Yes you could, and I am also a Yankee hater, so there goes that argument.
RIP George Steinbrenner
- Thread starter DWill_Gr8tness
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Yes you could, and I am also a Yankee hater, so there goes that argument.
I know what you're thinking. It has to be Jordan. Maybe, but I'd say Steinbrenner. He bought a Yankee franchise that had become the joke of baseball and took them to what is probably the most widely recognized American sports franchise. His spending and his never settling drove the franchise and made them a team that people hated or loved. He was the first to sign big free agents, he embraced stars, and he was a media figure. Televised sports and brands are enormous business, and the Yankees have as much responsibilty for that as any team. The Yankees have their own network and make the most money of any team because of Steinbrenner's foresight and influence.
The Yankees, as much as I hate them, are truly America's team because they make sports interesting. Steinbrenner was the force behind that. Jordan had his moment, but much of Jordan's moment was when Steinbrenner was out of baseball.
Archie Moses
Well-Known Member
Good post. But I still don't think he was the most "influential" person of American sports of the past 35 years.
Here's some guys that have been pretty influential in American sports. (Off the top of my head.)
1. Michael Phelps
2. Muhammad Ali (You said 35 years)
3. Michael Jordan. Probably the most famous American athlete of all time
4. Carl Lewis. Didn't he win something like 9 gold medals?
5. Tiger Woods. First athlete billionaire. Kinda tainted now, eh?
6. Lance Armstrong.
It would be hard to say that these "athletes" aren't more influential than the Yankee's owner, even if he was the best owner ever. That's just my opinion though.
Hopper
Banned
Last 35 years, mebbe. But all-time? I don't think so! Homey don't play dat.
All-time: Dizzy Dean!
No way I put Phelps, Armstrong, or Lewis on that list. Their accomplishments are noteable, but their sports are minor blips on the landscape. You want to argue Jordan, Ali, or Woods, I get that. I would also put David Stern and Phil Knight on that list. Maybe even Pete Rozelle and/or Roone Arledge.
But all of them are below Steinbrenner.
Archie Moses
Well-Known Member
Dude, Steinbrenner isn't even a household name. How can he be the most influential and most important?
He's not? When did this happen?
Archie Moses
Well-Known Member
He's not. Most guys know who he is, but ask kids, woman, and people don't follow sports if they know who he is cause I bet you most don't. After you ask them, go ahead and ask them if they know who Phelps, Armstrong, and all the other guys I listed are. Those guys are household names, although Steinbrenner's death is getting more air time than MJ's right now. At least it seems like that.
I just asked a lady who Carl Lewis is. She thought he was a boxer.
What you don't get is there was a time that Steinbrenner was the face of the Yankees. Yeah, they had Reggie Jackson, Don Mattingly, Derek Jeter, etc., but Steinbrenner WAS the Yankees. Much like Jerry Jones is the Cowboys. What sports is today is largely due to Steinbrenner.
Archie Moses
Well-Known Member
Well, I'm sad the guy died. Sounds like an amazing man I didn't know much about. YB, thanks for filling me in on some stuff. Prayers to the family, friends, and organization (that was hard to type).
