7
2013
Florida Sun, Green Grass, Leather Popping, Bats Cracking, and Amway
An article by 
It’s true what they say, you really do learn something new everyday. This morning, I read this piece by Howard Megdal who spent his entire day yesterday venturing up and down aisles of the new Amway Business Center at Citi Field.
It looks like Howard took full advantage of all the amenities they had to offer, with the hosts at Amway, killing him with kindness every step of the way. Speaking of steps, Howard even took off his shoes and socks at one point of the tour and “stepped onto what was described as a highly complicated scale.” I can’t wait to get my bare feet on that gadget myself one day – perhaps in my next lifetime.
His adventure led him to another fascinating area where he was treated to a state of the art facial analysis that examined the pore spray charts on his face and determined he would benefit by using six different skin products to correct the flaws that were uncovered during this process.
I remember hearing Mariah Carey talk about something like that during a 3:00 AM infomercial I saw last summer during a sleepless night with nothing else on the tube. Plus it was Mariah, so I wasn’t that motivated to change the channel anyway, I mean look at that skin… It is quite amazing how far skincare technology has come.
Howard also marveled at all the bright colors in the form of energy drinks that reminded him of a high-tech juice bar fronted by neatly aligned bar stools. Be right back, I’m getting thirsty…
All in all, it sounded like a trip to Futureworld – only in this version the hosts don’t try and replicate you and then have your body-doubles kill you.
“Bring your kiddies, bring your wife, guaranteed to have the time of your life.”
It a wonderful 450 words, but the problem was that the piece was more like 3,247 words and the rest of it was the same old “Bernie Madoff - Irving Picard – CRG – Bankruptcy – Gloom & Doom” tirade we’ve all come to expect from Howard seemingly once a week.
This crusade of his may last longer than the one Pope Urban II started in 1095 and lasted more than two centuries. At least the body count in Howard’s crusade still remains at zero. Small favors.
The timing of this was off-putting to me. I mean it’s March and most Met fans I meet are more interested in what’s happening in St. Lucie these days and none have yet to admit they have plans of getting the VIP tour at the Amway Business Center.
I wondered why Howard was shivering through those ice-cold wind gusts in Flushing yesterday, rather than enjoying the warm, sunny breezes in Port St. Lucie instead while covering the Mets with all the other beat writers.
It was an answer I felt I needed to know so I called one of the beat writers this morning at 7:45 AM, and he told me to make it quick because he was in the clubhouse talking with one of the players.
“Is anyone from the Journal News there with the rest of you covering the Mets”, I asked.
“No, the Journal News doesn’t have a Mets beat writer anymore.” he said. “There was some kind of problem they had with the Mets I was told, I’m not really sure what happened.”
Continuing along my path of curiosity I asked one more question as quick as I could, “I thought Howard Howard Megdal was their beat writer?”
“Megdal,” he exclaimed. “Who told you that? He’s not a beat writer he’s a blogger. Look, I’m in the middle of a chat with Cowgill, I’ll get back to you when I’m done.”
“No need,” I replied. “I learned all I need to know.”
Boy, did that explain a lot…
At least I now have a better understanding of the situation, what with all that brouhaha last year about being stripped of his credentials.
I think of him now as the Mets version of Geraldo Rivera. His claim to fame was getting 30 million viewers to watch him open Al Capone’s secret vault only to find a few empty bottles of wine after a year long build-up. It still made for good television, but I still can’t see what Megdal’s end game is with the Mets and their owners.
What dark secrets is he hoping to uncover – and for whose benefit, his or ours?
Like the mysterious Deep Throat once told a young pair of Washington Post reporters named Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, “Follow the money.”
Anyway, 25 more days until Opening Day!
About the Author: Joe DeCaro
I'm a lifelong Mets fan who loves writing and talking about the Amazins' 24/7. From the Miracle in 1969 to the magic of 1986, and even the near misses in '73 and '00, I've experienced it all - the highs and the lows. I started Mets Merized Online in 2005 to feed my addiction. Follow me on Twitter @metsmerized.
19 Comments + Add Comment
NL East Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Braves | 25 | 18 | .581 | - |
| Nationals | 23 | 21 | .523 | 2.5 |
| Phillies | 21 | 23 | .477 | 4.5 |
| Mets | 17 | 24 | .415 | 7.0 |
| Marlins | 12 | 32 | .273 | 13.5 |
Last updated: 05/19/2013
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“the same old “Bernie Madoff – Irving Picard – CRG – Bankruptcy – Gloom & Doom” tirade”
Wow. Poor Howard is stuck in a hyper-negative frame of mind concerning the Mets. I guess there’s a cottage industry for that line of thought and lots of like-minded “fans” to join the fray.
It’s almost as if he needs to prove that all his earlier speculations will eventually be proven right while explaining why he was just temporarily wrong regarding his initial assessment of how the Picard situation would end up.
In any case it seems his fixation with the Wilpons waiting for the day the can’t pay their debt has reached Moby Dick levels but I know he is not alone in that fixation so as long as he has an audience I guess he will continue to write about it.
Joe D, i meant to ask you something, on the top right part of the screen, there’s a STOP sign with a No Insults, No Profanity, No Instigating sign on it, right below of it there’s a part that says 7 BANNED AND GROWING… what exactly does that mean? and if it means the people that have been banned from the site since you became the “Executioner” should you post that like that for the world to see? Just curious
I think it´s great that he posts that. If people know that they can be banned then maybe they´ll think twice before posting annoying/abusive/insulting/derrogatory stuff.
At first I didn’t know what to make of the “7 banned and counting” but ultimately I don’t think it’s a good idea to have that.
Dave, wrong…. There are still a few people here, who no matter what, they’ll never be ban, they are call THE IMMORTALS… Trust me.
I put that up there so that when I ban someone for inappropriate behavior or conduct unbecoming of a true Mets fan, they don’t email me to say, “Sorry, I wasn’t aware that I couldn’t call people I disagree with a piece of _______.” Hope that helps.
List the names, lol. I would like to know who.
It’s your site and you’re please to do what you want with it, i just don’t think it’s fair for the new people to come in here and see that wthout knowing what has been going on for years in here. but, that’s my opinion on the matter.. The site is the best there is, no need to have that there, just keep posting your executioner article about guidelines in here and how you’ll conduct the punishment to remind us and to inform and alert new readers. And, of course, act upon it. don’t take sides as often was the case with the IMMORTALS
I completely understand why you are doing it and I am sure it will not be permanent, only until you think things are back under control.
Back under control???? We all know when it spiral out of control in the shoutbox that’s for sure….we all know, specially the CORE what was the biggest mistake of the site owner… getting rid of the shoutbox and how he handle to try and have things under control there.
I say keep it permanent….
Ah yes, another Mets fan who sees, hears and says no evil. Future MetsBlog writer.
Wrong, fiftycent. You’re new here and I was screaming fire long before anyone else in the Mets blogosphere did
At the same time I didn’t make bashing the team and ownership my personal stake or write a book for profit that was filled with inaccuracies, innuendo and false allegations.
And at some point one must come to grips with the reality that the Wilpons are here to stay and that there is nothing you, I or Howard Megdal can do to change that.
So, in closing, you and Howard can muddle in your Mets Hot Tub, but I’m moving on and would suggest you do the same.
Thanks for commenting.
“And at some point one must come to grips with the reality that the Wilpons are here to stay and that there is nothing you, I or Howard Megdal can do to change that.”
Bingo, add in Alderson FOR NOW to that list and everyone can move on.
Not true….
It was Fa Outcry that got Omar fired and considering the common belief that Alderson was Selig’s choice forced on them not thier own decision it is safe to say Fan Outcry could get rid of Sandy faster than you can say Omar!
The fact Joe D isn’t on a quest to try and discredit people who in the grand scheme of things have never done anything wrong is hardly an insult.
Megdal has been on this quest. He WANTS the Wilpon’s to be depicted as some evil family. He basically accused them of partnering with Madoff and said the trustee would sell the team.
When that didn’t happen, it’s plan B…. Amway.
Clearly Megdal has some sort of mental issues and is fixated on the demise of the Wilpons. He is like their una-bomber only instead of exploding packages he writes explosive articles. Both are destructive and undeserved. As long as people keep buying what he’s shoveling he will continue on his course because his ego is bigger than Mr. Met’s head and that’s what drives him more than the facts.
He’s a nut.