Bill Simmons raves about "The Summer of Doc"

[Guest OlerudOwned]

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/050818

[Guest Edgy DC]

I coincidentally just stumbled upon a review of this lost Phil Hartman film set during the Summer of Doc.

[Centerfield]

Reading about that makes me sad.

[Elster88]

I think they posted that one by mistake. Another BS article was just posted for the upcoming ESPN issue. That one is for the 29th issue.

[Guest Iubitul]

Wow. Reading that brought back a flood of memories from those two years.

I still remember how batters would have their knees buckled by Lord Charles, and look back at the umpire with this look of amazement that would say, "How am I supposed to hit that?"

[G-Fafif]

Iubitul wrote: I still remember how batters would have their knees buckled by Lord Charles, and look back at the umpire with this look of amazement that would say, "How am I supposed to hit that?"

I didn't know curve balls had names until then.

[Elster88]

So who is to blame? The workload? Mel? (I still can't believe him) Drugs?

[Centerfield]

Kevin Mitchell on Dwight Gooden:

"If the hook is working, you've got no chance. God couldn't hit him then.''

From the Way-Back Machine:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/features/flashbacks/mets/mets_7/11/88_flashback/

[Elster88]

]''If I could have one player off the Mets' roster, it would have to be Gooden,'' says San Francisco Giants manager Roger Craig. ''A guy who will go get you 20 wins (a year) for 12 years. He's got the perfect delivery for the split-finger. I'd talk to him about throwing it, but, believe me, I wouldn't insist.''

Another guy who wants to mess with perfection?

[HahnSolo]

I was 18 in the summer of 85, and Doc Gooden owned NYC. When Doc started, it was an event. Bars, homes, and stores all showed the game, and even if you weren't in front of a tv, out in the streets you didn't have to go far to hear the voice of Bob Murphy calling the game one someone's radio. Teenagers carrying boomboxes tuned to WHN It was great being a Met fan.

Good times (yes a cliche, but in this case it really applies).

[soupcan]

Fuck goddamn Dwight Gooden.

Asshole broke my heart.

Fucker.

[Guest ScarletKnight41]

I second what soup said.

And the same for Strawberry.

[Guest cooby]

soupcan wrote: Fuck goddamn Dwight Gooden. Asshole broke my heart. Fucker.

Is that who called your office today?

[seawolf17]

You know, though, I will forever remember that 1985 Topps Dwight Gooden baseball card. I remember pulling it out of a pack and seeing the meanest scowl I've ever seen. The guy was so much larger than life back then, and at least to me, being nine years old, there was nobody cooler in the whole world, and that card became one of my most cherished possessions, going everywhere with me... which is why it's currently all beat to hell and I had to buy a new one when I started going back and finishing those old card sets.



So to me, regardless of what he did later, he's still part of the magic for me. Plus, he lasted longer; his departure wasn't the same that Straw's was.

[Guest ScarletKnight41]

seawolf17 wrote: I remember pulling it out of a pack and seeing the meanest scowl I've ever seen.

That's the thing - in 1984 and 1985 he was totally unflappable. After he started blowing his career up his nose he never regained that look.

Fuck him for what could have been and should have been.

[Guest Iubitul]

ScarletKnight41 wrote: Fuck him for what could have been and should have been.

Worrying about what could have been, and what should have been is wasted energy at best. Instead, I think we should thank him for what he did give us - The greatest one-season performance by a pitcher that I ever saw.

[Guest cooby]

I've recommended this book before




You'll be cheering them on to stop, even though you know they don't

[soupcan]

I cut Strawberry a lot more slack because as a Met fan he didn't let me down.

Strawberry produced during his entire tenure with the Mets. He gave me my money's worth. He may have been doing drugs but he still did what was expected on the field..

Gooden ripped me off. Like that time I gave that skanky guy on the corner of St. Marks and 1st $10 for a dime bag and he disappeared into a building to get my stash. Guy never came back.

That's how I feel about Doctor K.

[Guest Edgy DC]

So, by taking drugs, he made you as mad as you got at the guy who didn't bring you the drugs you wanted to take.

[soupcan]

Edgy DC wrote: So, by taking drugs, he made you as mad as you got at the guy who didn't bring you the drugs you wanted to take.

No. He made me MORE mad!

C'mon you're a writer - gimme credit for that great analogy.

[Guest cooby]

Look! I'm Darryl Strawberry!

[Guest ScarletKnight41]

You cokehead.

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

cooby nearing the rarified air at the summit of Met lore.

[Guest cooby]

Mrs. Joan Payson...

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

Save a place for me at the top. I should reach Seaver level sometime in the spring or summer of 2009., assuming my current rate of posting continues to hold steady.

Scarlett is getting ready to lap me very soon and I can see Seawolfe rapidly approaching in my rear view mirror.

[seawolf17]

What view is better, Doc? #1 or #2?

[Zvon]

I told ya i was a big fan.
I even draw Mets.



Tried to get Gooden to sign this.
Ends up being a long story, but he didnt.
Its ones those Met stories Ill post someday.

[Guest ScarletKnight41]

Post the story NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Here's my Gooden story. We saw him pitch a spring training game in St. Pete in 1987. A foul ball was hit right to us, but my brother-in-law couldn't figure out where it was on the floor, so someone else grabbed it. Gooden went on to give up 9 runs in two innings.

A week later, he was in Smithers.

I still say fuck him!

[Guest Edgy DC]

You've, um, said that quite a bit.

[Guest cooby]

Somehow I think Mrs. Gooden might have some objection to that


Beautiful picture, Zvon