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Thread: Someone show La Russa the high road

  1. #1
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    Someone show La Russa the high road

    When Ozzie Smith repeated his hope he would be welcomed with open arms by the St. Louis management after La Russa was gone, the Cardinals skipper countered by bad-mouthing the hall-of-famer.

    http://x.go.com/cgi/x.pl?goto=http:/...052217&srvc=sz

    Now, I'm not going to pretend I understand Smith's frustration with La Russa or agree with his grudge, but you would think La Russa would take the high road and not come out swinging.

    La Russa is making a mistake here with the Cardinals faithful in my opinion. He should make every attempt to come across as welcoming and eager to put this feud with Smith behind them, then it's Smith that looks like he won't get over it.

    Instead, Smith reiterates he isn't welcomed by current management, and instead of extending his hand further to get Smith back into the graces of the organization, La Russa publicly berates him and says he doesn't want to ever see him again? Wow. That's bold.
    "If it doesn't matter who wins or loses, why do they even keep score?"


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  3. #2
    Will post for food BuckeyeRedleg's Avatar
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    Re: Someone show La Russa the high road

    Smith has always come across to me as one of those guys that's not very modest about his achievements. Think Joe Morgan, except without the offensive talent.

    And La Russa? What do you expect? He is what he is.

    Ozzie Smith. Good ballplayer.

    But he ain't no Barry Larkin.

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    The Lineups stink. KronoRed's Avatar
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    Re: Someone show La Russa the high road

    I think they both need the high road.
    Go Gators!

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    Re: Someone show La Russa the high road

    This isn't really a surprise coming out of somebody from the Cardinals organization. This is the team that allows Al Hrabowski and Mike Shannon to call games. I have never heard two announcers bad mouth the opposing team quite like these two.

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    Rally Onion! Chip R's Avatar
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    Re: Someone show La Russa the high road

    This sounds similar to the Larkin/John Allen feud. I am guessing that Cards fans do not dwell on this feud since the Cards have done so well recently. They may not like LaRussa as much as they did Ozzie, or Whitey for that matter, but as long as the Cards are winning, LaRussa will be tolerated, if not embraced.
    Quote Originally Posted by Raisor View Post
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    Chip is right

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    Re: Someone show La Russa the high road

    Smith is still upset at Larussa for starting Clayton over him. He had offered Smith a chance to be a spring training instructor but recinded the offer after Smith's recent comments. It boils down to two guys thinking they are bigger than they actually are.

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    Re: Someone show La Russa the high road

    Quote Originally Posted by Buckaholic
    La Russa is making a mistake here with the Cardinals faithful in my opinion. He should make every attempt to come across as welcoming and eager to put this feud with Smith behind them, then it's Smith that looks like he won't get over it.
    I disagree. I think most Cardinals fans are as fed up with the way Ozzie has acted towards the Cardinals organization over the last 10 years as LaRussa is. For 10 years, LaRussa did exactly as you stated he should. He welcomed Ozzie back, invoted him to Spring Training as an instructor, ect, ect, ect. Cardinals fans know that it is Smith that won't get over it. LaRussa has tried taking the high road for 10 years. I don't blame him for finally giving up since it is obvious that Ozzie has no intention of ever giving up this one sided feud.

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    Re: Someone show La Russa the high road

    Quote Originally Posted by MattyMo4Life
    I disagree. I think most Cardinals fans are as fed up with the way Ozzie has acted towards the Cardinals organization over the last 10 years as LaRussa is. For 10 years, LaRussa did exactly as you stated he should. He welcomed Ozzie back, invoted him to Spring Training as an instructor, ect, ect, ect. Cardinals fans know that it is Smith that won't get over it. LaRussa has tried taking the high road for 10 years. I don't blame him for finally giving up since it is obvious that Ozzie has no intention of ever giving up this one sided feud.
    Nice to hear the view of someone who follows the team closely.

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    Re: Someone show La Russa the high road

    Quote Originally Posted by killuminati35
    This isn't really a surprise coming out of somebody from the Cardinals organization. This is the team that allows Al Hrabowski and Mike Shannon to call games. I have never heard two announcers bad mouth the opposing team quite like these two.
    Take a listen to a Cubs game some time. You may rethink your last statement.

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    Re: Someone show La Russa the high road

    Quote Originally Posted by KoryMac5
    It boils down to two guys thinking they are bigger than they actually are.

    Perhaps, but we're not even talking about this if Ozzie doesn't open his cake hole about it again. I don't blame Larussa one bit in this instance.

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    Re: Someone show La Russa the high road

    I'm not saying Ozzie's grudge isn't a bit immature, but I mean Smith is more of a Cardinal to me as a baseball fan than La Russa. What has La Russa done for the Cardinals as a manager? Smith is the greatest defensive shortstop of all time and even if he's going to be petty about the whole thing, La Russa should just let him keep his distance and forget about it.

    I don't know, I don't blame La Russa for being mad but in his position, I just don't see an advantage to playing this game with Smith.
    "If it doesn't matter who wins or loses, why do they even keep score?"

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    Re: Someone show La Russa the high road

    Quote Originally Posted by Buckaholic
    I'm not saying Ozzie's grudge isn't a bit immature, but I mean Smith is more of a Cardinal to me as a baseball fan than La Russa. What has La Russa done for the Cardinals as a manager? Smith is the greatest defensive shortstop of all time and even if he's going to be petty about the whole thing, La Russa should just let him keep his distance and forget about it.

    I don't know, I don't blame La Russa for being mad but in his position, I just don't see an advantage to playing this game with Smith.

    LaRussa took the high road for 10 years. He tried to stay quiet and do everything right. He even invited Ozzie to Spring Training. After 10 years, he just got fed up with it, and I can understand his frustration. Afterall, I don't think he did anything wrong in the first place.

  14. #13
    Will post for food BuckeyeRedleg's Avatar
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    Re: Someone show La Russa the high road

    Don't forget, Ozzie could do really cool back-flips.

    Somewhere Barry Larkin is dusting his trophies and wondering when a few of his missing gold gloves are going to be returned to their rightful owner.

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    Re: Someone show La Russa the high road

    As all great players do.....OS has an ego that sometimes borders on thinking himself better than he was.

    He forced his way out of SD (traded for Templeton after his Danny Graves like gesture to the STL fans in 1981) beacuse he complained about not being paid top money for his defensive prowess.....forget the fact he was a .230 hitter with no power or OB skills. He figured he could bank roll that diving stop and throw out of Jeff Burroughs that made all the highlights, before there was an ESPN.

    Turns out that Smith was better all around than Templeton (that NEVER should have been the case) in the long run. I think he figures that STL fans will love him no matter what.

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    Re: Someone show La Russa the high road

    Quote Originally Posted by Tony Cloninger
    Turns out that Smith was better all around than Templeton (that NEVER should have been the case) in the long run. I think he figures that STL fans will love him no matter what.
    He's probably right, but a lot of people are getting really tired of this act. Ozzie will always be popular in St. Louis, but he may not be as popular as Willie McGee.


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