THE BRONX ZOO?

Back in the 70’s when George Steinbrenner still ran the New York Yankees, it was a team in turmoil. Reggie Jackson, Graig Nettles, Sparky Lyle, Thurman Munson, and their manager, usually Billy Martin were all part of the team.

The volatile mixture of these players led to much in the way of clubhouse unrest, ego’s inflated beyond reason and filthy rich childlike minds vying for presence in the New York media by seeking and making of controversy.

The reason was probably the owner himself. Bringing on players from other teams, paying them excessively and pitting one against the other , led to not only all the controversy, but some really great teams. The ’76 Yankees were the first to become famous and achieved one note that when they made it to the World Series, where they were swept in four straight by the Cincinnati Reds.

But the Yankees and “the Boss” Steinbrenner learned all this from somewhere, and that somewhere was in Oakland, California in the name of the Oakland A’s. Here a team with similar characters with little character, fought amongst themselves. The likes of once again Reggie Jackson, Catfish Hunter and Rollie Fingers, under the ownership of one Charlie Finley and his gold and green uniforms, mule for a mascot called Charlie O, and a knack for winning won them 3 straight world championships until they saw the greener fields of money the Yankees were offering.  Managing this crew was Dick Williams, a short-tempered former player, who like many managers under Steinbrenner had to endure the pressures from the owner. Tempers were short, egos large and sot hey fought in the clubhouse only to go on and win three straight world championships.

And so the New York Jets are in training camp in the beginning of the pre-season, fighting. Last year they were 8-8, their coach, Rex Ryan in the few years in New York has promised a Super Bowl and has yet to deliver. There has been nothing but controversy on the this with the addition of Tebow and all that that has brought to the New York media. This is going to be interesting!

That’s all I wrote, folks!