Given Another Year... We Still Can't Make This Happen

[Edgy MD]

Hats of New York's finest and bravest remain lowest of priorities.

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/mets/post/_/id/56377/first-responder-caps-pregame-not-in-game

[ashie62]

Every year this comes up and yet I have no opinion on the issue.

Heroes live everywhere, maybe a league sanctioned "Heroes" hat should be adopted and used to honor first responers everywhere.

[seawolf17]

I'm not surprised that the players don't care.

[Edgy MD]

I don't see anything in there that would lead me to such a broad characterization. They don't care enough, maybe.

[ashie62]

Maybe the Rockies should wear caps in honor of Aurora first responders.

[bmfc1]

F. Wilpon doesn't want to do anything that will upset his Sugar Daddy, the Crypt Keeper.

[Edgy MD]

Ashie62 wrote: Maybe the Rockies should wear caps in honor of Aurora first responders.

Maybe they should, but that's not my team.

You're the master of the non-sequiter tonight, more than most.

[seawolf17]

Edgy DC wrote: I don't see anything in there that would lead me to such a broad characterization. They don't care enough, maybe.

Semantics. That's what I meant.

[metirish]

This is beyond fucking annoying and I think embarrassing. Bud Selig should announce that any team that wants to honor and remember on 9/11 with hats should be allowed to do so. I would think common sense would prevail in what is worn.

[Guest themetfairy]

In 2001 Todd Zeile dared MLB to rip the cap off his head.

It's disgraceful that the current crop of players doesn't have that kind of attitude.

[Edgy MD]

seawolf17 wrote: Edgy DC wrote: I don't see anything in there that would lead me to such a broad characterization. They don't care enough, maybe. Semantics. That's what I meant.

Well, in my experience, tempered in the fire of multiple viewings of Beau Geste and The Bounty, organized mutinies are notoriously hard to get off the ground.

I don't remember the initiative belonging to Zeile, but rather to Ord��ez. Obviously, they all deserve credit, but also obviously, the zeitgeist was different.

[Guest themetfairy]

Edgy DC wrote: I don't remember the initiative belonging to Zeile, but rather to Ord��ez. Obviously, they all deserve credit, but also obviously, the zeitgeist was different.

Last week, former Met Todd Zeile said MLB "would've had to rip the hats off our heads" in 2001.

Source

I don't have time to research it right now, but I specifically remember him saying the same thing back then.

[seawolf17]

Edgy DC wrote: the zeitgeist was different.

That's part of my point. It's ancient history to these guys. The only NYer in the group is Baxter, yes? It's not part of their lives the same way it's part of ours. I'm not defending them, I'm just saying.

[ashie62]

Edgy DC wrote: Ashie62 wrote: Maybe the Rockies should wear caps in honor of Aurora first responders. Maybe they should, but that's not my team. You're the master of the non-sequiter tonight, more than most.

You are obsessed with the 9/11 hat issue...Move on.

[Edgy MD]

I have six people responsible for my psychological health and you're not one of them.

Were you looking for a response that was more serious or less serious with the Aurora comment?

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Perhaps he's just an asshole.

[ashie62]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Perhaps he's just an asshole.

You two are quite a pair of donkeys with faces made for radio. Fuck off.

[Edgy MD]

Isn't that tired cliche of an insult generally reserved for a medium in which somebody's face appears? I would love to do some radio.

You seem disappointed with my answer to the Aurora comment, and I don't know why. Were you looking for a response that was more serious or less serious? I did my best with it.

[Guest themetfairy]

themetfairy wrote: Edgy DC wrote: I don't remember the initiative belonging to Zeile, but rather to Ord��ez. Obviously, they all deserve credit, but also obviously, the zeitgeist was different. Last week, former Met Todd Zeile said MLB "would've had to rip the hats off our heads" in 2001. Source I don't have time to research it right now, but I specifically remember him saying the same thing back then.

The issue with the caps brought to mind the Mets' first game back after the attacks, when they were told by MLB they couldn't wear the hats from the FDNY, NYPD and other agencies. But Todd Zeile said at the time league officials "are going to have to pry these hats off our heads."

Source

[Edgy MD]

I'm sure Zeile spoke honestly last year for how he and his teammates felt at the time. My point only is that his ready availability last year as unofficial spokesman for the 2001 team on the issue caused some members of the 2011 press corps to perhaps mis-interpret his statements of intransigence to suggest that he took was the player whose initiative led the team to take the field in the hats the rest of the season despite the lack of permission.

Hats Will Be Off Saturday At Shea NOTEBOOK BY T.J. QUINN DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER Thursday, September 20, 2001 PITTSBURGH - What was supposed to be a brief gesture is turning into a movement. Monday night, the Mets took baseball caps bearing police, fire and EMS logos onto the field during the pre-game ceremony. Tuesday night, after getting permission from Major League Baseball, the Mets wore the caps during the game. Yesterday they were supposed to return to their regular "NY" lids, but no one on the team wanted to. Rey Ordo�ez grabbed a "FDNY" cap, put it on his head and said to his teammates, "I'm going to wear it." The rest of the team followed suit, and although it was awkward for Mets brass, no one protested. The Mets will wear the caps for the last time tomorrow at Shea, and will add caps from the Port Authority Police and court reporters. Both groups asked that the Mets help honor their fallen as well and sent caps to Shea. "I just wanted to do something for New York," the Cuban-born Ordo�ez said. "I've lived here 10 years. I'm not an American, but I'm a New Yorker."

[Guest themetfairy]

Edgy DC wrote: My point only is that his ready availability last year as unofficial spokesman for the 2001 team on the issue caused some members of the 2011 press corps to perhaps mis-interpret his statements of intransigence to suggest that he took was the player whose initiative led the team to take the field in the hats the rest of the season despite the lack of permission.

Aside from the fact that I remember Zeile's statement from the time clearly, the Post article that I cited above confirms his 2001 statement.

He was hardly the only one in favor of wearing the caps for the remainder of the 2001 season. But he was certainly vocal about it at the time.

[Guest themetfairy]

Further confirmation that Zeile was outspoken about the caps at the time -

The Mets again wore caps of the New York fire and police departments and other agencies, and when they were asked about reports Major League Baseball Properties wanted them to return to their regular caps today, Zeile spit out the words. "As far as we're concerned, they're going to have to tear them off our heads." he said.

[Edgy MD]

Yes, he was. Obviously, they all deserve credit.

[Guest themetfairy]

Obviously.

[Edgy MD]

Another terribly awkward conversation.

[Guest themetfairy]

Another terribly awkward conversation.

Well, why is that? Because you made me prove a point time and time again before having to acknowledge that my initial statement was valid?

[Edgy MD]

I didn't make you do anything. At all.

Nor did I actually dispute your point, but rather took your point to add on a comment of my own. I apologize that I wrote it so it could read otherwise but I really didn't mean to. I tried to subsequently clarify this.

[Guest themetfairy]

My point only is that his ready availability last year as unofficial spokesman for the 2001 team on the issue caused some members of the 2011 press corps to perhaps mis-interpret his statements of intransigence to suggest that he took was the player whose initiative led the team to take the field in the hats the rest of the season despite the lack of permission.

That pretty much was a statement telling me that you weren't going to acknowledge that Zeile actually made his statement back in 2001. Which he did.

It's not like I said he was the only one or he was the leader or anything like that. I simply said that he made the statement and I wish we had more players today who showed that kind of spirit.

That said, I accept your apology.

[G-Fafif]

I certainly hope Daniel Herrera will be leaning over that guard rail with a first responder cap next week.

[Centerfield]

themetfairy wrote: In 2001 Todd Zeile dared MLB to rip the cap off his head. It's disgraceful that the current crop of players doesn't have that kind of attitude.

Disgraceful is right. Shameful is also appropriate. If the players are too young or were not here in NY then it's the organization's duty to teach them. Bring in Todd Zeile or any fan and let them tell the players what that meant to the city. Fred Wilpon was here. He has no excuse. I distinctly remember saying they would never forget. I'm starting to think Fred never got it in the first place.

Over the years these asshat owners have been searching for a Mets tradition. Remember when they tried stealing Sweet Caroline? In 2001 Valentine, Ordonez, Franco, Zeile et al gave the Mets a great one. The best one in all of baseball. And they threw it away. Something that great and they just discarded it. It disgusts me. I am ashamed of this team.

It boggles my mind that they can fuck up something this simple. It makes me believe that they will never accomplish something as complex as building a winning baseball team.