The Empire

You can always tell who built the empire and who inherited it. Art imitates life on the silver screen in just such a scenario in countless movies we have seen over the years. Too many to list, I can tell you this: Alec Baldwin and Hugh Grant would be the perfect douche-bags to play Henry “Hankenstein” and Hal Steinbrenner. Hank and Hal, in just under three years time, have completely ruined the greatest sports franchise of all time. They have taken away the heart and soul of the most passionate fans in baseball. Leaving most of them on the outside looking in (from the Hard Rock Cafe). To take away Yankee Stadium from Yankee fans is like taking away the Coliseum from Romans. Or like taking away hope from Mets fans. (Aww too soon?) And for what?

A team rich with history and tradition and all its glory now has as much mystique and aura in their “New” park as their kid sister’s place over in Queens. This is worse than when Michael Corleone died, slumped over in a chair at his Palazzo in Sicily in Godfather III and Sonny’s bastard son took over the family. You sit there watching the whole thing in disbelief. Wondering the whole time how could things be so bad and why you have not turned it off yet. You can’t! It’s the Godfather!

You see what I’m sayin? Watch what I’m tellin you.

Hank and Hal have destroyed all that was good about the Yankees. They have made the Yankees everything everyone ever accused them of being when in fact they were not. Worst of all they threw their fans under the bus in the process. In 10 or 15 years Hank and Hal will sell the team to another yet undeserving “collared shirt” who knows nothing about baseball or its history or his responsibility to it as the owner of what once was the greatest franchise in sports.

This I know for sure will never be the case in the “New Yankee Stadium”:  “…nothing is as compelling as walking into Yankee Stadium and taking a deep breath as you feel the chills run through your body at the first sight of that perfectly groomed green checkered grass. Or the feel of Royalty and Excellence that surround and embrace you when seated in the in the dark blue cathedral in the Bronx simply known as “The Stadium”

Bunch Of Stiffs

The New York Yankees are in unfamiliar territory. Their own home field. Mystique and Aura no longer appearing nightly. Usually played at 161st and River the World Series will surely not be held in the Bronx this year. The Yankees just plain suck. From top to bottom they are a disaster of a team with less identity then the New York Jets. Now that is hard to do.

Nick Swisher has become a folk hero overnight. He is more of a “true yankee” than Giambi Mussina and A-Rod combined and he has been in the Bronx for 3 days. And he is doing it while the team is struggling to even get out of its own way.

Joe Girardi is not managing this team like the guy who won manager of the year in 2006. Where is the Billy Martin in him that we all heard about? You can see in his press conferences and hear it in his voice. He is not himself. You cannot manage like that and win at the major league level. PUT YOUR FOOT DOWN JOE! Step on some toes and get the zoo going man. Tell Hal and Hank to go build some ships and leave the team decisions to you. MANAGE HOW YOU WANNA MANAGE!

Joba: Give it up, you are not a starter. You have the make up of a closer. A big guy with a mean attitude that can crank it up for an inning or two and be untouchable 3 or 4 times a week. Take your place behind Mo while he keeps the seat warm for you. The transition will be seamless… like your fastball after the 3rd inning.

Derek Jeter: Just admit you do not belong in the leadoff spot and you should probably be batting closer to the bottom if not last itself. Joe DiMaggio walked away at your age instead of holding on or taking a lesser role. And those were just whispers. What you are hearing is a LOUD ROAR! You have a caddie now? WOW! That in itself speaks volumes.

Jorge Posada: Give it up man. Molina is a great defensive catcher. You have nothing to prove. You could not throw guys out before you got hurt. Not one person expects you to throw anyone out now or cares if you do. just except the role of DH and back up firstbaseman/catcher and we can move on.

Johnny Damon: Feelin the love now Johnny?

Brett Gardner: Can you have a bigger hole that lefty loop? Shorten up the bat, choke up and be a hitter and get on base. Come on man didn’t you see Major League?

Melky Cabrera: You had to know last year you were competing for your job. You are not a centerfielder. But an outfielder nonetheless. They went out and got Nady and Swisher gave your job to Gardner and offered you in at least two trades. You think you could lose a pound?

A-Rod: take your time

I could go on but it’s not worth it. If you grew up in the late 70’s and suffered through the 80’s like I did watching this team you know that this team is far from greatness. World Series? Yeah right. They wont even make the playoffs. Yes it’s April and I said it.

Prove me wrong!

The New Yankee Staduim designed for amputees

My father who recently passed away had told me not to believe in all the hype of the “New Perfect Yankee Stadium”. He promised that “they will make seats that won’t be perfect or will be obstructed”. I am happy to say that my dad was right, unless these seats were intended for amputees, either way you wouldn’t catch me dead in these “Top Dollar” infield seats. Jesus what will these Yankee’s come up with next. They promised us no obstructed seats with plenty of leg room and no obstructed views, I guess the architects were drunk when they designed this state of the art facility. I would like to recommend this as a “Seating Fail” on failblog.com

Say it Ain’t Joe!? A Farewell to Yankee Stadium?

The Boinger

So they said farewell last night to Yankee Stadium. Some people could care less others in my opinion care a little too much. I could go on about feeling sentimental for concrete and steel but that is not what I am here for today. Yesterday was a farewell to “The Stadium” and all that came to pass there. A chance to look back and reflect on all the wonderful moments in its history and a chance for fans to not only show their appreciation but for the Yankees organization to thank its fans as well as stick out their chest a big and blow some hot air.

I just have one question:

Where was Joe Torre? I know he is in L.A. taking the Dodgers to the post season but where was Joe Torre? There was no Joe Torre in the video montage. No one even mentioned his name. How do you say goodbye to Yankee Stadium, recognize everyone that came from start to finish including all of Joe Torre’s players who won those 4 World Championships and all the celebrated managers that came before him and NOT MENTION HIM?

That is just terrible. I mean they dragged out a bunch of stiffs to represent every dead Yankee legend as well as spouses and children of deceased players. They had some of the oldest living Yankees in attendance and no Torre? Even Mattingly was missed if you blinked. That is a disgrace to me, one of Joe Torre’s biggest and toughest critics. The man gave the team everything he had. Opened his entire personal life up to the team and its fans. Ate slept and breathed NEW YORK for 12 seasons and that is how you say goodbye?