Back in the winter, when the Mets announced Nas would do a postgame concert after a game in July, I decided that if I went to Citi Field just once this year, a distinct possibility, it would be that one.
NY Mets
Just a moment
The years Johan Santana spent with the Mets are mostly a blur at this point, but I still remember the day they got him like it was yesterday.
Street dreams
I’ve always been fascinated how hearing a song can bring you directly back to how things were during a particular time in your life. When Nas performed “One Mic†to finish out his set at the MLB Fan Cave last Wednesday, I was brought back to January 2005: It was 11:30 at night, I had just woken up, and I was listening to Nas in the living room of my new apartment while mentally gearing up to get on the 12:30 a.m. bus from New Jersey to New York City.
Best seats in the house
I don’t remember all that much about life as a fifth grader — I recall being infatuated with G.I. Joe action figures, the Mets and the original Legend of Zelda, but that’s about it. And yet, so much about my first game at Shea Stadium remains totally fresh in my mind.
The Afternoon Before: Playing out the string
Later than usual with this, and just one thought and some NFL picks. Been a busy week and had some other stuff to write, including one article I’m hoping to see on the Dime Magazine site this week. 
It’s no secret that the older we get, the more jaded we are, especially when it comes to the way we watch sports.
I remember watching the final game in 1991 for a 77-84 post-Strawberry Mets team like it was Game 7 of the NLCS, as David Cone struck out 19 batters and had the chance to tie the record, but retired Dale Murphy with a groundout to end the game.
I remember sitting on the literal edge of my seat on the couch, praying that Cone would dig deep and join Clemens in the record books.
Twenty years later, my perspective has of course changed. The Mets, famously, have never had a pitcher throw a no-hitter, and R.A. Dickey took one into the seventh inning this afternoon. And I opted not to watch it.
Shades of 2006: Catching up with Ollie Perez
I honestly didn’t think I’d ever see Oliver Perez pitch again. But last Saturday night in Harrisburg, I found myself watching him warm up about 30 yards from Bryce Harper, ships passing in the night.
Besides the red jersey, Ollie looked just as I remembered him. It was like when you run into a long-lost friend you haven’t seen for a while; there’s that moment where you instinctively take inventory to see what, if anything, has changed.
I noticed that every sixth or seventh warmup toss would glance off his glove. Ollie would run after it, pick it up from wherever it landed, and start playing catch again from wherever he ended up. I was told later this is something he does by design to get some running in at the same time he does his long-toss. I’m not sure if that’s legitimate, but Ollie has always had his quirks.
Though to me, it pretty much just looked like a guy chasing after a baseball.
Catching up with the Mets’ unintentional savior
Note — With the videos below, you might want to use headphones. The audio came in a bit low.
In response to Ed Randall’s question on Tuesday night about potentially adding another Wild Card team to the playoff scenario, Sandy Alderson furrowed his brow and said, “Well, I haven’t actually given it much thought…â€Â
He paused, and a wry smile crept in at the corners of the Mets’ new general manager’s mouth.
“Given our situation, I think I’d be in favor of it.†Fifty or so baseball fans nodded and chuckled.
The blueprint: Knicks are evidence that Mets’ patience is prudent
I got this e-mail last week — before Cliff Lee signed with the Phillies — from a good friend who listens to what I’d consider to be an unhealthy amount of Mike Francesa:
Are the Mets looking at anyone? Crawford to Red Sox. Yanks are in hot pursuit of Lee. Angels are looming once again. Why are the Mets second-rate?
Although my friend isn’t a fellow Mets fan, I sense his radio-honed opinion likely mirrors a lot of the fan base, and even the media. (Jon Heyman seems to have a particular axe to grind.)
I’m definitely not opposed to fans having passion for their teams, especially when it’s also my favorite team. But when it gets in the way of patience, not to mention logic and reason, that’s when you have to cast your gaze across town at the excitement surrounding the Knicks, and understand that they are the model outcome for the Mets’ new regime.
Look closer: SportsAngle revisits Mets Opening Day at Citi Field
Despite the fact that I’ve been a Mets fan since I was nine, I waited 21 more years to attend my first Opening Day game of any sort, as an appetizer for Duke’s national title game that night. Being jaded, I never saw the need to get to an Opening Day game, but I have to admit it was pretty cool. And since Johan Santana pitched, the Mets actually won. After going through some pictures I took that day, I figured I’d share some images from Citi Field.
We the living
If you’ve been coming here for a while, you already know that the only holiday I truly love is Halloween. But New Year’s, I’ve always at the very least liked. I realize it’s technically just another day, but it represents to me a time to reflect and measure growth.
A clean start. A fresh slate. Another chance to turn it all around. (Word to Vanilla Sky)