Those of us old enough to remember or smart enough to be able to read know that in the mid-1980s, specifically 1986, The New York Mets were pretty good.
Also pretty good in the mid-1980s was a-ha, a synth pop band that, like the Mets of that era, captured the world’s attention. The Mets did it with their total domination of Major League Baseball. a-ha did it with a catchy pop tune and a cutting edge video.
In 1986 the Mets won 108 regular season games en route to their second World Championship. The album from which a-ha’s hit ‘Take On Me’ was culled, ‘Hunting High And Low,’ was one of 1986′s best selling albums.
Today it has come to my attention that a-ha has decided to retire. In tribute to great memories of 1986, here is their video for ‘Take On Me.’ To see and hear a higher quality version than the one below please visit MTV.
45 comments
wannybackstra
10/27/2009-12:43pm at 12:43 pm (UTC -4)
Man, I prefer to associate the ’86 Mets with something a little more aggressive than this — how do i say it without sounding like a homophobe? — stuff?
The problem is 1986 was not littered with very many manly type hits, i.e. Party All the Time by Eddie Murphy.
So for my best of 1986 to associate with the Mets, I will go with Master of Puppets by Metallica, Modern Day Cowboy by Tesla, Shot in the Dark by Ozzy Osbourne which can easily be played to highlights of Ray Knight’s Game 7 HR, as well as other notable shots during the NLCS – -Lenny!
wannybackstra
10/27/2009-12:45pm at 12:45 pm (UTC -4)
I guess Glory Days by Springsteen and Summer of ’69 by Bryan Adams would be both appropriate, as well.
GravediggerHebner
10/27/2009-12:52pm at 12:52 pm (UTC -4)
I can’t argue with any of your choices in either of your comments above, but two points:
1 – In a city as populous and diverse as New York, I imagine the Mets have some fans that do like this music;
2 – None of the fine artists you mentioned retired today or the post would’ve been about them (and would’ve had a far inferior title).
wannybackstra
10/27/2009-1:11pm at 1:11 pm (UTC -4)
Ozzy might as well retire before his “guest hosting” gig on WWE Raw next week…
trs86
10/27/2009-1:14pm at 1:14 pm (UTC -4)
What have you got against him doing that? Lots of stars over the years have appeared on wrestling.
udontmesswthejohan
10/27/2009-2:04pm at 2:04 pm (UTC -4)
Wrassling sucks dude.
trs86
10/27/2009-2:28pm at 2:28 pm (UTC -4)
You, my friend, have not met Ric Flair. Wooooooooooooo!
GravediggerHebner
10/27/2009-1:20pm at 1:20 pm (UTC -4)
So far today I’ve learned that Wanny doesn’t like 80s synth pop or professional wrestling.
So I’m guessing he’s just generally not a fan of choreography.
Last week’s South Park was a must see for anyone who has any feelings at all one way or the other about wrestling.
wannybackstra
10/27/2009-1:29pm at 1:29 pm (UTC -4)
I used to watch pro wrestling and have no problem with it.
Growing up, Ozzy was the Prince of Darkness. Nowadays he’s a clown. I guess I’d prefer to see him stay in his original character but that’s long since been abandoned.
GravediggerHebner
10/27/2009-1:52pm at 1:52 pm (UTC -4)
“A-Ha!” he exclaimed.
I took your example and went with the wrong part of it.
My bad.
I do agree that ‘Shot In The Dark’ is a great example of a ‘more aggressive’ song. In fact I know I listened to much Black Sabbath and Ozzy (and AC/DC) while ‘getting ready*’ to go out to clubs that played synth pop, so I appreciate the ‘psych up’ aspect there.
And for the record, I am not now and have never been into pro wrestling. It’s not my cup of tea. That’s what lead me to my guess about choreography.
Somewhat related, I wonder if pro wrestling isn’t the cup of tea of anyone who might use the phrase “not my cup of tea.”
*getting ready as in getting dressed and drinking as much cheap liquor as possible at home before heading to the clubs where they served expensive liquor and where hot girls danced to synth pop.
wannybackstra
10/27/2009-1:56pm at 1:56 pm (UTC -4)
I was too young in the 80s for the club scene so perhaps that explains our divergence of opinion on the synth pop issue!
GravediggerHebner
10/27/2009-2:08pm at 2:08 pm (UTC -4)
I was both too young and old enough.
I happened to have been born at just the right (wrong?) time to have lived through and been directly affected by three different drinking ages in NYS (18, 19 & 21 for those who care).
But that’s far enough off topic.
How many wins would a team of 25 replacement level players be expected to have?
wannybackstra
10/27/2009-2:15pm at 2:15 pm (UTC -4)
20-25 according to Baseball Prospectus.
wannybackstra
10/27/2009-2:02pm at 2:02 pm (UTC -4)
It was in the mid to late 80s that I owned my first bass guitar as a young teenager and was trying desperately to sound like Geezer Butler, John Paul Jones, Geddy Lee, Cliff Burton, Steve Harris, Flea, Stanley Clarke, Jaco Pastorius and Norwood Fisher, all of whom to this day remain atop my list of music heroes.
The result of my efforts, of course, was something much less and was probably not helped by my equal obsessions of trying to be like Ozzie Smith (hey, SS was not exactly a strong suit for the Mets back then) and Bryan Trottier.
GravediggerHebner
10/27/2009-2:11pm at 2:11 pm (UTC -4)
IMO anyone and everyone on your list above is an excellent choice to aspire to be like.
Imagine incorporating some Ozzie Smith-like moves into your on-stage bass playing performances.
rustyjr
10/27/2009-4:51pm at 4:51 pm (UTC -4)
’86 was the year 2 of the best metal albums ever were released- eat em & smile by david lee roth and rein in blood by slayer
rustyjr
10/27/2009-4:52pm at 4:52 pm (UTC -4)
hey wanny im a bassist myself norwood from fishbone – amazing !! always loved jaco sheehan cliff bello clarke hamm etc
metsfan4decades
10/27/2009-1:17pm at 1:17 pm (UTC -4)
Bruce rules.
wannybackstra
10/27/2009-1:57pm at 1:57 pm (UTC -4)
Just caught a concert of his on HDNet which appeared to be from MSG within the last couple of years. Fascinating.
CaseStreet
10/27/2009-2:00pm at 2:00 pm (UTC -4)
Hey, I like “Take On Me”
I consider myself a pretty cheesy guy, thanks in part to 80s music and movies
CaseStreet
10/27/2009-2:08pm at 2:08 pm (UTC -4)
Since we’re on the topic of music, anyone heard of Rodrigo y Gabriela? Amazing guitar playing.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113641457
GravediggerHebner
10/27/2009-2:14pm at 2:14 pm (UTC -4)
I watch a lot of HD Net concerts and also those on Palladia, and especially on Palladia when they need to fill a few odd minutes between the end of one concert and the start of the next one, they often play a Rodrigo y Gabriela video so yes I’ve heard of them and yes pretty fine picking and strumming.
CaseStreet
10/27/2009-2:19pm at 2:19 pm (UTC -4)
hmm, I haven’t seen them on there. Gonna have to look more.
trs86
10/27/2009-2:34pm at 2:34 pm (UTC -4)
Heeeeee heeeee: From the comments section at MC Blog
I would prefer Figgins to the almighty O-dawg. I guarantee you this, if the mets sign O-dawg all you fans that want him now will complain next season about his production.
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Lorenzo23 says:
October 27, 2009 at 1:44 pm
When O-DAWG hits 40+ doubles, hits .290, plays gold glove caliber defense while also providing veteran leadership on a team with NO fight … I promise you won’t hear a peep out of me about ODAWGS production.
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ravi3 says:
October 27, 2009 at 1:57 pm
And when he gets benches for the Met equivalent of Ronnie Belliard (Alex Cora)?
No response LOL.
GravediggerHebner
10/27/2009-2:42pm at 2:42 pm (UTC -4)
Well, the last time ODAWG played gold glove caliber defense, according to those who vote for the gold glove, was 2007.
The last time he hit 40+ doubles was never.
His career BA is .282 so perhaps “hits .282″ might’ve been a better standard to set but at least .290 is reachable and he has exceeded it twice in 8 seasons.
I can’t argue with the veteran leadership aspect, but it’s tough to truly provide that when you are physically unable to play as the season is winding down, like ODAWG has been unable to for the LAST 3 SEASONS.
trs86
10/27/2009-2:53pm at 2:53 pm (UTC -4)
What veteran leadership though? Doesn’t Alex Cora provide veteran leadership too? How about Rob Mackowhatever I am sure he does too LOL. This is a guy who had never had a playoff ab before this year and was benched in his first. Amazing how some would want to pay to discard Castillo AND sign what may be the most overrated player in the game.
GravediggerHebner
10/27/2009-3:07pm at 3:07 pm (UTC -4)
Until they produce a sabermetric for leadership (or grit) it will remain subjective.
I just believe with ODAWG that I’ve seen enough video of him in chatterbox mode keeping the mood light, and enough testaments by other players saying positive things about him in the dugout/clubhouse context that there must be some reality to his having this difficult to quantify thing.
Perhaps related, while it didn’t have any noticeable impact on the W-L record, it sure seemed to me that a weight was lifted and a cloud passed when the Mets exchanged Church for Francoeur.
I will keep using the word “seemed” because I don’t know how else to put it, but it seemed that what in the dugout were cliques became less obvious after Francoeur’s arrival. So since I believe in that, and I believe that ODAWG does similar things where he goes, that is why I will give Ravi3 his “veteran leadership” comment.
trs86
10/27/2009-3:27pm at 3:27 pm (UTC -4)
But what has it ever done for him? Doesn’t Alex Cora do basically the same thing?
GravediggerHebner
10/27/2009-3:35pm at 3:35 pm (UTC -4)
I can’t answer the first question.
The second one, it depends on what you want from the roster spot.
If you want to spend ~$2 mil or less for a backup to occasionally spell your MIFs with veteran leadership, Cora is your man.
If you want to spend ~$8 mil or more on a starting 2B with veteran leadership, Hudson is the better alternative of the 2.
darknova306
10/27/2009-3:21pm at 3:21 pm (UTC -4)
Funny thing to me is how some fans are really high on Hudson but really down on Murphy. In a lineup with no one around him most of the year, he pounded out 38 doubles while playing a competent 1B without much experience there. All while Hudson has NEVER hit 38 doubles, has steadily declining defense, and given Murphy’s batting lines in his short minor league career, isn’t as a good a hitter as Murphy very well could develop into sooner than later. Not to mention that Murphy has really performed quite well considering he’s got 95 AA games and ONE AAA game under his belt (the term ‘rushed to the bigs’ comes to mind) and was jerked around in the field (not mention how poorly Jerry used him).
I’ll just never understand the love-fest for Hudson. On a cheap 1-year deal where we don’t have to keep paying Castillo, fine. But not eating salary to bring him in. Gimme a break.
trs86
10/27/2009-3:25pm at 3:25 pm (UTC -4)
I think with Murphy it’s the position. ODAWG would be ran out of town if he was a 1B, hell he was already benched as a 2B.
GravediggerHebner
10/27/2009-3:29pm at 3:29 pm (UTC -4)
I agree with your whole comment.
As you note, I think any appeal in Hudson is that he is, rightly or wrongly, lumped into the “cheap 1-year deal” category whereas his seeming competition such as Chone Figgins and Placido Polanco are, to the best of my knowledge, not.
CaseStreet
10/27/2009-2:44pm at 2:44 pm (UTC -4)
trs, No Kapler For You!
http://blogs.tampabay.com/rays/2009/10/tampa-bay-rays-resign-outfielder-gabe-kapler.html
trs86
10/27/2009-2:55pm at 2:55 pm (UTC -4)
Yeah, I am very over Kapler since last year. Mets don’t really need him.
CaseStreet
10/27/2009-3:08pm at 3:08 pm (UTC -4)
think it affects Crawford getting traded?
wannybackstra
10/27/2009-3:12pm at 3:12 pm (UTC -4)
To about the same extent the potential re-signing of Cory Sullivan might push Carlos Beltran out the door.
CaseStreet
10/27/2009-3:15pm at 3:15 pm (UTC -4)
ahhh, I thought he was a starter in a crowded OF
GravediggerHebner
10/27/2009-3:22pm at 3:22 pm (UTC -4)
Perhaps it’s splitting hairs but I would say the Kapler re-signing is noticeably more meaningful to the Rays than Sullivan is to the Mets.
Kapler had 238 plate appearances “on purpose” whereas Sullivan had 157 “by accident.”
Although I would add that if the Rays fancy themselves as competing with the Red Sox and Yankees, they might need an upgrade on their RF platoon of Gabes (Gross & Kapler).
trs86
10/27/2009-3:27pm at 3:27 pm (UTC -4)
You are both right, however I am not so sure the Rays wanted to give him that many AB’s either. Burrell was supposed to be much better.
GravediggerHebner
10/27/2009-3:40pm at 3:40 pm (UTC -4)
I agree that they expected Burrell to be much better.
But we’re talking about their RF, where The Gabes platooned. Burrell was the starting DH and played a total of 9 innings spread over 2 games in the OF this season. I hardly see him as competition for RF ABs.
wannybackstra
10/27/2009-3:44pm at 3:44 pm (UTC -4)
I don’t think the plan was for those two to platoon either. Perez was hurt in Spring Training and Matt Joyce disappointed badly (they can’t be liking that trade one bit).
GravediggerHebner
10/27/2009-3:50pm at 3:50 pm (UTC -4)
Well then my theory is kind of like swiss cheese now isn’t it?
Through the calm rational presentation of facts you have changed my mind. Cory Sullivan IS equal to Gabe Kapler in roster ramifications.
Damn you.
wannybackstra
10/27/2009-3:54pm at 3:54 pm (UTC -4)
If we could all save one child at a time…
wannybackstra
10/27/2009-3:37pm at 3:37 pm (UTC -4)
If they dont go outside of the organization a healthy Fernando Perez, another speedster, might be in the plans. Perez’s career minor league line is .289 .375 .402 and he has about 200 SBs in 5 full minor league seasons.
A longer shot, but potential future star who might get a shot in Spring Training is Desmond Jennings, he of the .318 .401 .487 AA-AAA line last season. He’s a top prospect who just completed his first healthy season and will probably start the season at AAA.
wannybackstra
10/27/2009-3:42pm at 3:42 pm (UTC -4)
Wasn’t long ago TB was hopeful that Delmon Young, BJ Upton, Rocco Baldelli and Elijah Dukes would all be stars in the future.
Obviously, for various different reasons none of them have achieved to their level of promise but the jury is still out…
Hopefully, Jennings stays away from the attitude problems that have plagued 3 of the 4 and the injury problems that have plagued Baldelli.