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George Steinbrenner Dead


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#1 FrOnT RoW JOE

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Posted 13 July 2010 - 09:45 AM

NEW YORK – George Steinbrenner, who rebuilt the New York Yankees into a sports empire with a mix of bluster and big bucks that polarized fans all across America, died Tuesday. He had just celebrated his 80th birthday July 4.

Steinbrenner had a heart attack, was taken to St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa, Fla., and died at about 6:30 a.m, a person close to the owner told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team had not disclosed those details.

For more than 30 years, Steinbrenner lived up to his billing as "the Boss," a nickname he earned and clearly enjoyed as he ruled with an iron fist. The Yankees won six World Series titles during his reign.

He was known for feuds, clashing with Yankees great Yogi Berra and firing manager Billy Martin twice. But as his health declined, Steinbrenner let sons Hal and Hank run more of the family business.

Steinbrenner was in fragile health for years, resulting in fewer public appearances and pronouncements. Yet dressed in his trademark navy blue blazer and white turtleneck, he was the model of success: The Yankees won seven World Series titles after his reign began in 1973

Till the end, he demanded championships. He barbed Joe Torre during the 2007 AL playoffs, then let the popular manager leave after another loss in the opening round. The team responded last year by winning another title.

His death was the second in three days to rock the Yankees. Bob Sheppard, the team's revered public address announcer from 1951-07, died Sunday at 99.
You'll be proud of our young people in the classroom, in the community, and most especially in 310 days in Ann Arbor, Michigan on the football field. - Jim Tressel


#2 Guest_95 Z Out_*

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Posted 12 August 2010 - 10:15 AM

George Steinbrenner damaged baseball in ways that are still being felt today. His "shortcut" to winning is exactly the same one that Bonds, Sosa, McGwire, etc., took. The only difference was the "drug" of choice. While Bonds, et al, used steroids and HGH, Steinbrenner used money. It hasn't always resulted in championships, but the Yankees' willingness to outbid all comers for free agents and to add payroll with trade deadline deals has created competitive imbalance. Sure, small market teams can build a contender periodically, but they don't have the resources to keep the core of their team together more than one contract cycle.

The solution has been used successfully in other professional sports - institute a salary cap (and floor). Require all teams to spend a certain minimum amount on payroll for their 40 man roster, and set a maximum limit that cannot be exceeded. Individual player contracts might not be quite as big, but average player salary would increase. The Yankees (and Red Sox and others) would have to dump comparable salary in order to pick up a short term rental to shore up a roster weakness.

George was great for the Yankees, but bad for baseball.

#3 dhsdawg06

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Posted 15 August 2010 - 12:10 AM

Hate the system, not the man. George was a winner and found the shortcut to winning in baseball. I say bravo to him for doing what no one else did.

Not a Yankees fan at all, and I hate how they buy championships. But I've got to respect a good business man when I see one. George Steinbrenner was great for the Yankees, good for fans, and did nothing to damage baseball that other owners couldn't have done themselves. I agree MLB needs to do something to keep it from happening, but that's their problem, not the guys with the money and the job of winning games.







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