We lauded some of his decisions.  We criticized others.  But it almost seemed like we were doing so with him.  As if he was in the room with us.  As Yankee fans, we were connected to our owner more so than any other team in baseball or maybe in any other sport.  His words, at times, were our word, sfter an embarrassing loss or a dramatic win.  He would be saying the same things we were.  Except, of course, his words were printed.

Whatever our feelings toward him, one thing cannot be denied. He loved the Yankees as much as we did.  Not only did he make them relevant again, but he restored the franchise to its rightful legacy. We can link this most recent dynasty to those of the past thanks to The Boss.  It is because of him that we have such a rich collection of fantastic memories.  Reggie’s three home run performance in Game 6 of the ’77 World Series being one of the more prominent.

But we loved him off the field too.  As his stature grew beyond sports, we reveled in his role as a pop culture icon. Whether it was the Miller commercials with Billy Martin or the appearances on Saturday Night Live.  From the unforgettable portrayal by Larry David on the hit TV series Seinfeld to the Visa ads with Derek Jeter.  The Boss was mainstream, and Yankee fans enjoyed seeing him in that light.

It is impossible to think of the Yankees without thinking about George Steinbrenner.  He is as much a part of their legacy as any other personality associated with the Pinstripes.  His fingerprints are all over this franchise – a cable network, a new, glistening gem of a stadium in the Bronx, and most importantly, a winning tradition. Jacob Ruppert would have been proud to know that his team was in the hands of such a capable man.  A man, who like himself, had a vision to take the Yankees to new heights.  To make them better than anybody else.

George Steinbrenner made the Yankees, and their fans, the envy of all of baseball.  Today, we are saddened by his passing.  But his legacy will forever remain at the forefront of our hearts and minds.  There are many words we can say to honor him, but the most appropriate may simply be to say “Thank You”.

Thank you, Mr. Steinbrenner.

Here is a tribute video done by YES Network a couple of years ago:

Here he is delivering the game ball at the 2008 All-Star game at Yankee Stadium:

Thank you for everything, George. Thank you for putting winning ahead of other things and giving Yankee fans seven World Series championships during your reign as “The Boss”.

The Steinbrenner Family and the Yankees Organization are extremely proud of the members of the 2009 New York Yankees for bringing a 27th World Championship to New York City and our fans, the greatest fans in the world. Every World Series victory is special, but this one is especially sweet coming in the first year in our new home. The 2009 New York Yankees proved that we are the best in baseball. We beat truly worthy opponents in the American League Division Series, the American League Championship Series and the World Series. As we did all season long, we fought hard, never lost focus and gave a true team victory. Our players have a lot to be proud of. This group will become legendary – similar to the 26 World Championship teams that preceded them. Joe Girardi and his team deserve great credit for racking up wins over a long, tough season. We are so grateful to our fans. They have never wavered in their faith or enthusiasm through the good and bad years. This World Series belongs to them and to all Yankees, past, present and future. We’ll enjoy this win. And the quest for number 28 begins.

The “Core Four” may be aging and their careers may be winding down but that doesn’t mean the Yankees can’t keep winning. The Steinbrenners and the Yankees are always going to field a great team. They will always be in the market for the best available (or sometimes unavailable) players. The players of the great late 90′s dynasty may be gone but the dynastic approach of the New York Yankees remains the same. With the group of Jeter, A-Rod, Teixeira, Sabathia, Cano, Burnett, Joba, Hughes and others, the Yankees window doesn’t have to close because their stars of postseasons past are aging. This, in fact, could be the beginning of the very next great Yankees dynasty.

Other teams in sports have a window of anywhere between three and five years when their core players are at their best and that’s the time period where a dynasty can form. The Yankees’ window is always open thanks to the Steinbrenners.