Open Season On The Mets In NY

[Wolf Hopper]

I had to spend about 6 hours in the car yesterday driving around NJ - long story.

But, on the flip side, I listened to A LOT of Sports Radio.

All I heard about was the Mets.

This team is worse than the team last year.
Robbie Alomar is playing like he hates being in NY and on a loser.
Mike Piazza must be moved from catcher - or out of NY.
Armando Benitez must be traded.
Mo Vaughn must be traded.
None of the Mets - Floyd, Cedeno, Vaughn, and Piazza, would be considered anything better than the worst at their position with the glove - - even if they each improved 300%.
They couldn't hit water of they fell out of a boat.
Steve Phillips must be fired.
Art Howe does not have them focused enough.
Art Howe is making bad moves at MGR already.
They play terrible fundamental baseball.
Alomar must be traded.
Maybe Bobby Valentine was not the problem with this team.

That's all the stuff I can remember hearing - - there was more, a lot more. Fans and hosts are ripping them left and right - and often.

OK, they are 4-9 and have lost 6 in a row.
But, is there reason for all this abuse after just 2 weeks?

It can't be for lack of something to talk about. Talk about the Yankees being 10-2. Talk about the Devils and Islanders. What about the Nets?

But, all you hear is the Mets - fine. That's the media. But, what's up with the Mets fans? Many seem to have thrown in the towel after two weeks - at least the ones I heard on the radio.

Are things that bad in Metsland?

[Skip]

If you flip-flop the Mets and Yankees dont you think it would be the same - ripping the Yanks rather than praising the Mets? Other than when a championship is actually won, I've never found sports talk radio to focus on the positive in the past ... so why would it now?

[Wolf Hopper]

Good point - on the media. But, what about the fans?

Around 6 PM, one called called in and said:

"I'm a big Mets fan. And, I cannot stand to watch this team play."

There's no statement more damning for a team than a diehard saying they can't bear the sight of the team, IMHO.

[KCBOOMER]

I think what you are seeing is the fans reacting to a team that is mainly has-been veterans from other teams. Their is no emotional tie to the players and their are no young players to get excited about.

And, of course, they play defense like the ball is radioactive. If you can't catch the ball baseball is an ugly game.

[Rajah]

sports radio isn't worth listening to. The only people who call in are people who complain.

but the mets do suck...

[SmedIndy]

I call and I don't complain...much...except about know-nothing mediots.

But the Mets have done nothing so far to silence the critics.

[sweaver]

My experience with New York-area sports talk radio (and talk radio in general, actually) is that the complainers rule the airwaves. If you rag on someone, you get air time.

I was at the Mets opener about 10 years ago, when the Pirates beat them. The talk all over the radio was how bad this team was, how the season was already in the crapper. After one game! I don't pay much attention to the talk radio yadda-yadda.

[TimmyB]

Originally posted by Wolf Hopper
Good point - on the media. But, what about the fans?

Around 6 PM, one called called in and said:

"I'm a big Mets fan. And, I cannot stand to watch this team play."

There's no statement more damning for a team than a diehard saying they can't bear the sight of the team, IMHO.

If the Muttsies were on a five game losing streak but had looked good in losing, it might not be so loud (it would be noisy for sure, but not like this).

While anything you hear on talk radio needs to be discounted... a lot... this team has the makeup for underperformance (again), and you add this to the ugly play to date... one would imagine if you are stuck in your car for 6 hours one day in June it's only gonna sound worse.

[Fuzzy Bear]

The Mets don't have a good team. Their stars are aging. The young players really aren't all that special. And Roger Cedeno is still part of the team.

Art Howe is the guy who couldn't get Oakland into a World Series; he snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. Ken Macha will get them to the Series this year, just like Dierker took the Astros to the division title AFTER Howe left.

They're meeting realistic expectations, given their talents.

[pathogan]

Originally posted by Fuzzy Bear
The Mets don't have a good team. Their stars are aging. The young players really aren't all that special. And Roger Cedeno is still part of the team.

Art Howe is the guy who couldn't get Oakland into a World Series; he snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. Ken Macha will get them to the Series this year, just like Dierker took the Astros to the division title AFTER Howe left.

They're meeting realistic expectations, given their talents.

A} players get a tem to the series, not managers
B} Benietez blows 3 saves in one week, he converts those and the record is reversed and no one is pissing and moaning.
C} Im surprised at the reaction the Mets draw ,not from Yankee fans,but from others...where has our love gone?

[TimmyB]

Originally posted by pathogan
A} players get a tem to the series, not managers
B} Benietez blows 3 saves in one week, he converts those and the record is reversed and no one is pissing and moaning.
C} Im surprised at the reaction the Mets draw ,not from Yankee fans,but from others...where has our love gone?

a) couldn't agree more
b) correct (Benietez is far from the first to suffer this fate)
c) ah... here's the rub... 1) Many fans outside NY look for any reason to heap abuse on the Big Apple; 2) The '02 Mets made it so easy; 3) The '03 version seem to have picked up where they left of..

[pathogan]

Originally posted by TimmyB
a) couldn't agree more
b) correct (Benietez is far from the first to suffer this fate)
c) ah... here's the rub... 1) Many fans outside NY look for any reason to heap abuse on the Big Apple; 2) The '02 Mets made it so easy; 3) The '03 version seem to have picked up where they left of..

where's all that post 9/11 love NY supposed to get?

[gyb13]

Originally posted by pathogan
where's all that post 9/11 love NY supposed to get?

you got James Woods to play Rudy. that should be enough

good point on Benitez

[JamesI]

Alomar always plays poorly when he's unhappy and the team is bad.

Last year, bad #'s. 1998 for Baltimore, not up to his norm. In between, MVP cailber seasons in Cleveland. 1995 last year in Toronto, below his norm.

[gyb13]

so much for being a professional