RIP George Steinbrenner

[sabbat hunter]

Died after a massive heart attack in his Tampa home. He was 80.

http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/news/story?id=5375561

[flvegan]

1. I don't like the Yankees, and I didn't care much for his role in baseball, but

he did a lot of good for my community. RIP, Mr. Steinbrenner.

[TZ]

4. Well you can say this for him

Love him or hate him (and you know I disliked him) he brought ALOT of people to the ballpark, kept them interested in baseball, if only in the rooting for them to lose. Villians do have their place in sports...

[Earth Bound Misfit]

2. First Sheppard now "The Boss"

2 Yankee icons in a matter of days. RIP George.

To the inevitable grave dancers: Try to stay classy.

[joeybee12]

3. Tough day for Yankee fans...

...he'd been really sick for such a long time. RIP.

[madinmaryland]

5. Rest in Peace.

[Renew Deal]

6. I'm going to the first game back on Friday

Should be an emotional event.

[bigwillq]

7. RIP (nt)

[SargeUNN]

8. Sorry to see him pass

I like most fans had a love/hate affair with him, but he sure brought the Yanks back to a form of their glory years that had faded.

[El Supremo]

9. Just typical of the Yankees...

stealing the headlines on the day of the All-Star game. :sarcasm:

I haven't got anything good to say about "The Boss", so I'll shut up now.

[Upton]

10. I don't get it..

I was just out in the car, and CBS News broke in with a special report on Steinbrenner's death. I mean..BIG FUCKIN' DEAL.

This guy was primarily responsible for ruining the payroll structure in baseball. Turning MLB into a rigged game for the rich clubs..less fortunate teams have virtually no chance.

Somehow, I just don't feel any sympathy.

[Yavin4]

12. Yeah, Teams Like The Rays, DBacks, Marlins, Rockies, Astros

Twins, A's, Royals, Blue Jays, Tigers, and Padres all had no chance of making it to the World Series while mean ole Steinbrenner was around

Oh wait....

[Upton]

13. Just off the top of my head..

you would probably know better, but I believe the Yankees have made the playoffs 15 out of the last 16 years...I wonder why?

You can cite a few exceptions all you want, but the fact is..MONEY buys access to the playoffs. I don't see how you can claim otherwise. The two main reasons MLB has become like this: Selig and Steinbrenner.

[Yavin4]

18. Then Explain How The Rays Made It to the World Series in 2008

and how the Marlin won it all in 1997 and 2003?

[hughee99]

30. In all fairness, if I remember right, the Marlins had a very big payroll in 1997.

I agree with your overall argument, but the '97 Marlins had the 5th highest payroll in baseball.

http://www.baseballchronology.com/Baseball/Years/1997/Payroll.asp

[Renew Deal]

33. Didn't the Braves win the NL East like 13 years in a row?

I don't blame Selig or Steinbrenner. You could blame the union for not accepting a cap.

[joeybee12]

14. What I can't get over is that he was a HUGE republican, convicted of

illegal campaign contributions, pardoned by reagan.

[Upton]

15. You're not supposed to bring stuff like that up joey

I mean he's dead now, and in the eyes of many, that erases all his sins. Well, I've never been the religious type...so screw him.

[Sebastian Doyle]

26. But for those of us who are "religious types" to any degree......

Just imagine Billy Martin greeting Steinbrenner right now. Probably with his fists :evilgrin:

I'll leave it up to individual interpretation where the location of that meeting might be, but I'd be inclined to believe George went to the place with the higher heat index.

[sabbat hunter]

17. Actually

he was a life time registered Democratic party member. He long asserted that he was forced to make those contributions to Nixon in 1972 as a cost of doing business (he was a ship builder before he got in to baseball)

[Upton]

19. I guess he was "forced" to make these contributions too..

While Steinbrenner's money tended to go to Democrats in Senate and House races, he may have leaned more to the GOP at the presidential level. He supported George H.W. Bush in the 1988 and 1992 campaigns and during the 2000 Florida recount, he gave $5,000 to the Bush-Cheney recount fund. (George W. Bush, of course, had been a Texas Rangers co-owner.) Steinbrenner also gave $7,500 to Rudy Giuliani's PAC in the middle part of last decade and another $4,600 to Rudy's 2008 White House campaign ($2,300 of which was later refunded after Rudy dropped out). And in the fall of 2008, he cut a check for $15,000 to McCain Victory 2008.

http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/07/13/george_steinbrenner_political_donations

Looks to me like he was working both sides of the aisle..nothing like hedging your bets.

[trumad]

21. Like him or not---

He won championships--- something ownership for the Sf. Giants simply have never done.

Why is that Cboy? Why can't your team win a championship in 55 years of existence in SF?

[Upton]

22. Fine..

he won some championships, the Giants haven't..so what? Does that make Steinbrenner a great guy? Kiss his ass all you like...that's your style.

[trumad]

23. Why haven't the Giants won a championship?

55 years in SF and not one... why is that? Bad management? Ownership? Can't be the fans---heck you guy's are 7th in popularity?

Maybe it's the fog... year in and year out ---FAILURE!

More Upton/Cboy---all hat and no cattle.

[Yavin4]

24. The Fog Does Make It Hard To See The Ball

So there's that.

[Upton]

25. Whatever..

indeed the Giants haven't won since '54. I don't care if they haven't won a single game in 56 years..how is that relevant to Steinbrenner's death? Unless, of course, you're now defending his buying of championships. You know, the ends justify the means BS.

We'll just go ahead and add Steinbrenner's name to the list of butts that you kiss:

LeBronedict
Tiger Woods
Oxy boy
Steinbrenner

Anyone I've left out? I'm sure there is..these are just the most egregious.

[trumad]

29. What no Bonds?

[joeybee12]

27. See, I don't buy his story since it was Reagan who pardoned him...

...I mean the guy was nasty, not Cheney evil, but basically not a nice guy.

[Renew Deal]

34. Didn't he donate plenty to Democrats?

I remember Charlie Rangel off the top of my head and I know there's others.

[Liberal_Dog]

11. Like Him Or Not, Steinbrenner Always Made Things Interesting

Even though I am not a Yankees fan, I will miss you George.

[Auggie]

16. No comment

[Botany]

20. My best Steinbrenner story

In the late 1970s the Cincinnati Reds came in second to the L.A. Dodgers after winning
95 games the new G.M. Dick Wagner fired Sparky Anderson and what did George Steinbrenner
do he sent Dick Wagner a thank you card for firing one of the best skippers in baseball.

:rofl:

[TZ]

28. Headline from The Onion:

"Steinbrenner dead after firing underperforming heart"... Ghoulish yet so so funny...:rofl:

[joeybee12]

31. It's probably true!!!!!

:rofl:

[DinahMoeHum]

32. ". . .You may have been a headache, but you never were a bore. . ."

- as Bob Hope would sing.

Thanks for the memories, George.

:toast::toast::toast: