The House the Boss Built

The "Boss" was recently seen touring the new Yankee stadium with his daughter.  For those of you who are not baseball fans, the "Boss" is George M. Steinbrenner (AKA the "big Stein" and a regular character on Seinfeld).

I can't wait to go see the new stadium.  The reports and pictures are very impressive.  The new stadium is hi-tech (wi-fi, the latest scoreboard, etc.), while  at the same time preserves the architectural style of the original Yankee Stadium, as it opened in 1923 (and before the big-face lift in 72).

Yankee Stadium is baseball's grand cathedral.  Anaheim Stadium, while a nice facility, and the place where I most often watch the sport I love,  is to baseball what Rick Warren's Saddleback is to the megachurch.  It is hard to enjoy a game in Anaheim because of all the teenie-boppers kicking around beach balls, and trying to start a "wave."  And who can forget the Disney years of "seeker-sensitive" baseball?  Far too many people come to watch the Angels because it is an event, not because they are fans of the game.  This is the big OC after all.

I know, many of you think the picture of the Boss walking through his new stadium is baseball's equivalent of the man of sin entering the temple, but the fact is the luxury tax he pays keeps a number of your teams afloat (any Pirates or Marlins fans out there?), and baseball without a grand Yankee Stadium just wouldn't be the same.

If the old Yankee Stadium is the "House that Ruth built," the new Yankee Stadium is surely the "House the Boss built."  And I don't care how much you hate the Yankees, you have to admit, this will be great for baseball. 

Comments

[richard]

Yes, the analogy of the "man of sin" entering the temple is spot on. Go, Dodgers.

[LLOYD]

George Steinbrenner is a lot like Al Davis of my Oakland Raiders. (I had Raider season tickets for eight years.)

Both of these great owners have an unparalleled desire to win. As fans, you really can't ask for anything more from an owner than that. Each of these gentlemen will spend every cent they have to win.

Many people don't know this, but Al Davis is a practicing Jew. (Now you know why Al has such a fighting, competitive spirit!)

[Cameo]

I'm looking forward to the new stadium, but I'm still working through the grieving process over the current stadium. The process will be complete when I make my final trek in early September. Once the Yankees take the World Series, I'll be chomping at the bit to buy tickets for the '09 season. Thanks for holding the Yankees flag high in Christian blogdom.

[Roy]

GOOOOOO! Angels!!!

[timinater]

It is like the form for the Lakers. Sad to see it go, but better things ahead like Stapples Center is much nicer.

Looking forward to seeing the Yankees play in their new stadium, still sad to see the old go.

Go YAnkees!

[Howard Fisher]

I am sitting here with a smile. It just seems the Curse of the Bambino must be over. Game 2 on ESPN. Third inning and it is 5-1. Still 6 more to though.

:-)