(useless note: turns out my thread title meets the maximum number of characters allowed)

Long story short, Matty suggests that title may well go to George Steinbrenner.

Seems perfectly plausible to me ... the only thing I thought to counter that was that GSH (kinda sorta basically) 'created' the NFL.

From people with real knowledge, are there any other candidates? David Stern maybe? John Madden? Whitney Houston?

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Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George

Abner Doubleday, the limey douchebag who thought kicking a skull around a field for 90 minutes might be fun, Nero

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

Vin Scully didn't make it in till the year 2008? I think his legendary status was solidified well before then.

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Just ask him, he'll tell you.

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Back off, Warchild. Seriously.

The California Hall of Fame Veterans Committee is hard to please

maybe david stern or george halas.

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Reality is your friend, not your enemy. -- Seacrest

John Wooden
The guys that invented Gatorade
Charley Finley

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Branch Rickey

David Anderson (bigger than Michael Jordan).

Halas was an athlete. He played for the New York Yankees, Decatur Staleys, & Chicago Bears.

Things I did not know about George Steinbrenner:

He had an Engineering degree from MIT.
He ran hurdles in track & field at MIT.
He played Piano.
He was a RB at Williams College.
He was in the Air Force.
He produced a broadway play.
He was an assistant Football coach for Northwestern, Purdue, & Ohio State.

This guy led an active life full of achievement.

Halas was a player though, wasn't he? I'd go with David Stern's mustache.

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I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do, because I notice it always coincides with their own desires. -Susan B. Anthony

I wouldn't really call that an athletic achievement. Ron Santo could probably run hurdles at MIT.

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Halas didn't do anything important as an athlete ... his impact was outside of the direct competition realm. I'm sticking with that answer; Steinbrenner owned a team ... Halas made a league.

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Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George

Dr. Frank Jobe

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"All crowds boycotting football games shouldn't care who sings or takes a knee because they aren't watching." - Nas

You're a bad person ....

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Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George

How was he an athelete at MIT and at Williams?

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

Phil Knight.


End of thread.

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George also was first owner of the Bull wasn't he? I mention that because a multi sport guy esp with his track record in Baseball is greater than a single sport guy IMO.
I would consider Al Davis if his reach was more than football. Halas for a single owner is a great choice. Must also give a nod to Rozelle. NFL wouldn't be what it is without him.

Branch Rickey


Marvin Miller


Pete Rozelle


there probably are about 10 more before George even shows his face

The list is probably several hundred before the late Yankees owner:

1) The NFL founder/owners such as George Halas and George Preston Marshall who understood that revenue was more than ticket sales

2) Civil rights pioneers like Branch Rickey and Vince McMahon Sr. who integrated their business long before the passage of civil rights legislation

3) Later NFL owners such as Lamar Hunt and Clint Murchison who bought marketing and computers to sports

4) Ted Turner who realized the importance of cable tv and sports

5) Broadcast pioneers who created television and instant replay

6) Walter O'Malley, Charley Finley, Bill Veeck who took baseball into the 20th century after WW2

7) NCAA basketball directors like Jim Kehoe and Jim Weaver who were pioneers selling broadcast rights to basketball games

8 ) Producers like Roone Arledge and Chet Forte

9) Even real estate developers like Tom Cousins who built modern arenas for sports and other entertainment

Ronnie Woo Woo

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How about James Naismith? He created the vehicle for modern day slavery.

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Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Matthew, Tulsi, and Don