Monday, May 26, 2008

IN OTHER NEWS.

You see, I could do what everyone else is doing, which is analyze everything that’s happened, but that to me is everything that has BEEN happening. None of it is new, except for the introduction of the manager’s job probably almost actually being on the line. None of it is new: the lack of stellar play, the irregulars contributing out of nowhere, the new hero who will be our story line until he starts to perform at a level more normal for him (at which point he will be sent packing), Delgado coming up with some burst of performance that will send the beat writers into fond reminiscences of Who Carlos Delgado Was (all of which is good and wonderful but he is not that Carlos Delgado any more and talking about it will not make it so). It is not new to sit and talk about how PEDRO is coming back and PEDRO will be taking his Rightful Place In The Rotation, only for Pedro to come back and be Pedro Martinez in 2008 (whatever that will be - it will however not be Pedro Martinez in any other year, which is what we want and need and he will do it for five minutes before something else goes wrong and he goes on the DL - whatever happened to the sensible routine of putting Pedro on the DL until after the All-Star break?)

It is not new, and it is tiring to write about, and it is depressing to go through. Because every game we sit down to watch we believe will be THE game that will get it started, that will break the malaise, that will extract the monkey’s claws from the collective backs of the 2008 Mets. Every hit, every home run, every stolen base, every positive sign we grasp onto.

HERE’S A RADICAL NOTION.

Saturday, May 24, 2008

ROCKY MOUNTAIN WAY.

Thursday, May 22, 2008

UNSATISFIED.

INSTEAD OF TALKING ABOUT THE METS.

I cannot even talk about last night’s game. I am glad that Carlos at work (one of the few token Mets fans in a space filled with Yankees die-hards) was in another office today, because I could not have had anything to say to match his sad, Eeyore-like gaze upon me as I got off the elevator this morning.

I am not sure at what point last night it was, exactly, when I looked up, realized that it hadn’t gotten any better and wasn’t going to get any better and OMG WAS THAT ANOTHER HR and I picked up the remote and said, “If you don’t mind--”
“No, this is about the time you turn it off,” TBF added, grimly.
“I feel like a bad fan.”
“You don’t leave the game if you’re there, but there’s no point in continuing to watch this.”

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

CONTEST: YOUR WORST DAY OR NIGHT AT SHEA.

Thanks to the fine folks at A&E Home Video, I have TWO copies of the DVD boxset you see right here: THE NEW YORK METS: ESSENTIAL GAMES OF SHEA STADIUM. You’ve seen everyone else giving this one away, now it’s my turn. However, unlike, say, Adam Rubin, I’m not going to ask you trivia questions that the likes of TBF would be proud of. No, I want some creativity.

I want to hear about your WORST game at Shea. Was it snowing? Were you on a bad date and it went into extra innings? Did your mother choose to embarrass you in front of the entire section at age 13? Did the Mets just plain old suck in ridiculous fashion? Or was it some combination of all of the above?  Write and tell me about it.

I have TWO sets to give away, courtesy Suzanne at A&E, and I will give them away to the person who sends in the story that both TBF and I (since he’s sat through some horrible, horrible games) will judge.

Please send your entry to metsgrrl at gmail dot com. Entries must be received by Midnight Brooklyn time, Monday, May 26, 2008. If you have been to a game with me, bought me a beer, met my parents or know the names of my siblings, you are disqualified. I will publish (anonymously if you wish) the best entries here.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

WHY?

WHY AM I BOTHERING TO EVEN WATCH?

CONGRATS.

Congratulations are in order to my friends and compatriots in Red Sox Nation this morning. We were sort of, kind of watching Cubs-Astros, and then turned it off, and then I hear the TV go back on again, and walk back into the living room.
“You’re going to keep watching the game?” I ask TBF.
“Lester’s apparently throwing a no hitter in Boston,” he answered.
So much for productivity. I sat down on the couch.

After the final out, as we sat there watching the festivities, both of us probably thinking the same thing (some variation of OMG, we will never see this at Shea, will we), TBF turns to me and says, “Why doesn’t he go get a hug from Wally?”
“He’s busy.”
“If I just threw a no-hitter, I would climb on top of the dugout and demand a hug from Wally… that is, if I was a pitcher for the Red Sox. If I was a pitcher for the Mets I would demand a hug from Mr. Met.”
“Maybe Wally’s not a huggy kind of guy.”
“What do you mean?! He’s a big, green furry thing! That’s the very definition of ‘huggy’!”

Addendum:

• MUST read: I was there for Jon Lester’s no-hitter
• ABSOLUTE MUST READ: Texas Gal’s take from Center Field. GREAT writing. Inspiring.
• Joe Posnanski was in town
• From the Royals’ perspective

Monday, May 19, 2008

START SPREADING THE NEWS. [05-18-08]

Mets v. Yankees, 5-18-08
Wang v. Perez

It is a very good thing that this is the last year of Yankee Stadium, because we hadn’t been there for more than 15 minutes before I declared tonight was the last time I was ever going to put myself through the hassle of going there again. We know the rules, we know we can’t bring a bag and everything is in our hands or in clear plastic, and yet we had to pull everything out of my purse and our pockets and take off our hats and then after that I get hassled again over my LEGAL BY THE RULES purse… and then my ticket had trouble scanning.

By the time we made it upstairs, to the wonderful right-behind-home-plate seats that TBF grabbed off of eBay, neither of us were in the mood to be there. At all.
“Cheer up,” said the Yankees fans in front of us. “Don’t look so glum!”
“We’re plenty cheery,” TBF said. “Our team isn’t losing.”

And then there was a game.

Friday, May 16, 2008

SUBWAY SERIES 08.

I hate the free morning papers they hand out at the subway entrances (because I feel they are responsible for bringing down our national literacy rate even further), but couldn’t resist picking up copies this morning once I saw the SNY promotional cover (front and back above).

I realize that I’ve taken a few photos of the SNY creative but haven’t posted it or talked about it. I have to take this opportunity to say, hats off to SNY for this beautiful, elegant, inspiring creative. There’s nothing fancy or elaborate about it, but the entire campaign (which you see in subways, phone booths, and on buses all over NYC) makes the channel look like a class act. I’m definitely going to go hunt for some frameable images in the collector’s market.

If you go to the AMNY website, you can download today’s issue, including the cover, as a full-color PDF.

Someone at TBF’s office just gave him two free tickets to tonight’s game. Provided we don’t get rained out, I’m going to head up there - late, but I’ll get there. I will be That Annoying Person showing up at the third inning. At least it’s only 15 minutes from Grand Central to 161st St. on the express.