait to hear the news in June :-)

~ "Life is hard, God is good and heaven is real."

by NCChopper on Mar 9, 2026 12:29 PM EST up reply actions