This one is a goodie. Go Steelers!

Perhaps this incident will spike ratings. Funny how Rick Mahorn was involved.

Torturous times are amongst my professional sports teams rooting interest. Roter, The Mets make me friggin' nuts, you happy. Although I do genuinely believe the Mets should and hope they will be there in the end to make one , two or possibly many special Shea October memories which would be a fitting send off to Shea that served home to the Miracle Mets, an improbably 7-Game World Series loss to the A's in '73 where the f'n umpires blew some major calls (Pete Rose probably paid them off) and Game 6 of the '86 World Series, forever grained in our head wherever you were watching, was the greatest sporting event and stage to occur in this persons lifetime. A man jumped out of a parachute onto the field in the middle of that game, there was just some extra buzz in the air that night. But the purpose here is really to acknowledge to Mets Nation that this mediocrity is pissing me off. My friend Roter who is very melodramatic about the Mets while I continually give him the Kevin Bacon in Animal House line "REMAIN CALM!....ALL IS WELL!" You know the scene right before he gets trampled by the mob after Dean Wormer's Homecoming parade gets torched by the Delta House. The Delta House is probably my favorite underdog too.

Perhaps its fairy tales that teach us to pull for underdogs and losers that draw me in, but it is a very masochistic way to go through life. I for one am avid Nets fan and die hard Islanders and Mets....f'n brutal. At least god didn't make me a Jets fan. My only spin on the Mets is the championships they did win were so unconventional, that the champagne tastes sweeter when the Mets win as we endure blowing 7-game leads in September or trading Nolan Ryan for Jim Fregosi or Mookie Wilson for Bill Musselman (fresh out of booze rehab with surgically rebuilt shoulder). Let's continue a little bit further, Dykstra for Juan Samuel. We have 2 Centerfielders so trade them both for a washed up pitcher and a second baseman who you then try and teach Centerfield. Tom Seaver for Steve Henderson? Scott Kazmir for who?? I can't even remember, its blacked out like I was f'n assaulted and cant even remember. Now the jury is still out on Kazmir and I truly wish him well but would we all feel better if he did flame out? I don't want to be negative thought.

And the Mets are the top of the class in my baseball, hockey and hoops spectrum. The Islanders stunk, got good, one cups, teased us and have been recovering from the Milbury and bad ownership years since although I do think it will get better. The Nets, its been hard to get excited about them since Michael Ray Richardson's last cocaine relapse. The '83 upset of the Sixers was great and I have very fond memories of the Dr. J, Billy Paultz championship teams. Even Bernard King was twice the player with the Nets then he was with the Bricks. Petrovic dies, they are a tragic organization but have hope in Rod Thorn and Kiki at least.

I've thought recently that the two teams I'm most passionate about, boast players named Pagan and Satan... and I kind of like it. Did the Pope go home yet?

But lets face it, Cinderella the original step child had it pretty bad for 90% of that movie. If that were me, I'd of saw to it that the cat missed diving for a bird and fell out the castle window and would have had the horse take the step sisters and mother down a rocky ravine. That Mouse could of pulled the screw and off the mountain side they'd of tumbled with the horse and mouse high fiving and the birds singing. Anyway, fortunately Cinderella took the high road, seduced the Prince and Whamo! I love Cinderella and she's pretty easy on the eyes next time you take your kids to Disney I recommend the princess cast member dinner.

The point of all this psycho ramble is "You Gotta Believe" may the Tugger rest in peace. The Mets will be there in the end and who knows, Delgado may even be the MVP

As a die hard Mets fan, I registered in the "Yard" excited about the prospect of blogging about the Mes and how Omar Minaya is truly a genius and although the Spring has been tough on the Metropolitans, I have faith that they will make a run at winning a championship and closing the curtain on Shea Stadium in style where some of the most improbably moments have occurred. The nice thing about being a Mets fan is that although they kill you, like last September, it seems that the years they do win, it tastes that much sweeter, albeit, 1986 is feeling like a bit of time ago.

Unfortunately the only inspiration with which to draw from at this point is the '86 team, which remains the peak time for this franchise. I pondered why I couldn't get excited about Spring Training, Johan Santana, Jose and David Wright, Beltran, etc.... and my conclusion is that since the New York Giants won the Super Bowl, I've subconsciously avoided following sports as it can't get any better then that ending. Especially as I listened to the radio call by Dick Lynch on Giant Radio versus being subjected to Joe Buck (rhymes with luck, puck and f---). As an Islander fan, Nets fan and no college hoops interest, why bother. Life is too complicated and the Giants won the Super Bowl in an epic game and playoff run, in one of the biggest upsets in sports history. Enter February, time to dig a hole next to the Ground Hog, only make my winter 10 or 11 more weeks. NCAA Tournament, yeah, but if you don't fill out a bracket, try staying interested. Hockey, has that sport fallen behind Arena Football in terms of interest? I love it but its tough to see no one care about it. The Nets? Nice trade Rod Thorn, I have hope next year. You are pretty shrewd.

You get the point. I think I speak for a growing majority of fans that the Super Bowl is the end of the year, in fact, I consider the Super Bowl the actual end of the year. My New Years Eve if you will. I do however plan to wake up once Jose steps in the batters box and Johan toes the rubber on Monday so that I can revel in what promises to be another roller coaster ride baseball season at Shea. And I don't care what anyone says, Keith Hernandez is the best announcer in baseball, perhaps all of sports. For another post.