For the last couple of days I have been trying to make myself feel good about being a Mets fan. As all of us that bleed the orange and blue know we are a bi-polar lot. Our highs are high, our lows are so low that even high tech Naval equipment can’t chart it.
So if you are a Mets fan, a Mets fan whose conifidence in the team is shaken or just a person who is investigating whether they should invest their time, energy and money on rooting for the team from Flushing here are some basic questions that you should ask yourself.
1. Do you have suicidal tendencies? Well if you do, being a Mets fan may not be the best team for you – look towards the Bronx.
2. Are you a masochist that clings to faded glories ? If you do – then welcome aboard !
3. Do you consider Tom Seaver, Dwight Gooden and Craig Swan the holy trinity of New York baseball pitching ? If yes – then you are definitly a Mets fan !
4. Do you possese a lock of Pat Zachry’s mustache ? If you do then you are not only a Mets fan – you need psychiatric help !
5. If you know how long Mike Vail’s hitting streak was – Well you’re a Mets fan !
6. Do you or would you ever consider buying a Mo Vaughn replica jersey ? Well it is time to re-examine your life – and yes you’re a Mets fan !
7. Do you harbor distrust for the New York sports media? Welcome aboard – you’re a Mets fan !
8. Do you consider Angel Pagan an elite starting center fielder who just had a bad season ? Well you are a deluded Mets fan !
9. Are you content when your team announces when it comes in second when bidding for the services of top tier free agents ? Well then the Mets are the team for you!
10. Is the ultimate goal for your team to play meaningful games in September ? If so you are Fred Wilpon !
And with that said…. HERE COMES THE INFAMY !!!!!
Mets alumni celebrating a birthday today includes:
One time Yankee pitching great who became the guru of those amazing Mets rotations of the mid to late ’80′s, Mel Stottlemyre is 70 (1941) .
Reserve infielder from the ’69 season, Bobby Pfeil is 67 (1943) .
One of the Mets folk heroes from the ’70′s, outfielder, George “The Stork” Theodore is 65 (1946).
Mets middle reliever from ’98-’99, Rigo Beltran is 42 (1969).
Middle reliever from the ’04 season, Vic Darensbourg is 41 (1970).
The New York Mets traded pitchers, Calvin Schiraldi and Wes Gardner along with outfielders John Christensen and LaSchelle Tarver to the Boston Red Sox for pitchers, Bob Ojeda, John Mitchell, Tom McCarthy and Chris Bayer on November 13, 1985. This trade in my opinion was the key of the Mets success in ’86. Ojeda was the piece that helped the Mets to dominate in that magical season, and he was one of the most consistent pitchers the Mets have ever had.
The New York Mets released utility infielder, Kelvin Chapman on November 13, 1985.
The New York Mets released pinch hitter/first baseman, Tom Paciorek on November 13, 1985.
The New York Mets released middle reliever, Brent Gaff on November 13, 1985. Gaff was known for his fork ball. He played with the Mets from ’82-’85. He sported a record of 4-5 with an E.R.A of 4.06 with one save. He tore his rotator cuff just before the start of the ’85 season, and never pitched again.
The New York Mets released reserve outfielder, Chris Jelic on November 13, 1990.
The New York Mets released reserve outfielder, Keith Hughes on November 13, 1990.
Mo Vaughn likes to put Tabasco on everything – and I mean EVERYTHING !!!!
9 comments
Anonymous
11/13/2011-4:25pm at 4:25 pm (UTC -4)
good stuff.
I still feel that all the team actually “owes” us is to go out and play hard for 162 games. And it is up to each fan to decide how much more they need than that to actually pay attention!
I also think it is different for a long distance fan (like Moi). I don’t get SNY, so I see very few games on real TV (I do have mlb.tv, but hardly ever actually put the games on the PC, and may not renew).
I try to get up to NY every year at least once or twice, so to me, going to a game is a special occasion, even if the team is not in the race.
I also just like to watch baseball, and find it much more enjoyable to watch “my” team, regardless of how they are doing. Sure, a year like 1986 or 2006 is more exciting, but I still pay attention the other years.
If anything, I invest much more time discussing (like here) the team than actually watching games, and that part does not change (hell, it probably increases!) when they are in a rough patch.
Especially in the off season.
MetsFan4Decades
11/13/2011-7:50pm at 7:50 pm (UTC -4)
You should get a kick out of Rosenthal’s latest column:
‘Sooner or later, the Phillies will Implode’
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/Philadelphia-Phillies-Cole-Hamels-Jonathan-Papelbon-free-agency-111211
‘….let’s not confuse the Phils’ relentless spending with a long-term model for success.’
‘As always with the Phillies, it’s a problem for another day. Their past
five seasons were a blast. Their next five will be more difficult to
watch.’
Let the slide down begin.
Anonymous
11/13/2011-9:14pm at 9:14 pm (UTC -4)
The Phillies have won their division each year since 2007. By the time this group of Phillies have completed their run it will compare favorably and in some respects be better then the run of our beloved mid to late 1980′s Mets. So if their long term prospects are not positive there is no reason for the fan base or the moronic sport’s press to bemoan their long term fate. The Phillies are in the twilight of their run but it should have been a satisfying stretch for their fan base.
Anonymous
11/14/2011-2:54am at 2:54 am (UTC -4)
It absolutely was. once a century the teams has one of these! Hopefully it takes that long to have the next one.
MetsFan4Decades
11/13/2011-5:02pm at 5:02 pm (UTC -4)
hahaha – got a chuckle out of this, Rusty.
Interesting comment above, Stick. Seeing as I’m in the SNY viewing area – I watch just about every game. Think I missed 1 last year. There’s certainly enough online content to keep up with the team even if you can’t watch every game but I wonder if watching somehow makes this downward slide just a little bit worse.
Tuning into the start of each game is much like starting a fresh season.
- All full of hope in the first couple of innings.
- Give up a couple of runs to the opposition but you’re still thinking ‘that’s O.K., we can score a couple/3 and get right back into it’.
- Enter the 9th down by too many to even have hope.
With Reyes just about gone and Wright likely behind him, for the first time since 2006, I’m going into the season with no aspirations for competing at all. Just going to watch the up and coming guys like Duda, Ike – see how they do in their first full season. I’ll be keeping track of the arms on the farm to see when they’re ready as well.
Adam "Prismo"
11/13/2011-11:05pm at 11:05 pm (UTC -4)
Just wanted to say my thoughts if indeed Reyes signs with the Marlins:
- I will not be upset in the least at Reyes. He’s good friends with HanRam, he gets to play in Miami, and they’re the only team who have even made an offer so far. It’s not like he can come back to the Mets if they don’t even make a (reasonable) offer.
- I will be upset with the Wilpons and/or Sandy (I don’t think we have enough information to assign blame – but it’s definitely one of the two options). And not upset because they didn’t sign Reyes, but upset because if they weren’t going to make a reasonable offer, why not just trade him during the season? I realize the injury may have hurt his stock a bit, but if he signs with the Marlins we get a sammich pick and a 2nd rounder. I am 100000% sure we could’ve gotten something much better than that for a mid-season trade.
Adam "Prismo"
11/13/2011-11:06pm at 11:06 pm (UTC -4)
That said I’m not sure I totally believe the rumors, and will not be surprised if the Mets come back with an offer for him.
Anonymous
11/13/2011-11:53pm at 11:53 pm (UTC -4)
The one thing we Mets fans have elevated to an art form is the process of rationalization. It’s probably the only thing that keeps Mets fandom from baseball insanity. But when I remove the blinders I see what Kong has so intelligently expressed. Sandy is charged with the task of financially keeping the franchise above water while the Wilpon’s fight for their financial life. Part of that task is trying to keep the fan’s interest from ebbing to the point that Citi Field assumes the personae of Grant’s Tomb II (Shea version). Sandy’s plan must also direct the ship in the proper direction so from a baseball point of view there is hope for the future. So the Reyes solution must fit into the overall plan and it appears the financial problems will preclude the Mets from signing Reyes.
Anonymous
11/15/2011-5:58am at 5:58 am (UTC -4)
Hey I resemble that remark!