“I’m obsessed with winning, with discipline, with achieving. That’s what this country’s all about, that’s what New York’s all about — fighting for everything.”
That’s a quote from George Steinbrenner that I saw in an obituary on Sports Illustrated’s website today. It seemed to sum up his general attitude toward life, but it also related to the overall tone of the article: over the course of three pages, there were only three fleeting moments where anything remotely warm and fuzzy was said about Steinbrenner. Two of those moments only had to do with his money and were sandwiched between less flattering descriptions:
“Steinbrenner would harass an employee to no end, humiliating and abusing them at his whim. Then he’d send their kids through college or hire them back with a bonus.”
“Steinbrenner was often the most-hated man in sports, a fitting title that he wore well. He was combative, belligerent, charitable and ruthless.”
Wait, did you catch the word “charitable” in that last quote? How nice.
I am going to die someday. So are you. Some people might find that statement morbid, but it’s just a simple truth. As many before me have already noted, it’s one of the few things we know for sure in our lives. It’s actually surprising to me how many people get scared away from the topic of death when it’s so closely intertwined and inseparable from life. If all goes well, I won’t die any time soon. But if I kicked the bucket tomorrow, what would my obituary say?
Steinbrenner was an incredibly successful man. He had more money than I will probably ever dream of. He owned one of the most storied franchises in all of sports and played a big hand in restoring them to legendary status. He was driven, ambitious, and (in his own words) “obsessed with winning.” But the very attitude he cherished in himself meant he was remembered (by some) as a tyrant.
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