By Alberto Amalfi

(July 14, 2010) New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner was known as "The Boss." John McEnroe took charge in calling the shots on court.

The two New York sports icons, each deeply devoted to winning and both known for volatile tempers, met a few times with Steinbrenner unknowingly altering McEnroe's rooting interest.

McEnroe, who played for the New York Sportimes in Tuesday's World TeamTennis match, reflected on Steinbrenner shortly after he died from a heart attack at age 80 yesterday.

"George, I don't know if we would have gotten on too well if I had worked for him," McEnroe joked in comments published by the Albany Times Union. "We would have butted heads."

The Hall of Famer credited Steinbrenner for an important development in his life — converting him from a Yankee fan to a Mets fan. The Queens native grew up as Mickey Mantle and Yankees fan, but said Steinbrenner's statements after the Dodgers beat the Yankees in six games to win the 1981 World Series prompted him to transfer his allegiance to the Mets.

"(Steinbrenner) apologized to the city for losing four straight (games) after winning the first two," McEnroe told the Albany Times Union. "I had just come off losing a Wimbledon final. And I thought, 'Well, being the runner-up's pretty good,' so I abruptly decided that I was going to switch to be a Mets fan."

McEnroe's NBC and Tennis Channel broadcast partner, Ted Robinson, is a former New York Mets play-by-play announcer.