redsfan28

George Steinbrenner died today. ESPN will more than likely be running a tribute all day to his passing. The word that has come up the most when people describe him is 'colorful'. Saying George Steinbrenner is colorful is like saying water is wet. He was twice banned from MLB, once for two years and once for life (he was reinstated 3 years later). In his first 17 years as owner, he hired and fired 17 managers. Shoot, he fired Billy Martin 5 times.

During his tenure as owner, he changed the game forever. He drove up the salaries of players, starting by the $700k per season he offered Catfish Hunter when MLBers were barely making six figures per season. Yes, he bought world championships by offering players contracts that would make other teams cringe. He would make trades for players, decimating his farm system, with the ultimate goal of winning championships. That is the word that sums up his life the best, winner. He would do anything to win and in an era where winning matters most, he should be revered by people, not hated. He was good for the game because he won, not because of how he won.

Ultimately, his legacy is mixed. I for one think he was the best owner in baseball. I may not like the Yankees, but I respected George Steinbrenner. I think that his good friend Bob Knight said it best when he spoke of how he wanted to be buried when he died: "When I die, I want to be buried upside down so everyone can kiss my ass." I think George probably wanted the same thing.

This is a sad day for baseball.