Ronan Tynan calls Joe Torre a 'clown'

Joe Torre had all sorts of catty things to say in "The Yankee Years" about way too many people. Now one of his targets is fighting back.

In "The Yankee Years," Torre griped about George Steinbrenner not giving Yankee scouts rings after the 2000 World Series. The book claims that scouts were angry when "they heard or saw Steinbrenner cronies such as actor Billy Crystal and singer Ronan Tynan wearing World Series rings."

The new web site Irish Central.com asked Tynan about this tidbit. And the Irish tenor wasn't exactly pleased. He called Torre a "clown" and said he was "surprised" that his name was brought up in this dispute.

Tynan also defended Steinbrenner, saying that The Boss "is passionate" and "loved to win." "If you were part of it he included you," Tynan said, "if he thought you were part of the win." Click here to read more about what the singer had to say.

I don't know why Torre felt the need to dis Tynan, who has helped contribute to Yankee pride and tradition over the years with his seventh-inning rendition of "God Bless America." Not to mention that opponents complained that the version was so long, that it messed up their team's groove!

However, I do know that to call Billy Crystal just a Steinbrenner crony is laughable, especially given that it was Torre, not The Boss, who asked Crystal to do a video for the team before the 2007 playoffs.

Besides, if Joe was so bent out of shape over the ring issue, why didn't he threaten to quit, or take it to the press, or do something about it himself at the time, instead of sniping in his book eight years later. Not exactly a profile in courage.

On another note, Happy St. Patrick's Day, everyone!

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