Shining a Spotlight 7.15.10: Vince and George

His death and his legacy has left me considering the parallels between Steinbrenner and Vince McMahon. Two figures who are quite polarizing to fans in their respective fields, better known from their personal attitudes than their real achievements. But, for better or worse, each of these men has impacted their groups like no one else before and having them around has been something fans are used to. It’s honestly hard to imagine the Yankees now without Steinbrenner as his vision guided them so much. It makes you wonder how wrestling might be on that day when Vince McMahon isn’t around anymore.
　

Similarities

The similarities between Vince and Steinbrenner are very striking. Both took a product that was already successful and took it to the next level. The Yankees had always been the most envied team in baseball with their history of huge stars and multiple pennants/World Series titles. But they had fallen a bit on hard times in the early ‘70’s which was how Steinbrenner was able to buy them. Vince took his father’s promotion and expanded it massively, rolling over the old territories and making WWF the powerhouse it is today. Even though both the Yankees and wrestling were around before these men, their impact was so huge it’s hard to imagine either without them.

Both men owed their success to money. Steinbrenner made the Yankees the highest-paying team in baseball, with a payroll bigger than the GNPs of some countries. Of course, that money didn’t always help as the team had rough times in the late ‘80’s/early ‘90’s and that nine-year drought between World Titles. And Vince paid a bit for some of his attempts at big-money stuff like the 10-year deal for Mark Henry and troubles with other contracts for guys, not to mention conflicts with cable companies. Both men knew you had to spend big to get attention and that has taken hold. A guy on ESPN had a good point, that the Yankees made other teams try harder to succeed and did push the million-dollar salaries harder. Vince has also made others step up the game majorly with TNA and ROH both working to keep audiences by enhancing their product, TNA following the formula of signing big names for impact. Some may not like such a legacy but it’s there.

Of course, where most will see the similarities is in the dictatorial way of doing business. Steinbrenner was basically the first major sports owner to come right out and treat his players and managers as employees, holding them accountable for their mistakes. Guys like Dan Gilbert and Mark Cuban wouldn’t be pulling their wild moves in public if George hadn’t set a trend. The guy’s tendency to fire managers was infamous as he pretty much holds the record for shuffling guys around. Vince is just as famous for his harsh ways with his workers, firing people himself and I think he based some of the “Mr. McMahon” character on Steinbrenner, the boss from hell who could drop folks for any reason. Hell, back at Wrestlemania VII in 1991, they did a bit with Steinbrenner telling Vince how to fire folks, Vince acting like it was a foreign concept, which was a big in-joke to fans as Vince hadn’t “come out” as the owner of WWF just yet. Just as Steinbrenner brought this business attitude to baseball, so Vince changed the perception of wrestling for the public; the fact was, wrestling has always been “sports entertainment,” all Vince did was openly acknowledge that.

At the same time, both men could show some surprising humor and be able to laugh at themselves. I remember when Steinbrenner hosted Saturday Night Live years back and did some skits sending himself up. One had himself in an ad with Idi Amin, Attila the Hun and others, acting like he didn’t understand why he would be placed with these dictators. Even better was him as the owner of a convenience store that employed twenty people at once, unable to fire anyone (“Suppose I fire you, then hire another guy, then fire him and bring you back? That’s just stupid!”). And I think he got a kick out of the bits on Seinfeld with Jason Alexander working for a never-seen Steinbrenner who’s a gruff bully. The man was harsh but could be open about his flaws, particularly following his suspension from the game back in 1991.

Likewise, Vince has been able to show himself in a light that pokes fun. He’s willing to take those massive bumps and blade jobs in matches to show the roster he’s not afraid of doing stuff he asks them to do. He acts the bully but always gets his in the end, humiliated by the faces in various ways. DVDs will mention how he’s pretty much the worst guy to get into a ring with and the “McMahon” DVD has them mentioning his personal issues and even Vince acknowledging what a bastard he can be. The man still manages to amaze, like when he blew out his knees at the 2005 Royal Rumble, an injury that would put guys half his age and in better shape on the shelf for a year but he was back on his feet within a couple of months.

I do think that, as surprising as it may seem, the issue of being respected is what sets them apart. Steinbrenner’s tactics could be seen as way too bullying, pushing people down just because he could and that got him anger from fans, media and the other players. It led to the rise of how managers and owners could make their issues public which is never good for morale. Even those who dislike Vince do share a respect for the man’s achievements. They might not like him but they do respect his control while Steinbrenner just came off as a big guy throwing his weight around. They sadly share the same drawback in that each pretty much chose to not only turn a blind eye to steroid and drug use in their athletes but even silently encouraged it. True, it was beyond both their organizations but they still chose to put their companies over the health benefits of their guys. And in egos, the two were both huge, although in an organization filled with prima donnas, the guys in charge naturally needed to be the biggest egos around.

What really brings these two together is that, better or worse, both men care about what they owned. Steinbrenner’s life revolved around the Yankees, he truly loved owning that team and what decisions he made, he made them because he wanted to see them win. That obsession is what drove him and in turn, drove the entire Yankees machine. It’s just like that with Vince, the man will do whatever he feels best to keep WWE on top, even if it means pissing people off left and right and getting people to hate him. As the old saying goes, doing “the right thing” isn’t always good for business and both Vince and Steinbrenner understood that and did what it took to make themselves top dogs. Both men may not have been the most popular but you cannot deny their success.
　

Afterward

Being the singular vision of your team/promotion is a hard thing. Verne Gagne was the singular force behind the AWA from its start but his “my way only” style of business ending up costing him as he couldn’t accept how audience tastes in the ‘80’s were changing and the old ways of the wrestling business wouldn’t work anymore. Vince has been the center force of WWE, good and bad, for nearly three decades now and that power shows. Bret Hart summed it up best, the one thing WCW never had that they needed was a Vince, a central figure to make the big decisions and guide the guys around. As I noted, Vince does inspire some respect, even from those who don’t like him and it’s because of that WWE has grown so much.

Steinbrenner has been smart enough to delegate to others, especially in the last couple of years. However, there is no denying that he has been the force of the Yankees for so long that it’s hard to imagine the organization without him. I don’t think they’ll instantly drop into fourth place or something as they still have a top talent base. But Steinbrenner was the guy who pulled the strings and the power, even fear, he exerted was the drive behind the entire team. His successors may be able to guide the team well and even brighten it up without the overwhelming ego the man brought. But they can never replace that “succeed at all costs” mentality that Steinbrenner brought to the table as his singular personality is one that can’t be duplicated.

Like George, I don’t see Vince giving up control of WWE until he’s in the grave. This is his life, his baby, he can’t give it up. Regardless of what his detractors say, Vince truly cares for this company and its workers and knows his vision is what guides things. Folks may argue that’s a good thing as the man seems to have lost touch with what the fans want. But then again, Vince has beaten the odds and shown he’s able to adapt WWE to changing tastes. Vince is the final word on things and when he puts his foot down, everyone else goes along with it, even family. He hates to look weak and compromise but he has proven his ability to win whatever it takes.

The question of who would take over is up in the air a bit. Shane was likely but has since quit so it seems more like Stephanie and HHH. I know fans may moan at that but it may not be that bad. Yes, Stephanie’s time as part of the creative team was poorly received but the woman grew up in the business, she knows how it works and I suspect motherhood has shifted her thinking a bit, taught her more responsibility. She’s a smart gal and tough, her father’s daughter and I can see her using that. As for HHH, by the time Vince goes, he’ll be done with in-ring action so we don’t have to worry about a Kevin Nash-style reign. The man also knows wrestling and what it takes to make a guy a star so he’d be able to book things properly.

But thinking of WWE without Vince is as hard as it is to think of the Yankees without Steinbrenner. Vince has molded this company around him so well that you can’t imagine anyone else really in charge. Whoever does take over will have the daunting task of making the employees and affiliates as tightly organized as Vince has done. WCW suffered without that central figure, the one guy who could lay it down and say “this is what it’s going to be.” Better or worse, Vince has given WWE its core identity and while he’s smart enough to know he won’t last forever and prepare for the next generation, when he does go, WWE, and wrestling in general, will suffer for it for a time. Hopefully it won’t last long and WWE is still so big that totally collapse after Vince is unlikely. But wrestling just won’t seem the same without him and that’s a fact even his detractors have to acknowledge.

Summation

Vince McMahon and George Steinbrenner shared a lot of traits, good and bad. They spent big and enjoyed the dividends, even if they had to crush people along the way. They may not have been popular but frankly, they didn’t really care. What they cared about was making their organizations as rich and successful as they could be. In that, they both succeeded massively. With Steinbrenner gone, the Yankees lose the man who has been the backbone of their entire being for so long, who guided them through thick and thin, feared but still powerful. Vince is much the same, he has made himself the focus of the company, his vision pushing WWE on and his dedication still gets folks to respect him despite his failings. It’s hard to imagine WWE without Vince, although that day does seem to be moving closer. Vince is not a fool, he knows he has to leave someone in place and while HHH and Stephanie may seem wrong now, Vince wouldn’t give up his pride and joy to them without being sure they could handle that. Of course, no matter who does take over, they won’t be able to touch the amazing charisma and skill Vince McMahon brought to wrestling. It’s funny in that, no matter how he was hated, fans are in mourning for Steinbrenner, recognizing the achievements he brought to baseball and the sport being less without him. I think the day Vince McMahon finally leaves us will be the same as even his haters will realize that without Vince, wrestling just won’t be the same.

For this week, the spotlight is off.