Monday, October 06, 2008

TAKE THE CASH.

Friday, October 03, 2008

PHOTOPOST: SHEA GOODBYE

Today I’m posting some favorites from Sunday.

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

RAISE A GLASS.

Today I’m providing a link to download a a live version of “It’s Been A Long Time,” the Southside Johnny song played during the player montage during the closing ceremonies at Shea on Sunday. It features Southside, Bruce Springsteen, and Steve Van Zandt (who actually wrote the song) sharing lead vocals, and was performed at Convention Hall in Asbury Park, NJ, on December 10, 2003. (If you want the studio version, go buy the album, or buy the mp3-- Southside could use the money.)

Monday, September 29, 2008

TODAY.

This is how I am getting through the day today. It is helping. (Credit where credit is due, it was TBF’s idea. He has something similar up at his place.)

How are you holding up today?

Sunday, September 28, 2008

1: IT’S BEEN A LONG TIME.

I thought Brian Schneider was going to do it.

I confess, at the end of the 8th I fell back into my chair, dejected. But a guy who came down the stairs to take a photo saw my face and said, “Cheer up, it’s not over yet,” and TBF muttered something about two outs in 1986. So I looked at the lineup and thought to myself, Okay, Easley can get on, and Endy can bunt him over, and maybe Church can just get HBP, which leaves it to Schneider, and he’s been having these wondrous inexplicable 2HR hits when no one expects it, he can do it again.

You see, I had it all worked out.

Saturday, September 27, 2008

2: THE ACE OF SPADES.

“They’re throwing Santana tomorrow,” TBF said, shaking his head, when we got home Friday night.
“Jerry wants to win.”
“It’s a mistake.”
“What would you do?”
“I’d just follow the rotation.”

I am too tired to argue that I am not sure that throwing Jon Niese on Saturday is the right thing to do. That I am sure that the announcement of Jon Niese on Saturday afternoon will engender the result of 55,000 fans standing up and screaming, “YOU’VE GOT TO BE FREAKIN’ KIDDING ME.” That the Mets have to win TOMORROW. Not Sunday. TOMORROW. Add to that the fact that. inconceivably, I seem to know that Santana has done well in key situations on short rest before. Johan is my guy. I believe.

Friday, September 26, 2008

3: GOODBYE TO SECTION 12.

I came out to Shea in December of 2005 and picked out our seats: Section 12, Row E, Seats 3&4.  At the time, all I wanted to do was make sure TBF got into the new Mets ballpark. I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

Tonight was the last night in Section 12. I got to Shea early, a little after 6. I came in the preferred route: Gate D, up two levels, around the Loge to the Gate C escalator, straight up to the food court. Tonight it was hot dogs and french fries, sitting by myself in Section 12. I look around and realize that this is the last time I’ll be here, this is the last time I’ll sit here. It’s not Sunday, it’s not the last day, but this was our home for three years. The groundskeepers are just finishing up the field. The place is filling up.

As soon as I catch my breath, I start crying.

FINALLY.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

4: GET UP

By 3:30 today, I was chain-drinking cup after cup of Yogi Tea Cold Formula, and people kept saying, “Why are you going?” and I kept saying, “I’ll just go and leave early if I feel crappy.” TBF brought orange juice and Gatorade and extra water and I had fleece and fleece and wool and wool and my magic offering to the gods, a navy blue plastic rain poncho. Early this morning I made the tactical decision to leave my sneakers home and wear my LL Bean moccasins, which are to wear in the snow, but are excellent for early spring days at Shea...or rainy September ones for that matter.

Yep, I looked like a freaking GENIUS tonight.

We were settled into UR Section 16, Row A, and as TBF filled out the lineups on his scorecard and I struggled into the first layer of polar fleece, he made some comment about “wanting more of a positive attitude. C’mon, let’s remember the immortal words of Tug Mc Graw.”
I rolled my eyes.
“No, seriously. You gotta believe.”
“I’m HERE, aren’t I?”
“I think we need a little more enthusiasm than that.”
I put on another layer of fleece and sighed. I was not going to ever meet his level of enthusiasm or willpower. He was imprinted at a young age, he was going to sit at Shea every night this week for every single minute there was baseball and nothing would budge him. Nothing. But there was no shame in heading home early for illness or cold or crappy on-field performance, and I am not him.

I would see how the night would go. After all, the Cubs had presented us with their Suck-Ass Lineup.

Famous last words.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

5: THERE’S A HEARTACHE FOLLOWING ME.

Tonight broke my heart, I think, more than Game 7 in 2006, more than 9/30/07. It broke my heart into millions of tiny pieces because it lifted me up so high and so far, in that moment when Delgado stepped up to the plate, 2 outs, and although we’re all on our feet we are tired and jaded and burnt out and we don’t believe it will really happen, one out, see, I told you, two outs, I don’t even know why I’m standing up - and then and then and then in a heartbeat the ball is hit and there is the collective intake of breath when we all realize IT IS - IT IS - IT IS - IT IS OUT!