Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Tony LaRussa: Lost Genius--Bad Manager

This is an update on my combined article on Tony LaRussa and Ben Bernanke. LaRussa, of course, is manager of the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team and Ben Bernanke is chairman of the Federal Reserve. What they have in common--besides a FALSE present reputation for "genius"--is that both are abysmal FAILURES since 2006. This article, however, will leave Bernanke to his nightmares over his failures. It is an "update" only on LaRussa.


As the previous article stated, the Cardinals have IMPLODED under LaRussa this season. Although La Russa has an advantage over both Bernanke and President Obama in that LaRussa HAS been successful in the past--as Bernanke and Obama have not been, LaRussa has clearly lost the "gnius" he once may have had. Now--like Obam ain this respect--LaRussa is nothing but a combination of TRICKS and QUIRKS that substitute for the lost ability to develop a CONSISTENT winnng team.


Events since the previous article have proven me right--as usual--on LaRussa. The Cardinals had six games scheduled against the Milwaukee Brewere--a team that has left the Cardinals in the dust (trailing by more than 10 games at one point). Well, those six games have now been played. And the Cardinals won 5 of the six games. Doesn't matter. LaRussa showed his fundamental problem. He is unable to win games CONSISTENTLY, against teams his team should beat. The Cardinals won 5 of the 6 games against the Brewers, and have LESS chance to win the divison than they had before. That is because of the "time value" of games. The Cardinals have only 19 games left. They still trail by 8.5, after again proving that they cannot beat LESSER teams--even as they won 5 out of 6 against the Brewers.


No more games against the Brewers. The Cardinals could win ALL 19 games left, and still not catch the Brewers. In fact, the Cardinals basically NEED to win ALL 19 games left. Considering that they are little better than a .500 team, that is obviously unlikely.


The best chance the Cardinals have--not very good--is to catch ATLANTA for for the "wild card" position. The Cardinals are about to play the Braves, and need a sweep there. Even that might not get them very far, but it is about the only cahnce the Cardinals have. IF they can sweep the Braves, then the Cardinals have to show that--LaRussa has to show that--they can beat OTHER TEAMS and play at a 90% or so level. Not likely.


Yep. As I have said, the Cardinals are "my team"--ever since my childhood listening to Harry Carey in that samll Arkansas town (Mt. Ida) in which I spent most of the first 12 years of my life. Despite this, and despite the fact that I am convinced that Tony LaRussa is past his glory days, I am NOT calling for LaRussa to be fired (or even to resign). Now I think that both LaRussa and the Cardinals would be wise to figure out a way to part ways, amicably, but that is not the sam ething. Why, if LaRussa is such a failure, am I not more upset? Well, I Am more upset when I actually see the Cardinals imploding. However, I recover, and remind myslef that it is JUST A GAME. Unlike Obama and Bernanke, LaRussa is not ruining the country. There is a chance he is not even ruining the Cardinals, although my judgment is that he is (as far as being a consistent winner).


In the end, my life--and yours--is not affectged by the failure of a BASEBALL TEAM. Now FOOTBALL!!!!! That is different. That is IMPORTANT. That is why I DID call for Wde Phillips to be fired as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, and why I pointed out that Tony Romo has never been the same quarterback after ACORN registeredhim to vote in Nevada. Is Romo, in fact, a MEMBER of ACORN? It would explain a lot--whatever Jessica Simpson cannot explain. The Dallas Cowboys have actualy been a BIGGER FAILURE than the St. Louis Cardinals (which, after all, did win a world chapionship as late as 2006). For Texas, that is a SHMAE almost as bad as the shame Obama is bringing the country. As stated, this is FOOTBALL. In parts of Texas (not really El Paso, but certainly close by in Midland and Odessa), even high school football is a religion. FOOTBALL is NOT just a "game". Don't let anyone tell ou otherwise--especially not in Texas.


P.S. No proofreading or spell checking (bad eyesight). I hope I did not make any tyupo that left the mpression that I consider FOOTBALL merely a game!!!!! That would be bad for me here in Texas. No. No real American--certainly any real Texan--cares nearly as much about Obama's speech (one of thousands, all the same) as about the start of NFL football Thursday night.

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