WHY IT'S A YANKEE LOVE STORY

On October 26, 1996 I woke up with one thing on my mind, the Yankees had an opportunity to clinch the World Series against the pesky Atlanta Braves in what was Joe Torre’s first year as Yankee manager. It was huge for me, because in that winter of 1995, the headlines creamed Joe Torre calling him “Clueless Joe” and it was George Steinbrenner that believed in Joe, no one else. The fans, well, we just wanted a winning season and at that moment, some of us were disappointed that Buck Showalter had to go, yet others thought we didn’t need him around because they felt he didn’t do enough against the Seattle Mariners in the 1995 playoffs. Me? I wanted change, but at the time I didn’t know what that meant.

My wife and I were still dating and it was about a year in and things were great, and slowly but surely she knew I was a Yankee fan. I tried to keep it cool, not fanatical in front of my babe, but just enough. It was about not overdoing it. As the Yankees advanced to the World Series, the cat was out of the bag, I was over-excited. It was huge, we were about to win it all!

So on that October morning, I remember I needed to get a few items at the store, drinks, food and I was planning my entire day around the Yankee game, a historic event. The last World Series the Yankees were in was 1981 against the Dodgers. This was huge for me, because I was able to attend Game 2 at the stadium. I was just a kid with my dad. The Yankees lost that World Series and I was crushed. Now, on October 26, 1996, I knew it wasn’t going to happen again.

“My family is going to a big Haunted House in New York. We should go with then…It should be fun,” She said. I felt my face getting flushed. I was in a dilemma right now and I didn’t know what to do. Do I fake a stomach ache? Do I say I need to go to work?

“Well the Yankees are on tonight, they could clinch.” I said, worried. “Don’t we have a VCR,? just tape it.” Yes, that’s right, VCR. For those of you that don’t know what that is, here is the official definition.

VCR: Electromechanical device that records, stores on a videotape cassette, and plays back on a TV set recorded images and sound. The first commercial VCRs were marketed by Sony Corp. in 1969. VCRs are used to record broadcast TV programs for later viewing and to play commercially recorded cassettes. They have from two to seven tape heads that read and inscribe video and audio tracks on magnetic tape. Home movies can be made with a camcorder system, a VCR connected to a simple video camera.

I caved. Look, you have to understand, she caught me off guard, she’s drop dead gorgeous and she was right, I just have to tape it bro. So I did. What the hell, we can go up to the Haunted House, knock it out and I’ll be back by the 8^th inning, why not? Piece of cake.

The ride up was nerve racking but I listened to the game in the car. While everyone was talking about fun we were about to have, I was worrying about Cecil Fielder, Derek Jeter and Charlie Hayes and whether or not we were going to win the damn game. We got to the Haunted House and the line was very very long. I shit myself. “My God, I think I just made a bad bad decision,” I thought. “I don’t even like to be scared, what the hell am I doing here?”

The line luckily had televisions throughout the barn we were walking through, so I saw pieces of the game, but it really just sucked to try and pay attention. The sound was down and people are drunk, walking through the line, talking about how great the haunted house will be. Well, it was great, for them. We got in and to tell you the truth, it’s not my cup of tea, people scaring you, midgets with fake chainsaws. I think there was a lady with no head, I’m not sure, but I swore I saw that as I ran out.

At that point, I was happy. “Let’s go! I need to watch the World Series!” I walked quickly to the car and as I walked in the parking lot, 4 dudes were sitting their car with the door opened and the radio was blasting. Sterling was rattling off play by play with Kay. I realized at that moment, those guys were Yankee fans. I walked over to the car, “Move over,” I said and I sat in the back seat with these guys, I had no idea who they were. Then I heard Sterling scream when Hayes squeezed the foul ball “Hayes, MAKES the Catch!!"

We high-fived each other and I was on my way. I got back in my car and my wife was laughing at me. “Did you know those guys from college or something?” She asked. “No.” I said smiling. “So who were they?” she asked. “Yankee fans, we just won the World Series.” She didn’t get it until we got home and I pressed rewind on the VCR. I watched the last inning. I watched Charlie Hayes catch the last out and I watched the celebration over and over and over again. Wade Boggs was on the horse, the champagne and I cried like a girl for hours by myself. My wife walked in around 2am and saw me there in the dark watching the whole thing, over and over again. Right then... she got it. She was dating a Yankee fan, a true Yankee fan and she gave me a big hug…before mocking me or course.

I told you this story because every October, I think about it. I’d do absolutely anything for her and that includes going to a haunted house during a clinching World Series game. Yes, baseball matters to me, the Yankees definitely do, but as I’ve said so many times before, my family matters the most.

Telling all of you this story was important to me. Enjoy it, share it, laugh or cry, whatever you want. One thing's for sure though, my wife is the strongest, greatest person in my world and every day only gets better, even if she thinks I’m a baseball nerd, it’s just the way it is.

Tonight, I will be in my basement for Game 5 of the ALDS. Tonight, we need to advance. LET'S GO YANKEES!

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WHY IT'S ANOTHER YANKEE CLASSIC...THANKS TO STEINBRENNER

Man oh man, another classic Yankee commercial that I found with the help of Weary Soul

who sent this link after we sent out the really popular BYB post WHY THESE ARE THE BEST YANKEE COMMERICALS EVER. Enjoy it! Thanks Weary Soul!



We miss you George.







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WHY GEORGE JUST ROLLED OVER IN HIS GRAVE

The Yankees didn't make any moves at this trade deadline, even though they were clearly in need of a top flight pitcher and some relief help; Hell, maybe even another bat. The first thing I thought of was George Steinbrenner rolling over in his grave in disgust.

George's philosophy during his entire life was win or nothing, and sorry to the 2011 Yankees, with whom I love to death, but we don't look like we are 100% positive that we can beat the Red Sox, Phillies, or Giants in a 7 game series at this point, and in George's time he would have made a trade for a huge name to do that. I think that if George were still around he would send everyone except Manny Banuelos to Seattle to acquire King Felix, and convince the Mariners why it's a great deal along the way.(In Photo: Manny Banuelos)
George was a hard nosed business man who had one goal in his business, to win. Hal, although he is a nice guy did not completely receive that trait from George. Dammit do I wish he did. If it were up to me, I would give Hank a bigger say in the day to day operations of the Yankees. Hank has a bad reputation as being alittle wild with the mouth, but he is not afraid to speak his mind, or spend his money. Hank has some of the good George traits.

If it were up to me, I would let Hank and Hal both control the Yankees in different ways. For example, Hank seems better with being vocal, dealing with people, and he has the George win attitude. Hal's positives are his business background (he studied business in college), his professionalism, and he displays the Yankees as a classy franchise, which he also is.
Let Hank make the moves, let Hal deal the cash and if things get alittle too out of control, Hal is there to reign him in, but one things for sure, we missed a good opportunity this trade deadline and if Hank was out of his cage, doing what I'm suggesting, I think there would be a different outcome today, August 2nd, then again, maybe I just miss Good Ol' George, who knows.

But, what do you think about my idea? Hit me on Facebook or add the Blackberry Messenger group, which is on the right side of the BYB page. Let me know what you think.



--Will Cohen, BYB Staff Writer

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THE BOSS, PR & SECOND ACTS

This post was sent to me by a family friend. Read the original publishing HERE. She wrote it after the Boss passed away last year. I found it touching and personal, from one of the biggest Yankee fans out there. I thought it would a good way to honor the Boss on his birthday, July 4th.

Thanks Donna... Happy Birthday George. -Casey

“The evil that men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones.” -- Shakespeare, Julius Caesar

“One’s a born liar; the other’s convicted” --Yankees manager Billy Martin referring to Future Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson,and team owner George Steinbrenner, respectively.

I was born in 1975 and raised a Yankees fan, so George Steinbrenner made it an interesting time to grow up. I was a little young to remember the late-70s championship teams, but I have some vague memories of the 1981 World Series loss to the Dodgers. For some reason, though, they center around Goose Gossage beaming Ron Cey and a beyond awkward post-victory performance on “Solid Gold” (Of course I’ve also blocked out most of the 2001 and 2003 World Series’ too, so maybe age wasn’t the issue).

For most of my formative years then, I was raised with one core unbending truth: George Steinbrenner was a horrible person, single handedly destroying the New York Yankees. The evidence was there for all to see.

• The botched trades and signings.
• The off-the-field controversies.
• The seemingly trivial issues that ballooned into major stories.
• The overbearing behavior.
  
• The managerial turnover.
  
• The suspensions.
  
• Thirteen years of controversy with not one playoff appearance.

And then things changed. The Yanks made the playoffs in 1995 and went on to win the World Series in 1996. There was an early playoff loss to Cleveland (an otherwise lovely city) in 1997, then three straight championships and a run of five World Series appearances in six seasons. The distractions were still there, but didn’t seem to matter nearly as much so long as the wins kept coming. Steinbrenner’s public image changed along with the team’s fortunes, though. He went from being reviled to receiving standing ovations from fans appreciative of his never-ending desire to win – and willingness to pay up to do so.

Over the past few years, fans had seen Steinbrenner take less of a public role as the head of the Yankees before finally handing over official control to sons Hal and Hank. And then the news came: After 37 years as the principal owner of the New York Yankees, George Steinbrenner had passed away at 80 years of age.

As a PR professional, I cringe when I think about the public persona that Steinbrenner allowed the media to portray early on: the fiery, win-at-all-costs team owner that cared little for the feelings and well-being of anyone that didn’t get on board with his program. Looking back though, maybe this was intentional on George’s part, creating the image he thought fans wanted to see attached to the most successful franchise in Major League Baseball.

Because after he was gone, the stories started to come:

“George paid for my surgery.”

“He paid for my son’s college tuition.”

“He taught me how his own mistakes had shown him the value of a second chance.”

And then, my own Steinbrenner story: I was in an elevator at Yankees Stadium in August of 1994 – the last game before the strike would end the season, robbing the Yankees of their best shot at a World Series in over a decade. I turned to see “The Boss” and his entourage in the elevator with us. My now husband said, in a low voice, “Raise your hand if you’re famous.”

The man I had grown up to view as a fire-breathing tyrant – during what was probably among the more stressful nights of his career – didn’t say a word, but gamely raised his hand.

I’m stricken again by the art of image management. This was a man that was for years known as a cold, demanding team owner. There was no question that George himself had encouraged this view. There have been incidents along the way that are still difficult to excuse for their boorishness. At the same time, though, it appears that there have been countless acts of philanthropy with an impact that really matters – far more so than the results of a baseball game.

If he had chosen, it now seems that we all could have had a different picture of George Steinbrenner and his core values over the years. Whether it was driven by his view of what the business required, or mere modesty, he kept that view hidden until he was gone.

Rest in Peace, Boss.

-- Donna McSorley / @donnamcsorley

Thank you for bringing my attention to your piece and thanks for letting my publish it here at Bleeding Yankee Blue.

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WHY WOMEN KNOW BEST

Let me introduce a new writer to all you BYB freaks. Christy Lee has joined the Bleeding Yankee Blue Family. Please welcome Christy as we gear up for the 2011 New York Yankees season, you're going to hear a lot from her. -The Mighty Casey

Yankee fans are some of the greatest people in the world. But there is something very special about a female Yankee fan…We bleed, and cry, Yankee Blue.



Women are genetically wired to respect tradition, and you can’t find any more tradition than at Yankee Stadium. Far beyond Derek Jeter, George M. Steinbrenner, and yes, even Yogi Berra, the fabric that has been woven at River and 161st in the Bronx goes much deeper than that, and if you listen closely when you’re at the Stadium, you can hear the echoes of women, who, throughout Yankees history, helped build the tradition of Yankee Baseball that still stands today.



Contrary to popular belief, women are not fans of baseball because of how our guys look in the pinstriped uniform. We are not groupies.



Women have an uncanny attention to detail. For instance, we can tell you all about which batting stance works better for Alex Rodriguez, and why. We can break down the mechanics of Mariano’s pitching better than most men, and maybe even unlock the secret of that mystery cutter that no one can seem to figure out. We can talk baseball and hold our own with anyone, and maybe even teach you a thing or two. We are not fans, we are family, and family is important to us.



We are just us comfortable (maybe more) donning our pinstriped gear to show loyalty to our team as we are in dresses and heels. When in the comfort of our living rooms, we watch the games while consulting with our social networking family for constant analysis and break down of the game. We can tell you with absolute certainty and a sense of creativity of what went right, what went wrong, and why. And we never, EVER, lose hope or faith in our team. So the next time you see a woman in pinstripes, instead of walking by, give a high five instead, because we're the most passionate fans you will ever know.





--Christy Lee, BYB Staff Writer

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UPDATE: WHY BRAINS ARE BEHIND THE YANKEES MADNESS

JANUARY 10:
Jon Heyman is pushing the Soriano Train again. Even though Brian Cashman has made it clear that he would not give up a Number 1 draft pick for anyone other than Cliff Lee, Maybe he's bluffing. Weird. Bronx Baseball Daily put it this way: "This could mean one of two things. The first, and most likely, is that Heyman is being fed this information from Soriano’s agent Scott Boras in order to keep the fear in other teams that the Yankees remain interested in his client in order to drive up his value. The other less likely, but still possible, option is that the Yankees are exploring the possibility of a sign-and-trade for Soriano."


JANUARY 7:

“I will not lose our No. 1 draft pick, I would have for Cliff Lee. I won’t lose our No. 1 draft pick for anyone else.” -- Brian Cashman

So let it be written, so let it be done. Brian Cashman has made it clear and made it final. Unless he has something up his sleeve, Rafael Soriano won't, I repeat WILL NOT be coming to the New York Yankees.

So the Yanks don't want to part with draft picks, they don't want to spend a lot of money and they practically made no moves of significant importance this winter. (I am happy about Russell Martin. ) This is a new era for Yankee fans, this is definitely Hal's Yankees now. He's patient, fiscally responsible and trusts his men. I guess Hank got the George gene because we all know if he was running the show we'd we $400 million in the whole right now but we'd have all the top free agents.

But thinking this through, things are starting to make sense. George always got the players he wanted for years and if that meant he dealt with Scott Boras to do it, it didn't matter. But what I've noticed, and it's just an observation, is the Yankees are finished with Boros. The last thing the Yankees want is having another Boros client who is locked in at high money and bleeds them dry for 4 years. I think they learned their lesson with the whole A-Rod mess and have smartened up after George passed. See, George didn't care, he just wanted to win, plain and simple. Yes, Hal wants to win too, but he and Cashman are trying to take the fiscal side of this Yankees team in a new direction. To many of us, it's bizarre because we never saw this approach for 30 years under the Boss.

So I've learned something this off season, we are all so used to the Yankees making big splashes in the winter signing top free agents and it's happened for so long, we are having spasms when nothing goes on. It's like going cold turkey after years of meth use. It's painful. Just ask Leif Garrett.

So what's it going to be Cash. Are trades the way to go? Are we going to give our prospects a shot? What? It's getting late early and Pitchers and Catchers is right around the corner. I just think many of us are a little lost right now not knowing what to expect. We all keep thinking something's about to happen...and then it doesn't. I guess we all need to just sit tight, huh Cash? Damn... that's gonna be hard.

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WHY THERE MAY BE GHOSTS... AGAIN

That one's for you George and they're not done yet! Many things clicked last night when the Yankees took Game 1 against the Rays.

Was it perfect? No, but look, you can't put a newbie like Nova out there and expect him to shut down the Rays lineup for nine innings.

So what worked? Grandy's hitting for power and running for starters. 5 RBI night. I've missed that all year and the Yankees did too. Hell, I think Granderson was wondering what took so long. But I'd rather see him doing it now than in April. Keep it going Grandy and you'll see that World Series trophy.

Kerry Wood looked amazing, especially dealing with a strike zone that was so tiny, it looked like you had to toss a golf ball in a PVC pipe. Wood had plenty of strikes but didn't get them called in his favor. But the guy never complained. He went right back to work and got Joyce to just hit it for the out. If you can't strike him out, let them put the ball in play.

Also, to me, Cervelli's playing style is what baseball's all about. The dude's in on every play. He plays like a .300 hitter with 20 homeruns but you forget he's got no homers and a below average bat. Give me a dirty uniform and a fist pump on clutch plays and I give you a champion, every single time. Oh and the Captain's on his way back out of the black hole he was in all summer. Let's hope the playoff feelings are coming back and he'll be in All-Star form.

So what's the goal? Winning championships. True. But the magic numbers 5. We can't get ahead of ourselves yet. We need a playoff spot and then we need to be the division champs... THEN we go to the playoffs. It's still a long road. So, we play for right now. The next 3 games are critical. It's not about the World Series yet, it's about burying the Rays first.

Last night, there was a good, yet eeire feeling in the new Yankee stadium. Familiar faces of Yankees past coming back and dare I say the ghost of George.

That's right, I said it. Jeter always said the ghosts came out in the old Yankee stadium and strange things happened. Could it be that the ghost of The Boss will be lingering around the new house? I get the sense it may be true.

Shields vs. Hughes tonight. Give me 6 innings Phil. Don't aim, throw your stuff. You're better than you think you are. And Yanks, strike early on Shields and get to that Rays bullpen. Recipe for victory. The ghost of George is watching.

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WHY WE FORGET MO IS HUMAN

Andy looked as good as you could expect, 6 innings was just what the doctor ordered. The problem with this one was the Yankee offense. The Yankees have seen Guthrie an awful lot over the years. You' d think with one of their leaders on the mound, they'd strike and never look back. But it pittered out.

One things for sure, when you have a 3-2 lead going into the ninth against the Orioles, and Mo's on the mound, you expect a save and a win. You can almost shut off the television before the last out and continue your weekend. Who wouldn't think that its all wrapped up? That brings me back to my point about Showalter from a few days ago. He's a fighter and he has something to prove to the Yankees.

Now, Showalter didn't hit Luke Scott's home run for him to tie it he didn't get Ty Wiggington's game winning hit. I'm not saying Buck was responsible for that. He was however responsible for the Orioles believing in themselves. Since he came to Baltimore, the Orioles look like defending World Champs. Buck's put a fire in their belly and some might say that they knew it was going to happen, they may say they knew the Orioles would come back. While the Yankees have seen Guthrie plenty of times, the O's have seen Mariano plenty as well. We forget sometimes that Mariano is just like you or me. As much as he is on automatic, he sometimes blows a save. Now it's Monday morning, turn the page.

Tonight, the Yankees honor George Steinbrenner. He brought winning back to the Bronx and I really hope Joe Torre and Don Mattingly show up. Hell, I'd like to see Showalter and Piniella there as well. But it's more than remembering Steinbrenner tonight, its remembering that George hated losing and especially hated losing to the Red Sox and the Rays. Let's win tonight New York. If George was alive he'd be very impatient sitting through his own ceremony and looking forward to a big win in the Bronx. Let's get the win, and let's take the Series against the Rays this week. George would have wanted it that way.

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