Who Got Hired And Who Got Fired: Recent Developments In Sports Management.

We couldn’t help but notice the abundance of stories concerning managers and coaches today. It must be manager sweepstakes time, but today was seriously bordering ridiculous. We understand coaches are just as significant as players, (you really can’t have an amazing squad of players with out a great leader, isn’t that right San Diego Chargers?), so here’s the lowdown of who got hired, who got fired, and who was conned into taking a horrible team.

• The Good: Joe Torre is introduced as the new Los Angeles Dodgers’ coach
  Today was Torre’s first gig as a Los Angeles Dodgers’ cheerleader. It’s probably a sight for sore eyes in Los Angeles considering the team hasn’t been a serious contender for a championship in twenty years.

  “I certainly had a wonderful run in my hometown of New York, I had never experienced winning like I experienced in New York. The opportunity to manage the Dodgers, this is one of a handful of organizations that you automatically say ‘yes’ to.”

  By next summer he’ll be wondering, “Why couldn’t I just say no?” [LATimes]

• The Bad: Bruce Arena resigns as head coach of the New York Red Bulls
  

  Marc de Grandpre, the team’s managing director, said in a statement. “We made a promise to our fans to provide the best quality product on the field. Unfortunately, we haven’t achieved that promise to this point. Thus, we’ve come to a mutual agreement to part ways. I want to thank Bruce for his hard work. I am certain that he will have success in his future endeavors.”

  What do you expect from a guy whose coaching style is as vibrant as Keanu Reeves acting. [NYTimes]

• The Very Bad: English Premiership club Wigan Athletic axed Chris Hutchings
  

  Chairman David Whelan said: “Chris has worked very hard since becoming manager and I cannot fault his effort and commitment to the cause.
  “However, it is crucial for the development of Wigan Athletic that we maintain our Premier League status this season and following results and performances in recent matches, we feel it is critical to act quickly.

  Translation: We’re going down the poop shoot and we can’t fathom playing in a league of loser, a.k.a the second division. [The Sun]

• The Ugly: John Russell takes over as Pittsburgh Pirates manager
  

  “John is absolutely the best choice,” Huntington said in a statement. “His positive energy, intense passion for the game and strong managerial experience set him apart from every other potential candidate we considered.”

  This isn’t a critique about the guy’s looks or anything. The ugly factor comes in the form of the number 189. That’s how many losses the Pirates had under ousted coach Jim Tracy over the last two seasons. Russell isn’t gaining a job. He’s inheriting a disaster. [Reuters]