For the record, I didn't say I was rooting for the Yankees.. as I said in the infamous Red Sox post that would feel like rooting for Microsoft.. but I do love watching them make everyone freak out. I think it's great for the sport, adds much more drama.. all of America will be rooting for someone, anyone to take down this massive juggernaut from the town everybody loves to hate... what more compelling storyline could you ask for?
And on the real I don't even see how it makes sense to cast George and the Yanks as villains here.. it's not like they are cheating, every move they make is entirely within the rules. Are the rules severely screwy and unfair to most franchises? Sure, but that's the league's fault not George's.. recognizing how the system works and using it to your advantage doesn't make you a cheater, it just makes you a winner.
Michael Jordan was acutely aware of the unfair advantage he had with the refs, he knew he'd always get friendly calls nobody else got, but did he ever pass up on that advantage out of some high-minded sense of fairness?
Hell no, he milked it at every opportunity. He was constantly lobbying and buzzing in the refs' ears to make even more calls in his favor, and bent the rules all the time knowing they wouldn't usually call him on it.
That's what winners do. They do everything within their power, and within the rules, to help their team win. George Steinbrenner is not a cheater, he is simply a winner, just like Mike was. As much as we Knick fans may have hated Mike, we always had to respect him.. and Steinbrenner deserves that same respect.
