Law weighs in on DUI

Go_Crazy_Folks · Post by **Go_Crazy_Folks** » March 27 07, 11:24 am

Not sure if this has been posted.

I'll leave this to your own opinion but find it interesting that Keith Law just happens to write an article on DUI's after it involves the Cardinal organization.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/st ... ortCat=mlb

Post by **heyzeus** » March 27 07, 11:27 am

And he just happens to augment his criticism of LaRussa with a criticism of Cardinals fans. At least the guy is consistent.

skmsw · Post by **skmsw** » March 27 07, 11:42 am

Hmmm.

What part of this column do you guys disagree with?

Transmogrified Tiger · Post by **Transmogrified Tiger** » March 27 07, 11:45 am

skmsw wrote:Hmmm.

What part of this column do you guys disagree with?

Aside from the part where he essentially said "standing ovation = hooray for driving drunk", I don't see how anyone could disagree with it.

MrCrowesGarden · Post by **MrCrowesGarden** » March 27 07, 11:48 am

skmsw wrote:Hmmm.

What part of this column do you guys disagree with?

I disagree with Law when he says the only two options should be rehab (if he has an alcohol problem) or resignation.

1) LaRussa did something very stupid, and he should be punished. I don't, however [based upon what I know, admittedly], think he has an alcohol problem.

2) To suggest he should have to resign over it seems a tad overboard. Yes, LaRussa and anyone who gets a DUI ought to have some sort of punishment. I just think that resignation is too big of a jump.

haltz · Post by **haltz** » March 27 07, 11:50 am

skmsw wrote:What part of this column do you guys disagree with?

It's convenience. The fact that he put it on page 2 so more people could read it.

In seriousness, I wasn't going to read it because I don't really care all that much. But, since I did, here are parts that I disagreed with:

In the Cardinals' first game after La Russa's arrest, he received a standing ovation from the crowd. So it appears that engaging in a reckless and stupid activity that kills thousands of people every year is not only acceptable but also makes you some sort of folk hero

If that's not bad enough, some Cardinals fans are actually excusing La Russa's inexcusable mistake.

Or just the entire premise that this stuff needs to have much to do with MLB, especially first-time misdemeanor offenses.

skmsw · Post by **skmsw** » March 27 07, 11:53 am

MrCrowesGarden wrote:
skmsw wrote:Hmmm.

What part of this column do you guys disagree with?
I disagree with Law when he says the only two options should be rehab (if he has an alcohol problem) or resignation.

1) LaRussa did something very stupid, and he should be punished. I don't, however [based upon what I know, admittedly], think he has an alcohol problem.

2) To suggest he should have to resign over it seems a tad overboard. Yes, LaRussa and anyone who gets a DUI ought to have some sort of punishment. I just think that resignation is too big of a jump.

I guess I interpreted the article differently.

Law said the two choices if he has an alcohol problem should be to accept rehab or else resign. He did not offer any input as to what the options should be if LaRussa does not have an alcohol problem.

Again, I don't see why anyone would disagree with that.

JL21 · Post by **JL21** » March 27 07, 11:56 am

skmsw wrote:Hmmm.

What part of this column do you guys disagree with?

Well, let's start with this:

In the Cardinals' first game after La Russa's arrest, he received a standing ovation from the crowd. So it appears that engaging in a reckless and stupid activity that kills thousands of people every year is not only acceptable but also makes you some sort of folk hero -- and earns you no sanction from your team or MLB.

Fans showing their support for, and rallying around, "one of their own" is hardly the same as turning him into a folk hero.

Or how about the fact that he makes LaRussa sound like a degenerate alcoholic? This was his first offense in 62 years on this earth. He is not a repeat offender.

And, on top of all of that, if I was any of the players involved with the specific instances that he cited when working with the Blue Jays, I'd kick his ass. Some things are internal, no matter how much a gossipy columnist/faux crappy former MLB employee wants to tell everyone he can.

Leroy · Post by **Leroy** » March 27 07, 11:56 am

Were these articles written about Willis, and whomever else? I ask because I don't know.

And really, why not let the law punish him...that's what happens to the vast majority of DUI offenders.

MrCrowesGarden · Post by **MrCrowesGarden** » March 27 07, 12:00 pm

skmsw wrote:
MrCrowesGarden wrote:
skmsw wrote:Hmmm.

What part of this column do you guys disagree with?
I disagree with Law when he says the only two options should be rehab (if he has an alcohol problem) or resignation.

1) LaRussa did something very stupid, and he should be punished. I don't, however [based upon what I know, admittedly], think he has an alcohol problem.

2) To suggest he should have to resign over it seems a tad overboard. Yes, LaRussa and anyone who gets a DUI ought to have some sort of punishment. I just think that resignation is too big of a jump.
I guess I interpreted the article differently.

Law said the two choices if he has an alcohol problem should be to accept rehab or else resign. He did not offer any input as to what the options should be if LaRussa does not have an alcohol problem.

Again, I don't see why anyone would disagree with that.

I certainly understand that opinion Steve if that's how you read it. But, I've re-read it now a few times, and I disagree with you.

It's really this line here that makes it confusing:

In La Russa's case, the club could easily give him a choice: rehab (if he does have an alcohol problem) or resignation.

It reads like he's saying: Give him rehab if he has an alcohol problem; otherwise, ask him to resign.