Hats off to a legend

Taking a quick time out from the hustle and bustle of early earning season, I want to share something with you guys. Namely, I grew up a die hard Mets fan and had to endure some really terrible seasons at the old Shea Stadium. Those were the days when an ambitious young scallywag and his tab of outer borough cronies could easily sneak a quarter-keg into Shea's vapid upper deck. Provided off course, if one of them was willing to sit in one of the busted wheel chairs that could be found strolling about Corona Park in the New York summer heat. One large blanket over the lap later, we were comfortably nestled in those creaky foldouts, boozing away with nothing around us for 10,000 seats or more.

In those days, we reminisced about Doc and Darryl, called Giuliani the Anti-Christ and prayed and prayed for the downfall of this man . He was everything we loathed, but today, as we are well into adulthood and stepping along towards our own goals... We all miss, George Michael Steinbrenner III.

Anybody can go and look up ol' George's bio. It reads like the stuff of American folklore, Dave Crockett and J.D. Rockefeller all wrapped into one with a splash of John Wayne.

George could have pioneered the internet had he come along a few years later. After all the abbreviations we use such as: STFU, WTF, OMG, ROFLMAO, etc were all things you said and or did when you heard about George's latest exploit in the media.

Whether he fired and re-hired the same manager 5 times (Billy Martin), called a major investment, "someone he was going to write off as a depreciating asset (Danny Tartabull) or made the whole team nix the facial hair, the man was a throwback to times when being an American wasn't something you had to apologize for.

Steinbrenner was a world class hurdler in his youth and went from the Air Force, to assistant football coach under the legendary Woody Hayes at Ohio State. He dabbled in theater, was convicted of illegal campaign contributions all while building ships when he had a few minutes.

In 1973, he forever changed the world of sports and business by buying the New York Yankees for a net cost of $8.8 million dollars. As of 2005, the Yanks were valued at $1.2 billion becoming the first sports franchise on Earth to go over the magical nine zero plateau. Steinbrenner, unwittingly it seems, was also a PE guy.

George's stop at no cost free agent acquisitions, intrusive management style and larger than life personality rocketed the floundering Yanks back into the spotlight. During his tenure, the Yankees won 11 World Series trophies, that's one more then the St. Louis Cardinals (their nearest competitor) have EVER won. Those who remember what ball players made before George (bankers, too) should think of him fondly come every bonus season.

Today, I remember and salute George Michael Steinbrenner III. A villain of my youth, who I have grown to respect and admire. Remember fellas, it's lonely at the top...but seeing how George lived his life, I feel the solitary struggle is well worth it for all of us.

Keep on pushing monkeys.

Mr. Steinbrenner may you rest in peace.

God Bless.