The Year of Living Invincibly

[G-Fafif]

Jay Jay French of Twisted Sister*...

�Isn�t it nice to turn on the television and not have to worry? If they may lose this evening, they�re still 20 games ahead � I mean, think about that: 20 games ahead! Even if they lose once in a while! I mean, that�s what you call luxury!�

...and I remember the lush life that was the 1986 Mets, at msg.com.

*As if MGIM needs the asterisk

[batmagadanleadoff]

Prince: I can't keep up with you. You crank it out faster than I can read it.

Congrats on the gig. Good for you.

[TransMonk]

From the title, I was hoping this was going to be the new 2011 injury thread.

WTG G-FAFIF!

[G-Fafif]

TransMonk wrote: From the title, I was hoping this was going to be the new 2011 injury thread.!

I wouldn't mind that at all, actually.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

What a bee-yoot.

[A Boy Named Seo]

That was excellent, Greg. My new fav stat of all time:

... more than 37 percent of the time, the �86 Mets won nearly 92 percent of their games

That's better than beating Shelbyville at football nearly half the time.

Also, did you guys see Pearlman's response to MGiM's review of his book? That was pretty chill of him, even if he did seem to make a name up for MGiM.

[G-Fafif]

A Boy Named Seo wrote: That was excellent, Greg. My new fav stat of all time: ... more than 37 percent of the time, the �86 Mets won nearly 92 percent of their games That's better than beating Shelbyville at football nearly half the time.

Thanks. I call it SheaberMetrics. (For about the last 20 seconds, I have.)

Also, did you guys see Pearlman's response to MGiM's review of his book? That was pretty chill of him, even if he did seem to make a name up for MGiM.

I'd be more impressed if he hadn't call him "Mike," but that was more chill than chilly.

[metirish]

Congrats Greg , you and Fran Healy working at MSG.

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

A Boy Named Seo wrote: That was excellent, Greg. My new fav stat of all time: ... more than 37 percent of the time, the �86 Mets won nearly 92 percent of their games That's better than beating Shelbyville at football nearly half the time. Also, did you guys see Pearlman's response to MGiM's review of his book? That was pretty chill of him, even if he did seem to make a name up for MGiM.

Well, if that was really him.

And great job by Greg, of course!!! Becoming the new King of All Media -- as he should be!

[Guest themetfairy]

A Boy Named Seo wrote: Also, did you guys see Pearlman's response to MGiM's review of his book? That was pretty chill of him, even if he did seem to make a name up for MGiM.

I haven't. What did he say?

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

G-Fafif wrote: Also, did you guys see Pearlman's response to MGiM's review of his book? That was pretty chill of him, even if he did seem to make a name up for MGiM.

No. Where?

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

Jeff Pearlman said...

Mike:

I'm sorry you didn't enjoy the book more. I worked really hard on it, but�of course�all books have their flaws.

The one thing I will tell you is that Rocker was hardly taken by surprise. I was armed with both a tape recorder and a notepad, and he told me several things "off the record" (none of which I used, but the phrase certainly suggests he knew he was otherwise on the record).

Anyhow, I enjoy your blog. Feel free to hit me up at: anngold22@gmail.com

Best,

Jeff Pearlman

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Where's the review then? Confused

[Guest Edgy DC]

http://metsguyinmichigan.blogspot.com/2008/04/bad-guys-and-awesome-cousins.html

Pearlman confuses Dave with his cousin Mike a bit.

[G-Fafif]

Not that real life didn't shine a harsh light on what many of those Mets were up to when the sun went down, but Pearlman's book -- which I liked a great deal and is obviously a cornerstone of the Mets canon -- really changed the conversation about that team, from "excellent team that got a little lucky when it mattered most" to "what wild men and carousers who blew their dynasty!" That viewpoint is reflected in (and kind of overwhelms) the MSG series that msg.com piece is intended to accompany.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Why does he use "Ann Gold" as his e-mail address? Is that going to be his post-op name?

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

Rocker is, without a doubt, not the smartest guy on this or any block.

But my concern with the story was whether Pearlman, then a young guy making a name for himself at a big magazine, was as open or fair with Rocker as could have been.

When Rocker dropped the line about the 7 Train, did Pearlman crack up and egg him on a little? Or was he saying, "John, you know I'm recording this, right?"

If Rocker thought they were palling around and carrying on like he was with a drinking buddy, shame on Rocker. But a little bit of shame on Jeff if he led him to believe that he was, in fact, palling around and carrying on with a drinking buddy.

That doesn't excuse anything Rocker said or did. But I wonder if he was in a little over his head. Doesn't mean you protect him. But if you go in there looking to make a fool of him, that's not right either.

Just my 2 cents.

Plus, he dissed Twister Sister. Not cool.

[Guest Edgy DC]

I dunno. He knew he was being shadowed for a profile for Sports Illustrated, and his words were offered with that knowledge. I think Rocker really thought his act would fly and Pearlman was buying it, planning a title like, "No Apologies: John Rocker, Baseball's Last Individualist."

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/features/cover/news/1999/12/22/rocker/

Many of his more outlandish statements are clearly made in response to direct questions asked as a journalist.

[Ceetar]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: Prince: I can't keep up with you. You crank it out faster than I can read it. Congrats on the gig. Good for you.

this.

[Guest The Second Spitter]

Congrats, G-Fafif. I think you really deserve it.

[Guest Edgy DC]

The thing is, Rocker in retirement has given himself to an obnxious English-only campaign, so if that wasn't where he really pitched his tent back then, he certainly has subsequently.