LLT
07-18-2010, 08:53 AM
Steinbrenner's death stirs discussion of best and worst bosses in sports
By Tom Jones - St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times
The world lost one of the great owners in the history of sports last week when the New York Yankees' George Steinbrenner died in Tampa. Steinbrenner was one of the most influential, controversial and prominent sports owners of all time. Few threw his weight around, changed the game and made headlines like "The Boss." Really, it's something that has faded from the sports landscape, the well-known owners. We have fewer newsmakers such as Marge Schott, Art Modell and Wayne Huizenga. So today, we look at the most recognizable and conspicuous owners in sports.
Flashiest owner: Jerry Jones.
Everything about the Dallas Cowboys owner is Texas-sized big: his personality, his bravado and, of course, his state-of-the-art stadium, which has become the gold standard of sports venues. Plus, he's a big enough name that he even did a guest stint on the popular and hip HBO show Entourage. That's juice, baby.
Most clueless owner: Daniel Snyder.
Forget all the million-dollar free agent signings that didn't pan out for the Washington Redskins. This guy hired Bruce Allen. Do we need to say any more?
Most accessible:Mark Cuban.
How appropriate that the nickname of his team is the Mavericks. No surprise that he made his money in computers as he has embraced 21st century technology. He constantly posts messages on Twitter and is always available to speak to the media. The best part is he is a constant thorn in the side of stuffed-suit NBA Commissioner David Stern.
Best athlete owners: We have a tie between the Charlotte Bobcats' Michael Jordan and the Pittsburgh Penguins' Mario Lemieux.
No player on their teams can ever say, "You don't know what it's like to play." They do because they played it better than you!
Best owner: Mike Ilitch
We like any owner who spends money and puts a winning product on the field and you barely hear a word out of those such as the Detroit Red Wings' Mike Ilitch, New York Giants' John Mara and Steve Tisch and the owners of the Boston Red Sox.
Most dignified: The Rooneys.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have been in the Rooney family since Art Sr. used the $2,500 won on a day at the track to purchase the team in 1933. Today, sons Art Jr. and Dan, who still attends Mass every morning and is the U.S. ambassador to Ireland, run what is considered one of the classiest franchises in sports. They are famous for not acting famous.
Craziest owner: Al Davis
Oakland Raiders boss Al Davis was, is and always will be the craziest owner in sports. He says what he wants and does what he wants, including suing the NFL and anyone else who gets in his way. The renegade Raiders of the 1970s and 1980s were merely following the lead of their owner.
Whiniest owner: Dan Gilbert
Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert certainly made a name for himself with all this bellyaching about LeBron. We didn't even know who owned the Cavs a couple of weeks ago. Now we do, and not in a good way.
Worst owner: Donald Sterling
The winner is a no-brainer: The Los Angeles' Clippers' Donald Sterling. His Clippers have had only two winning seasons since he bought the team in 1981. But don't worry about Sterling. He has seen the franchise increase in value from $12.5 million to nearly $300 million.
Our favorite owners: ???
Those of the Green Bay Packers, of course. Why? Because they are just like us working, middle-class folks who pump gas, tend bars, teach kids, fix sinks and, of course, pack meat. The Packers are the only nonprofit, community-owned major-league professional sports team in the United States. That's cool.
Read more: http://www.kentucky.com/2010/07/18/1353865/steinbrenners-death-stirs-discussion.html#ixzz0u2da92Vx
By Tom Jones - St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times
The world lost one of the great owners in the history of sports last week when the New York Yankees' George Steinbrenner died in Tampa. Steinbrenner was one of the most influential, controversial and prominent sports owners of all time. Few threw his weight around, changed the game and made headlines like "The Boss." Really, it's something that has faded from the sports landscape, the well-known owners. We have fewer newsmakers such as Marge Schott, Art Modell and Wayne Huizenga. So today, we look at the most recognizable and conspicuous owners in sports.
Flashiest owner: Jerry Jones.
Everything about the Dallas Cowboys owner is Texas-sized big: his personality, his bravado and, of course, his state-of-the-art stadium, which has become the gold standard of sports venues. Plus, he's a big enough name that he even did a guest stint on the popular and hip HBO show Entourage. That's juice, baby.
Most clueless owner: Daniel Snyder.
Forget all the million-dollar free agent signings that didn't pan out for the Washington Redskins. This guy hired Bruce Allen. Do we need to say any more?
Most accessible:Mark Cuban.
How appropriate that the nickname of his team is the Mavericks. No surprise that he made his money in computers as he has embraced 21st century technology. He constantly posts messages on Twitter and is always available to speak to the media. The best part is he is a constant thorn in the side of stuffed-suit NBA Commissioner David Stern.
Best athlete owners: We have a tie between the Charlotte Bobcats' Michael Jordan and the Pittsburgh Penguins' Mario Lemieux.
No player on their teams can ever say, "You don't know what it's like to play." They do because they played it better than you!
Best owner: Mike Ilitch
We like any owner who spends money and puts a winning product on the field and you barely hear a word out of those such as the Detroit Red Wings' Mike Ilitch, New York Giants' John Mara and Steve Tisch and the owners of the Boston Red Sox.
Most dignified: The Rooneys.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have been in the Rooney family since Art Sr. used the $2,500 won on a day at the track to purchase the team in 1933. Today, sons Art Jr. and Dan, who still attends Mass every morning and is the U.S. ambassador to Ireland, run what is considered one of the classiest franchises in sports. They are famous for not acting famous.
Craziest owner: Al Davis
Oakland Raiders boss Al Davis was, is and always will be the craziest owner in sports. He says what he wants and does what he wants, including suing the NFL and anyone else who gets in his way. The renegade Raiders of the 1970s and 1980s were merely following the lead of their owner.
Whiniest owner: Dan Gilbert
Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert certainly made a name for himself with all this bellyaching about LeBron. We didn't even know who owned the Cavs a couple of weeks ago. Now we do, and not in a good way.
Worst owner: Donald Sterling
The winner is a no-brainer: The Los Angeles' Clippers' Donald Sterling. His Clippers have had only two winning seasons since he bought the team in 1981. But don't worry about Sterling. He has seen the franchise increase in value from $12.5 million to nearly $300 million.
Our favorite owners: ???
Those of the Green Bay Packers, of course. Why? Because they are just like us working, middle-class folks who pump gas, tend bars, teach kids, fix sinks and, of course, pack meat. The Packers are the only nonprofit, community-owned major-league professional sports team in the United States. That's cool.
Read more: http://www.kentucky.com/2010/07/18/1353865/steinbrenners-death-stirs-discussion.html#ixzz0u2da92Vx