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Will the Fed surprise markets?
The central bank will announce its plans on bond buying on this afternoon. The question is how investors will react.
Sometime after 2:30 p.m. ET Wednesday, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke is expected to step to a podium at the Fed's headquarters and try to explain what the Fed is doing.
What traders across all financial markets believe the Fed will say it's doing is something like this:
It's going to announce it is tapering its $85 billion-a-month bond-buying program, known as quantitative easing, with a view toward ending the program next year. The Fed is going to keep interest rates at ultra-low levels as long as it can.
Bernanke will pledge that the Fed stands ready to support the economy and markets, if Congress and the Obama administration can't agree on spending plans or whether to raise the U.S. debt limit.
Those are the basic decisions the Fed will make, with a policy statement coming at 2 p.m. ET, along with economic projections from Fed officials. Bernanke's news conference is at 2:30.
Stocks were down modestly Wednesday morning. The Dow Jones industrials ($INDU) were off 37 points to 15,492 at 1:37p.m. ET. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index ($INX) had dropped 2 points to 1,703. The Nasdaq Composite Index ($COMPX) was off 4 points to 3,741.
The announcement has been eagerly anticipated, almost like a drug. That's because many traders don't want to think about the expected fight over the budget, due at the end of the month, and an equally contentious fight over the nation's debt ceiling, expected in late October or November.
As a result, stocks finished modestly higher on Tuesday but are up considerably more than 4% in September. In fact, the Dow ended Tuesday looking at their best September since 2010 and second-best since the 21st century began.
But if the Fed comes up with a surprise decision -- such as a big taper -- markets could tumble in a hurry.
The vote of members of the Federal Open Market Committee, the Fed's policy-making committee, will probably include one dissent -- from Esther George, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. She has wanted the Fed to raise interest rates and stop its bond-buying, because she worries the Fed's policies could boost inflation pressures.
The dilemma the Fed faces is this: The QE program. now in progress. is in its third round. The goal was to help boost the economy, particularly the real estate sector, and help push cash into new investments.
When Bernanke and the Fed began to talk about tapering its quantitative easing in May, the assumption was that the central bank's monthly purchases would drop from $85 billion to maybe $65 billion. That sent bond yields soaring, even as Bernanke and others insisted they will keep interest rates low. Stocks took a dive.
But the Fed doesn't want to make a move without confirmation that the economy can handle it. That's an important concern. Jobs reports have been mediocre. Housing activity has tailed off. Back-to-school sales were flat.
Currently, the assumption is the taper, if it is announced, will be from $85 billion a month in bond purchases to maybe $75 billion. Under this theory, all of the trimming will come from the Fed's purchases of Treasury securities, now about $45 billion a month. So, purchases of mortgage securities would remain at $40 billion.
That may explain why interest rates have flattened out. The 10-year Treasury yield Wednesday was at 2.859%, up slightly from Tuesday's 2.853% and 2.98% on Sept. 5.
It also helps explain why stocks have had a terrific September. So does the easing of tensions over sarin gas use in Syria.
Gold (-GC), down $1 to $1,308.40 on Wednesday, is off about 6% this month after rising 14% between June 30 and Aug. 31. Gold briefly traded to as low as $1,291.50. Gold hadn't traded below $1,300 since mid-July.
Brent crude in London is down more than 4% in September. It was up $1.32 to $109.46 a barrel on Wednesday. Light sweet crude oil (-CL) in New York was up $1.59 to $107.01 but is down 0.6% on the month.
There are some forces that are beyond the Fed's ability to influence:
- The bitter gridlock in Washington that shows no signs of abating.
- Stagnant income growth for most Americans.
- The reluctance of business to make big new investments when they make as much profit just by laying people off.
- The on-going influence of oil prices and retail prices for gasoline and diesel fuels.
The last point is possibly the least appreciated piece of the stagnant economy picture and the horrific 2008 market crash as well.
The retail price of gasoline has been above $3 a gallon for more than 1,000 days, starting in December 2010, according to data from AAA's Daily Fuel Gauge Report.
The national average price of gasoline has jumped 170% since January 1, 2000. Not only has that jump been a constant drag on consumer spending, but when prices first topped $3 in late 2007 and reached as high as $4.114 a gallon in July 2008, the result was the near collapse of the automobile industry in the United States.
High fuel prices contributed to the real estate crash that began after 2005. High fuel prices made it difficult to sell property in the far suburbs of major markets. High prices also added to the stress homeowners faced making monthly mortgage payments.
Gasoline averaged $3.506 a gallon on Wednesday, according to AAA data. That was down from $3.512 a gallon Tuesday and $3.585 on Aug. 31.
Financial markets have become used to high fuel prices, and banks have been the driver of the stock market in 2013. The perception of stability may be why markets have rallied in September.
More from Top Stocks
Globally, the Scam Derivatives Markets are at the very least $500Trillion Dollars and some state it's at least twice that amount. These WMDs are clearly what froze up the Credit Markets and they are sole Reason the Global FEDS are printing to Infinity. However, there in no way in Hades they can EVER print enough fake money to account for phoney Digital Derivative Dollars.
What the Global FEDS can do, give the Illusion that everything is Fine and Dandy while giving the SuperRich ample time to Cash out Big Time before the inevitable Epic Global Collapse. And it will be Epic. Meanwhile, they sell you the BS of Buy and Hold to infinity. However, rest assured, the only answer the Global FEDS will offer in the end, One World Currency and One World Government. It's been their plan all along. And the World fell for it, Hook, Line, and Sinker.
For folks that think this Derivatives issue is Bogus, I suggest you look it up and read about it. Forbes has several Articles about it. Warren Buffet once called them WMDs. The Federal Reserve spent about $5Billion Dollars last year on Operations. That's a ton of cheese for such a Corrupt Organization to go thru. However, they do have a ton of Research available via the different Reserve Banks. The Cleveland FED site has a nice breakdown of the total Derivative Markets over time.
The article is titled, "Has the Over-the-Counter Derivatives Markets Revived Yet"
Authored by: Jian Cai
Google it...................
Fact is, Corporations pushed out Defined Pension plans to 401Ks to trap the Middle-Class, that much more into their twisted games. And for the most part, we fell once again for their Fool's Gold. Once the illusion fades and the Reality of What it actually means to be in a Global Fiat System, there is a Major Price to be paid. But what a hell of a Ride it's been.
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke should just stop talking and do what he needs to do.
Every time he steps to the podium and makes a announcement he causes trouble. He should just
stop announcing what he is going to do. It's like he is bragging about his job. He is the cause of a
lot of the stock markets losses.
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As geopolitical tensions threaten to spin out of control, investors are wondering how best to position their portfolios for the global turmoil.
Top Stocks provides analysis about the most noteworthy stocks in the market each day, combining some of the best content from around the MSN Money site and the rest of the Web.
Contributors include professional investors and journalists affiliated with MSN Money.
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Culture Blog!
The skew on arts and culture from Inside 5th & Mission
Posts filtered on Tag
Tourist Trapped: The Kink.com Armory Tour
Kink.com is a BDSM porn studio located in the historic San Francisco Armory Building at 14th and Mission. A Kink Tour has been on my list for quite some time, I just had to work through 13-years of Catholic school guilt before I could enter the big brick sex building. The Armory is a "200,000 […] [Read More]

subset: commoncrawl


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Marine - Species - Blue Crab
Abundance of Species
DNR surveys collected below average numbers of blue crab in 2012, similar to years before 2011. The population continues to fluctuate from low numbers seen during and after the long-term drought of 1998-2002. Recent drought conditions have continued to impact abundance and distribution, displacing crab further upriver. Data were derived from DNR's inshore crustacean survey and SCECAP projects.
Additional Graph Information
Graphs of abundance show relative annual abundance in South Carolina waters based on surveys conducted by the SC Department of Natural Resources.
Abundance is presented relative to the average of the 10 most recent years. Unlike graphs of the recreational and commercial fisheries catch, the abundance graphs use survey data that have been standardized to allow direct comparison among years.
The horizontal dotted lines above or below the "10 year average" represent one "standard deviation" unit, which is a measure of how variable the annual data are around the 10-year average. In general, the area between one standard deviation above the mean and one standard deviation below the average includes approximately 68% of the values. Approximately 95% percent of observations in the data set are found within two standard deviations of the average.


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As a member of the Citizen Global Family, we have a special affinity for time. This is why we strongly believe that claims of quality, reliability and value can only be quantified over time. For over 80 years, we've built a world-renowned reputation and brand name, which has been the result of great efforts to design, create and deliver innovative, high-value products – including watches, printers and consumer medical products.
We thank you for visiting our website.
The latest downloads sorted by product and operating system.
Citizen Supplies is THE premier source for all your printer supply needs.


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For the second year in a row, Triumph Bank has committed to support the Senior Housing Crime Prevention Foundation (SHCPF) Senior Crimestoppers program to help protect elderly Veterans. On January 19 of this year, Triumph was honored to be one of the first recipients in the U.S. to receive the SHCPF Veterans Support Award for its previous commitment.
The Senior Crimestoppers program is a proprietary operation of the SHCPF, a national organization established to provide a vehicle for banks to earn CRA credit through support of nursing home residents, who are classified as low-to-moderate income individuals. It ensures that 40,000 Veterans in 160 State Veteran nursing homes live without fear of crime, abuse, neglect, hostility or deprivation of personal freedom.
"America's servicemen and women dedicate their lives to ensuring our freedom and making our country a safer place to live. Our nation's more than 8,000 community banks are proud to call many of these Veterans customers and serve them in cities and towns throughout Main Street America," said Gary Teagno, president and CEO of the Services Network for the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA). The ICBA, along with the American Bankers Association (ABA) also actively support this effort.
Because of Triumph Bank, Veterans receive specially designed personal lock boxes and an annual Time of Your Life video exhibit. In addition, each facility will receive an annual cash contribution for a Wish Comes True grant awarded to select Veterans.
"We're not only pleased, but honored to continue our involvement in assisting this very worthwhile cause," said Will Chase, Triumph President and CEO. "As I said when we received the Veterans Support Award almost a year ago, we hoped to offer more support and are enthusiastic to do so."
Return To Archive
About Triumph l Personal Banking l Business Banking l Online Banking l Privacy Notice l Important Disclosures Regarding New FDIC Insurance Rules l Site Map
© 2012 Triumph Bank – All rights reserved. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender.


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Cheese is a truly amazing food. Treasured by many, reviled by a few and, despite being a staple of our diets, misunderstood by most.
It has sustained us for millennia in its many glorious forms - be it dense and rich, soft and mold encrusted or blue veined and pungent - yet it originated from just a few simple ingredients: milk, rennet and salt, and long before anyone had even heard of Louis Pasteur.
What are its origins and how does such diversity arise from such seeming simplicity?
In this informal - but informative - class we will make a simple fresh cheese to better understand the basic principles of cheesemaking (and also because it's fun). Then we'll taste a variety of more complex artisinal examples to experience cheese in some of its many guises, and to discover how it is able to provide us with such a broad spectrum of delicious aromas and flavours.
These sessions are designed to allow you to learn in a relaxed environment and you are invited to Bring Your Own Bottle of wine or beer...or soda! (although I'll supply a glass or two of something as well) to pair up with the cheeses we will be tasting. If you have any questions about this in advance please feel free to post them in this classes 'discussion' section.
Brooklyn's Smallest Cheese School (my kitchen)
200 Freeman Street, Apt 8 Brooklyn
New York, NY
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm ESTAdd to Cal


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Ways to Watch
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October Sky
In Coalwood, West Virginia in 1957, all boys grow up to be coal miners. Homer Hickam (Jake Gyllenhaal) had no reason to think he'd be any different. Too small to earn a football scholarship, Homer had no way out of his predetermined life - until the Soviet satellite Sputnik flew overhead in the October sky and changed everything. Based on a true story.


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Cult of the Wind creator: "It was a surprise when all that hype amounted to nothing"
Yesterday, I wrote that I'm disappointed by Cult of the Wind—not because it's a bad game, but because I can't play it to find out if it's a good game. It runs fine, but I didn't see anyone in the single official server all day. I was surprised: Cult of the Wind generated a lot of excitement on Steam Greenlight, so where are all the players? In an e-mail correspondence, creator Alex Allen tells me he's also surprised, and expresses concern about the effects of Greenlight and Early Access.


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Government Saving with Limited Commitment
AbstractThis paper builds a continuous time model of government saving behavior. The model features rulers that rotate out of power. The ruler makes two decisions: a. total spending expenditure; and b. the composition of spending between two goods, one with public benefits and another with private benefits for the ruling government ("pork spending"). We assume that preferences are such that pork spending rises with total spending but that the fraction spent on pork falls with rising total spending. In equilibrium, for intermediate values of the interest rate, government debt dynamics are affected by initial conditions: above a certain level of debt there is overspending so that debt remains high in a "poverty trap"; below this threshold, debt falls and the government eventually accumulates assets.
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Bibliographic InfoPaper provided by Society for Economic Dynamics in its series 2012 Meeting Papers with number 110.
Date of creation: 2012
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:red:sed012:110
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Postal: Society for Economic Dynamics Christian Zimmermann Economic Research Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis PO Box 442 St. Louis MO 63166-0442 USA
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Web page: http://www.EconomicDynamics.org/society.htm
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Springdale Cemetery is a peaceful place of great beauty, deep meaning and rich history. It is where people from all religions, cultures, and walks of life come to remember and honor loved ones. This 225-acre cemetery, founded in 1855, has over six miles of roadways winding through its hills and valleys and is the final resting place for almost 70,000 people with room for many more. We provide burial services, cremation services, and a variety of memorial options and products. Springdale also has a large public mausoleum for those who prefer above-ground space, fifteen private family mausoleums, a scattering garden, and a designated area where people can bury their beloved pets. Springdale, with many more acres of land to develop, is city owned and accessible to the public.
Springdale, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was designed to be both a cemetery and park for Peoria and is a place for both remembrance and enjoyment. Today, as always, people come here to honor those who have gone before and to celebrate life by jogging, hiking or riding their bicycles. Visitors have the benefit of the many miles of beautiful roads and trails that wind through the hills and valleys of this vast nature preserve. They enjoy the bluffs with scenic vistas, forested pathways, flowing streams, flower-covered meadows, savanna and majestic river views.
Our business and arrangements office is on the right as visitors enter the cemetery from Prospect Road. Please stop in to meet our staff and find out about Springdale. If you wish to explore, pick up our self-guided tour brochure or find out about narrated trolley tours during the summer where you will learn even more about springdale's history, topography, autumn historic tours, and details of the interesting lives of the many memorable people who are buried here.
- Each departed friend is a magnet that attracts us to the next world. ...Jean Paul Richter (1763 - 1825)
- Show me first the graveyards of a country and I will tell you the true character of the people. ...Benjamin Franklin (1706 - 1790)
- A cemetery is a memorial, a record; not a mere field in which the dead are buried... (H)istory... is inscribed upon the slabs and gravestones, telling the story of the by-gone days, not of institutions, wars, governments or ideas, but of the lives of men, women and children. Sara John English in The Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society, 1936.
- While we are mourning the loss of our friend, others are rejoicing to meet him behind the veil. ...John Taylor (1753 - 1824)
- Life is pleasant. Death is peaceful. It's the transition that's troublesome. ...Isaac Azimov (1920 - 1992)
- To forget one's ancestors is to be a brook without a source, a tree without a root. ...an ancient Chinese proverb


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WASHINGTON (January 6, 2014) – The United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry (UA) and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) have reached an agreement on a landmark proposal to save energy and water in new buildings. The two organizations jointly submitted a proposal to the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) to require the insulation of hot water piping in new buildings.
Today, many Americans waste millions of gallons of water by letting water run until it's hot enough for use in showers and sinks. To curtail this waste in new buildings, NRDC and the UA proposed that the 2015 edition of IAPMO 's Uniform Plumbing Code require insulation of all hot water piping systems such as those serving lavatories, showers, dishwashers, and kitchen sinks. The Uniform Plumbing Code is the model for local and state plumbing codes now in force in at least 19 states.
The following is a statement from William P. Hite, General President of the United Association:
"As IAPMO drafts its next set of codes, we recommend insulating hot water piping to reduce the waste of energy and water in hot water systems. This proposal is indicative of the UA's commitment in construction, service and maintenance practices required for energy efficient green buildings. Throughout the construction industry, there are untapped opportunities to make our buildings and our economy more efficient, and we should seize these opportunities to create good jobs for American workers."
Peter Lehner, Executive Director at the Natural Resources Defense Council, issued the following statement: "This proposal is a commonsense solution to an everyday problem that we can all warm up to. Most of us waste too much time, energy and money waiting for hot water to come out of our faucets and showers. By combining efficient designs, proven energy-saving materials, and skilled labor, we can build smarter buildings that curb this waste and improve the amenity of new buildings. This proposal will not only save homeowners and renters money on their monthly utility bills but also protects our environment by cutting energy and water use." Background:
In a typical, 3-bedroom, 2-bath home, an estimated 12 percent of all hot-water use is wasted, according to a 2009 analysis led by Robert Hendron of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). Purging at showers, kitchen sinks, and lavatory faucets was responsible for 95 percent of the estimated total of nearly 3,000 gallons of hot water waste annually. NRDC estimates pipe insulation can reduce this waste of water and energy by 15-30 percent. Of course, many new homes are built with more hot water outlets than the NREL model's base case, and with hot water distribution systems that are far less efficient. For example, some new homes are built with their hot-water heaters located in the garage, far away from showers and faucets. The proposed revision to Uniform Plumbing Code will ensure that hot water pipes supplying these fixtures are fully insulated.
# # #
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 1.4 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City; Washington, D.C.; Los Angeles; San Francisco; Chicago; Bozeman, Montana; and Beijing. Visit us at www.nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC.
The United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States, Canada and Australia (UA), affiliated with the national building trades, represents approximately 370,000 plumbers, pipe fitters, sprinkler fitters and service technicians in North America and Australia. The "UA", as it is commonly known is a multi-craft union whose members are engaged in the fabrication, installation and servicing of piping systems.
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Strategic Campaigns Inc Kansas City Jobs
Strategic Campaigns Inc Kansas City is a well-known marketing company of t-shirts and t-shirt accessories. In order to truly appreciate what these marketing campaigns do, you must truly understand the nature of the job. This page here on buy-tees.net will inform you how to undertake the functions of the job while you are in Kansas City, Missouri.
Do you have what it takes to perform the basic functions of marketing a t-shirt brand? Tees are no joke. If someone wants to buy a t-shirt, they will go to the store. But how do those t-shirts get to the store in the first place? Someone has to sell the proprietor on the idea of putting their shirts in that store in the first place. Enter marketing and sales professionals. Signing up for this job in Kansas City will challenge you and reward you at the same time.
For more specifics on the job, visit Strategic Campaigns Inc on Facebook. After reviewing the details of this marketing job from Strategic Campaigns, you can determine if you are up for the challenge. In fact, you must realize that this job will probably be the toughest career choice you ever make. Are you a risk taker? Are you willing to challenge yourself? If so, this might be a pretty good fit.
Strategic Campaigns Inc Kansas City Careers
Jobs come and go, but careers can last a lifetime. At Strategic Campaigns Inc Kansas City, most people don't even make the cut. This company reviews a ton of resumes every single week of people who are looking for a change to their boring careers. Many, if not most, of these people aren't actually willing to do the work that it takes to make a job turn into a career. Anything worth while is difficult. You should expect no less with this job. To see some of the challenges associated with this great position, visit Strategic Campaigns Inc Kansas City on CareerBuilder and see what people are saying about it. You wouldn't believe the scrutiny that candidates undergo in their search for a job at this marketing firm.
The position at Strategic Campaigns Inc mainly involves calling on business owners of t-shirt establishments and getting up and coming designers' merchandise into their stores. The company thoroughly trains all of their staff on the ins and outs of the sales process and oversees a lot of their work in the beginning. After an entry level employee proves that they can perform the basic tasks, they are given a little bit more freedom in the daily operations. To see what its like working for this company, go check out some of these Strategic Campaigns Inc reviews on LinkedIn.
Strategic Campaigns Inc 511 Delaware St #100, Kansas City, MO 64105 (816) 912-2893
Strategic Campaigns Inc Jobs in Comparison
If you want to see what some of the other jobs in Kansas City are looking like, I suggest that you look at indeed.com. To see more about Strategic Campaigns Inc, visit their website.


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Feed your family (and the planet) with information and recipes from this science-based guide to eating healthy. Enter here to win one of five copies of BOTH books!
Join Zester's Nancy Harmon Jenkins at Amorolio in Puglia Oct. 12-18 and Nov. 9-15. Explore Italy's iconic oil.
Visit Zester Daily's Bookstore »


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2:00 PM "The Edwardian Era" with Steve Elias. Can't get enough of Downton Abbey's tea dresses & styles. Join the club and this hands on workshop to learn how to create them. Room 201B
3:30 PM "Advanced Color Cutting" with Raul Martez. Learn to apply three different color tones in one application for amazing results. Room Stage Right
4:30 Farewell cocktails somewhere with my show mates. And, off to the airport around 6:00 PM.
I will be posting show photos on Twitter @getcarlos01 (follow me).
Or Facebook https://www.facebook.com/carlos.valenzuela.3551
Hasta la vista...
Carlos Valenzuela is a Latino market consultant, author of i-Fabulous Life Skills, cosmetologist, educatorand motivational speaker.
Contact Carlos at email@example.com


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Labastide-Monrejeau is situated in the Pyrenees-Atlantiques (Aquitaine region) in the south-west of France at 16 km from Pau, the department capital. (General information: Labastide-Monrejeau is 646 km from Paris).
Popular places to visit nearby include Orthez at 22 km and Oloron-Sainte-Marie at 23 km. For more places to visit and local tourist attractions see the map and listings below.
Some places that we or our contributors have visited and reviewed and can recommend close to Labastide-Monrejeau. Note that all distances shown are 'direct' and real driving distances will be greater.
... or see ALL recommended places to visit in Pyrenees-Atlantiques
Hover your mouse over photos for navigation buttons
Pyrenees-Atlantiques (local department)
Aquitaine (surrounding region)
Local markets
Below we show places with official tourist classifications and other places of interest to visit nearby that should provide inspiration if you are visiting Labastide-Monrejeau and wondering what to do next! Positions of each of these attractions is shown on the map below.
Heritage sites Eglise, Oloron-Sainte-Marie (monuments on French pilgrim routes) (24km); Eglise St Blaise (monuments on French pilgrim routes) (25km); Aire sur l'Adour église St Quitterie (monuments on French pilgrim routes) (40km); Abbaye de St Sever (monuments on French pilgrim routes) (41km); Sorde l'Abbaye - abbaye St Jean (monuments on French pilgrim routes) (45km); Ourdis-Cotdoussan église St Jacques (monuments on French pilgrim routes) (59km)
Remarkable gardens Jardin du château de Momas (9km); Jardins du château de Viven (15km); Parc du Sarrat (55km); Palmeraie du Sarthou (57km)
Sites of natural beauty Grottes de Betharram (42km); Cirque de Saint-Engrace (50km); Cirque de Sainte-Engrâce (50km); Gorges d'Holzarté (54km); Gorges d'Holzarté (54km)
Towns of Art and history Oloron-Sainte-Marie (24km)
Villages in bloom 4* (fr: ville fleurie) Pau (17km); Hagetmau (30km)
Zoo and/or wildlife park Zoo d'Asson (36km)
Commune: Labastide-Monrejeau
Canton: Arthez-de-Béarn
Arrondissement: Pau
Department: Pyrenees-Atlantiques
Region: Aquitaine
Postcode: 64170
from Pau (prefecture): 16 km
from Paris: 646 km
from Calais: 859 km
from Nice: 629 km
from Bordeaux: 161 km
from Strasbourg: 860 km
Labastide-Monrejeau is in the south-west of France. Most visitors fly into Biarritz airport (Bordeaux is another option). Allow at least 8 hours for the drive from the cross-channel ferries. For driving distances to Labastide-Monrejeau from anywhere in France see driving distances and route planner.
We have found 19 other places listed nearby (within 6 kilometres of Labastide-Monrejeau): Abos, Artix, Aussevielle, Besingrand, Beyrie-en-Bearn, Bougarber, Boumourt, Casteide-Cami, Cescau, Denguin, Labastide-Cezeracq, Nogueres, Pardies, Poey-de-Lescar, Serres-Sainte-Marie, Siros, Tarsacq, Urdes and Viellenave-d'Arthez.
This page in French: Visitez Labastide-Monrejeau
Not yet a member!? Make more of your visit with your own personal trip planner.
- Best price guarantee
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2015 Dues Renewal Launch
Now is the time to renew your commitment to ASCPT! The 2015 ASCPT Membership Renewal Cycle has officially launched and ASCPT is proud to announce the NEW multi-year renewal option. We look forward to having your support again in 2015.
ASCPT is seeking nominations for President-Elect and two At-Large Directors to serve on the ASCPT Board of Directors. If you are interested in serving as a member of the ASCPT Board of Directors, now is the time to submit your nomination. Learn more about the responsibilities, the time commitments, and the personal and professional benefits of serving the Society in this capacity. (Please note, you must be logged in as a member to view these web pages.)
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Compass Arizona Grill - Hyatt Regency Phoenix
- Address:
122 North Second Street
Phoenix, AZ 85004Neighborhood:
- Cuisine:
Contemporary AmericanPrice: $31 to $50
Compass Arizona Grill - Hyatt Regency Phoenix
- Dining Style: Fine Dining
- Website: http://www.compassarizona.com/
- Phone: 6024403166
- Hours of Operation:
Dinner: Sunday - Saturday: 5:30pm - 10:00pm;
Lounge: Sunday - Saturday: 5:30pm - 11:00pm
- Payment Options: AMEX,Diners Club,Discover,MasterCard,Visa
- Cuisine: Contemporary American
- Executive Chef: Dominic Vaccaro
- Dress Code: Business Casual
- Accepts Walk-Ins: Yes
- Additional Details: Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Farm to Table, Full Bar, Gluten-free Menu, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking Area, Non-Smoking Restaurant, Smoking Area, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine
- Private Party Facilities: Compass Arizona Grill has a lounge area with the same fabulous views that can accommodate up to 100 guests for a private reception-style function. The area can also be used for a sit-down dinner for 50 - 60 guests.
- Private Party Contact: Marcie Snook-Cook 6024403166x
- Special Events: Reverse Happy Hour- 9 pm to 11 pm - Sun-Thu
$5 House Wine
$5 Well Drinks
$5 Desserts
$7 Signature Cocktail of the Day
Getting there
- Cross Street: 2nd & Adams
- Public Transit: Light rail stop at 3rd ST & Washington when heading Westbound or Central & Adams when heading Eastbound
- Parking: Private Lot
- Parking Details: 2 hours complimentary parking in Regency Parking Garage, located on west side of 2nd Street between Washington and Adams - Be sure to bring your parking ticket to the Compass for validation.
A word from Compass Arizona Grill - Hyatt Regency Phoenix
The Compass Restaurant is the only rooftop-revolving restaurant in all of Arizona. They offer breathtaking views, mouthwatering food and impeccable service. Celebrate each and every holiday with the Compass Restaurant.Continued
Foodspotting photosSee all photos
Awards voted by OpenTable diners
- Diners' Choice WinnerScenic View
Compass Arizona Grill - Hyatt Regency Phoenix - Best Restaurants in Phoenix ›
Compass Arizona Grill - Hyatt Regency Phoenix reviews from OpenTable diners
171 reviews since May 26, 2014
- Food4.1Service4.4
- Ambiance4.6Noise LevelModerate
scenic view (151)special occasion (137)romantic (121)notable wine list (43)neighborhood gem (28)good for groups (23)fit for foodies (22)late-night find (20)hot spot (16)kid-friendly (9)great for lunch (8)vibrant bar scene (5)great for brunch (5)great for outdoor dining (1)Show More
- Celebrated my anniversary hereOpenTable Diner Since 2014Dined on 9/21/2014The view was amazing and my girlfriend absolutely loved it. The fillet mignon was amazing but I did wish they had a better variety of food (pastas and such, be sure to study the menu ahead of time!). Granted it is a "grill" so no fault of the place. I will definitely return!Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- PerfectionsmittonDined on 9/19/2014I could not have asked for more! Making a reservation was easy. When we got there the scenic view was amazing. The wait staff was extremely pleasant and knowledgeable. The food was to die for from beginning to end. It is a great romantic spot. The tables are set up so every one has the perfect viewSpecial Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Food and view spectacularNorthCarolinaDinersDined on 9/18/2014We are visiting from NC. The food was outstanding, especially the seafood. The views are spectacular - watching the sunset over the mountains. A beautiful and romantic restaurant.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- EXCELLENT!WineanddineDined on 9/16/2014Was the perfect place for my special occasion. Very romantic and the food was outstanding.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Delighteful Experience, but chillydarladDined on 9/16/2014The food was very good (eggplant in goat cheese, as good as it could possibly be), service was friendly and fast, scenery was amazing (best view in the entire city by 1000%), air temp was too cool... hostess explained it was tough to get it right... not a good excuse... wear a sweater or jacket... I had 2 layers on and was literally shiveringSpecial Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Nice view but snobby hostess +$$$$expensiveDined on 9/13/2014I made a reservation and called ahead when we were going to be late; due to street blocks from a sports game downtown. The hostess stated it was not a problem. Upon arrival, our table was given away and they placed us on the bottom of the waiting list as if we were walk-ins. It was my boyfriend's 30th birthday and going to Compass was my surprise gift to him. Since it was his night I kept silent knowing he was happy. After 30mins we get our table and are not greeted by our server for nearly 10mins.Food took FOREVER to come out and each of our steaks were still mooing. (me- top sirloin, boyfriend- filet mignon. Both ordered at medium rare.) Overall, had a good time cause we love each other but the hostess a snob, food- not worth the price.Special Features:
- very dissapionted!OpenTable Diner Since 2014Dined on 9/13/2014Wait time was ridicolous, service slow and food was golden corral level.
- DeliciousOwsleysDined on 9/13/2014The compass is our new favorite restaurant. The view is breathtaking as you eat your dinner. The food and drinks were the definition of divinity. My cocktail was perfectly mixed, not over powering with sweet and disguised the taste of the alcohol. I can't remember the name. Something with a sunset in the title. The sea bass melted in my mouth. The best I have ever had it made. Everything from even the green chili corn bread, to our roasted beet salad, the filet, and the sea bass. My mouth is watering thinking of going back again.Special Features:
- Diappointed this time around.Lizz00Dined on 9/13/2014I have been here a few times. We take family and friends for special occasions. The quality of the food has always been Great and the service impeccable. This last time on September 13th I took family there. The food was slightly lacking this time around. The service was prompt and okay but not great. We are well aware it's an expensive place to eat but that being said... the expectations for a place like this and what you pay should be awesome. After our meal we gave the server our card to pay. The server took it upon himself to charge our card $217 and he took the cash in the bill fold. Which in the end turned out to be a 33% tip! We were appalled when we found out from our bank the following day. This is theft.Special Features:
- Worth every pennyFoodisFunDined on 9/10/2014Even if you can only afford it only once a year save up to experience this restaurant. Make it your reward restaurant. The Filet Mignon was a "melt in your mouth" experience. Each plate was a work of art. Our banana split was a deconstructed banana split and the chef remembered our anniversary by writing "Happy Anniversary" in chocolate around the perimeter of the plate.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- RDBGreatdiningexperienceDined on 9/10/2014Great service, Awesome food, Incredible views, we always enjoy our experience thereSpecial Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Dessert at the Compass RoomSeaglassMomDined on 9/6/2014We went down to the Compass Room to celebrate a birthday. We had made reservations for 5 but were told that for just dessert we didn't need them and we would be seated in the lounge/bar area. Would have preferred more comfortable table in the dining area but were told no. Our lounge table was right by the window and we did, indeed, have a beautiful view. Our server was super nice and brought everything out in a timely fashion. She even put a candle in our birthday person's dessert! We had a lovely evening and the desserts were very good. The creme brulee trio was one of the best! We also tried out the flourless chocolate cake and the cheesecake, both of which were delicious.Special Features:
- Wonderful service!KittenwomanDined on 9/3/2014Everyone was very accommodating and lovely. Highly recommended this restraunt!Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Amazing.TheDuransDined on 8/31/2014I absolutely loved this restaurant. The view, of course, was great, overlooking the city. The service was outstanding, our waitress was very kind, sweet and outgoing. Her name was Jerry, not sure how she spells it but it sounded like that. The food was phenomenal and exceeded all expectations. Although it is a bit on the expensive side, it's reasonable because of the great food & service. I enjoyed my dinner date there. It has quite the romantic kind of feel to it, and that's why I chose it to propose to my girlfriend! All of the staff there were congratulating us and being very kind. We both loved it all around. I would (and have already) recommended it to other people.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Loved it!OpenTable Diner Since 2014Dined on 8/31/2014Went to compass room for anniversary and my girlfriend (wifey) and myself loved it. I surprised her by taking her there and she immediately thanked me. The view was amazing as the sun set and the food and drinks were amazing too. Would definitely recommend it to my other friends and couples.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Great food, service and nightbuffaloloverDined on 8/31/2014We were celebrating our 1 year anniversary and were recommended by friends to go here. We were not disappointed, our server was great, the food was incredible and they even spelled out "Happy Anniversary" in chocolate for our dessert. We will definitely be coming here again for future special occasions! Thank you for making our night a memorable one!Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Poor foodOpenTable Diner Since 2014Dined on 8/30/2014Our appetizer was really salty. The worste part was the main course I ask for a steak mediam rare it came out completely raw. I ate 1/4 and asked for a box so I could grill it at home.
- View awesome. Food notRajahDined on 8/30/2014Got served an under cooked steak but the service was great there and so was the viewSpecial Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Rotating Restaurantaps123VIPDined on 8/29/2014Our kids love to come here for the view from the top of the building. They love rotating around looking at the city. Food is fine. Service was a little slow. Not good for kids unless they have good manners.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- The compass AZ grillBobbaganoosh81Dined on 8/24/2014Amazing food. Fantastic service. Priced for the masses.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Romantic and enjoyableAmbi730Dined on 8/24/2014The food was fantastic and the view was gorgeous. We were able to see downtown Phoenix at night. I would like to go again at sunset to catch a different viewSpecial Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Something DifferentnomnotesDined on 8/23/2014We went here to celebrate my 19 year old's birthday! He loves the urban lifestyle. He was in awe. It brought out conversation from him like I've never heard before. He loved the view, the food, the fanciness......he's a waiter at a small Mexican restaurant and really was asking the waitress lots of questions......she was so genuine and nice! We got an awesome table by the window as requested thru Open Table. Everything was perfect! Definitely a great spot for special occasion dining!Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Great timebigdadDined on 8/22/2014Good food, good atmoshpere, very unique, great service. It must be roundtables system but I clicked on 8-23 at 8pm and I get an email stating I made reservations not for next weekk like I had clicked on but that night. So I received an email asking me why I had missed the reservation.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- It's only worth the viewSMO4985Dined on 8/21/2014It's great for the view and that's about it. The dining room is dated and the lobby area looks cheap. Our server was very nice and pleasant though we waited over 5 minutes for water. I ordered two glasses of rose and they came out in very small, short flutes. Not terribly elegant. The food is mediocre at best. We were each served only one small piece of corn bread (not very generous) with butter and a side of course salt. The salt was peculiar. We both had the filet, it was fine. For dessert we had the creme brûlée trio, classic, chocolate, and orange. It was served in a dated, divided S curve vessel (about 10 years out of fashion). The orange tasted artificial, like a creamsicle. Skip dinner here- go for a drink and enjoy the view!Special Features:
- Not what I was expecting at all.MetalSamamonDined on 8/18/2014I'm not one to usually go to fancy restaurants, but for my birthday I wanted to try something different. I've stayed at the Hyatt hotel in downtown Phoenix a few times before, but this was my first time going to the Compass Grill; at the top of the hotel. It was my birthday & I informed them of this when I made my reservation. The seating was nice and the view was amazing, but the restaurant turns incredibly slowly; maybe a full revolution once an hour. There was two people in our party and we ordered our food; two steaks (one well done with no pink). It came out 'medium' at best. Also there was no side option other than asparagus. Staff came around seldomly. Bacon on lettuce wedge salad was old and full of grease. Wouldn't go there again.Special Features:
- alucas0889Dined on 8/18/2014Jerry made our experience so amazing. She was attentive and funny. She made our anniversary the best evening ever! The food and drinks were amazing!Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Wonderful ExperiencechancecindyDined on 8/16/2014Best spot for a special romantic dinner. Everyone was pleasant and the food was excellent. And the view was spectacular!!Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Service is 5 Star Worthy!GuestDined on 8/15/2014Our service was impeccable. From what I observed, the staff was very attentive to our table and all others! Incredibly on point, throughout the evening. If we return, it would be for the scenic view and the wonderful staff. From the start, even the hostess was very friendly and kind. Note to kitchen: the GF chicken is too small for the price of the plate! Also, the mustard sauce in the potato salad needs to be scaled back! It was too tart; and hard to eat the potatoes and green beans, with all that mustardy sauce all over the plate. I scraped the sauce off, just to eat the veggies. A small House salad should be offered with dinner! My guest's Filet was undercooked, even for Filet Mignon; needed a few more minutes under the broiler!Special Features:
- AnniversaryOpenTable Diner Since 2014Dined on 8/15/2014Went to take my special lady for our anniversary and when we ordered our desert, it was brought out to us and we were congratulated on our milestone and it was written in the desert. A nice touch to a special evening.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- 1st year married anniversaryMarphanieDined on 8/11/2014I came here to dine for our anniversary for a romantic and quiet setting but did not turn up being the case. There was a big group of people facing us as we were on the edge table and were very talkative. I had to asked to be moved especially since another group right next to them were handing awards, clapping, so obviously being very loud. I was not a big fan of the layout with having people face you with their seating arrangement, but the move was certainly an improvement. My other complaint was how under-cooked the filet mignon was for my wife, though my new new york strip was done right. We both asked for it to be done medium-rare plus which is closer to medium than rare. I think the issue was with her cut being a lot thicker though.Special Features:
- Best View in the ValleyBabalou64Dined on 8/10/2014It is always such a relaxing dinner experience. I always start with a glass of wine and take in the beauty of the Phoenix skyline and beyond.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Many Years changesspecialonlyDined on 8/10/2014Too Bad so many high buildings ruined the original views came here in the 70's "perfect"!Special Features:
- A night to rememberNostalgiaDined on 8/9/2014We had dinner with close friends who would be leaving the US for about 5 weeks; a chance to celebrate together. The bar selections satisfied all at the table, and the menu items plentiful to make the fussiest among us happy. Our server was superb, and we left the restaurant feeling well taken care of. This restaurant has been in our "favorite" portfolio for more than 30 years. We wish the Sunday brunch would return, but understand the challenges. Thank you Compass Room!Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Amazing ExperiencealgeaDined on 8/2/2014Friendly service, great food and an amazing view. A place I plan to visit for my next special occasion.Special Features:
- WaitressOpenTable Diner Since 2014Dined on 8/1/2014I really wish I could remember her name, see was an amazing waitress and great at reccomendations.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Fantastic date nightFoodDivasLittleSisterDined on 8/1/2014With views of the city that are surpassed only by their food, the Compass is the perfect fit when you have something special to celebrate.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- OpenTable Diner Since 2014Dined on 7/30/2014We had a lovely time at the Compass Arizona Grill. The view is the big draw for this restaurant, although the food is good and the menu is varied. It is an excellent special occasion place.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Anniversary spotGreatDiningDined on 7/28/2014My wife and I have celebrated 2 anniversaries at the compass so far, and will definitely be back. Romantic, quiet atmosphere; friendly, professional service; excellent food and great views make for a good time! Keep it up Compass Grill!!Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- OpenTable Diner Since 2013Dined on 7/26/2014We had filet mignon and asparagus which were excellent. However we were shocked at my $8.00 salad, which consisted of a cut wedge of iceberg lettuce, 3 grape tomatoes cut in half and 2 cold strips of bacon on the side. My 12 year old makes better saladsSpecial Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Great views&service-not great foodAZ322Dined on 7/20/2014We first entered and immediately loved the views, we arrived just at sunset BEAUTIFUL! The hostess and wait staff were very attentive and friendly, the atmosphere and ambiance was quiet with just the perfect low lighting- It sets a wonderful mood for any occasion. We were impressed with the menu choices and then the food was served...Not so good the Sea Bass was not cooked well and the flavor was nonexistent. The New York Steak left so much to be desired, lacking in texture and flavor...It had to be drench it in sauce to eat. We wanted to love this place it fits everything we were looking for with views and atmosphere...It's quite unfortunate that the food was so poor.Special Features:


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I am thinking about buying these but I do not want to get pants that are too baggy. I was just wondering if I could get any insight from someone who feels the same as me and rides the pant to help me out with my decision.


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So is this Ersan Ilyasova deal a bargain, a steal or another in a long line of mistakes?
Category: Greatest Hits, The Off Season
Obviously I'm not the highest on the resigning of Ersan Ilyasova. Or on most of the things the Milwaukee Bucks have done over the past couple of years. I was still under the Fear the Deer spell through the Stephen Jackson move, but since then, the Mike Dunleavy deal was fine and draft picks are draft picks, but I've been pretty meh on most things Bucks.
It's more of a philosophy thing than anything. I think John Hammond is fine and under the right circumstances, I'm sure he could flourish. But Milwaukee isn't the right circumstances. So I've been a fairly grouchy dude for a good while now.
So when Ilyasova was brought back at a reported $45 million over five years, I did one eye roll that lasted about 20 minutes and moved on. Reports eventually clarified that the deal more realistically is about $32 million over four years when factoring in options and bonuses and such.
So, not as bad. But I'm still not calling my friends and telling them to sign up for season tickets or anything.
Matt Moore feels like I'm being a bit harsh on the deal. When Ken Berger reported Ilyasova deal specifics, he and I tweeted back and forth a bit.
About the Author (Author Profile)Jeremy Schmidt writes the Milwaukee Bucks blog Bucksketball. He founded it in January of 2009 because he hated his job. It's like basketball, but with Bucks instead of basket. I know ... I'm sorry. He might come off as a bit negative, but I'm really not so bad. He just wants the Bucks to succeed, so he points out areas where they are coming up short. Someone has got to do it and he's ornery and opinionated enough to take on that task. He isn't sure if this should be in third person or not. Contact him at firstname.lastname@example.com if you must use e-mail.
Comments (54)
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If you controlled the bucks, what would the "plan" be? How would we obtain the star player?
How many current top 10 players play for the San Antonio Spurs?
How did Jason Kidd at 50 yrs old play such effective defense at times against Lebron James and Dwayne Wade in the previous finals and why were younger more athletic defenders from BOS and OKC so much less effective?
@sillybilly Tank. Draft high. Repeat. Stockpile young, cheap talent. If it all comes together, they would re-sign when the time came.
It could work…. Not sure Im ready to suffer through the tanking though. maybe consecutive years of getting trampled in the first or second round of the playoffs would convince me further.
@sillybilly It's just personally what I prefer after watching this team my whole life. When were they good? When they had Allen and Robinson and Cassell. How did they get them? Two top five draft picks and one as as result of the Vin Baker pick working out very well.
PIcks led to the only serious, next level success (conference finals) this team has had in 25 years. That's indisputable.
I hear you, but the success of the Bucks over the past 6 years could have been radically different had they not had such misfortune with Bogut and Redd. I mean truly has any other team in the league had such rotten luck? A healthy Redd (late round pick) in combination with a healthy Bogut really could have achieved an equal measure of success as the Cassell/Dog/Allen squad.
If we were to tank it should have been last year or two seasons ago when we could have done it gracefully, we're too talented now. In order to tank now Hammond would have to deliberately implode our roster and trade our best assets like Houston just did. Jennings and Ilyasova would probably bring the most value, Harris and Henson are too young and cheap to be moved. If Hammond did something like that I would actually be pretty satisfied, but at the same time I'm curious about how good this roster can be and whether MIL is truly unable to lure a meaningful FA in the future. Also, not all draft classes are equal. Brandon Jennings at 10 will probably turn out to be of equal caliber to John Wall at 1 when all is said and done.
I wont antagonize your opinions any further, we'll see what happens.
The question shouldn't be "Was the Ersan signing a good deal?" It should be, "Was the Ersan signing a good deal for the Bucks?" If I can buy an awesome car stereo system for only $200, it would be considered a good deal – unless I don't have a car, in which case I spent $200 for no reason. Ersan is a good player and the market for players like him may well be above what the Bucks ended up paying. However, he doesn't make them a title contender, he doesn't make them more attractive to free agents, and he doesn't create that "I gotta see this guy play" sort of buzz that packs the arena every night. If the Nets made this deal (although it would have cost them significantly more after taxes were figured in), it would have been a good deal, because they have two really good/great players already and Ersan could be that extra piece that gets them to the conference finals or beyond. For the Bucks, he's the piece that could get them the seven seed and a first round exit in the playoffs. Again, if that's all you hope for in an NBA franchise, then Ersan's deal was fantastic. If you hold out hope that the Bucks can somehow recapture that 1971 magic, then the Bucks just bought the stereo when they don't have a car.
Ok so Im beating a dead horse here, but I want to challenge the "Top ten star or tank" strategy that everyone is insisting is the only way to go. Allow me to play devils advocate:
Hypothetically if the bucks were to clean house and land the #1 pick in the next two drafts, is there any certainty that they would be able to assemble a team that can compete with Miami or OKC before the high draft pick's rookie contracts expire and they leave for bigger markets? How likely is it that the picks are anywhere near the talent of a top ten player in the first place and how fast can they develop? Can Milwaukee ever expect in any real scenario that solid role players take big pay-cuts to come play with their promising squad as continually happens in Miami, Boston, LA etc?
I don't think the Bucks can play the same game that the Miamis and LAs can. Cleveland certainly couldn't do it. I think the likelihood for MIL to become great by landing overachieving players in the mid to late rounds of the draft is equal to the likelihood of them tanking and picking up and maintaining top ten talent. Once again I will cite SA as an example of a team not having a top ten player and yet being capable of winning it all if they get hot. SA has been very lucky with some mid to late round picks, but they always seem to be bringing in little-known solid contributors so it is probably a bit more than luck. The Bucks on the other hand have been cursed with the worst of luck. The two corner-stone players of the franchise, Michael Redd and Andrew Bogut, lost virtually all value through injury. Thats like a 6 year black hole sucking away franchise resources and we've just moved out of it so chill. Also there have been some dumb moves in the Hammond era that I don't want to cover. So maybe skiles isn't Papovich but personally I'd like to give him a shot to build the blue-collar bucks.
The hard part about ever compiling a team in Milwaukee that can compete with the Heat is the "star-centric" nature of rules and officiating in the NBA. The rules have gradually been modified for marketing reasons to allow flashy players with athleticism to be rewarded for barreling into clogged lanes and drawing body contact when in any other league (college or international) they wouldn't be bailed out by the refs as often and would end up looking silly. The decision to not allow hand-checking post Jordan era has really had a negative effect on the game IMO. I still think fundamentals can win out though, if Jason Kidd can keep his body in front of LBJ and limit his game to an extent, then some of these younger guys are capable of doing the same…..but I'm not seeing it from Brandon Bass and other young guys
@sillybilly The Spurs only ever won the title when Duncan was one of the 5 best players in the world.
@sillybilly And the rules were more "star-centric" in the 90s when hand-checking was allowed and zones weren't allowed. Now zones are allowed and hand-checking isn't, that means there are less isos because help defenders can overload the strong side.
And have you watched any of the Olympics: they call everything. As for college refs, they are vastly more incompetent. There isn't even a unified way to call the rules in college. Each conference demands something different from the refs.
umm yea well the spurs were contenders last year – meaning if they played their best basketball they were capable of beating any team in the league in a 7 game series. They didn't play their best at the end. I think most people would agree with this.
Only 1 of 30 teams in the league wins a title, being a fan of a real contender is always exciting.
you are right about zones but eliminating hand checking as a defensive tool gives the offensive player a huge advantage whether a zone or man to man scheme is being used. I haven't been watching the olympics so you are probably right.
as far as college, Im not saying the refs make really good judgments, but they seem to err on the side of defense whereas the NBA refs call more phantom fouls than real. I think the NBA bails guys out for driving aggressively into defenders if they sell it and go up hard, or if they are a star player; whereas in college if you go aggressively into a defensively occupied area u cant count on getting the call even if you draw contact.
If the NBA was officiated more like college team work would become a little more important and star players a little less. Its a pretty common argument which many people use to explain why they love the NCAA but wont watch the NBA.
@sillybilly The Spurs did play their best basketball, they just met a better team in OKC. Did you really not think a team in the middle of a 20 game win streak wasn't playing their best basketball? Or is it more likely that OKC made adjustments at the right time? Or that OKC was just faster, stronger and better?
I would take being able to implement a zone rather over hand checking as a defensive strategy any day of the week. No zone gives an individual player more of an advantage than no hand checking. Or do you not remember that the NBA was nothing but isos for the longest time.? That Allen Iverson, Vince Carter, etc flourished under an iso offense because no there was no help for their defenders. Now there's not much iso in the NBA because good defenses will eat it up.
And having great players is just as important in college or did Kentucky not just win with a loaded team. Don't mistake incompetence in college for teamwork.
Also common arguments used by a lot of people does not equal a good argument.
Hey we disagree, thats ok, so let me offer my parting arguments:
Actually the spurs blew pretty hard the second half of that series. Parker went from superstar to turnover machine. Serge Ibaka went 11/11 fg one game, Durant/Westbrook started playing out of their minds as though they were the Spurs from the previous 20 games, and Derek Fisher was super-clutch. Just because you don't win the championship doesn't mean your team is not a contender. The Spurs were favored before the series started, if they were to play any team in the league including the Heat in a 7 game series they would have a legitimate chance as would be reflected in gambling odds. The bucks for example would not. The Celts on paper are clearly not better than the Heat, but somehow they took them to game 7, crazy stuff can happen.
This was one of the more talented NCAA classes in recent history and Kentucky probably had more talent compared to the NCAA field than the Heat do compared to the rest of the NBA. but let me remind you that Butler was in the Championship 2x not too long ago with a bunch of goofy players who played well together. This is a regular occurrence, March Madness is full of underdog teams that succeed purely from teamwork, the NBA not so much.
Its not even really arguable that the College and NBA games aren't different. Whether you like one or the other is your thing. College TV ratings almost triple the NBA though, and NBA ratings have fallen off since the Bulls were great in the 90s. IMO there is a reason for this which is apparent when viewing ESPNclassic.
for NBA vs college rule differences read this:
Im out peace.
Also the Spurs were at the end of a 20 game win streak, not the middle, probably due for some losses.
@sillybilly Bleacher Report LOL
yea bleacher report, great source huh? it was the only page i could find comparing NBA to NCAA rules.
@BuckNuggets Love that analogy.
I think the deal was good at 8 million a year. I'm a big fan of Ilyasova and, even if last year was a fluke, his effort level has always been tremendous and that's the one thing you could always guarantee from him, which is the one major reason I can live with this deal. I understand completely where you're coming from Jeremy, as far as why it was probably pointless to bring him back. But unfortunately, we're stuck being a team that's not good enough to be a major contender, but not bad enough to be lower than an eighth or ninth seed.
It sure is great to see Yi kicking but in the Olympics.. isn't that how he duped us?
There is no way that anyone is gonna convince me that Ersan's deal is a steal, but I do believe it may have been necessary.. at minimum to keep some continuity and momentum.. I don't know that any team wants to lose it's hardest on-court effort player, and his contract is just what the market dictated
That being said this contract would be a non-issue if we had moved Gooden's contract, a poor mans(but really rich) version of Ilya.. should have moved him for a quality wing or backup center
@JustinNixon Momentum is pretty high after back-to-back sterling seasons.
@jeremyschmidt Yeah "momentum" was probably a bad word choice, especially after we finished last year..
And as usual agree to disagree on what the Bucks should do for the future.. tanking doesn't guarantee anything, and there are plenty of examples of champions that were made through free agency and trades.. Do agree that they get at least one star through the draft, but we don't even know what this version of the Bucks looks like.. We have speed and length, and could finish as high as 5th.
Then we make a little noise in the playoffs and all of a sudden we are looking attractive to prospective free agents
Im not too worried about the contract with it being $40m/5yr, its just if he lives up to last years production. He was helped in the rebounding category due to the absence of bogut & with gooden at C. If he lives up then great, would love to see jennings/ellis/ilyasova lead the team.But personally I wouldve liked to have seen what other teams wouldve offered.
Jeremy, you tweeted: "@HPbasketball and if you don't have a guy to build around, who cares how mug you're saving on a complementary player anyway. Just my feeling" Do you really believe this? If so, no wonder you are so pessimistic – if you're not playing for the title, right now, what's the point, right? You lead me to believe that if you were the GM of over half the teams in the league (including teams like the Pacers, the 76ers, the Spurs, the Hawks, the Grizzlies, the Nuggets, and the Jazz) or the 2004 Detroit Pistons, you'd refrain from signing any "complimentary" type free agent to a contract any more expensive than something akin to highway robbery? And just throw in the towel unless and until you've got "a guy to build around"? Keep in mind, of course, that such a guy will probably never sign with a small market team like Milwaukee, and will DEFINITELY never sign to a team that refrains from signing talented, young, and desirable complimentary players to market-reasonable contracts. And of course there's the question of how a franchise will attract fans and revenue if it perpetually tanks until it acquires that guy. And how fun to watch the league will be with over half the teams refusing to sign complimentary players to market-reasonable contracts.
@andyxc13 Guys to build around are obtained through the draft – not via free agency. There are exceptions of course, but for a small market, that is how it's done.
If a team isn't trying to put itself in position for a title, what is it doing? Pacers/Sixers/Hawks eat mediocrity for breakfast every day. Pacers are a good team, but obviously aren't going any further than they did last season. If that's what you're into, that's just fine. I just don't like it.
I think signing a guy like Dunleavy to a short team deal or any role player to a one or two year deal is fine. But if you're making long term signings with mid to high mid level money, what's the point. Find me some of these deals that make sense and maybe I'll back off that position.
The 2004 Pistons aren't happening again. Look at … EVERY OTHER TITLE TEAM EVER. Stars, stars and more stars. Accept you're a bad team, own it for a few years and hoard draft picks like you're on A&E. That's just what I prefer. If people prefer the Hawks of the last six or seven years or last year's Pacers, that's just fine. I don't judge that. But it isn't my thing.
@jeremyschmidt It's not anybody's "thing" because it's a strawman argument: why accept mediocrity when the exclusive alternative is tanking, hoarding draft picks, building a team full of stars through the draft and reaping the rewards? The reality is that tanking is no guarantee to work,. Did you notice something about those teams you listed, the Pacers, 76ers and Hawks (and I'll add the Grizzlies as well)? Wait, weren't their cores assembled via the draft? I mean, what do you want them to do? Should every team that doesn't currently have at least one or two of the best 10-15 players in the NBA stop trying?
@andyxc13 @jeremyschmidt
Andy, Great statement above. You said what I've been trying to say but with far fewer words. With all due respect this idea that everyone should only try if they have one of the leagues top players is illogical, not to mention immature and dull.
@sillybilly @andyxc13 I'm not sure if it's dull or immature, but maybe it's wrong.
All I know is I've been watching the Bucks try and do it the other way for a super long time. Hasn't worked out so well.
Pacers/Sixers/Hawks didn't really assemble their cores through high draft picks. I'll give you the Hawks, but how many top five picks are on the Pacers and Sixers? Pacers followed the model the Bucks are on.
The Sixers did one time build through the draft. Got a guy named Iverson. Made the NBA Finals because they had him.
Novel idea.
It definitely makes the league dull if there is only one path to success, and its immature in the sense that these superstars all need to team up rather than allowing things to work organically. But maybe its just becoming a reality.
Also "EVERY OTHER TITLE TEAM EVER" may have had a star, but the stars weren't all top 5 or top 10 picks.
@jeremyschmidt If you're allowed to say that no team will ever replicate the 2004 Pistons again (considering it happened only 8 years ago, and they absolutely dominated the HOFer-laden Lakers, so a questionable statement either way), you also prohibited from citing the early 2000s 76ers, who were the best bad team to come out of a horrible, star-deprived Eastern Conference. (Oh and I semi-seriously think that either Jennings or Ellis could score 31.1 ppg on 42/32/81% shooting if they were allowed to play 42 mpg and jack up 25.5 shots/game.)
I do not disagree with you that landing a can't-miss talent guy can bring excitement and hope and success. What I am trying to do is point out that this seemingly obvious path to success is not nearly as likely to work as you (and others) seem to think. Wasn't John Wall a can't-miss star? How are the Wizards looking these days? How about the Bobcats, how many top 5 picks have they gotten and how did that turn out? What do Blazer fans think after the Roy-Aldridge-Oden dynasty? Here were the #1 picks from '98-'01: Olowakandi, Elton Brand, Kenyon Martin, and Kwame Brown. The Toronto Raptors had a string of draft picks from '03-'06 of #4, #8, #7, #16, #1, how'd that turn out?
I guess my main issue here is that you seem to be crying foul over the overarching plan here, which in my opinion is different than the Ersan re-signing. Isn't there a distinction to be made between re-signing a good, young, talented and versatile player to a market-reasonable contract on the one hand, and on the other hand Richard Jefferson, John Salmons, Corey Maggette, Stephen Jackson, Dan Gadzuric, Michael Redd, Hakim Warrick, Bobby Simmons, etc., etc., etc.? The Bucks may have issues with their plan and whatever goals may be attainable through it, but I do not agree that re-signing Ersan to this contract is one of them.
@andyxc13 No it isn't as easy as it sounds, or as I make it sound or as the Thunder have made it look. The path to a title that runs along lottery lane has teams that couldn't execute on that plan littered along the sides of it for sure.
But the Bucks have been doing this other thing forever. I'm tired of it. Why not take a chance and try something different? I'd much rather have a few of the moments that Roy/Aldridge/Oden group had than most of the moments I've had as a Bucks fan over the last 20 years.The tank plan requires luck, a talented general manager to carry out the picks and a little more luck.
Signing Ersan is fine. He's fine. Maybe it is different than getting Jefferson or any other middling player. It's just hard for me to care at this point, having cared so hard for so long.
The whole thing is exhausting and probably hopeless either way. I respect that you're willing to debate the matter in a civil way – kudos to you.
@jeremyschmidt As others have stated, I think the Bucks as constructed are just too talented to jump ship wholesale. They have a lot of young guys (26, 25, 25, 25, 23, 22, 21, 20 and 20, to go along with the "old vets" of 31, 31, 30 and 30), who may be unlikely to ever win a championship together, but I don't think the organization can give up on them at this point, especially when it's got to sell tickets. Who's to say a playoff appearance (and maybe even a second-round exit) wouldn't be a great experience for the city of Milwaukee? And who knows, this season may be the turning point in either direction, with a lot of contracts concluding or reaching option years after this season. I mean, you've got to think we'll know whether Ellis and/or Jennings are part of the long-term future by the time the trade deadline passes next winter.
Not to mention that perhaps Hammonds isn't done constructing the final version of this year's roster – he's got to move a PF or two, right?
@andyxc13 well said andy
All of this arguing is pretty exhausting. Ive been a fan of the Bucks for two decades and they have disappointed me pretty consistently, but if you only measure success by championships then you're probably rooting for the wrong team. Being a bucks fan requires being excited by the prospect of winning a division title and realizing that a championship could be a once in a lifetime occurence. We are blessed with the Packers, but the Bucks and Brewers require a totally different expectation. I liken it to soccer, It takes a long time but when you finally score its that much sweeter.
Like everything you said there. Expectations for the Bucks (and Brewers) do have to be tempered based on how their respective leagues are set up to favor big markets. However, I think that changing expectations means we change how we look at how our team is assembled. The only time the Bucks won a title, they lucked out and got KAJ with the first pick. They haven't been quite so lucky over the last 40 or so years. Before I go to that great Bradley Center in the sky, I would like to see them get lucky like that again. All I'm saying is up those chances to get lucky by doing everything they can to A.) aquire as many first round draft picks as they can (Ted Thompson refers to it as getting more bites of the apple), and B.) playing those young players consistently so they can develop as much as possible. The more chances we have to draft and develop young players, the better chance we have of finding that next star. Until then, I'm content supporting a team that is young, but plays hard each and every night.
@sillybilly @jeremyschmidt The Bucks haven't been a division title contender for over a decade. So even by your expectations, they're a huge disappointment.
@BuckNuggets Football strategy doesn't apply to basketball.
@BuckNuggets Bradley Center in the sky LOL
Yea I stated that they've consistently dissappointed me for the past decade. but I still love'em. Im excited about their chances in the division going forward. Obviously you're not which makes for pretty boring reading material because pretty much every other wisconsinite has that attitude whoopty-doo.
@Ian_Segovia @BuckNuggets
"Football strategy doesn't apply to basketball"
Umm actually evaluating and developing talent is important in both leagues. Everything said there made quite a bit of sense especially considering that rookie contracts are so cheap in the NBA.
I wouldn't doubt TT could make a good NBA GM.
@sillybilly @BuckNuggets Yes evaluating and developing talent is important in both leagues. It's important in every sport. It's important in every job hire, but you'd be looked at like a crazy person if you tried to hire the same way people draft.
Football strategy would apply to basketball if everything is in a vaccuum, but you're not looking at the differences that affect talent evaluation. Like the fact that a football roster has 53 players and basketball only has 15. Or that in basketball you're drafting someone that can do multiple things, in football you're ultimately drafting a specialist.
The biggest thing: have you ever looked at the CBA. You can't just stockpile 8 guys on their rookie contracts on an NBA team because then you'd have to offer a bunch of terrible contracts just to hit the salary floor which would hurt your flexibility to keep any of those rookies.
Or let's say you do get a bunch of good role players that are somewhat decent. The new CBA prevents teams from keeping those guys together with harsher luxury tax restrictions and smaller contracts with less years available. This is why the Thunder have to choose between keeping Ibaka or Harden, but guess what they'll be alright because they have Durant. The new CBA absolutely favors that you have one great player because all the other good talent you have immediately has to move to other teams. So taking the time to build a team of role players with great chemistry is worthless because they'll most of them will all be gone before that chemistry even takes place.
Superstars make role players better. Lebron makes everyone around him better because he can do everything which frees Shane Battier to just shoot threes and play defense. You've mentioned the Spurs before as a team of role players. Tony Parker was an MVP candidate this year. He as second-team all-NBA. His skills made the rest of the Spurs better. They weren't without a star.
Having one star will help you survive the CBA. Having one star will allow you to bring in any role player and allow that role player to immediately thrive instead of worrying whether that role will fit the team's chemistry. It's a much harder juggling act with a team of role players. You have to fit each role and make sure all those guys like each other.
@sillybilly Do you call everyone that disagrees with you boring? Or do you use different names in arguments?
What's really messed up is that you characterize the entire site as anti-Bucks even though I've written several very positive articles about the Bucks and there are positive articles all over the website. There are two on the front page even!
Thank you for being callously insulting.
never claimed T Parker wasn't a star, but he's not a top ten (or 15?) player nor was he drafted high both of which seems to be an absolute requirement for NBA success in the opinion that I was disputing.
Also, the strategy @bucksnuggets laid out still makes plenty of sense because if your draft picks are starting and you just need random vets to reach salary floor then you simply offer a bunch of bad 1 year contracts. Or is there something in the CBA about a minimum amount of contract years? Also he didnt say evaluate players exactly the same as football, he just said continually obtain young players and let them play immediately until you strike gold. I think you are just arguing for the sake of argument
A lot of people in this comments section also spoke against the dire need for a top 10 star. What the Miami Heat have done is most definitely boring, almost as boring as watching shaq in his heyday. But I guess its also exciting to hope that a less talented team can knock them off. In addition to talent, a lot of fans really value player development, hustle, strategy, and teamwork. Im interested to see how the Bucks can develop in these areas and what they can achieve even if they dont have class A talent. You said the Bucks have been a total disappointment the last ten years, but in my opinion they've pretty much done as expected when the top two players who they've invested a large amount of cap in are continually jacked up with injuries.The injuries were the main cause of futility, not the middling strategy. And also Larry Harris was a terrible GM. Hammond is learning. Today is a new day.
haha and no man i didnt "characterize the entire site as anti-bucks"
I enjoy everyone on the staff's writing and usually read every new posted story, I just happen to feel really passionately (prob a tad too much) about the hot topic of this comments section. Also we have a young team with a shot at the division this year, I feel pretty optimistic and as a bucks fan I can weather any unfortunate dissappointment pretty well.
While the word "tank" has been used over and over, I don't think that's exactly what the Bucks need to do. The last time the Bucks really tanked was the year they got Yi, and you're exactly right, tanking doesn't always work. What I would love to see the Bucks do is stockpile draft picks, let the young kids play, and deal players who have peaked if they can't help win a championship. Last year, they should have dealt Ersan at the deadline and picked up a first rounder for him (If Sessions is worth a first rounder, Ersan certainly is). If they were willing to pick up a bad contract as part of the trade, they might have been able to pick up a second first rounder. By this point, we know what Ersan is, a solid player but not a game changer, so trade him and get some value.
This offseason, trade or amnesty Gooden. He isn't worth the contract he signed and he keeps the young guys off the court. I like the Dalembert trade. A decent center in the last year of a contract that will either open up salary cap room at the end of the season or another possible trade chip at the deadline for a team who wants to add depth for a playoff push, or unload a bad contract (for the cost of a first rounder, of course).
I would also let every other GM in the league know that Ellis and Moute are available. While Ellis would have more value next year (last year of a big contract) if you can get value for him (draft picks) move him. Moute is what he is at this point. Some team may need a defender to make a run, but his best position is already clogged with young players so his value to the Bucks is as trade bait.
This year, the Bucks would start Jennings, Ellis, Harris, Henson, Dalembert, with Udoh, Sanders, and Lamb all getting serious run (plus whomever they got with the Ersan draft pick). They would have Beno, Dalembert, and Dunleavy all in the final years of their contracts as potential trades. While this isn't technically tanking, the Bucks would be lucky to win 25-30 games with this unit. It would, however, give everyone a chance to see if the young guns can play or not. I would much rather see that than having Henson buried on the bench and Tobias getting ten minutes a game.
What does all this get you? Two or three extra first rounders, a higher lottery pick due to "tanking" and an opportunity to let your younger players develop by getting meaningful minutes in NBA games. In today's NBA, this can be repeated over and over since teams are constantly signing guys to bad contracts and then trying to unload them with draft picks as sweeteners.
If you keep your cap flexible, and acquire as many draft picks as possible, when you finally do hit on that star player, you can sign all the Ersans you want to make your team a contender and keep your star happy.
Already we are talking about tanking? They just published the schedule! I, for one, would like to see these guys play a couple games first.
I don't want to see them tank (at least not in the traditional sense), but I would much rather watch John Henson get 30 minutes a night than those same minutes go to Drew Gooden. I would rather see if Tobias Harris can compete against more than just summer league cast offs than watch Dunleavy and Moute take turns at the small forward position. I would rather have Lamb play combo guard and back up Jennings and Ellis instead of the steady but oh so boring Beno Udrich. If that costs the Bucks some wins this year, then so be it. Don't think of it as tanking. Think of it as losing with a purpose.
Absolutely agree with letting Harris and Henson play ahead of Dunleavy/Gooden, but Beno is relatively young and i think much better than he played last year. Plus he and Lamb can play pg or sg so they both should see the floor quite a bit.
Wow.. when did I go over 100 points? Pretty much means I yap too much.. I guess that's Lawlor's Law
Does anyone find the groupings of words "seriously courted" and "Joel Przybilla" at all alarming in the Journal Times article? He should be courting us
@JustinNixon STRONG COMMENTING SKILLZ
Right on about ersan. $5 mil MAX. Courting Pryzbiila??? Hey, why not Darko Milicic? God this team has more white stiffs than a mormon cemetery.B-O-R-I-N-G
Ryan Anderson and Jeff Green each got $8 million per year this offseason just like Ersan, so it appears that's the going rate on above-average stretch 4′s. Besides, I'd take Ersan over a guy who hasn't proven he's any good without Dwight and disappears in the playoffs and another guy who suddenly can't stay on the court and hasn't done anything since leaving OKC.
And the last year on Ersan's deal is a team option, so it's really more like four years for $32 million unless he's ballin' so hard that we just can't let him go. When you think of it like that, it's really not as bad of an investment as it initially sounds.
I personally am okay with mediocrity in the sense of the Hawks, Pacers, Sixers, etc. At least they have something…NBA is probably going to end up contracting with all these "superfriend" teams in the next decade. I would rather see the Bucks still be a franchise and be mediocre than see them blow it up and be gone b4 they get a chance to really rebuild. Right now the Bucks are probably one of the most likely teams to be gone if contraction were to occur
@Teddddd Only two things are saving the Bucks right now: Herb Kohl and David Stern's absolute refusal to contract any team
50+ posts tells me that there are plenty of Bucks fans here that want this team to succeed, but they just have different ideas on how we will go about doing it.. Passion fuels arguments and sometimes can get snippy..


text:
• Position: Center
• Selected: First round, second overall
• Age/hometown: 17; Tampere, Finland
• Height/weight: 6-3, 210
• The scoop: Rated the top European skater, Barkov has excelled while playing professionally in Finland the past two seasons and finished second in scoring for Tappara this past year. Barkov — who is fluent in English, Russian and Finnish — is a big center with good hands and good size. Barkov is expected to play for the Panthers in the 2013-14 season after becoming the second-highest draft pick in franchise history.
IAN McCOSHEN
Position: Defenseman
• Selected: Second round, 31st overall
• Age/hometown: 17; Anaheim, Calif.
• Height/weight: 6-3, 205
The scoop: Headed to Boston College in the fall, McCoshen had 11 goals and 33 assists for Waterloo (Iowa) of the USHL last season.
• Position: Goaltender
• Selected: Fourth round, 92nd overall
• Age/hometown: 17; Cranbrook, British Columbia
• Height/weight: 6-3, 180
• The scoop: Cowley went 22-24-4 with a 2.90 GAA for Wichita Falls (Texas) of the NAHL last season. Considered a raw talent, Cowley will continue the Panthers' pipeline from the University of Denver.
• Position: Defenseman
• Selected: Fourth round, 97th overall
Age/hometown: 18; Canton, Mich.
• Height/weight: 6-2, 190
• The scoop: Downing is a shutdown defender who is headed to Michigan next season.
• Position: Center
• Selected: Fourth round, 98th overall
• Age/hometown: 18; Toronto
• Height/weight: 6-1, 205
• The scoop: Scouts like Buckles for his playmaking ability as well as his nose for goals. Buckles, who is headed to Cornell, had 40 goals in juniors last season.
• Position: Left wing
• Selected: Fifth round, 122nd overall
• Age/hometown: 19; Cap-d'Espoir, Quebec
• Height/weight: 5-9, 175
• The scoop: Clapperton led the Blainville Boisbriand Armada (QMJHL) last season with 34 goals and added 43 assists.
• Position: Defenseman
• Selected: Sixth round, 152nd overall
• Age/hometown: 19; London, Ontario
• Height/weight: 6-3, 180
• The scoop: Another strong stay-at-home defenseman, Brown had 16 points and 79 penalty minutes for the Oshawa Generals last season.
MacKENZIE WEEGAR
• Position: Defenseman
Selected: Seventh round, 206th overall
• Age/hometown: 19; Napean, Ontario
• Height/weight: 6-3, 180
• The scoop: Weegar played in 62 games alongside top picks Nathan MacKinnon and Jonathan Drouin.


text:
Topeak Explorer Tubular Bike Rack with Disc MountsItem Number: 12833833
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Product Information
Customer Reviews
Buying Guide
The Topeak® Explorer Tubular Bike Rack with Disc Mounts is a tubular aluminum rear rack for classic loaded touring and commuting. The Quicktrack™ system makes this rack compatible with all Topeak® MTX trunk bags (not included). It is compatible with all bikes with or without disc brakes and supports up to 55lbs.
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- Material: 6061 T-6 hollow aluminum
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- Size: 13.6" L x 9.3" W x 16.1" H / 34.5cm L x 23.5cm W x 41cm H
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- Model: TA2035-B
- Topeak
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Customer Reviews
Rated 4.3 out of 5�by 4 reviewers.
Rated 4 out of 5�by DSiggy60 Sturdy Rack Sturdy rack but if you are placing on a larger framed bike such as a 28-29", do not use this one since it will not fit. Also, you may need to get the extension arms that are optional for some frames. The MTX track system works well, I have a Trunkbag DXP that slides right on, but Dick's does not sell this. Because of not selling the rest of the line, they lose a star. June 11, 2014
Rated 4 out of 5�by Aspenama Over priced I over paid for this because my daughter bought me the wrong rack to go with my saddle bags for Mother's Day . When I went to exchange it I had to chip in another $25, as this was the only other one available. You can find more affordable racks on Amazon. The quality is good, that is the only reason I would recommend May 30, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5�by cboggs2 rear rack the rack is good but had to modified it with Sunlite rack parts to get a better fit. but works great so far! December 19, 2012
Rated 4 out of 5�by 27 good solid bike bag rack it's pretty straight forward, the rack is sturdy and installs easy. October 7, 2012
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