Well, unskinnybop. George “Da Boss” Steinbrenner just died. This is not a very big deal to me. Like most non-Yankees fans, I never had much of a sense of humor for Steinbrenner. The way he threw around money and shifted the economic climate of the MLB—and pro sports in general, I would say—hasn’t necessarily been a positive thing.
Should we like someone who would pose for this photo? Nah.
I also thought he was a ruthless toolbag. People sometimes say things like, “I don’t like the guy but I respect his desire to win…no matter what.” I think that’s pretty shoddy logic. Look at this guy’s history. He cheated throughout his career—in baseball and outside of it. He illegally contributed funds to (arguably) the most corrupt President in U.S. history when he gave all that cheese to Nixon pre-Watergate. He hired somebody to dig up dirt on Dave Winfield. C’mon, Winfield’s pretty cool. He got busted for both of these things and served his suspensions. In fact, he was “banned for life” for the Winfield thing, but was back after just three years. And dig this, Ronald Reagan gave “Da Baws” a Presidential Pardon for the Nixon thing in 1989. Dude had tons of money, would step on anyone who got in his way, and had the support of some of the richest, most powerful people in the world
Is this a guy we should like?
No.
Should we be sad this guy died?
No. In fact, we probably should be happy. He’s a symbol of callous greed. No bullshit PR-driven charity work or celebrity cameos can mask the very obvious motives driving his ownership.
Despite Steinbrenner’s despicableness, I am kind of bummed that he died. Baseball’s in a bad way, I fear. While I’m a fan, it seems that baseball is getting less and less interesting each year. The clamp-down on steroids has just sped things up. Baseball purists would probably prefer to see a one-hitter to a game with 5 or 6 home runs. But baseball purists make up about 5% of the MLB’s ever-dwindling fan base. Baseball purists would also rather see a bunch of teams like the 2008 Tampa Bay Rays or the 2005 White Sox. Most of us want to see big, easy, exciting stuff. We want to watch Tony Scott’s TOP GUN, not Robert Bresson’s PICKPOCKET. That’s where Steinbrenner’s value came in. He gave baseball a recognizable, one-dimensional villain. Every time the Yankees gobbled up a free agent despite the luxury taxes we expected him to be curling his mustache and dancing around after tying the rest of the AL East to the train tracks. He was kind of cool in that regard. You knew who he was, you knew he was a total asshole, and you knew that he didn’t care that you knew.
Steinbrenner, I guess was a cartoon in a league that is becoming all too human. I prefer watching cartoons to paint drying.
As a sidenote, Ken Griffey Jr. said he would never play for the Yankees because of Steinbrenner. Gotta love the Griff.
Griffey Wouldn't Be Bossed. The Youngest in Charge
never fear, travy– steinbrenner jr seems like a chip off the ole douche, so you should be set for years to come.
I agree with GP. Hank might be even worse, and he seems to be even more willing to openly play the role.
And lay off Bresson.
Sure. But Hank will always be a kind of outgrowth of George.
George Steinbrenner: Hank Steinbrenner
Ronald Reagan: George H.W. Bush
Equally assish but the later lives in the shadow of the former. The question, I guess, is will Hank or some latter Steinbrenner strive to be George W, or Strom Thurmond
who is Bresson? I loved Dayz of Thunda! Booty clap on that!