# (King)George Steinbrenner! You are a total asshole. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 7, 2007, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-george-steinbrenner-you-are-a-total-asshole/421875 "2007-10-07T20:10:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![zuma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9c0ed/32.png) [@zuma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zuma)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-george-steinbrenner-you-are-a-total-asshole/421875/21 "2007-10-08T11:58:33Z")
Yes, well you can’t fire the players, can you? Far be it from me to judge the Yankees, but you cannot just let things rot on the vine. It’s been years since the yanks won a ws, and someone should be fired. Torre is the obvious one. Assuming Cashman has been in charge the last few years, I’d fire him too. I mean come on, you have to fire someone. Real life doesnt just let you stick with the same old losing shit. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-george-steinbrenner-you-are-a-total-asshole/421875/22 "2007-10-08T12:30:17Z")
[QUOTE=zuma] Yes, well you can’t fire the players, can you? Far be it from me to judge the Yankees, but you cannot just let things rot on the vine. It’s been years since the yanks won a ws, and someone should be fired. [/QUOTE] World’s biggest Yankee fan here. Grew up within walking distance and haunted the bleachers since about age 10. It is this attitude right here that I think makes people absolutely hate the Yanks. With any other team this season would have been a good one-- even if they lose in the fist round. But with the Yanks, it’s “rotting on the vine”. The Yankees haven’t won a World Series in 7 years, the AL pennant in 4 and the Eastern Division in 1-- SOMETHING MUST BE DONE!!! I can see how fans whose teams don’t have quite that success record would call it arrogance. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-george-steinbrenner-you-are-a-total-asshole/421875/23 "2007-10-08T13:39:36Z")
[QUOTE=zuma] Yes, well you can’t fire the players, can you? Far be it from me to judge the Yankees, but you cannot just let things rot on the vine. It’s been years since the yanks won a ws, and someone should be fired. Torre is the obvious one. Assuming Cashman has been in charge the last few years, I’d fire him too. I mean come on, you have to fire someone. Real life doesnt just let you stick with the same old losing shit. [/QUOTE] Cashman has regeared the team in a very short time to develop pitching instead of overpaying for lesser talent. He is overall doing a magnificent job with the aid of all the boss’ money to correct for mistakes. Give him a few more years and the Yanks should be a lot better off. ---
**Author:** ![JohnBckWLD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JohnBckWLD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnBckWLD)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-george-steinbrenner-you-are-a-total-asshole/421875/24 "2007-10-08T14:52:24Z")
1. Torre’s never been anything but an average manager. Any occasional flashes of brilliance are overshadowed by his predictability. 2. Torre’s either has no backbone, enjoys the role of lapdog or is treated fairly well by Steinbrenner. It’s either that, or he’d take the Berra or Zimmer route, and tell George to fuck off. 3. Steinbrenner likes to win and let it be known he despises losers. If it wasn’t for George, the franchise he built and maintained for the past 3 decades would probably be virtually ignored due to mediocrity. 4. He used to be an egomaniac - or brutish thug, but since Alzheimer’s started taking it’s toll on the man, he’s become a mere shell of his former self. Personally, I liked him when he was filled with piss 'n vinegar. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-george-steinbrenner-you-are-a-total-asshole/421875/25 "2007-10-08T18:03:53Z")
[QUOTE=samclem] Torre must have put aside enough money to live his life without King George. But, I assume, as a professional, he enjoys the challenge. But when your boss is such an asshole, when do you say “enough!” [/QUOTE] Well, George does buy you all the nice players. ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-george-steinbrenner-you-are-a-total-asshole/421875/26 "2007-10-08T18:15:02Z")
Sure George is an ass, has horrible timing and is probably in the middle to late stages of senile dementia, but come on- the highest payroll in the league by far, All-Stars at every position and you’re about to crash out in the first round of the playoffs for the third year in a row? What should Torre get- a cookie? And its nothing new, George has been doing and saying stuff like this since 1973, so its not like Torre didn’t know what he was getting into. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-george-steinbrenner-you-are-a-total-asshole/421875/27 "2007-10-08T19:15:22Z")
[QUOTE=Wee Bairn] Sure George is an ass, has horrible timing and is probably in the middle to late stages of senile dementia, but come on- the highest payroll in the league by far, All-Stars at every position and you’re about to crash out in the first round of the playoffs for the third year in a row? What should Torre get- a cookie? And its nothing new, George has been doing and saying stuff like this since 1973, so its not like Torre didn’t know what he was getting into. [/QUOTE] To complement what you posted: Without exaggeration, I have listened to or read over 300 interviews with Torre over his 12 years with the Yanks. He knows what he got into. He knows the stakes. He won’t be devastated if he gets fired but he will be sad. He likes the money, the players he gets and the limelight. Ask him instead about his time with the Mets as a Manager. He disliked that a lot more than George’s occasional diatribes and threats. Remember he had a losing record before he joined the Yanks, now he is one of the most successful Managers ever and will probably go to the Hall of Fame. Don’t cry for Joe, he knows all to well what the deal has been and lasted longer than anyone, including Joe would have bet back in 1996. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-george-steinbrenner-you-are-a-total-asshole/421875/28 "2007-10-08T22:47:38Z")
[QUOTE=hajario] I don’t think so. The man is retiring. He won’t be umpiring any more games for the Yankees or anyone else. [/QUOTE] Are you absolutely sure he will not be working the World Series? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-george-steinbrenner-you-are-a-total-asshole/421875/29 "2007-10-08T22:56:08Z")
[QUOTE=Contrapuntal] Are you absolutely sure he will not be working the World Series? [/QUOTE] I think he has a good chance in fact. Hard to verify though. They still did not assign the umpires as of last week. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-george-steinbrenner-you-are-a-total-asshole/421875/30 "2007-10-08T23:15:40Z")
George bought his ticket to hell long ago, but there was something about even him being this over-the-top with this announcement that made me wonder: was it all an act? Something about it reminded me of what how an old teacher of mine had described Tito keeping power amidst ethnic hatred in Yugoslavia: “Oh, you want something to hate?! I’ll Give you something to Hate!!!” Inappropriate as it was, it broke the mood of the team and they’ve managed to win a game despite themselves. All it cost George is that 11 more people now hate him amongst the millions who did the day before. Which is to say, it cost him nothing. Will it hold for two? Three? Who knows. But at least the team goes into tonight knowing that the Cleveland team is both human and beatable in the post season. And whether they’ll admit it or not, last night’s win even put a pucker in the seat of the Red Sox collective pants. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-george-steinbrenner-you-are-a-total-asshole/421875/31 "2007-10-08T23:31:49Z")
[QUOTE=Count Blucher] George bought his ticket to hell long ago, but there was something about even him being this over-the-top with this announcement that made me wonder: was it all an act? Something about it reminded me of what how an old teacher of mine had described Tito keeping power amidst ethnic hatred in Yugoslavia: “Oh, you want something to hate?! I’ll Give you something to Hate!!!” Inappropriate as it was, it broke the mood of the team and they’ve managed to win a game despite themselves. All it cost George is that 11 more people now hate him amongst the millions who did the day before. Which is to say, it cost him nothing. Will it hold for two? Three? Who knows. But at least the team goes into tonight knowing that the Cleveland team is both human and beatable in the post season. And whether they’ll admit it or not, last night’s win even put a pucker in the seat of the Red Sox collective pants. [/QUOTE] You are onto something, I thought he did it on purpose to distract the press from the team and attacking Torre and A-Rod. The press was like sharks and many that would have been second guessing Torre all day instead were defending him. The Boss doesn’t care about bad press, he likes any press. I like what you said about 11 more people now hate him. That is classic and true. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Tazmanian\_Devil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cc9497/32.png) [@Tazmanian\_Devil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tazmanian_Devil)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-george-steinbrenner-you-are-a-total-asshole/421875/32 "2007-10-09T04:55:38Z")
Yankees lose! Yankees lose! Thaaaaaaaaaaa Yankees lose!😃 😃 Cleveland wins game 4, 6-4, to advance to the ALCS against Boston. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-george-steinbrenner-you-are-a-total-asshole/421875/33 "2007-10-09T05:00:38Z")
Congratulations to Cleveland for besting the Yanks-I thought we had a shot when A-Rod drove in that solo run, but it wasn’t meant to be. Crap. Next year. ---
**Author:** ![storyteller0910](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@storyteller0910](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/storyteller0910)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-george-steinbrenner-you-are-a-total-asshole/421875/34 "2007-10-09T13:44:59Z")
TO: **George M. Steinbrenner III, Esq, KBE, DDS #2 True Yankee Way City of Woe Circle Four The Inferno, 24601-666** Dear Lord Steinbrenner: You don’t know me; we’ve never met. You are, after all, the Crown Prince of Pestilence and Decay and I am but a humble peon, slave to the soul you wisely discarded in your youth and resident of one of those pissant states you sometimes visit to dispose of a body. Nonetheless, I think you’ll find we have much in common. Like you, I have a long and abiding interest in the great sport that is baseball. And like you, I have a fervent interest in the on-the-field doings of the New York Yankees. Like you, their wins and losses bring me to the pit of despair and the apex of joy. So I hope you’ll take a moment to read this humble missive and consider what I have to say. Lord Steinbrenner, you have long been known for your firm but equitable command over the brave men in your employ. I know that you only want what’s best for your franchise and its long suffering fans. I write today to strengthen the resolve you will need to do what must be done, what I and millions of fans just like me eagerly hope you will do. It is time, Lord Steinbrenner. It is time for you to fire Joe Torre. I know, for a man with a history of empathy and loyalty as well-established as yours, that this is a difficult step. Joe is a good man, and has been a good employee for many years. But as of this morning, 9 October 2007, the Yankees have been eliminated from contention for the 2007 World Series title. And so, Joe must go. I hardly need offer evidence of Mr. Torre’s blinding incompetence, but let’s at least begin with this year. As the year began, you blessed Mr. Torre with a spectacular roster. You and Prelate Cashman carefully selected among the cream of the AARP crop, providing Joe with an incredibly _experienced_ team. How could anyone quibble with a starting rotation that included Carl Pavano, Kei Igawa, Roger Clemens and Andy Pettite - two men with a combined life _experience_ of more than 80 years! - or a bullpen locked and loaded with Kyle Farnsworth and Luis Vizcaino? Or a first baseman with the _experience_ and postseason chops of Doug Mientkiewicz? Or an outfield _experienced_ enough to get a discount at Sizzler? And yet, this supposed “Hall of Fame” manager couldn’t be bothered to teach Pavano how to pitch without breaking his gall bladder. Didn’t want to expend the effort required to get Kei Igawa to 20 wins. You’d think a “Hall of Famer” like Torre would have, at a bare minimum, surgically repaired Jason Giambi and turned him back into the MVP you overpaid a few years ago. So with all the reliable, experienced talent you provided him, and with a gentle and understanding media and fan base offering support even in the hard times, and in a season remarkably free of injuries or slumps, all Torre could manage was to keep the team motivated and together enough to finish within 2 games of the best team in baseball? Stupid lazy motherfucker. And then, the Yankees get swept from the playoffs by the Cleveland Indians, who had absolutely nothing going for them except four or five pitchers on the hottest streaks of their baseball lives and the best record in the majors. That is _not_ Yankee baseball. These are the Yankees. The team of Ruth, and Maris, and Donnie Baseball, and fucking Captain Derek. The Yankees don’t lose to teams like the Cleveland - what the fuck are they even called again? It doesn’t matter. They obviously suck, and they won, so Joe must go. Yankees fans have had to cover their faces in shame through 13 consecutive postseason appearances and 9 straight division titles and 4 world championships and two more times in the Series and 15 straight seasons over .500 and watching the best pitcher and best position player in recent memory 162 games a year. I ask you: do Yankee fans deserve this fate? I shout my answer to the heavens: _No, they do not._ Joe must go. I know a lot of names have been bandied about in the press concerning a potential replacement for Mr. Torre. Don Mattingly has been mentioned, and I’d like to go on record and say that I think that’s a great idea! His record of postseason success, both as a player and a coach, is _exactly_ what the Yankees need. Perhaps installing him as manager can get the Yankees back to what they were in the mid 1980’s, before Joe Torre came and screwed everything up. So do it, Lord Steinbrenner. Do it for Mickey and Joe D and the Babe. Do it for Captain Jeter, and Mariano, and Donnie Baseball. Do it for all of the baseball fans around the nation who sincerely hope that you will. Fire Joe Torre. Yours, storyteller A Fan of the Best Baseball Team in New York P.S. While you’re at it, get rid of that choking choker A-Rod, too. Seriously, he hit .176, with one RBI, no extra base hits, four strikeouts and no walks in four games against Cleveland. Choking choker. Oh, crap, that was Captain Derek. Alex actually hit .267, with a home run and an OBP over .350. Well, A-Rod is still a choker, and Captain Derek is still clutch. Fire A-Rod! ---
**Author:** ![DudleyGarrett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DudleyGarrett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DudleyGarrett)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-george-steinbrenner-you-are-a-total-asshole/421875/35 "2007-10-09T13:59:40Z")
Yeah, because it was Torre, not Jeter, who hit into all those rally-killing double plays against Cleveland. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![storyteller0910](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@storyteller0910](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/storyteller0910)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-george-steinbrenner-you-are-a-total-asshole/421875/36 "2007-10-09T14:07:29Z")
[QUOTE=DudleyGarrett] Yeah, because it was Torre, not Jeter, who hit into all those rally-killing double plays against Cleveland. :rolleyes: [/QUOTE] That’s just because Torre didn’t motivate Jeter enough. ---
**Author:** ![DudleyGarrett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DudleyGarrett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DudleyGarrett)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-george-steinbrenner-you-are-a-total-asshole/421875/37 "2007-10-09T14:09:43Z")
[QUOTE=storyteller0910] That’s just because Torre didn’t motivate Jeter enough. [/QUOTE] Are you serious? ---
**Author:** ![storyteller0910](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@storyteller0910](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/storyteller0910)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-george-steinbrenner-you-are-a-total-asshole/421875/38 "2007-10-09T14:20:47Z")
[QUOTE=DudleyGarrett] Are you serious? [/QUOTE] Of course not! Dude, I’m a Mets fan. Knowing that, read my post again. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-george-steinbrenner-you-are-a-total-asshole/421875/39 "2007-10-09T14:24:25Z")
[QUOTE=DudleyGarrett] Are you serious? [/QUOTE] Are YOU? ---
**Author:** ![DudleyGarrett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DudleyGarrett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DudleyGarrett)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-george-steinbrenner-you-are-a-total-asshole/421875/40 "2007-10-09T14:24:41Z")
[QUOTE=storyteller0910] Of course not! Dude, I’m a Mets fan. Knowing that, read my post again. [/QUOTE] 😃 Knowing that, great post. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-george-steinbrenner-you-are-a-total-asshole/421875.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-george-steinbrenner-you-are-a-total-asshole/421875.md?page=3)