Billy Martin Should Be Scorned Not Beloved
February 24, 2010 · Leslie Monteiro · Jump to comments
Article Source: Bleacher Report - New York Yankees
With exhibition games starting in March, MSG aired ESPN’s hit miniseries “The Bronx Is Burning” this week as an appetizer for the fans.
This eight-series drama centered around Billy Martin, George Steinbrenner, Reggie Jackson, Gabe Paul, Thurman Munson, Mickey Rivers and Fran Healy. Martin stood out more than the rest with his crazy personality.
It’s remarkable why Yankees fans adore Martin despite the nonsense he pulled as the Yankees manager.
This lunatic undermined Steinbrenner all the time by ignoring his boss’ rules and speaking negative stuff about him to the sportswriters.
It’s hard to respect Steinbrenner, but he gave Martin many chances to manage by rehiring him after firing him. He deserved better than the way Martin treated him.
Good thing for Martin that James Dolan was not his boss. Dolan would never hire him back after one bitter experience. Just ask Jeff Van Gundy and Larry Brown.
When a superior tells an employee to do something, he or she should just do it. Martin should have taken the bus with his players in spring training, and he should have taken the exhibition games between the Mets seriously.
Martin showed lack of class for the way he treated Jackson. The Yankees manager would do everything possible to humiliate Jackson by not batting him fourth or degrading him at every opportunity in public and in private.
Jackson never did anything to embarrass the franchise. Martin only knows why he couldn’t stand his star.
The superstar performed all the time, and he took accountability when he stunk. Any manager would appreciate it, but not Martin.
If Jackson was Caucasian, it’s hard to believe Martin would have a problem with him.
Martin never got along with African-American players. He tolerated guys who were quiet, but if a black player was outspoken, the manager would have a snit it seemed.
It’s a credit to Jackson for putting up with it. No person should be treated this way.
That itself is why Munson’s nemesis should be commended. it’s not easy for any person to deal with in any type of setting.
If it wasn’t Jackson or Steinbrenner, it was something else.
Martin negotiated his contract with the media. He told the Yankees beat writers that he felt unappreciated by Steinbrenner. For him, it was all about the money.
That’s another thing Martin’s bobos fail to understand. They talk about how Martin would do anything to be a Yankee. If that’s the case, how come Martin always talked about the money all the time when it came to contract negotiations?
The petulant old man created tension with his players. He felt it created a good working environment in his bizarre mind.
This jerk should have been charged and fired after punching Ed Whitson. No one should be punching one another whatsoever.
Off the field, Martin dealt with a couple of demons. He was a womanizer and an alcoholic.
The guy slept with many ladies despite the fact that he was married. He disrespected his wife by picking a lady each night so he can have his fun.
During those days, it may look okay, but nevertheless it was wrong, especially when an employee represents the brand of an organization.
Martin was known for drinking after the game. Everyone saw him at bars. He easily would have a temper when someone goaded him.
The Yankees told him to seek help, but he never did. He eventually died in a car accident after being drunk.
It wasn’t surprising he died.
He killed himself when it came to his baseball career and his life.
His behavior cost him managerial job in several stops. Not many teams wanted to hire him back, but at least the Yankees did. When the Yankees fired him, it seemed Martin never recovered.
If he didn’t have a drinking problem, he would have been sane and he would not have insecurities.
It’s a good thing Martin did his thing back then instead of now. In the age of Internet and sports radio, Martin would never survive this type of scrutiny.
If Martin never won much, would fans even like him or remember him?
Winning cures everything, but no one should have accepted Martin’s conduct.
Honestly, he was more of an embarrassment than being a true Yankee.
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