Just heard the sad news that former NY Giant,and the man who hit the most famous home run in baseball history, Bobby Thomson has passed away.

I had the great pleasure of meeting Thomson and if you didn’t better, you’d never know he was not just an ex-baseball player but a player who hit the Shot Heard Around The World. He was very soft spoken and awfully polite when I met hm at an event to commemorate the 1951 season (my dad was a die-hard Giants fan and Thomson and Carl Hubbell were his two favorite Giants of all time)  but when the name of Sal Yvars was brought up, it brought out the Scottsman’ temper. Yvars was the player who claimed he gave Thomson and other Giants tip offs on what pitches were coming by stealing the opposing catchers signs using a telescope while Yvars was perched by a window in centerfield of the Polo Grounds.

Condolences to the Thomson family

No one is talking baseball in NYC today as the Jets have taken over this town as they ready themselves  for the AFC Title game against the Colts.

Even though I’m a die hard NY Football Giants fan, I hope the Jets win today as I know too many Jets fans who have never seen thier team win a cahmpionship and that’s sad.

What I can do without and it is one of the biggest flaws that NYC has are the front running bandwagoners.Every local news cast is full of these assholes who all of a sudden discovered football and are Jets fans. They were Highlander fans in October and now Jets fans in January. Must be nice to pick and choose who and when to root for a team.

As much as I rant against the Mets here, I love this team more than an grown up should. In fact it scares me a bit how much I care about the NY Mets.  Sure I’d love to see them win championships and be the talk of the town like the Jets are now and the Bronx Bastards seem to always be but right now I’d settle for a team and organization that is respected and plays good hard fundamental baseball.  I don’t think that’s too much to ask for is it?

Jets 19

Colts 17

Lito Sheppard with the game winning TD with .30 seconds left in game

Saints 35

Vikings 17

The Who Dat’s vs. Gang Green in South New York City Fl.

who is that player in the pic? and don’t cheat

 

So Jason Marquis signed with the Washington Nats for 2yrs/$15 mil. It seems the Mets were adamant about Marquis signing for minimum of 5 yrs/$40 mil.

 

Of course if the Mets signed Marquis for the same deal it would have been very nice but let’s not make him out to be Don Drysdale, okay, he’s a plow horse who takes the ball every 5^th day and most days keeps his team in games.

 

The big problem for the Mets if John Harpers’ info is correct, the team has placed a priority on adding offense first then seeing how much is left in the bank account to go for pitching. If that’s the case, this Mets team is destined for doom.

 

Does it really pay to get mad anymore? I have no idea what the Mets plan is this off-season and I’m at the point that I couldn’t give a shit if Jason Bay signs here or not. In fact, my mindset for this coming season is of a late 70’s type mode. I see myself going to as many games as I can at $iti Field because for all the screaming, cursing and acting like baby bullshit I do here, I’m still a die hard Mets fan. I’ll be there (hopefully) on Opening Day and for a lot of other days/nights at $iti Field. So the Mets don’t have to do anything to appease me because even if they were still playing in our beloved Shea with it’s leaky toilets and broken seats, I’d still be there bitching and moaning but with cash and credit card in hand, wearing a Mets jersey, Mets cap, Mets socks (yeah that’s right I have about 5 pair of Mets socks) and standing and applauding when Alex Anthony says “And here they are your 2010 New York Mets”.  You say I’m a jerk and ass whatever but the bottom line is I love the Mets it’s the owner whose guts I hate.  Even Jimmy (Welcome to my Garden Party) Dolan laughs at Jeffey Skill Sets.

Every spring there are loads of baseball annuals at the newsstand but if you are a die hard Mets fan you need to pick up the 2009 Mets Annual published by Maple Street Press.

The Annual is chock full of information for every Mets fans taste. You like numbers? There are your basic stats and there are in depth numbers like pitch selection and hit placement all from the Inside Edge scouting service. There are articles on Shea Staduim and our birthplace the Polo Grounds.  There are stories on the 40th annivseray of the 1969 Amazin’s (by Greg Prince) and a great article by Howard Megdal on the Mets uncanny ability to finish in second place (that says it all about Mets fandom WE’RE #2!!!!)

Greg Spira and Matt Silveman have but the best sports annual out there so look for it at newsstands, bookstores or at the Maple Street Press web site  

 

 

I guess it’s tough for Mike Francesa to come to the realization that he is no longer relevant in this town when it comes to sports talk radio. Sure his ratings are as solid as they were when he was teamed with Chris Russo (it’s hard to fault a guy for taking more cash and the freedom to do his own show but Chris Russo right now is a non-entity in the sports talkie world) as that is more out of habit than getting anything newsworthy from the show as the man is so out of touch with the modern media world and what we have seen since the Mike and the Mad Dog breakup is Russo while off the mark many times, is 1,000 times for entertaining than Mike. Francesa’ ego will not allow him to have another co-host and the ones who were brought in all had to bow to the altar of the Sports Pope. Worship is not what’s needed from 1-6 Monday to Friday they need someone to tweak the Tank and have some real sports talk debate.

 

The problem is, Francesa is so set in his way he would never allow that. Mike can not comprehend that his listeners are as informed of not more informed than he is and his slip is showing. Last week he had some political hack on discussing President Obama’ address to Congress. Are you kidding me? Where was Mark Chernoff with the white towel?  I know what you’re saying “why listen to the show then”? And you’re right. I was a die hard Mike and the Mad Dog fan as my desk radio would be on the whole 5 hours but now I usually tune in and out while listening to music most of the day. I bring all this up because Francesa has been very underhanded in his treatment of David Wright and Ryan Church. By not concededing that Wright is one of the top 10 players in the game today, just showed Francesa’ ignorance and his nastiness. Make no mistake Mike Francesa is one nasty fuck and both Wright and Church gave him their ass to kiss and rightly so. Francesa can not get the big name NY athlete to do his show because of his piss poor personality, I mean for David Wright not to agree to come on his show, that’s all you need to know that Francesa either needs to get a personality transplant –a la Tom Coughlin-or he needs to pack it in as no one is tuning in to here his political views or reviews of movies made 60 years ago.  Check out Mike Silva’s NYBD as he posts about Francesa talking about he and Wright meeting in St Lonesome.

I tuned in more than usual to the show this week because Mike was in St Lonesome. It would have helped if Francesa did a little homework before he did his interviews. His one on one with Fernando Martinez was embarrassing as he really had no clue on the kids accomplishments, his age or what he has accomplished as a 20 year old playing in the Double A while most kids his age are Juniors in college and eligible to be drafted to a big league team come June. No all Francesa could talk about was the injury factor, not taking into account that maybe the young man was still transforming from a kid to a man. The best interview was with Oliver Perez who blew Francesa off after two questions. Of course there is the Wright/ Church matter that both players who made it known to Jay Horowitz that no way in hell were they going on with Francesa. So WFAN wasted all that money to send Mike down there just to wear those hideous sunglasses andto model his collection of black shirts.

 

Hey Mark Chernoff it’s TIME FOR A CHANGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!