Tabloid Cover Derby 2016

[Benjamin Grimm]

This morning I received the official word from our corporate headquarters in Stockholm: The Tabloid Cover Derby will return for a second year, with voting to begin shortly after the conclusion of the World Series, whether or not the Mets participate.

Last year we had 368 covers to choose from, with 133 from the Daily News, 124 from the New York Post, and 111 from Newsday.

So far we have a field of 265 covers: 98 from the News, 87 from the Post, and 80 from Newsday. Whether the totals end up comparable to last year will depend largely on how newsworthy the Mets are in October, but even if the team fizzles in September, we should easily have at least 300 covers in the competition.

Let's hope that this year's gallery includes cover photos of parades and "ticker tape" (or whatever substitutes for ticker tape these days).

[Edgy MD]

Confetti will be made from the shreddings of the losing covers.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Lotta fun last season, hope this September and beyond make it as fun or better...

Edited September 1, 2016 by Guest

[Guest cooby]

Fun!

[Guest themetfairy]

Huzzah!

[Benjamin Grimm]

Cover counts through September 16: Daily News 116, New York Post 100, Newsday 90.

I wonder... if the Mets go deep into the postseason this year, will they get as many front pages as they did last year? Or will the Presidential election limit them to the back pages? Let's hope we find out!

[Centerfield]

Amazing that there is a chance that this could be fun this year. I loved the Tabloid Cover Derby 2015. I sat there at times thinking how depressing the covers would be this year.

If the Mets have a good homestand, might we see the return of NHOP?

[Benjamin Grimm]

Maybe! I thought of dusting off the NHOP a few weeks ago, but with the Marlins and Pirates still in the mix it seemed hopelessly complicated. Things are coming into focus a bit more, so maybe NHOP's time has come. Let's see how the weekend goes.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Word cloud based on this year's headlines gathered from the three tabloids through September 18, 2016.

[Ceetar]

oof, suggests their won't be a lot of creativity again.

[Guest cooby]

Bat Outta Hell Hurts Dozen Mets

[Guest d'Kong76]

Behold, Bruce Bring Bad Bat

(how does one make a word cloud?)

[Benjamin Grimm]

Try http://www.wordclouds.com/

[Centerfield]

JAY BRUCE DEAD? METS WONDER

[batmagadanleadoff]

Ray Knight? Brandon?

[Frayed Knot]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: Ray Knight? Brandon?

Dark

[batmagadanleadoff]

Frayed Knot wrote: batmagadanleadoff wrote: Ray Knight? Brandon? Dark

Out of sight, out of mind, I guess.

[Benjamin Grimm]

The 2016 Tabloid Cover Derby will get underway two weeks from today, on Thursday, November 3.

The current number of covers in the competition is 360, a few short of last year's 368, but if the Mets make any offseason news, covers will continue to be added until the final thread of the first round is launched, which is tentatively scheduled for Sunday, December 4.

At the moment, we have 140 covers from the Daily News, 116 from the New York Post, and 104 from Newsday.

As a reminder, last year's winner was YES-PEDES, the Daily News cover from September 10, 2015. A large framed copy of the cover has been hanging in the lobby of the CPF's headquarters, Kran Pool Forum Internationella Huvudkontoret in Stockholm, Sweden. This year's winner will receive the same honor.



The winner was announced on February 2, 2016 at an outdoor ceremony in Stockholm. David Wright was there to represent the Mets. Also attending were U.S. ambassador to Sweden, Mark Brzezinski; the King of Sweden, Carl XVI Gustaf; and the ghost of Swedish actress Ingrid Bergman.



And here's the photo that was taken after the framed cover was put on display in the lobby. We all remember, of course, our lovely receptionist Maja.



And new for this year will be an actual visual bracket so we can follow how the covers are progressing through the competition. It will be updated periodically. Here's a recap of last year's Tabloid Cover Derby, using the new bracket developed by our engineers in Stockholm. (Special thanks to Arvid, Valter, and Novalie!)

[Centerfield]

Those covers are amazing. That was one hell of a ride for 3 months.

[Guest Mets Guy in Michigan]

Excellent job with that! And Maja looks like she's having fun.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I dated Maja once in my early 20s. We met for Coffee and then went to a Swedish karaoke bar where my attempt to win her over with "Take On Me" failed because I'd confused Sweden and Norway.

It was a bad time for me.

[Centerfield]

I did not realize until just now that Ingrid Bergman was translucent. That is terrific!

[Guest Mets Guy in Michigan]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: I dated Maja once in my early 20s. We met for Coffee and then went to a Swedish karaoke bar where my attempt to win her over with "Take On Me" failed because I'd confused Sweden and Norway. It was a bad time for me.

I can see that happening. The Swedes are pretty serious about that stuff.

[Edgy MD]

Our crack security officer Ørn back there always had one eye on the winning cover display, but was never too overbearing a presence. People felt comfortable approaching the display, but not too comfortable, you know?

The change in our security protocols since he replaced Valter can be felt up and down the organization. He's a wiz at the cyber, too.

[Lefty Specialist]

Edgy MD wrote: Our crack security officer Ørn back there always had one eye on the winning cover display, but was never too overbearing a presence. People felt comfortable approaching the display, but not too comfortable, you know? The change in our security protocols since he replaced Valter can be felt up and down the organization. He's a wiz at the cyber, too.

And like all Swedes, Ørn makes a mean meatball.

[Zvon]

Fantastic work!
Ingrid Berman's ghost, lmao. Still stunningly beautiful.
I think Conforto expected the fans to back him on this, and the loss undermined his chaaaaanfidence.

'lil bit.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Benjamin Grimm wrote:

This bracket-thingy is too cool!

[Benjamin Grimm]

Mets legend Rusty Staub and 2014 Miss Sweden, Camilla Hansson, were on hand at Citi Field yesterday to kickoff the return of last year's offseason sensation, The Tabloid Cover Derby! Voting starts tomorrow, November 3. The format will be the same as last year, with 32 first-round threads in which all entries will be presented in groups of roughly 11 or 12 covers. In each first-round thread, you'll be able to vote for up to three favorite covers. Second and subsequent rounds will be NCAA-style single elimination. There will be a break for Christmas week. The final winner will be announced in February, and will be displayed in the lobby of the CPF International Headquarters in Stockholm.

[Fman99]

I'd like to see both of those two with their shirts off. Cause I'm nutty that way. Bring on the TCD!

[Lefty Specialist]

50 Shades of Awesome.