31
2010
Happy Memorial Day From MMO
An article by Joe Spector
The Mets have ended this past week taking 2 out of 3 from the World Champion New York Yankees to sweeping the National League Champions, the Philadelphia Phillies, impressively shutting them out in all 3 games.
To call 2010 a rollercoaster year for the Mets is more than an understatement. To go from worst to first, back to worst and once again to being in contention in a few weeks is borderline manic, and we all admittedly love every moment of it.
The exception being that once again the Mets went on the road this weekend and lost 2 out of 3 games against the Milwaukee Brewers. I think some might call the Mets, Major League Baseballs’ bi-polar boys of summer.
It’s a delicate balancing act keeping our cynicism from overtaking our optimism. It’s no easy task with the 2010 New York Mets. As a writer on MMO I try with due diligence to be a voice that offers an unfiltered and honest view of the New York Mets.
As I’ve aged I’ve taken on a deep disdain for spin, spin in all aspects of life. As a fan it isn’t easy to point out our teams’ faults. As a writer trying to be unbiased it becomes much easier, at least for me. It’s a welcome refuge; but sometimes that refuge can get a little too comfortable.
“The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it’s a part of our past, Ray. It reminds of us of all that once was good and it could be again. Oh… people will come Ray. People will most definitely come. “ James Earl Jones – Field of Dreams
Amazing isn’t it? So much of what we all feel emotionally about this game and the Mets, is distilled in that quote from the memorable movie, Field of Dreams. It makes you forget the soap opera of New York sports and all of its trappings.
I had to watch it the other day, just to purge myself of the cynicism that occasionally takes up residence in my head. I had to adjust my mind’s pendulum. So much of the joy all of us experience watching the Mets play comes from our love that was formed in our childhood. We had no worries no responsibilities. It was just a game.
Today is Memorial Day and we commemorate those who have died while serving in the military. Today should also be a day to renew ourselves; to swing that pendulum back to the positive.
For me, the love of the Mets was instilled by my father and grandfather. Both of who served in the Army. Grandad served in World War II and dad served right before Vietnam. They taught me the love of the Mets.
None of us want to come across as mind numb lemmings but, and here’s the linchpin, fan is technically short for fanatic. So that said, those of us writers on here are really fans first.
We shared the same unbridled joy as you when Mookie’s grounder went under Buckner’s glove and the same dread when we closed beloved Shea to the second consecutive season ending disaster that was ’08. You can never purge the fan out of me. I can’t either and I don’t think I’d ever want to.
Thinking of dad and grandad and what today means, brings me hope.
God bless America and to all those who have served and have given their lives so we may all be fanatics of the New York Mets.
About the Author: Joe Spector
I'm just your regular Joe. Staff writer @ Metsmerizedonline.com. Happily married and a father to a baby girl. I attended my first Met game at the ripe old age of 3 where my father scored a foul ball and had it signed by Lee Mazzilli, Joe Torre and Joe Pignataro. It was my Holy Grail - 'till I buried it in the backyard.
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Joe –
Thank you so much for your thoughtful and appropriate column this morning.
I especially like your “Field of Dreams” remembrance – that quote says it all.
Several years ago, my eldest son went to a motorcycle rally in Iowa near enough to the “Field of Dreams” for him and several of his friends to “run the bases for Franks’ Mom” there – I still have the baseball hat they brought me.
Baseball has been a constant in my life – and I feel very fortunate to be able to share some of my thoughts and experiences about it here.
I hope everyone takes a moment today to remember what Memorial Day is all about.
It’s about America.
It is the Soldier, not the minister
Who has given us freedom of religion.
It is the Soldier, not the reporter
Who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the Soldier, not the campus organizer
Who has given us freedom to protest.
It is the Soldier, not the lawyer
Who has given us the right to a fair trial.
It is the Soldier, not the politician
Who has given us the right to vote.
It is the Soldier, who salutes the flag,
Who serves beneath the flag,
And whose coffin is draped by the flag,
Who allows the protester to burn the flag.
…..Charles M. Province
God Bless America and those that serve the greatest country in the World
On this Memorial Day, let’s remember the benefits given to us by the Soldier who pays the price for our freedoms.
Travel abroad, even to some of our allies, but definitely to our enemies, and the freedom we enjoy becomes obvious and needs to be cherished.
God Bless the USA.
Happy Memorial Day.
Incredible piece, Joe. This is worth being bronzed.
Outstanding post. My thoughts and prayers to all the families and friends of those who made the ultimate sacrifice in defending our freedom.
Great job Joe. As I explained to my 7 year old as we donated money for poppy’s, I told him to shake the hands of these vets and tell them thank you for keeping the world, and you and your family safe. Lest we all forget the sacrifices and terrors all vets have witnessed and lived, and some who gave their lives in the defense of the freedoms we all enjoy. God Bless all Veterans everywhere!
Thank you all for the kind words. God bless America and it’s veterans.
Wonderful words. In 1938 my brother took me to my first Dodgers game. (My parents had been divorced and I didnt see much of my father) There were more visits to Ebbetts when he came home from college during the next few years. In 1942 he enlisted in the army and in 1944 he was killed. My son is named for him and we’ve seen LOTS of games together.
You can imagine what this day means to me.
Pops