Conference 7.286::sports_90

    As the European press don't have the same love-hate relationship
    with George Stinkburger (possible (tm) ???), can someone pass on
    a brief review of what the Yankee boss has done and what the 'Commish'
    has done to punish him.
    
    Thanks, PJ

 Basically George had dealings with convicted gambler Howard Spira to
 dig up dirt on Dave Winfield. As part of Dave's contract, George was
 suppose to donate x amount of dollars to the Dave Winfield foundation
 a charitable organization that distributes money to need kids' programs.
 George was trying to discredit Dave and avoid the payments. He gave 
 Spira $40,000.00 to dig up the dirt. He first claimed it was out of the
 goodness of his heart that he gave him the dough, then later claimed
 it was for fear of what might happen to his family.

 As of 8/20 George must resign from the day to day opperation of the
 yankees. He can be consult on major business dealing (ie possible
 sale of team, tv contracts etc) but not on signing players, free agents
 hiring and firing of managers etc.. As of today he will not contest
 that ruling but again that could change. What will probably happen is
 that George's son will take over the day to day opperations of the team
 and although he's not supposed to consult with his dad, I find it hard
 to believe that he won't or that they can prove he's not. Also if George
 wants to attend a game he must talk to Fay first.

 While I'm sorry to see him go (after all he dragged the yanks down to the
 cellar where I's like them to stay) I applaud the commisioner for his tough
 stance on the matter. Too bad someone in DC couldn't take a lesson....

 mike

    
    
    
    
    JaKe
    

	Hey, T, who's going to be your new whipping boy?

mc

    Quote from Commissioner Fay Vincent:
    
    "I sat through two days of Mr. Steinbrenner's testimony and I am able
    to judge the degree of candor and contrition present in this case.  I am
    able to discern an attempt to force explanations in hindsight onto
    discomforting facts.  And I am able to evaluate a pattern of behavior
    that borders on the bizarre."

Mr. Vincent sat through two days of it.

The rest of the free world figured it out years ago.  Just had to watch
whenever Steinbrenner moved his lips to figure out he was lying.

Bob Hunt

    I don't understand how Fay can do this.  I mean, isn't this George's
    team?  How can anyone tell him what to do, or that he can't do it
    anymore?  And regardless, isn't making him get permission to attend a
    game a little ridiculous/bizarre/radical?
    
    I dunno, I see all the supposed cencorship in everything lately, and I
    don't see any difference here.
    
    And I don't particularly like the guy, or hate him either........
    
    Hawk

    
    I was watching the Tigers Yankees game last night.  Trammel hit a
    double into the right field corner when the announcement was made
    at the stadium.  The Yankee fans were giving a standing ovation to
    news that George was gone.  I know Trammel didn't know what was going
    on.  Next batter up Cecil Fielder who proceeded to deposit a LaPointe
    pitch into the right field bleachers.  The fans were still cheering.
    
    \pjb

>    I don't understand how Fay can do this.  I mean, isn't this George's
>    team?  How can anyone tell him what to do, or that he can't do it
>    anymore?  And regardless, isn't making him get permission to attend a
>    game a little ridiculous/bizarre/radical?



	It's in the rules.  In order to be in the league teams agree to abide 
by the rules.  The rules give the commisioner the right to ban owners and 
players as he sees fit for 'the good of the game'.  

mc

�    I don't understand how Fay can do this.  I mean, isn't this George's
�    team?  How can anyone tell him what to do, or that he can't do it
�    anymore?  And regardless, isn't making him get permission to attend a
�    game a little ridiculous/bizarre/radical?
    
    Fay Vincent is the Commisioner of Major League Baseball.  It is part of
    his job to uphold and defend the image of Baseball.  That power was
    given to him by the baseball owners.  In addition all baseball team
    owners or potential owners must be approved by the Commisioner and the
    other owners.
    
    As far as George's attendance at games, the guy got caught committing a
    crime against baseball.  Vincent can't send him to jail, but he can
    impose a punishment.  There were only a few ways to hit George where it
    hurt, in the wallet (which he didn't do - or maybe he did - he didn't
    force George to sell the team), or in his love for baseball.
    
    Big question in the newscasts this morning is Why is George taking
    this so well?  Did Vincent uncover a few other things George doesn't
    want to become public?  Will George fire Stump as his last official act
    before being banned from baseball forever?

     <<< Note 316.11 by CNTROL::CHILDS "and so castles made of sand..." >>>
                 -< maybe Fay's going to buy a few ships  ;^) >-

    
>    Big question in the newscasts this morning is Why is George taking
>    this so well?  Did Vincent uncover a few other things George doesn't
>    want to become public?  Will George fire Stump as his last official act
>    before being banned from baseball forever?


Probably an agreement between George and Fay that Fay will not oppose and
will campaign for George's son to be  his replacement. This is my own personal
belief....

mike

    I wonder how the limited partners are taking this...

>    I wonder how the limited partners are taking this...

	Many of the limited partners are, naturally, friends and
business associates of the Boss. From what I heard on ESPN last night,
many are surprised and confused by the whole situation. I think that 
they are none too happy about the situation, and since the value of team went 
from 10 million to 200 million, that now would be a good time for them to cash
in their chips. If they bought 5% of the Yankees back when George got in,
they paid 500,000.00. Now, that 5% is worth 10 million bucks. Sounds like a
good deal to me. With the 7% or so that George has to sell, plus other
percentages that may be available, I wouldn't be surprised to see someone
buy in to the Yanks in a big way.

	I can dream, can't I :^)

Jim M

Maybe George will do us a favor and get depressed and take a long drive
with Billy Martin's drinking buddy!!!
    
    
Greg

    Gorge was flushed for harming the integrity of the game of baseball,
    right?  Based on Reggie Jackson's geeky performance last night, I say
    that it's high time to review Reggie's continued association with our
    Nation's Pasttime:
    
    	"Ted, the reaction to individual Yankees, both past and present,
        the Mantles, the Berras, the Reggie Jacksons, is sorrow..."
    
    Now, first off, my 2 year old whom we're trying to toilet train right
    now was pleased to find that he isn't the only one in the home to groan
    and poop de pants while sitting on the couch.  So there was at least 
    that good in Jackson's shameless geekery.  But, *c'mon*, am I missing
    something?  Is there any reason Koppel didn't just laugh in Reggie's
    face on national TV and speculate on whether he too is infected with
    that nasty ol' bug that's been goin' around, CLOPsteritis?!
    
    	"Ted, this is just devastating for George Steinbrenner, for his
        family, and for the whole game of baseball."
    
    Koppel at least was able to pull up a shred of intellectual honesty
    on this one, and axe how it was devastating for the game that a_ex-con
    acehole bufoon had finally been bounced out.  They even ran a clip of
    the ecstatic Yankee fans cheering so wildly that one woulda thought 
    they'd just beat the Oakland A's in the ALCS.
    
    The FCC should yank (pun fully and unapologetically intended) Jackson's
    broadcast license.
    
    Face it: Spleenbenders' departing for good under yet another cloud of
    criminality is the best single thing to happen in baseball since the
    invention of the catcher's protective face mask.
    
    MrT

    >Hey, T, who's going to be your new whipping boy?
    
    Good question, Mike.  I sat down with a blank yellow legal pad 
    and tried to lay out the pros and cons of this.  
    
    Obviously, the most frightening aspeck of Gorge's departure is 
    that the Stinkees might actually rise above being the worst franchise 
    in baseball within the next several years.  SpendBlender was/is a
    regrettable geek of the lowest possible orde4r, but let us be honest
    here: The Yankees are even worse.
    
    Second, despite SpleenBender's world renowned status as a just plain
    stupid businessman, he *did* end up with that billion dollar TV 
    contract.  Now, the other owners assured themselves that with Gorge
    at the helm this money posed no threat as far as competitive advantage
    in these days of free agency and zillion dollar bidding wars.  This is
    no longer the case.  The owners must be terribly frightened as the
    terrible danger Vincent has just put baseball in, and frankly so am I.
    
    It's time to talk revenue sharing, and now.
    
    Third, I always loved Gorged cuz of his crossover potential into the
    world of pseudoconservative NeoConMan politics.  The tie-in was valid,
    and the quantity tied in was squalid.  Here ya had a_incompetent heir
    who mooched tax dollars from that closet socialist Nixon, was a_ex-con
    for rigging elections while proclaiming fealty to Democracy, and who
    is as we speak ready to hit the headlines on a Navy bid-rigging scandal
    involving a crooked Congressman from Tampa.  
    
    And, in light of the dangers to baseball of letting a_ex-con into the
    fold being borne out, imagine if they let such a crook get involved in
    a susceptible sport such a horse rac.... whoops!
    
    That's my answer, Mike!  I'll jest start up a horsie not and my favorite
    old buffoon'll be right there for the picking!
    
    Btw, is Buddy LeRoux steal hooked up with the BoreSox?
    
    MrT
    
    
    

    
    No, Leroux no longer has any ties to the Red Sox. When his coup
    attempt failed a few years ago part of the agreement was that he
    would sell off his partnership. He bought Suffolk Downs with the
    proceeds and has run it into bankruptcy. 
    
    Current Sox owners are:
    
    	General Partners:
    
    	Majority owner - JRY Corp. Jean Yawkey Chairwoman
    				   John Harrington President
    
    	Haywood Sullivan
    
    	Limited Partners:
    
    	H.M. Stevens Inc. - Joseph B. Stevens Jr. Principal
    		       	    (Fenway Park Concession owners)

    	Dexter Group -  Harold Alfond Principal
    
    	Jean R. Yawkey Trust
    
    	Arthur M. Pappas M.D.
    
    	Samuel A. Tamposi
    
    	Thomas R. Dibenidetto
    
    

     RE: .14
    
    Yeah, like Donald Trump or Don King! [Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!]

    George has announced that his son and son-in-laws will take control of
    the team.
    
    Oh well...back to the A's for me.
    
    joJ

    I saw a picture of George's son Hank, in today's paper.  His face
    reminded me of someone, and it finally clicked.  Pat Sullivan, son of
    one-time Patriots owner, Billy Sullivan.
    
    					Steve

    According to an article in today's paper, George's sentence was his own
    idea.  Vincent had proposed a more lenient sentence involving a one or
    two year suspension and a 3 year probation.
    
    Because of this incident, George may lose his seat on the USOC.

    Mac, I wonder if we'll ever know the truth about who really decided
    what the sentence would be.  Not to kick a guy when he's down, but
    I wouldn't put it past George to start such a story so as to put
    a better face on his embarrasing situation.
    
    Anyway, I personally am thankful that Vincent is the comish.  He's
    had some tough situations come his way, and I think he's handled
    them very well, such as this case and that of Pete Rose.
    
    Lee

    Hawk, you need psychobabbological counseling.  Bad.  
    
    re: "sentence"
    
    Obviously Gorge got off scott free.  All the so-called sentence amounts
    to is a gag order, which is certainly all America has been hoping for
    the last 17 years.  So, now we're faced with the interesting prospeck of
    of inferring Gorge's stupidity from the statements and actions of his
    son, with whom you cain surely assume he'll dine just prior to each game,
    lineup card in hand.
    
    Where is our nation going: A guy gets caught buying business through 
    bribe-giving, but doesn't go to jail (after all, he *was* a rich white
    person).  Then he's allowed to buy a national treasure and defile it.
    Then he gets caught using a gangster to try and frame a superstar player,
    and he only gets slapped with a gag order!
    
    Fay Vincent should be fired for this ack of malfeasance.
    
    Am I unhappy about the fack that Gorge is going basically unpunished? 
    No, 'Merica is a nation that's acquired the habit of letting its worst
    crooks off (how's that backhand, Ivan?); and anyway, with Gorge steal
    at the helm we're not really threatened by that billion dollar TV money.
    
    MrT

    > Hawk, you need psychobabbological counseling.  Bad.
    
    I know that.  You know that.  I knew that you knew that I knew that.
    
    Hawk

    I got a chuckle out of this......
    
    In last night's Lawrence Eagle Tribune, they had the weekly "Sports
    Talk" where callers tell their views on the week's question followed by
    a comment by one of the writers.  This week's question was whether or 
    not you agree with Fay Vincent's decision on George.
    
    Caller: "Billy Martin must be looking down, laughing his pants off. 
    	    Finally somebody fired George.  Too bad he wasn't here to see
            it."
    
    Writer: "Who says he isn't laughing looking up?"
    
    :-)
    
    Hawk

What makes you think I didn't know that?


A political cartoon on the editorial page of yesterday's Hartford
Courant:

		Babe Ruth, larger than life, with his arm
		around Fay Vincent's shoulders.  The Babe is
		saying "Thanks kid."


FYI,
'Saw

    Lee, the article on the sentencing of George said that it was put
    together primarily from the answers to questions posed to Vincent
    during a press conference.  They may have done alot of reading between
    the lines, though.  Fay didn't volunteer much info.

>                       -< Something screwy is going on >-

>    According to an article in today's paper, George's sentence was his own
>    idea.


USA Today speculated that Steinbrenner took the lifetime personal ban
because under Vincent's proposed suspension, he and his family would
have been completely removed from the operations of the Yankees for at
least 2 years.  Steinbrenner has planned to have his son take over, and
Vincent's ruling has forced it to happen now.


Joe

    >Face it: Spleenbenders' departing for good under yet another cloud of
    >criminality is the best single thing to happen in baseball since the
    >invention of the catcher's protective face mask.
    
    I don't know.  I think baseball, the institution, can find something
    more discernably *positive* to enjoy.  As for Yankee fans, there is no
    doubt that this is the best single thing that can happen.
    
    Dan

    The Boston Globe had an article written for the NY Daily News which
    said that Steinbrenner sent out a letter to the minority partners of
    the Yankees.  The letter indicated that George wanted them to sign an 
    agreement which they said they would vote in Hank as majority partner 
    and agree to let George make the business decisions (they would vote
    the way George wanted).  The article indicates that in a what the letter 
    is saying is that George will be able to run the club from behind the
    scenes which differs from what Fay Vincent's ruling indicates.
    
    Many minority partners were alarmed and outraged by "Steinbrenner's 
    Scarlet Letter" and refused to sign and return the letter.
    
    Fay Vincent hasn't seen the letter but has been advised of its
    contents.
    
    The letter was sent out "earlier this week" and implies more than the
    words say. 
    
    Jim

    Jim, thanks for entering this.  I just finished reading the article
    and was going to enter a note.
    
    Looks like George has shot himself in the foot with this one.
    
    Mark.

    This is another good reason for banning him from baseball management.
    
    I wonder if we can believe anything he says now, or in the future?
    I mean, if he said "Morning" to me, I'd figure it must be time for
    me to lock up the desk and head home!
    
    What a jerk!

    Lee