Tony La Russa uses decades-old reference to inspire hope in White Sox offense

Chicago White Sox skipper Tony La Russa confused all of Gen-Z with this old school reference.

All Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa wants is to get his players to start hitting again.

La Russa may be a hall-of-fame skipper, but the septuagenarian may need a new reference that all of Gen-Z can understand. He thinks that things are going to turn around offensively within the South Siders’ lineup because he believes in the power of the bubblegum card. If Mookie Wilson can believe in the power of dinosaurs to get out of a slump, then bubblegum card power all day, baby!

“It’s a six-month season. I believe in the bubblegum card. Guys that have hit, are gonna hit,” said La Russa ahead of Sunday’s home game vs. the crosstown rival Chicago Cubs.

Now if we could just make this into an NFT and explain to La Russa what that is, and we’re golden.

Chicago White Sox: Tony La Russa believes in the power of the bubblegum card

It may come as quite a shock to La Russa that kids don’t play outside anymore. You can’t put a tablet through a hoop and have a good time. Plus, who is going to take the time to learn how to ride a bike these days? You can absolutely ride one in the Metaverse without getting sunburnt or chased by neighborhood dogs. That is a shame because bubblegum cards are meant for spokes.

But in a world that is being overrun by all these newfangled widgets, gizmos and other contraptions, this dusty old analogy is not that bad. Chalk don’t lie, as in pink, chalky bubblegum, whose flavor is gone in 60 seconds. Maybe if La Russa could explain this in Nicolas Cage GIF terms, then maybe Gen-Z could relate here. You know what? Let’s put the bunny back in the box.

Alright … so the bubblegum card reference is basically saying “You don’t say” from that movie where Nic Cage thinks he’s a vampire (I’m a vampire!, I’m a vampire!), coupled with the other GIF of note from that film where he points to somebody from behind a desk with a lung dart in his mouth. We’re not raising Arizona or trying to steal the Declaration of Independence here! Just ball.

It’s not the bees that’ll kill you in baseball, but the accumulation of K’s whilst the boys are at bat.