I've always felt that both Dusty and LaRussa were overrated choke artists. LaRussa got his act together in the playoffs lately but to have by far 3 of the better teams and choke in the series twice in the late 80s and 90(Gibby's shot heard round the world, and getting not just beat but SWEPT by some upstarts in the Queen City). Something has to give. Not to mention didn't he or a bunch of his A's players start the all too familiar cry fest afterwards with "the better team didn't win" *pull out a tissue* or something like that?
I've long since thought that both won on the west coast by letting the inmates run the assylum and act in shock when accusations of the stars arose as if they hadn't spent a single day in the locker room. Whether this year was a return to form, luck, or Mac bringing the "stuff" I don't know.