George Steinbrenner Dead at 80

[dlk9s]

Just reported on ESPN.

 

http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/8961/58761356.jpg

[Invader3K]

Can't say I'm shedding too many tears over this.

[razzzorsharp]

I am not shedding tears either as I didn't know him but it is sad for his friends and family.

[RayKingsForemanGrill]

I hate the Yanks as much as anyone else, but it's a sad day in the history of baseball.

[Invader3K]

I don't think it's a sad day. Steinbrenner is as big a villain as there has been in baseball, right up there with Scott Boras in terms of people who have earned my complete and utter contempt. Under his reign the Yankees have turned into a mafia style organization that routinely publicly bashes any person or concept that opposes their complete domination of the sport. He bought a lot of championships so the heavy handed New York fans and media could gloat about their superiority; and that's about all you can really say about his "contributions" to the sport.

 

I hope Hank and Hal sell the team now that the old man is dead, and that franchise goes back to being a joke like it was in the '80s and early '90s.

[RayKingsForemanGrill]

Depends on how you look at it, Invader. The game is full of these types of characters and is better for it. Everyone needs a good villain... Hating the Yankees is fun sport, and he's a big reason for it....

[davego]

Not a Yankee fan either, but I'm not going to speak ill of the dead. From what I hear, he did a lot for people an organizations in Tampa.

[hawing]

Well, here's a link. I think I can guess what will dominate the remaining all-star game coverage.

 

I've long considered myself an "every man's death diminishes me" type of person, but I also find myself nodding with Invader's post above. It's not like the MLB playing field evened out much (or as much as it could have) when Steinbrenner was active. Still, a loss is a loss.

[Fatter than Joey]

Can't say I'm shedding too many tears over this.

 

This is pretty harsh....

 

I grew up in the mid70s-mid80s, when Steinbrenner was at his best or worst depending on your affiliation -- He was certainly a villain in my eyes. However, most of my favorite Brewer memories from that period, involve the Brewers beating the Yankees. There is no question in my mind, that beating those Steinbrenner orchestrated teams made everything much sweeter.

 

I also remember discovering the Big Red Machine in hopes that the Yankees wouldn't win the WS -- The 1977 WS when Chambliss hit his walk-off to beat the Royals, and Jackson's 3 HRs against the Dodgers are again some the most memorable events regarding baseball in my childhood.

 

George Steinbrenner took baseball to a whole new level, and I am indebted to him for his contributions to the game when I was young.

[Invader3K]

Depends on how you look at it, Invader. The game is full of these types of characters and is better for it. Everyone needs a good villain... Hating the Yankees is fun sport, and he's a big reason for it....

Yes, every sport needs villains, but evil won out way too much in this case.

[brewmann04]

RIP

[razzzorsharp]

Invader, if you are saying George was evil in a "baseball" sense only, I can agree with you. Everything else, I do not know about, whether he was a good person or not, only those around him know.

[Invader3K]

Yes, I don't mean he was literally evil. I have heard he did a lot for charity, and if so, good for him. I just think he did a lot more bad for the sport than good, especially as it affected small markets like Milwaukee.

[dlk9s]

As far as one example of his charitable donations is concerned, he died at a hospital with a Steinbrenner Emergency/Trauma Center for Children.

[Fatter than Joey]

I don't think it's a sad day.

 

He was a husband, father and a grandfather, it is definitely a sad day for some people.

 

Steinbrenner is as big a villain as there has been in baseball, right up there with Scott Boras in terms of people who have earned my complete and utter contempt

 

And now he is dead. You win.

 

He bought a lot of championships so the heavy handed New York fans and media could gloat about their superiority; and that's about all you can really say about his "contributions" to the sport.

 

I find this statement to be quite ignorant -- The team that dominated the 70s, was built largely by shrewd trades -- Nettles, Chambliss, Randolph, Dent, Rivers, Murcer, Pinella were the foundation of the team that won a lot of pennants in the 70s-80s -- Others like Munson, Guidry, Roy White were homegrown. Certainly there were some high-tag free agents like Reggie, Winfield, Gossage -- but the Brewers had their own FAs, like Sal Bando and Larry Hisle. Also, Steinbrenner was not the only wealthy owner in baseball, there were plenty with deeper pockets, but were reluctant to spend money to help their team win -- Steinbrenner was willing to do what it took.

 

The team that dominated in the 90s was largely home-grown as well.... And again, Steinbrenner certainly opened his checkbook, but he also paved the way for his spending by creating cable deals that eventually benefited a lot of teams.

 

I can certainly understand he was abrasive... and he certainly wasn't my favorite owner of all-time, but a lot of my angst against him, is probably nothing more than misplaced jealousy.

 

RIP George.

[chuckiehacks]

Clearly Big Stein wanted to be the center of attention one last time by upstaging an MLB event.

[bucks2281]

RIP George.

 

This news will undoubtedly consume the ASG.

[PrinceEatMeat]

RIP, very sad occurrence. Can't say I liked the guy either, but he certainly changed baseball. This will be talked about all day and all night now.

[JimH5]

He was an awesome guy, going down in history as one of the great personalities of the game.

 

Rest in Peace

 

Bob Sheppard, and now George. . .it happens in threes. . .

[logan82]

I am shedding a lot of tears over this. Now both ESPN and ESPN 2 are showing nothing but Steinbrenner stuff nonstop. Slowest sports days of the year and now I get nothing but Yankee stuff.

[davego]

I heard a funny line this AM, that George was getting ready to fire Billy Martin from heaven.

 

My 43rd birthday was on Monday...so much of my baseball "youth" was spent in the Billy/George heyday. I hated the Yankees, but always kept up on what they were doing.

[GAME05]

Bob Sheppard, and now George. . .it happens in threes. . .

Harvey Pekar died yesterday.

 

 

people keep complaining about what he did to baseball as a whole, but he only represented one team--a team that owned the 90s and is the team to beat every year. he wasn't alone in making baseball what it is today, he only represents the extreme of what it was allowed to be. but that said, noting that his teams of the 90s were mostly home-grown talent doesn't mention that he spent considerable money to resign them all. Milwaukee would be a different team if we could just write a check to keep Fielder and Hart and CC despite the costs.

 

 

[molitor fan]

And now he is dead. You win.

 

Wow FTJ, really?. I suggest one reads up on Wellington Mara's handling of his business dealings versus Steinbrenner as an example of how one New York owner lifted up his sport while another tore it asunder for his own gains.

[hawing]

Now both ESPN and ESPN 2 are showing nothing but Steinbrenner stuff nonstop. Slowest sports days of the year and now I get nothing but Yankee stuff.

You might want to avoid switching to ESPN Classic, then. Today I don't mind not getting ESPNEWS.

 

Happy belated birthday, davego.

[davego]

I'd rather they run this Yankee stuff then "The Brett Farve Watch-2010."