Congrats to Tony LaRussa

[dalgreen]

I absolutely hate the Cardinals, and mostly their fans, but congrats to Tony LaRussa. I lived in St. Louis from 1995-2005, and he has been beaten up by fans and media there ever since his arrival in 1996. Countless, countless times you'd hear fans either at games, at work or during call-in shows, say things like, "The Cards will never win a World Series while LaRussa is manager", or "LaRussa is the worst manager in baseball" or other things. Yes, this is probably the least talented St. Louis playoff team since LaRussa took over, but he did it. Congrats to Walt Jocketty for doing what a competent GM does, hires right people and filling in holes with right players and getting lucky with trades and free-agents. I still say St.Louis fans are one of the worst fans, but congrats to LaRussa and Jocketty. I guess LaRussa is now a real "Cardinal". Edited October 28, 2006 by dalgreen

[Mark_R]

Is LaRussa a "real" Cardinal like ARod isn't a real Yankee?

 

This is so depressing.

[TruffleShuffle]

no.

[dalgreen]

Is LaRussa a "real" Cardinal like ARod isn't a real Yankee?

 

This is so depressing.

 

You'd have to ask one of the millions of Cardinal fans who labeled him, "not a real Cardinal" as they labeled Whitey Herzog a real Cardinal. Funny thing is LaRussa has won just as many world titles for the Cardinals as Herzog did.

 

I'm still trying to figure out what's more depressing, the Cardinals winning or the Tigers winning the AL pennant after losing 119 games in 2003, with the Cubs coming within 5 outs of the World Series and spiraling downhill ever since?

[salukifudd]

You are right Dalgreen, Card fans never respected LaRussa until this moment. I am still surprised what LaRussa and staff have done with medicore talent throughout the years.

[kujay]

I've lived in STL for about two years now, and the hatred of LaRussa is a very polarizing thing. You either love him or you hate him.

 

For my part, I just hate watching his team's games when he starts grinding it out with his 'pen.

 

Watching everyone at work celebrate this week, and knowing how they'll be on Monday, it's so depressing. As if these fans needed any other reason to be condescending and self-righteous. *heave*

[soccer10k]

I can't stand Tony LaRussa and refuse to congratulate him.

[FergieJ31]

I definitely tip my cap to the Cards - not TLR. Edmonds was about the only guy I really hated to see jumping around; aside from him and TLR it's hard to dislike the rest of the Cards.

 

I'm happy for some of the Cards fans around here who seem like good guys - CFiCT, wolf, etc. I get the feeling that if by some miracle the Cubs ever win it all, they would be here the next day giving us kudos.

[wolf stansson]

I get the feeling that if by some miracle the Cubs ever win it all, they would be here the next day giving us kudos.

Probably true. I'd definitely feel happy for all my friends who are lifelong Cubs fans, and I'd be okay with guys like Derrek Lee, Barrett, Z etc get rings, but on a personal level I'd be fuming.

 

Probably much like you guys. Honestly, last night takes a lot of frustration and animosity out of baseball for me.

[Andy]

I get the feeling that if by some miracle the Cubs ever win it all, they would be here the next day giving us kudos.

Probably true. I'd definitely feel happy for all my friends who are lifelong Cubs fans, and I'd be okay with guys like Derrek Lee, Barrett, Z etc get rings, but on a personal level I'd be fuming.

 

Probably much like you guys. Honestly, last night takes a lot of frustration and animosity out of baseball for me.

That's what I hear - that once your team has won it all once, you can have more fun rooting for them. Kinda like the pressure is off.

 

Dunno what it feels like but that's what I hear.

[CardsFanInChiTown]

I get the feeling that if by some miracle the Cubs ever win it all, they would be here the next day giving us kudos.

 

I certainly would. Most of you guys on here are awesome fans and deserve a championship.

 

Last night I made an ill advised post in the game thread. It wasn't meant to rub it in, just an out pouring of emotion.

 

Like thrill said, last night took a lot of frustration and animosity out of baseball for me. I can honestly say I'd root for the Cubs in the playoffs if the Cards aren't in it.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

I'm happy for some of the Cards fans around here who seem like good guys - CFiCT, wolf, etc. I get the feeling that if by some miracle the Cubs ever win it all, they would be here the next day giving us kudos.

 

I certainly agree with this.

[TruffleShuffle]

I get the feeling that if by some miracle the Cubs ever win it all, they would be here the next day giving us kudos.

 

I certainly would. Most of you guys on here are awesome fans and deserve a championship.

 

Well, it's easy to say that knowing that the Cubs will never win a World Series, or even make it there for that matter.

[Catman61]

You'd have to ask one of the millions of Cardinal fans who labeled him, "not a real Cardinal" as they labeled Whitey Herzog a real Cardinal. Funny thing is LaRussa has won just as many world titles for the Cardinals as Herzog did.

I never really understood the LaRussa hating and Herzog ass kissing myself. I used to really like Herzog since he brought the Cardinals a WS title and 2 pennants. BUT him quitting and walking out on the team mid-season in 1990 as well as the constant sniping by him at LaRussa over the years has REALLY eroded my opinion of him. And if you really look at his track record with the Cardinals, he was VERY inconsistent 92 wins then 79, 101 wins then 79, 95 wins then 76

 

I think at least part of it comes from Whitey being or coming across as a good ole boy and southern IL native. Whereas LaRussa is west coast, tree hugging, card carrying PETA vegetarian.

 

I have been labeled in the past as a TLR lover, which isn't all that accurate. Its more of pointing out the fallacy of some of the accusations leveled at TLR and his long term track record of success. Obviously he doesn't always make the right decision but he always has a solid reasoning for the decisions he makes.

 

It will be interesting to see how LaRussa is treated by all those Cardinals fans so critical of him in the past.

[ZiggyTaxi]

TLR is just as evil as Jim Edmonds.

[moorecg]

TLR is just as evil as Jim Edmonds.

 

I have to disagree. I had the chance to meet him last year at a fund raiser...he stood and talked baseball with me for 10-15 minutes, was a very nice guy and jokingly as I walked away he said "Hey...I hope your team has a bad year" to which I replied "you too!"

 

He was actually much much nicer than I ever would have guessed from what I see on TV.

[baseball7897]

TLR is just as evil as Jim Edmonds.

 

I have to disagree. I had the chance to meet him last year at a fund raiser...he stood and talked baseball with me for 10-15 minutes, was a very nice guy and jokingly as I walked away he said "Hey...I hope your team has a bad year" to which I replied "you too!"

 

He was actually much much nicer than I ever would have guessed from what I see on TV.

 

Tony is a very competitive man. Just like any other baseball manager. Off the field he is a great guy. He has his own ARF fund, which saves dogs and cats who have run out of time at public shelters and brings people and animals together to enrich each other's lives. Sounds like a good guy to me.

[CuseCubFan69]

Congrats to the Cards and their fans.

[ManEatingTarp]

Congrats to the Cards and their fans.

 

Thanks Cuse.

We'll be saying the same to you in the next few years.

[Brian]

Congrats to the Cards and their fans.

 

Thanks Cuse.

We'll be saying the same to you in the next few years.

 

you must be still drunk from celebrating

[snoodmonger]

Congrats to the Cards and their fans.

 

Thanks Cuse.

We'll be saying the same to you in the next few years.

 

you must be still drunk from celebrating

 

or cruelly sarcastic.

 

Sorry, I can't bring myself to be happy for TLR. In fact, I can't bring myself to be happy for cards fans either, and I have quite a few friends who are cards fans.

 

The most I can do is be happy they're happy, but I can only do that by working very hard to ignore WHY they're happy.

[Guest]

I can't promise to try, but I can promise to try to try.

[Andy]

Congrats to the Cards and their fans.

 

Thanks Cuse.

We'll be saying the same to you in the next few years.

You have a loose definition of "few" :wink:

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Congrats to the Cards and their fans.

 

Thanks Cuse.

We'll be saying the same to you in the next few years.

 

you must be still drunk from celebrating

 

Agreed.

[ManEatingTarp]

:BURP:

 

:)