Anyone up for a Song Parody Contest this offseason?

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Top 15 or 20 on the whole list. Or maybe, every other guy in the top 40 or soemthing. I was thinking just to have enough topix to cover the anticipated number of matches.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Well, I forsee an expanded field with the possibility that the bloggers might invite their readership to join and participate.

But a field of 16 leads to 15 contests. Still, what makes deep fanhood exciting is the brighter color of the ephemera. I like the challenge broad field. The Hillman contest wouldn't have happened without it. And, year after year, how much can we say about John Franco if we don't throw the Buzz Capras in there.

9 positions, ten if you count relievers, eleven if you count dh's.
+ A Coupla Spring Training Homes
+ 2 Sign Men
+ 1 Cowbell Man

(Throw coaches in there, we'll be approaching a database of 800 possible subjects.)

[Centerfield]

The number of subjects would obviously have to be determined after the number of players/matchups are determined, but you could start nominating subjects now. I don't think we should have any limitation on subjects, so long as they are interesting.

For instance, 1986, Shea Stadium, Mets Announcers and Tsuyoshi Shinjo are all subjects that seem interesting enough to warrant a matchup to me.

[Guest sharpie]

So maybe have 800 subjects. For each matchup the higher ranked contestent (or lower ranked, I don't care) picks a number which in turn provides the subject for the matchup. This way no Lunchbucket-style having a song in waiting but most of us don't do that anyway.

[Valadius]

I'm in. And I'm sorry I didn't show up last year.

[seawolf17]

I like the random selection of subjects; don't overthink it, just let it fly. It's a much better challenge to write a good song about Rich Becker. ("What rhymes with 'strikeout'?")

[A Boy Named Seo]

I wants me some this year.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Psyche-out and, um, dike spout.

[seawolf17]

"Dike spout." Excellent. Totally using that one this year.

[G-Fafif]

Whenever the format/rules are posted, I say I'm in (unless I crack under pressure and forfeit).

[nymr83]

i think i'll give it a shot if we do this topics thing instead of a random list of former-met scrubs for each contestant

[Guest Edgy DC]

Well, the broader topic list seems to have consensus, as does both contestants working on the same topic. How big a a topic database and and what to include in it do not.

A possible danger is that if both contestants are working on Gary Carter, they may both turn in a parody called "The Ballad of Gary the Kid," as two past contestants already have.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Yeah but one would surely be better than the other.

[nymr83]

let everyone just start listing topics. individual players should not be topics, imo, because we do them every year. limit it to 10 topics per person to start so we don't have a mile long list from SJR

[Guest Edgy DC]

Warming up.

Dae-Sung Koo --- every Met fan knows one
Dae-Sung Koo --- every system grows one

Me and you
Are subject to
Mediocre relief
But when you send him up against the Yanks
He steals the game like a thief

Dae-Sung Koo --- doubled off of Johnson
Dae-Sung Koo --- crazier than Bronson

In Japan
No one can
Believe he can pitch
But when he got signed by the Mets
They made him Richie Rich...

Edited November 26, 2007 by Guest

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

I initially enjoyed writing song parodies for the contest, but eventually it lost it's appeal to me. Maybe I've just grown lazy, but when writing the parodies started to feel like a required school assignment and was no longer fun, I knew it was time to quit. I enjoy reading the contributions of others and look forward to a lively contest from those that choose to participate, but I think I will pass.

[Guest Kid Carsey]

I don't care either way or what the topics are, but I have to say that part
of the charm (for lack of a better word) for me was that former Mets' scrubs
got a short week of glory and I learned some stuff about long-forgotten Mets
because of the song lyrics or they prompted me to look things up. Also, if I
had a few fringe Mets' guys to pick from I was forced to dig out old yearbooks
and programs and get to know them better. I realize that's not everyone's bag.

I guess the same things can happen depending on how obscure the topics
become. For example, I don't care how well a song about the ball rolling
through Buckner's legs is written -- it would draw a large yawn from me.

I also like the idea of having a more concrete schedule, I work better with
deadlines.

Edited November 26, 2007 by Guest

[MFS62]

I'd be in if we did it the old way (random picking of players only).
I'm going to have to see more details if it will be done differently.

I'm a definite maybe.

Later

[seawolf17]

I'd like to keep the full 500 players involved also.

[nymr83]

Kid Carsey wrote: I guess the same things can happen depending on how obscure the topics become. For example, I don't care how well a song about the ball rolling through Buckner's legs is written -- it would draw a large yawn from me. I also like the idea of having a more concrete schedule, I work better with deadlines.

i dont think the topics should get anywhere near as definite as the ball going between buckner's legs, broad topics will allow for more creativity. things like "60's mets" "met relievers" "mets (non-sports) news" "going to shea" or anything else we can come up with.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Tell 'em, KC. Phun is in ephemera.

Edited November 26, 2007 by Guest

[Fman99]

I'm in like Tim Pynn (a guy I went to college with that was poonaner-flypaper).

[Guest Edgy DC]

I appreciate peeps' love fore the Eric Hillman showdown, but I defend the "five random subjects" and "winning the purse of the vanquished" policies this contest was born with. It made the costest a game of chance as well as a game of skill, and a game of spoils as well. It gave to the show entertainment value that won't easily be found in the fairness of the new regime.

With one subject tto share, we're simply going to have some duds --- maybe more than a few --- with two warriors going at each other with squirt guns.

[soupcan]

While I want to stay on record as objecting to SteveJStalker picking up the song parody gauntlet - I believe that was and is Edgy's decision/responsibility - I shall participate should we go forward.

After a few years I think I finally know the formula for success.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

1. You're going to have duds no matter what.

2. Chance will still exist with the random distribution of topics.

3. If a guy turns the 86 playoffs into a squirt gun than he doesn;t deserve to play anyway.

4., Which is why I suggested limiting the topics a la a game show "big board"

5. This could allow for the higher seed to choose a topic for both guys to go at, if you wanted to introduce that kinda randomness and complication.

6. I always thouight the best thing about winning a contest was the prestige, not the topics I got. By the end the list was unweildy anyway.

7. It's like a dozen to 1 (or 2 if all the annual cries for attention are recognized) so let's just do it baby.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Can't have the top seed pick. He or she will just pick a topic he's already done.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Let's hear more about Tim Pynn.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Poonaner-flypaper sounds almost like something metirish would say.

We shouldn't be talking about non-famous people by their real names, by the way.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Tim Pynn, placekicker.

[Fman99]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Let's hear more about Tim Pynn.

He was a drinking buddy of mine in college. Not the best looking guy but somehow was always moving from one girl to the next. Every few weeks. The guy had them lined up.

Last I heard he had married, settled down and taken over his father's plumbing business in the Buffalo area.