In Bill (spaceman) Lee's comments on Steinbrenner's passing, brings up an interesting point..

[NRaleighLiberal]

Here is what Lee said (on the NESN website)

"While Boston was honoring Steinbrenner with a moment of silence before Thursday night's game, the Red Sox Hall of Famer was celebrating his passing, showing anything but remorse in an interview with New Hampshire's WMUR.

"I have no sadness," Lee said with a laugh. "… If hell freezes over, he'll be skating."

Lee was famous for his outspoken manner and brash reputation during his playing days, and the southpaw didn’t hold back when asked about the former Yankees owner, who died Tuesday.

“Steinbrenner tried to have me banned from baseball,” Lee explained. “He said I was incompetent and bad for the game. I’m not a convicted felon like George Steinbrenner. He’ll take that to his grave.”

Lee spent 10 seasons in Boston and went 94-68 with a 3.64 ERA in 321 games (167 starts). He did some of his best work against the Yankees, going 12-5 with a 3.86 ERA in 38 games (21 starts), but he isn’t going to miss The Boss.

"As far as Steinbrenner's passing -- good," Lee summed up.

They don’t call him the Spaceman for nothing."

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this reminds me of some of the comments when Jesse Helms died (a spouse of a friend was fired after he refused to fly the flag at half mast at his city dept office, because he felt Helms was not a good person. I thought it was courageous and refreshing in this age of hypocrisy.

I see the same thing as people watch the Cheney situation...when he does go, will it be all hypocratic respect....or is it valid to actually have relief that someone who is just not a good person "moves on"?

The interesting things that come up that one can ponder these days....

[Beer Snob-50]

1. imho

if i have nothing but vile thoughts of someone who dies, i try to say nothing at all. someday, i will be dead and buried and i wouldn't want my wife and children to have to hear foul things about their recently deceased loved one.

[gratuitous]

2. Sounds like a cogently-reasoned argument to me

Nothing "Spaceman" about it. Steinbrenner's ownership was bad for baseball, extraordinarily good for one franchise. Major League Baseball is more than one franchise, and Steinbrenner's corruption of the game has been worse than the corrupt system (Reserve Clause, binding a player to a team for life) it replaced. Steinbrenner had the audacity to try to get Lee banned from baseball, but the list of cheaters, alcoholics, and just plain bad actors he employed for more than three decades is a record of shame that would have gotten a more honest person run out of town. It is to the everlasting shame of baseball's ownership group, Commissioners from Bowie Kuhn to Bud Selig, and the self-important Baseball Writers Association of America that Steinbrenner was allowed to die still owning the Yankees.

[rurallib]

3. thank you. You have expressed what I have had trouble saying

Steinbrenner was one of the major reasons I went from being a huge fan to not having seen so much as an inning in years.

[underpants]

4. Lee is right as usual

he lives outside of the norm and he is vilified for it

he is right- Steinbrenner was a convicted felon who was pardoned by Reagan which is like wiping your ass with a skidmark.

good for Bill. I didn't know he was still with us but I am glad he is.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

5. If Bill Lee has a problem with the current state of baseball....

....he should have the sack to admit the Red Sox are now just as much a part of it as the Yankees and cheer for the Tampa Bay Rays.