But we should all refrain from criticizing Dick Cheney, no matter what our political beliefs. After all, as some have commented here, he was instrumental in defending our country throughout his career. I for one slept better as a wee lad knowing that men like Cheney were sending our boys into Grenada back in the 1980s. Likewise, when voted against sanctions against apartheid-era South Africa. How lucky he stood up for our economic interests in Africa! And of course, his leadership after 9/11 when he led to the charge to fight Saddam Hussein, who was an Arab just like Osama bin Laden, an obvious connection! No, it’s very wrong to compare Dick Cheney to Steinbrenner!

Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003, lawyers with knowledge of the results told The New York Times.

The two were key members of the Boston Red Sox World Series teams in 2004 and 2007

And then fire them and then rehire them and then fire them and rehire them and fire them and …..

Since we all know Steinbrenner positives (he spent on the team and charities), let’s also consider some of the ways he embarrassed us as Yankee fans:
1. He donated illegally to Nixon and became a felon. This led him to being kicked out of baseball by Commissioner Kuhn.
2. Pissed off many players and coaches. See Yogi Berra for example.
3. Implemented a dumb policy on hair that led to the bench of Don Mattingly and an ensuing media frenzy.
4. Winfield/Spira which led to his 2nd ban from baseball
5. Held a press conference during the 1981 World Series claiming he was in a fight with Dodger fans in an elevator. The claim was never validated, nor the injuries for which he wore a cast.
6. While the Yanks were rolling in money and signing players to record contracts, he threatened to cut a $100,000 dental plan for all his employees.

What a nice guy!

ESPN even made a list:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=1568568&type=page2Story

Still not embarrassed by Steinbrenner?

Now the fleet is all set. Let’s roll!

Neither can I. Having said that, it isn’t that action that GS is smeared as a villian. It is that action combined with others that had him permanently smeared as a villian.

[81] It was a tongue in cheek question referencing a since banned member

Cripes, man, it’s not about “apologists” for the man. It’s that one should not introduce blatant political statements into the discussion to begin with. I’m not taking one side or another, and I’m not apologizing for anyone or any party. Nor should I here, in the BASEBALL blog, with clear guidelines for commenting.

By the way, very clever how in your “apology” you got to take a few more political swipes (Darth Paranoid, dismissive tone of surprise that there might be “apologists” on the site–heaven forbid).

He’s okay, I guess. I wish he’d trade surplus for needs sometimes, and he’s not the greatest baseball mind, but he knows how to handle the NY press. That’s pretty valuable as we’re seeing from Minaya. Plus, he does seem to value prospects and he’s been smart about keeping them by stressing how much money they can save. Good but not great.

Also, one more time, I am not excusing what Steinbrenner did in the Spira incident. I’ve called it a reprehensible act, but I won’t go further than that. I just can’t buy the argument that suggests that action permanently smears GS as a villain.

There’s a certain irony to this Score Truck.
This one is more like it!

Though I imagined maybe a Ford pickup for a Jeter opposite-field two-run single.