Fantastic Steve Jacobson column on George Steinbrenner.

His business decisions helped create the Yankees into what they are today. Worth immense money, with a new stadium and a thriving TV station.

Also, I'm saying he should go to the HOF based on how he much he changed the game and how owners act and run their teams, more so than just the success his teams had.

 

But he didn't change the game and how owners act. The system changed, and it changed on the other end, with the Flood case and the subsequent overturn of the reserve clause.

 

Ed Barrow; Charlie Comiskey; Barney Dreyfuss, Clark Griffith; Walter O'Malley; Bill Veeck; Tom Yawkey.

 

Well, color me corrected on that part.

I still think Steinbrenner changed the game, though.

He changed how owners act and he changed how owners should treat their teams.

Also, as Buckdub said, he won six World Series and 10 pennants, and that should get him into the HOF alone.

 

How so? What's he doing that Yawkey or Veeck didn't do before him?

 

He's fucking crazy?

You and smasher are probably right. I had a history lesson tonight, but I still think Steinbrenner invested more money and committed more money to winning than any other owner. He's set the bar in that regard.

 

Bottom Line:

PRO: Willing to send as much or more than anyone else, for talent.

CON: Brought a sustained football mentality into a sport where that mindset largely doesn't work.

SO, SO OVERRATED: Did capitalize on the first major wave of free agency in the 70's.
Other than that, has been markedly less-than-successful since, other than the period which came to pass when he was somehow blessed by God with the personnel expertise of Stick Michael while being constrained by law from personally mucking up what became a very good thing (the late 90s). . .

HOF? For Yankee fanbois, only.

 

I may be a fan, but I still think he gets in.

 

You may be right. But I continue to root against Mr. Convicted, for multiple good reasons.

Let the games begin.

 

And I still can't help but wonder what would have happened had he ended up buying the Indians instead of the Yankees.

 

I liked the column, given the understandable tendency to soften criticism at this stage of the subject's life.

 

That is what stuck out most to me. In other columns, the general gist was "There will never be another George Steinbrenner." Which is absolutely true.

Jacobson argued that Steinbrenner's abhorrent behavior to employees--front office, support staff, players--and others needs to be remembered.