Mark Simon Nails It On Chipper

9 Comments + Add Comment

• Clayton Collier September 7, 2012 at 3:51 pm

  He’s the man we love to hate
• jessep September 7, 2012 at 4:08 pm

  There’s a certain respect I think some players do deserve at the end of their careers.

  In a sports era where players make as much news for the wrong than they do, you have to appreciate Chipper for his career. He did his job, he was a great ballplayer, he never, ever, was in the middle of controversy and in an era where it’s easy to switch teams – he stayed in Atlanta.

  There aren’t many MLB players in this generation of superstar who have a totally clean record.

  As a Mets fan I don’t know anybody, at all who would want to cheer for Chipper based on performance during a game. But it’s more than that. It’s about appreciation for a great career. Sure – he crushed us. But isn’t that what the sport is about? Competition?

  If you’ve followed along he’s been honored by every NL team. I saw The Cardinals gave him an autographed Stan Musial jersey as well as a game action photo of himself which was signed by current Cardinal players. In Cincy they put “Celebrating the Career of #10 Chipper Jones” on the side of all 3 bases.

  He’s a rival yes, but there is class to how he handle the rivalry. We did our part, he did his and now we move on.

  If Cole Hamels came to Citi Field and threw a perfect game, you wouldn’t boo him off the field. You’d stand in applaud a tremendous feat. That’s what this is. You’re not thanking him for beating the Mets – you’re thanking him for bringing class and hall of fame performance to the sport you love.

  It could be a minority view, but whatever.
  • jessep September 7, 2012 at 4:09 pm

    BTW: “But it does feel a bit weird that the Mets are probably going to honor him in some fashion, and that a crowd that didn’t even acknowledge Mike Baxter’s first at-bat upon returning from preserving Johan Santana’s no-hitter is going to cheer him? ”

    Is totally fair, which is why I called for Baxter to get a standing O when he returned.
    • Vegas Mets Fan September 7, 2012 at 5:28 pm

      Could not agree more, Chippers career against the Mets deserves a lot of respect. He’s a class guy and I hope the Mets show class and give him a proper send off
  • TRS86 September 7, 2012 at 4:10 pm

    Dang you had me until the part on Cole Hamels. He is nothing at all like Chipper in the way he approaches the game, he is a classic punk.

    As for Chipper, sure they should honor him and they should get a little poke in as well. So ideas of Larry are just fine.
    • jessep September 7, 2012 at 7:50 pm

      My point TRS is not about Cole Hamels. It is about respect for the game. If an opposing player throws a perfect game in your building – you show respect for it. I’m just using Hamels as an extreme example.

      You’re not celebrating Chipper’s beating of the Mets – you’re celebrating his amazing accomplishments in a hall of fame career
• Tommy2cat September 7, 2012 at 4:16 pm

  He’s never taken a cheap shot against the Met organization or any of its ballplayers. He’s represented his team about as well as any player in MLB history. He named his son after our Stadium and has inflicted massive pain on our post-season aspirations. He’s also taken a few on the chin from Mike Piazza’s Mets – Fireworks Night Massacre, Grandslam Single, 9/11 Tribute Game – and he did so with class and dignity.

  You can’t have heroes without worthy villains – and none is more worthy than Larry…Larry….Larry..

  Standing O….
  • srt September 7, 2012 at 5:25 pm

    He might not have ever directly taken a shot at the organization or Met players but you obviously have forgotten – or maybe are not aware – of the infamous comment Chipper had to say about Met fans back in late Sep 1999 when the Mets came into Atlanta barely clinging to the WC and were swept by the Braves.

    Said Chipper to the media:
    ‘This is the next best thing to a World Series win….Now, all the Mets fans can go home and put their Yankees’ stuff on. You know they’re all going to convert. It’s amazing how fast you hear Yankee talk around the dugout, yet, they’re wearing Mets stuff.’

    If that’s not a big one finger salute to Met fans, I don’t know what would be.

    As Chipper fades into retirement, good luck and good riddance.
• Metfan Lou September 7, 2012 at 5:46 pm

  I just hope that someday when he is giving his acceptance speech into Cooperstown that he doesn’t say; “I want to give a special shout out to the New York Mets and all their fans. My homerun and hit and RBI totals would be in the toilet without those guys. So thank you Mets and your fans. Shea, come on up here and accept my plaque with your dad.”