stevejrogers

Can't find the original thread, but Don LaGreca of 1050 ESPN Radio (Michael Kay's update guy, co-host and regular fill-in, and supposed Met fan) had me scratching my head with this one Apparantly (and this drivel started Friday and continued today as well) LaGreca was annoyed that the Mets scheduled the 1986 reunion for the same weekend that the Yanks were playing the Red Sox! Basically lambasting the Mets for not ensuring the proper over exposure for the event and acting like the Yanks do not exist! Boneheaded thinking (and pot stiring as well) A) Who, other than Met fans really care about the reunion? And those casual or non-fans, or those who like both teams will know exactly when and where to watch it. Generally these events get nice press, but really, thats all they SHOULD get, just some nice "Where are they now" stories and plugs on radio/tv shows. They should never be "in the way" of you know, actual coverage of relevant topics? Even if the Mets were inducting someone in their HOF or retiring a number, it didn't matter if the Yanks were playing the Royals, they are not the story unless its a severly slow day Be prepared when you are going to go with that kind of rant. What were the Mets doing through the years the weekend of Yankee OTG? Are you telling me the Mets NEVER had a big series that commanded the back pages? The Yankees never had a September ceremony coincide with a big NFL football Sunday? Are the Yanks so blessed that OTG and other like ceromonies are held on days were they are the only ones around? Stop this need to have the Mets have Steinbrenner's warped need to win the back pages 365 days out of the year. C) You know what, the only people that it mattered to are the people who were there or watched. They'll remember that long after they've forgotten that the Yanks were kicking the Sox' butt that particular weekend, and THATS the only important thing about the event, not having it be the topic of disscussion on the radio shows, not being on the cover of the back pages the next day The things people choose to stir the pot with...

Maybe Gibbons is pissed he missed out on at least being discussed for an invitation to the 1986 reunion!

Hillbilly wrote: It's official! I hat them both. Go Tigers! Go Pale Hose! Go Twins! I agree here. The Sox seem to be caught up in some sort of Mets style of trying to win while rebuilding, heard Shaugnessey use the old argument NY mediots say about NY teams "You can't rebuild here!" I'm now rooting for the Blue Jays and O's, if not to surge in September (well Jays are 4 back of the Sox and the O's, uh not so much) and end the Yanks-Sox run of 1-2 every year since 1998, but in 2007 be the two team race in the AL Least

ScarletKnight41 wrote: That's not what Willets is doing. He's playing the negative karma. It worked for me but I got the same response with the "Congratulations 2006 NL East Champs posts" Think we should leave the Karma to Earl Hickey!

ScarletKnight41 wrote: 5-0 Phillies. They're playing a nice game against the Cubs tonight. The beauty of the double digit lead means that I can enjoy the good play without worrying about it. Yup. Though I do enjoy lowering magic numbers without doing a single thing more than a good baseball game! =

Bad off day for the Mets. Yanks cripple Sox, Braves win (yeah they aren't so much with the mattering but it leaves them alive for one more day) and the Phils are up 4-0 against the Cubs in the 4th Its good to be up by Double Digits though!

Johnny Dickshot wrote: Most pretend journalists can just start a blog today. Gives all the more reason to believe the Mets and Wright's story about how Wright came to do that "Faith Healing" promo earlier this year

Lundy, I need to know about a potential NLCS opponent!

="MFS62"]Steve, a couple of thoughts. You are right about Forte and Arledge. When they were in charge of the original AFL telecasts, they brought true innovation to football telecasting. They were the first to show an end zone view of the field. It was the first time viewers could get a feel for pass patterns and line spacing. They added sideline cameras and "miked up" coaches. If they did not get some words about their contribution to football telecasting, it is a shame. That is especially strange since ABC and ESPN are parts of the same company. I stand corrected somewhat, Chet and Roone do get justly mentioned in the summary leading off the section. But my point still stands, don't list the broadcasters without listing the directors and executive producers as if the broadcasters are the main reason for the broadcast. Actually what makes it even more confounding is that MNF for all intent purpose died the day ABC decided to get out of the pro-football game. MNF as a franchise is now airing Sunday Nights on NBC. What ESPN has is the old Sunday package! I'd say that even if Ebersol decided to forge an NBC brand, but then again maybe the old MNF staff is Ebersol's "Stengel & Weiss" where the first year out of the box Ebersol goes old as he tries to rebuild NBC's football franchise. But thats another story for another thread! ]As for coverage of prior leagues, the official NFL books do include some of them. And, unlike the NBA official record books, the NFL books include records of players who had played in other leagues and count those stats toward a player's lifetime totals. The omission, and non-recognition, of ABA records by the NBA still bothers me. (Maybe I'll post more about that in the future.) Later Yup. BTW, the MLB books do give you the one-and-done Players and Union Leagues. Incredibly since those two leagues were from the 90's. Uh the 1890's! as well as the NL's main rivals in the 1880's (the original homes of the Cardinals and Dodgers actuall) American Association and the 1914-1915 Federal League! The only quivel is that it took untill recent years for MLB to acknowledge the NL's predecessor, the National Association as part of the history Speaking of that, and the NBA's lack of ABA history, how about the NBL (I think offhand) that existed before the BAA (NBA before the merger) which was mostly across the midwest and whose legacy is the Lakers! Hard to find ANYTHING on that league expect for a run down of the franchises in some books I think it wouldn't bother me so much (not saying it really nothers me a great deal, just more of an example of ESPN's NFL bias) if ESPN just called the book The NFL Encyclopedia, Pro-Football implies that you will spend a section on non-NFL related leagues. And all I really ask is maybe a half a page each with yearly standings and/or just a listing of championship game results and/or major awards. Probably do more than a few pages on the very current NFLEurope, Arena League and Canadian Football, especially considering the CFL and USFL representation in this years HOF class, Reggie White and Warren Moon!

]Kevin Brown, Yankees: In 1990, traded from New York Mets to Milwaukee along with PNL Julio Machado in exchange for PNL Kevin Carmody and Charlie O'Brien. (Named eight days later). He was also a PNL in 1987 when Atlanta sent him to New York in exchange for Terry Blocker. Wrong Kevin Brown! Kevin Dewayne Brown James Kevin Brown, aka the guy the Blogger was thinking of! I think the other Kevin Brown and the other Pedro Martinez (Pedro A. who also pitched with the Pads) are probably the two most confused "Ones that got away" in Mets history! Okay, I know of only one call to WFAN inquiring how the Mets had Kevin Brown and "let him go?" Sadly the host said he'd check up on it and never gave the answer (that it wasn't the Kevin Brown who was with the Rangers at the time of the phone call) Then again my Dad once turned to me after Magglio Ordonez had a big hit against the Yankees and asked why Ordonez couldn't do that as a Met! So its not just the same complete name sometimes I guess

FYI, the number for Braves Postseason elimination is sitting at 34

Not to mention 14 teams that will claim them on their way up to us

Oh and one more thing about the MNF section, just as I mentioned Roone Arledge, if you are going to do a section like that, listing all the commentators, broadcasters, sideline reporters, ect, give some love to the directors like Chet Forte and producers like Roone who truely were the heart and soul of every broadcast, probably more so than Howard, Frank and Don themselves! CHET FORTE! He was a big reason MNF was so damn compelling and entertaining back in the 70's. Not just Cosell, not just Meredith, and not just because they had good games and the NFL had "more personality" (quotes for sarcasm) back then. The camera work, and production values set by Forte and Arledge have become staples of how to do a sports television broadcast to this day. If you are going to do a special section dedicated to Monday Night Football that includes a listing of everyone behind the mikes, you gotta add the guys directing traffic back in that truck week after week, year after year. Chet and Roone deserve the love And not for nothing, but what about CBS Radio/Westwood One through the years? National radio just doesn't count? And again, there is a special Super Bowl section, but no listing of yearly broadcasters there? ESPN can not stop its self promotion and trying to convince itself that the broadcasters are the ONLY stars of the telecast

The title of "Pro-Football" might suggest a global approach, much in the way it's (unmentioned) predecssor Total Football did, and much like various like tomes of baseball, basketball and hockey have done through the years. Not so much here! Any pre-NFL history? And by NFL I mean 1920 as the start. No. Any other leagues that tried to call themselves "majors" like two failed one-and-done AFLs in the pre-WWII era? The WFL? The USFL? XFL? Canadian? WLAF that became NFLEurope? Nope. Except for mentions of the USFL War in the early-mid 80's in the prolouge its nothing but the NFL and leagues that would give the NFL member teams. That means just the AAFC of the 1940's (Cleveland Browns I, Baltimore Colts I (not the current franchise in Indy) and the 49ners) and of course the AFL that merged with the NFL in 1970 Is that a bad thing? No, not really, but then why not call the book "The NFL Encyclopedia" then if you only are covering NFL related seasons and such. BTW, the other sign of bias is the fact that the only special regular season games mentioned, despite the fact that the NFL's own record book now highlights Thanksgiving, Sunday Nights and assorted other non-Sunday afternoon games, is Monday Night Football. Guess where MNF will be airing starting this fall? ESPN. And not only that, they give you a breakdown of all the broadcasters in the show's history (uneccessary really in a book of this form) as well as full and complete breakdown of team records, and even coaches records! Nice and you do get that (without the coaches and broadcasters) in the NFL's record book, but along with the other non-Sunday afternoon specials. Hell singular night football games did NOT start with MNF's debut for crying out loud (and I'm not talking Turkey here) the NFL had experimented with a Thursday night game prior to Roone Arledge jumping at the MNF oppertunity Its a good reference tool though, great for argument and bet settlements

="RealityChuck"]="SteveJRogers"]j/k That was based on a WEEI host suggesting that the when Mets traded David Cone to the Blue Jays for a PTBNL (not sure if it was Kent or Thompson off hand) that Cone could in fact become the PTBNL in his own tradeDo these young kids no nothing about Mets history? ???? I know from Harry Chiti, I just love pointing out that one WEEI host's utter lack of comprehension of the 1992 Met situation. Cone was a salery dumpage and the Mets were not intent on bringing him back in 1993

j/k That was based on a WEEI host suggesting that the when Mets traded David Cone to the Blue Jays for a PTBNL (not sure if it was Kent or Thompson off hand) that Cone could in fact become the PTBNL in his own trade

Guillermo Mota

Iubitul wrote: Steve - you don't remember, "Messy Fiasco"? Heh, true, but then again I was 10 years old in Jesse's last season at Shea, so I'm really basing it on gusty performances in the 1986 postseason rather than the fact that 1987 really was his last season as a "big game" closer

Phillies tacked on a run, but here is noted MFY victim Arthur Rhodes to close the game in the Top of the Ninth

Incredibly (or maybe not considering it is the Phils bullpen) the Nats mounted a comeback and trail by one in the bottom of the 8th!

="Edgy DC"]Paging Dr. Taylor. Ron Taylor, please pick up the white line. Saves in a Met Career 1) John Franco: 276 2) Armando Benitez: 160 3) Jesse Orosco: 107 4) Tug McGraw: 85 5) Roger McDowell: 84 6) Neil Allen: 69 7) Skip Lockwood: 65 8) Braden Looper: 57 9) Randy Myers: 56 Billy Wagner, Projected to End of Season: 39.10 10) Doug Sisk: 33 T11) Ron Taylor: 28 T11) Billy Wagner: 28 13) Bob Apodaca: 26 14) Danny Frisella: 22 15) Anthony Young: 18 Saves in a Met Season 1) Armando Benitez, 2001: 43 2) Armando Benitez, 2000: 41 Billy Wagner, Projected to End of Season: 39.10 3) John Franco, 1998: 38 4) John Franco, 1997: 36 T5) Armando Benitez, 2002: 33 T5) John Franco, 1990: 33 7) Jesse Orosco, 1984: 31 T8) John Franco, 1991: 30 T8) John Franco, 1994: 30 T10) John Franco, 1995: 29 T10) Braden Looper, 2004: 29 T12) Braden Looper, 2005: 28 T12) John Franco, 1996: 28 T12) Billy Wagner, 2006: 28 15) Tug McGraw, 1972: 27 Wagner is now breathing down Sisk's neck and tied Jesse's best (and All Star) year (total saves that is, don't know what would be considered Jesse's best year as a Met, probably 1986) with his 31st save today

="Yancy Street Gang"]If the Nationals come back and beat the Phillies today, the magic number will drop again, but for now, the magic number is 26. Michigan, the 26th state Speaking of the Nats their tragic number for the division is now under 20 and sitting on 19.

Frayed Knot wrote: get this idea out of their heads that they've been a fan-base with a history of being tortured by bad bullpens. Just take your brief list for instance: Rojas was lousy for part of one season and was gone. Rodriguez barely lasted longer than that, and Julio was here barely a month and had about at least as many good outings as bad. Furthermore, NONE of them were the main option out of the pen and only with Rojas was that notion even a possibility. That fans then go lumping Franco, Benitez, Orosco and now Wagner into their pantheon of relievers who they believe to be worse than dime-a-dozen underachievers whose existance tortures their daily fandom is further proof that some need different hobbies. I agree with those sentiments. I truely do not recall Jesse Orosco being a "choke artist" the way the aforementioned Franco and Benitez had (and still are) and Wagner is getting called? I mean how do you close out the two most important wins of the season and get labeled a bad reliever? If anything Roger McDowell "blew" the 1987 season with the homer to Pendelton (quotes for sarcasm) Heck, I don't think Twins fans were worried that Rick Augliera surrendered a Dave Henderson HR in Game 6 1986 when he was closing out big games for them in 1991! Anyway, yeah, the bullpen corps of the Mets through the years really have been treated as if it was just a bunch of gas cans and lighter fluids out there Mediots, and those that call them, chalk it up to "Rivera-Envy" but I don't think so, the Sisk-Orosco-McDowell hate goes back to the Dave Righetti years and no one is putting Rags in Cooperstown. Gossage belongs in the Hall and Sparky wasn't too bad himself, but the Yanks have had their share of clunkers in the pen, both as the Big Guy out there and the other specialists so its not like Met fans really can say that "The other side of town" has had a rich line of bullpen aces, up and down the bullpen Really is quite funny when you think of it

GAME OVER! Good like

I'll tell you though, its been a long while, October 2000 to be exact, since I've tried to navigate such a large sea of humanity in the Upper Deck's walkways. And you know, I liked it! =