Mike Martz and Tony LaRussa need to have it out. I mean it–a
face to face shouting match, maybe even a big fist fight.

It’s no secret what these coaches are trying to do–they’ve been
hard at work, shooting at the same goal throughout each of the past
four years. It has to be a contest, a grudge-match of sorts. Both
of the quiet coaching geniuses aim to answer one question: Who
reigns supreme over the world of St. Louis sports?

Yet, in this constant jockeying for position, they keep getting
in each other’s spotlight. See, St. Louis is a city blessed with
head coaches who possess a strange ability to match any amount of
joy they bring to the fans with equal amounts of confusion.

This naturally leaves their approval ratings in constant flux.
Take a look at the trends.

Last year, Martz held a slight popularity advantage. The Rams
finished 12-4, winning their division. In spite of the playoff
loss, their season was mostly a success–after all, the team that
beat them went on to the Super Bowl.

Down the street, at Busch Stadium, LaRussa fell on harder times.
The bullpen was shoddy and subject to constant juggling. One
started to think a clause existed in Jeff Fassero’s contract that
obligated LaRussa to put him in, like, every game.

The Redbirds managed to enter the final stretch of the season in
the lead of their division, only to fade into third place by
October. This was beginning to look like a microcosm of the LaRussa
legacy.

Judging by 2003, it seemed all but certain that Martz was the
man to bring St. Louis back to a position of respect in the world
of sports. The tides suddenly changed.

Now, in 2004, it’s the Rams that are off to a lackluster start.
Their defense is weak, their offense is sloppy and their
coaching…well, put it this way: The Saints were allowing over 170
rushing yards per game, and Martz only ran the ball 15 times on
Sunday. Why? Did early success fill him with the hubris of a hero,
leaving him clearly susceptible of being cut down to size?

Similarly, the Cardinals started this season at a mediocre
clip.

Then, with the team hovering just .500 in mid-June meeting, they
overcame an eight-run deficit to defeat the Cubs. Since that game,
every move LaRussa makes seems to be the right call, as they power
their way to the playoffs with 103 wins and counting.

Questions do remain. The Cards have been here before–now it’s
time for them to make their bones in the post season as they
haven’t for over 20 years. Will they take care of business where it
counts? Who knows.

These coaches, indeed, are a puzzling duo.

LaRussa seems to make some questionable calls from time to time.
Often they work, other times they don’t turn out exactly as
planned. No one can ever quite tell exactly what he’s thinking; but
no one argues with the fact that he’s decisive. Still, some people
hate him, even when he makes the right call. He just seems to have
this cocky swagger the critics can’t stand.

Then there’s Martz. He knows what it takes to win and has many
times before. His flaws, though, are apparent.

A Super Bowl victory was at his fingertips, until a long-shot in
the waning seconds robbed Martz of hero status. Last season he told
us that Kurt Warner was definitely the Rams starting quarterback.
Just one week later, he succumbed to the popular cry of the fans
and brought in Marc Bulger.

Martz has moments of success, but he’s inconsistent–if he could
only stop saying one thing and doing another, be a little more
forthright and a little less hostile. Then, people may just warm up
to him.

What will happen in October? It could change everything. LaRussa
may be hoisted as a champion

with a strong showing, or shunned if any embarrassing slip-ups
occur.

Martz may turn things around and regain past form.

Or, he might just stay on the current path and continue to look
like a blowhard with squandered opportunities.

They may coach different sports and with different styles, but
they are playing at the same game. Both want to be numero uno in
St. Louis, the head honcho. Or, even less subtly: Commander in
Chief of St. Louis sports.

How do we, as sports fans of the Gateway city, decide? Excuse
this obvious lack of detail and analysis–for fans, it’s really no
more than a matter of perception, a popularity contest.

Perhaps then, they should have a debate.

Or, maybe they do just need to fight–after all, that’s what we
really want to see.

At least, I do.