Lou Piniella retires as the Anti-Umpire King

 Lou Piniella retired from managing the Chicago Cubs today and the sports world is now a little quieter. 

 Piniella was a good baseball player. He began his career with the Baltimore Orioles in 1964. He was the 1969 Rookie of the Year, a 1972 All-Star and a 2 time World Series champ with the New York Yankees in 1977 and 1978.

 Piniella retired as a player in 1984 after ten seasons with the  Yankees. Owner George Steinbrenner liked him enough to give him his first job as a manager in 1986. He lasted two years before he was fired.

 He went on to manage the Cincinnati Reds to a World Series Championship in 1990, two A.L. Manager of the Year awards with the Seattle Mariners and one N.L. Manager of the Year award with the Chicago Cubs. 

 What I liked most about Sweet Lou was his way with umpires. Piniella had no tolerance for incompetence from the men in black. No patience for the optically challenged drones who made bad calls against his teams.

 Piniella didn't just argue. He kicked dirt on umpires, repeatedly and cursing them out all the while. He kicked his hat like a brat whose mama didn't buy him candy. Temper tantrums with more power than a steroids era slugger. 

 Deep down, most of us have at least one person who we'd love to give the Lou Piniella treatment. Maybe a boss or teacher, an ex-in-law or even a ticket writing cop. Lou had his choice of four victims every day at work and he made wise use of his opportunities. 

 Rasheed Wallace retired from the NBA this summer and now Lou Piniella is gone from baseball. The jobs of referees and umpires just got a little easier. 

 Sweet Lou Piniella, thanks for the memories.