Empire Burlesque

When covering the playoffs, TV networks often search for intelligent, entertaining and mostly neutral colour commentators to provide the audience with a deep, full broadcast. As Joe Buck's dimwitted partner revealed last night, the goal is not always realized.

However, when he interrupted Buck's gab on the eighth inning of what would prove to be the final game of the 2007 World Series to discuss a team other than the two present, my heart leapt a little. The announcement; the evil empire is crumbling (actual quote). Let's forget that a disservice was paid to both teams on the field, especially Colorado, who had been all but forgotten about innings before with even the most mundane Red Sox players getting more attention, not to mention the Coors' Field humidor. Let's forget that despite the fact that the sport's second most popular team steamrolled through another championship they will be but afterthoughts in the coming weeks. The important news is - its over.

The mighty Yankees are in turmoil. Steinbrenner is aging, Torre is gone, many of their reliable talent is up for free agency (Pettite, Posada, Rivera, etc), many of their overpaid shrubs remain under contract (Giambi, Damon, Farnsworth, etc) - but this was already known. The final nail in the biggest coffin in the Bronx, large enough to hold Yankee Stadium itself, is that Alex Rodriguez is opting out of his benchmark 250 million dollar contract, effectively leaving New York.

I could use this space to harp on Scott Boras. He turns his players into mercenaries, preferring money over championships. Just ask Barry Zito - a man who will not win with his team regardless of how well he pitches. Unfortunately, I do not have the space to do so. What most interests me is the collective sigh across baseball, signifying the end of Yankee Rule.

Despite that the Yankees have the best young talent crop they've had in years and are poised to haul in Joe Girardi, a fine manager in his own right, the rest of baseball is no longer terrified of a Yankee squad, brutish in form, who could mow down nearly any squad in the history of baseball. Forget their playoff woes - the Yankees' regular season teams crushed playoff hopes by thumping teams regularly year long. Had you played the Yankees too often in the regular season, and as a Jays fan I can generally attest to this, your squad was left with an uncharacteristically high number of losses in comparison to other teams. (No wonder NL teams hate interleague play). Even if you managed to beat the Yankees your team was left exhausted and your bullpen depleted.

Ultimately the end of the Yankee era marks a shift in my life. They were the dominant team of my youth. Here's to George Steinbrenner and Scott Boras, however, whose awful fiscal practices and short sightedness has killed a great empire, ruined careers, and made the American League East seem rather pleasant for anyone but the Bronx Bombers

DB