DUI for Tony

and...

not in a good way.

by sdesserman on Mar 22, 2007 8:09 AM EDT reply actions

Not the end of the world

No one should drink and drive, but I don't see this having any affect on the team or the season at all.

by CardinalsfanIraq on Mar 22, 2007 8:34 AM EDT reply actions

First a tat and now this?

Has anyone had, you know, 'the talk' with little Tony yet?

Somebody should send him the business card of his local Army Reserve recruiter. I hear they do a decent job of putting rebellious youngsters on the right track.

by rmerrill on Mar 22, 2007 8:50 AM EDT reply actions

OK, so it was embarassing and disappointing at first because the first thing that came to mind was the worst-case scenario - he was out at a strip club boozing with Knight and Parcells, or whatever. Worst case.

When I read .093 in the police report I immediately thought 'wine with late dinner after endless day'. Stiil stupid, but hardly embarassing. TONY. CALL A @%$# CAB. Let some poor schmuck drive you and your rings home, coach.

by rmerrill on Mar 24, 2007 8:43 AM EDT up reply actions

Didn't see this one coming...

It's hard to find words to express how it makes me, as a Cards fan, feel. He messed up.

Just surprising, that's all.

by silent_bob on Mar 22, 2007 9:06 AM EDT reply actions

So...

... will MLB issue a suspension. In this case, would Joe Pettini take over managing duties for these games?

by AndyB83 on Mar 22, 2007 9:09 AM EDT reply actions

More of a team thing, I think

I wouldn't think MLB would do anything unless the Cards did nothing, and I don't see them letting it slide.

Very shocking and disappointing, in my book.

by Cardinal70 on Mar 22, 2007 9:16 AM EDT reply actions

Tony

I think Tony will come out and discipline himself. I don't think he will wait around for the Cards or MLB to do something. He will stand up and take his lumps like a man.

Play hard, play to win, but make it fun!

by Edmonds is baseball on Mar 22, 2007 9:27 AM EDT reply actions

I agree.

I'm a big TLR fan, and am shocked and disappointed; but I'm sure he'll come out and hone up to this serious lapse in judgement.

by roebirds on Mar 22, 2007 3:23 PM EDT up reply actions

i posted this in the main forum

but here's a link from the palm beach paper...

w/ mugshot and quote from Loop

by _pistol_ on Mar 22, 2007 9:28 AM EDT reply actions

mugshot...

by _pistol_ on Mar 22, 2007 9:31 AM EDT reply actions

Re Mugshot

It's funny how hard it is to recognize hatless ballplayers. Or managers.

That pic looks more like Pauly Walnuts than Tony Dee. He's practically got wings.

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by scoutingbook on Mar 24, 2007 3:15 AM EDT up reply actions

it is disappointing to me

but it's not the end of the world. it's not like there's a history of this that we know. I feel bad for TLR. While drunk driving is pretty inexcusable, it's gotta be embarrassing as all get out for him. I'm sure if he just says he's sorry and that he screwed up then few people will hold it over his head.

Future Redbirds

by erik on Mar 22, 2007 9:39 AM EDT reply actions

Not excusing him, but...

.093 isn't that high. In fact, in many states it wouldn't even be illegal.

by themang on Mar 22, 2007 10:18 AM EDT reply actions

Well maybe not anymore

I guess a lot are changing it to .08 as well. My bad.

I still don't think the guy was that ripped. He probably only had, literally, one too many.

Still not excusing him (or anyone in this situation), but there's a difference between someone that didn't even blow .1 and some of these idiots that go way over that.

by themang on Mar 22, 2007 10:25 AM EDT up reply actions

I agree

Should he be drinking and driving, no, but how many of us have NEVER done it? This seems to be the first time he has been in any kind of trouble. Other than public embarrassment, I see no need for any discipline from MLB. The man will pay his fine, be forced to take some classes, lose his license for awhile and be on his way to another NL Central title.

by CardinalsfanIraq on Mar 22, 2007 10:29 AM EDT up reply actions

The feds said change to .08 or no more...

...fed money. I believe all states have now complied---even Louisiana!

by Ignatius J Reilly on Mar 22, 2007 11:11 AM EDT up reply actions

He wasn't driving.

I know this is splitting hairs, but he parked his truck on the side of the road. I have done that before, realized I shouldn't be driving and pulled into a parking lot to catch some zzzzz's. The police officer shouldn't have let him go, but I doubt many officers I know would have even charged him.

by BigJawnMize on Mar 22, 2007 10:35 AM EDT up reply actions

He was driving

If you read the article, he fell asleep at a stoplight with his foot on the brake and missed two cycles of green lights. Drunk or not, I would think sleeping at a stoplight is a traffic violation.

"Your mom likes Albert Pujols" - Happy Joe

by fatbellyjefferson on Mar 22, 2007 10:47 AM EDT up reply actions

No,

he fell asleep at a green light, with the car in drive. It's better that he was stationary, but it's not a sign of responsibility.

by Nate811 on Mar 22, 2007 10:52 AM EDT up reply actions

Oops,

it's been covered

by Nate811 on Mar 22, 2007 10:53 AM EDT up reply actions

your right....

The first article on Fox Sports had this wrong I think...

by BigJawnMize on Mar 22, 2007 3:54 PM EDT up reply actions

I still say

that if a place has a liquor license, it should have to have a breathalyzer installed. If the law says you can't drive with a .08 BAC, and it's impossible to determine whether or not you have a .08 BAC until you are pulled over, then the law has issues.

by Valatan on Mar 22, 2007 12:58 PM EDT up reply actions

In addition...

every car should have a breathalyzer installed. If you blow over the limit, the car doesn't start. It should come standard on every car even if the government has to pay for it. Then you make it a felony for anyone to blow into it for them. Sure it'll still happen, but I bet that would really make a significant reduction in drunk driving accidents.

by themang on Mar 22, 2007 1:02 PM EDT up reply actions

absolutely agree

I bought one of those little handheld breathalyzer things a couple of years back when I was still partying regularly (a good one, not the useless $10 ebay specials). Made for some great "let's see who can hit .15 first!" games (though in retrospect that was usually a really bad idea) but the really interesting thing is how unreliable your body is as a drunkenness indicator. Sometimes you can feel fine and be way over the limit, and sometimes feel drunk and be under. There's no real way to tell how drunk you are based on how you feel. I imagine that most DUI's happen for this reason, rather than gross malfeasance.

On a side note, as cheap as those things are, I'm surprised that car companies don't offer them as an option. If you were to install one in a car and require blowing into it into before starting the car it should be able to save a lot of money on insurance, esp for the 18-25 male population.

"God is back in the National League. Matter of fact, he is staying at my house." -Joaquin Andujar

by SleepyCA on Mar 22, 2007 1:27 PM EDT up reply actions

Breathalyzers

That's a silly argument. The law also says you can't kill someone with your squirrel gun in Manhattan, but you can't determine that until after you've taken the irresponsible shot, can you?

If you're going to drink and wish to drive, it's your responsibility to (a) not drive (duh), (b) buy your own damn breathalyzer, (c) call a goddamn taxi, you cheapskate.

--

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by scoutingbook on Mar 24, 2007 3:13 AM EDT up reply actions

Then make the legal limit .00

Companies make plenty of profit off of selling people alcohol at an absurd markup. They should take some responsibility in showing people that they are safe to drive home. Especially if the law is based on something as odd and inconsistent as a brethalyzer reading. Few people really have any idea how drunk .08 is. If they did, there would be a lot fewer people on the road.

by Valatan on Mar 24, 2007 7:56 PM EDT up reply actions

i think he WAS driving

his foot was on the brake which was why he was stopped he also seemed to be in the road, not to the side of it. That's how I ionterpreted it.

Anyway .093 is something like half a beer to much so we've seen worse. In fact I can't ever remember reading about someone else getting a DUI who was any closer to being sober. Not the point.

I'm embarassed today as a Cardinals fan like I was when we signed Ponson, like when we signed Franklin, heck, like when Coleman through firecrackers at a little girl AS A MET. I guess I'm that mushy sensitive type.

I'm very saddened like this. If anything a decade of tony has made it drilled into our heads what a character guy he is. Tony can afford a cab. This was just stupid. It will effect the playing time and roster decisions for the rest of spring training. It might effect his players respect for him, it sure has mine.

What does anyone think an appropriate e.g,O.K. he has paid his debt and now we can forget about all of this, punishment would be?

by bretsyboo on Mar 22, 2007 10:53 AM EDT reply actions

I realize now how much I like Tony

And I don't mean that as praise for his arrest, or anything perverse. I have really admired the guy, and often rejected criticism of him as being unfounded, unfair, or just sour grapes. He achieved ultimate redemption after last year's WS victory, though the year he managed during and after DK's death was the capstone of my personal feelings for the man.

Now this happens, where he screws up so blatantly, so humanly, and so publicly. And my first thought is to forgive and forget. Why? I wouldn't give a free pass to most other people in his position... no matter what they went on to do, they would be the guy who passed out drunk at the wheel of his car in the middle of a Palm Beach freeway. For Tony, though, he'll still be the guy who led my team to the World Series championship. (I wasn't a Cards fan in '82, and have no particular love for Whitey.)

Tony... "asleep at the wheel." Seems against character, in so many ways.

by taiko on Mar 22, 2007 10:55 AM EDT reply actions

Bernie's take

Miklasz has some interesting thoughts on
all this. I have little doubt LaRussa will handle the aftermath in a stand-up way. He'll take responsibility for his mistake.

by DCGreg on Mar 22, 2007 11:19 AM EDT reply actions

That mugshot

is one of the BEST mugshots I've ever seen after someone's been arrested for DUI! He certainly looks to have been in much better shape than, say, Nick Nolte.

by philbobilbo on Mar 22, 2007 12:10 PM EDT reply actions

Some of the responses

at Bernie's are a bit laughable to me. They're trying to make excuses for TLR, while we all know if this was Pinella, Garner, or any other manager, they'd be calling the guy a loser, a drunk, whatever, and calling for his head.
I'm one of those people who thinks the book should be thrown at ANY drunk driver, no matter if it's their first or 10th offense, but that's just me. I worked in a hospital for 22 plus years and saw the results of too many drunk driving accidents first-hand, so yeah, I'm a bit prejudiced, but I dare anyone to tell me they wouldn't feel the same if they were in my shoes.

by cardsrul on Mar 22, 2007 12:39 PM EDT reply actions

OK:

I wouldn't feel the same if I was in your shoes.

by MdRedbirdFreak on Mar 22, 2007 2:33 PM EDT up reply actions

Haha...

Who passes out at a stop light with a .093? That is barely even drunk.

by lopey986 on Mar 22, 2007 2:20 PM EDT reply actions

Hell, five years ago

it was just impaired... :-)

"The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge."

by iron duke75 on Mar 22, 2007 7:29 PM EDT up reply actions

Miklasz had a good point

in the link above: He was at the end of a long, strenuous day; the alcohol could have just been the last straw.

by Nate811 on Mar 23, 2007 1:34 AM EDT up reply actions

Full police report up

on Smoking Gun. Did Tony say he was having dinner with Vic Damone?

They took 4 championship rings off of him when arrested.

Walk your dog, not Pujols.

by Hardcore Legend on Mar 22, 2007 3:26 PM EDT reply actions

Rings

Wow, those rings are a tad pricey. TLR walks around with a lot of bling.

by raisin @ Viva El Birdos on Mar 22, 2007 3:49 PM EDT reply actions

well

I hope that MLB and the St. Louis Cardinals do absolutely nothing to him. I'm not an advocate of drunk driving, but the legal system is here to handle this problem and I don't see any reason for him to suffer any other consequences outside of the law.

Now the story of a wealthy family who lost everything, and the one son who had no choice but to keep them all together...it's Arrested Development.

by Bowen on Mar 22, 2007 6:00 PM EDT reply actions

MLB Penalties

Just to show I can have at least three opinions on any given subject (try me!), I also think it's ridiculous for MLB to impose penalties for misdemeanor conduct, or criminal conduct for that matter.

That's what there's a legal system for. Imagine you got a speeding ticket, and then showed up and work to find out that your boss ALSO fined you $100.

It's just wrong.

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by scoutingbook on Mar 24, 2007 3:16 AM EDT reply actions