I don't have a problem with the Yankees...
The following rant may be offensive to some members of this forum. I am sorry if I upset anybody with my views. I am always willing to discuss them if you wish to.
My problem is not with the Yankees. My problem is with the the childish, obnoxious primary owner named George Steinbrenner.
Dear George:
Thank you, George, for paying the outrageous salaries to the players. (Do you realize that you could have probably bought the island of Puerto Rico for what your current Yankee payroll is this year???) While I agree that if some sucker is willing to overpay them then they are worth what ever the sucker is willing to pay. You, however, have consistantly demonstrated complete fiscal irresponsibility to the fans of baseball.
Once upon a time, a family of four could go to a ball game, eat hotdogs, drink coke or beer, and have a great time for reasonable costs. Now it is well OVER $100 for a family of four at most ballparks.
Thank you, George, for your lessons on integrety. During the days of the Pete Rose scandal with Fay Vincent, you renigged on a contractual agreement with Dave Winfield where you were supposed to contribute to the Dave Winfield Foundation which caters to underpriveledged children. When he was forced to sue you for breach of contract, you tried to have him banished from the game for "alledgedly" gambling. Dave Winfield was a class act. you could have learned from him. Do you remember the suspension you received from MLB??? It wasn't nearly long enough.
Thank you, George, for proving that money does not buy respect. While I cannot argue that you are a multi-millionaire, I cannot respect you either. How can I respect an over-grown child who thinks that wealth excuses his immature temper tantrums. Will you please shove that pacifier back into your mouth and spare us any further embarrassments?!?
And somehow, George, I don't think that you really have a firm grip on the basics of baseball. In the hierarchy of things we have the owner(s) (That's you, George), then we have the team presidents and vice presidents, then we have the team general manager, the we have the manager (You don't deserve Joe Torre - he is much too good for you), then we have the various coaches (bench, 1st base, 3rd base, pitching, bullpen...) then we have the players. Having established that for you, I would like to know how you are any less responsible for the way a player performs on the field than the manager. In other words, is it the players fault if he is in a hitting or fielding slump or is it upper management? You have fired more than your share of managers, George. You have even made disparaging comments about Joe Torre. Do you have any idea just how stupid that makes you look? Keeping in mind that the responsibility starts at the top, and YOU are at the top. Not Joe Torre, not Don Zimmer (You let a good man get away there, George. Not very smart.),You are at the top, Goerge. Billy Martin took the fall way too many times for your mistakes. You, afterall, bare the responsibility - you should have fired yourself long ago.
You might not believe this, George, but you are not above the game of baseball. As a matter of fact, baseball will be around, and flourishing, long after you are dead and gone. Baseball does not need an overgrown child pricing fans out of the game We need solutions - not problems. Since you choose to be a part of the problem and not a part of the solution, I am asking you to please just resign and go away. We are tired of you temper tantrums and we are tired of you acting inthe worst interest of baseball.
Wouldn't it be grand if A-rod, Jeeter, Giambi and Matsui all found themselves mired in batting slumps only to watch Boston and Baltimore surge past the Yankees?
Go RedSox Go Angeles!
I am now stepping off of my soapbox.
You're being paid good money to play, so go out and be a professional and play and wait for the trade day.
