Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was called the "George Steinbrenner of Iran" in a leaked 2009 U.S. diplomatic cable made public by Wikileaks, after he fired two soccer coaches from Team Melli weeks apart from each other. Ahmadinejad also kept secret files on the team's players, similar to when Steinbrenner payed a gambler to dig up dirt on Yankees outfielder Dave Winfield.

Hank "Hankenstein" Steinbrenner, the late George's easily excitable son, was pissed off when the AP informed him of the cable: "I think that's a ridiculous comparison. Obviously, it was very inappropriate." Depends on who you ask, Hank.

[Image via AP]