Here on The Mets Police, I do a fair amount of complaining, but I didn’t feel like being negative for my weekly Monday column on Flushing University.
Instead I thought I’d jot down some random memories, and see if they strike an emotional chord with you guys. Originally I was going to publish this on Mets Police Tuesday, but then Omar-gate happened. Enjoy your Saturday:
As my brain jumps around, and in no particular oder, remember how you felt when:Tom Seaver walked down the line on Opening Day 1983.Realizing this Gooden kid might be something special, and this Darling kid might be his Koosman.September 11th, 1987 when Pendleton hit that home run.Mike Scioscia shocking us nearly as badly as Pendleton did.Joel Youngblood being traded, and playing for two teams on one day.Lee Mazzilli shipped away for Walt Terrell and Ron Darling? Who are those guys?June 15, 1977Kingman moonshots half way up the scoreboard?Kingman refusing to be called Kong and him thinking “Sky King” was in any way cool.Some guy named Hubie Brooks being MVP-like for the Expos. Never like that with the Mets.Some guy named Mike Scott being Cy Young for the Astros. Never like that with the Mets.Tom Seaver being unprotected and taken away from us again.Rusty Staub being left off the 40 man roster.Rusty shuttling between left field and right.A fight in Cincinnati leaving Gary Carter at third and Roger and Jesse platooning in the outfield.Darryl Strawberry telling us every waking moment that he couldn’t wait to break our hearts and head to Los Angeles?Both Doc and Darryl in the Bronx. Uh oh, memory lane has taken me to a dark place.Where were you when: McDowell and Dykstra for Juan Samuel.How about David Cone for Ryan Thompson and Jeff Kent?Carlos Baerga and Robbie Alomar were going to be in the Hall of Fame.Edgardo Alfonzo looked like he’d be a fixture for 15 years.Frank Viola, Saberhagen, Glavine and all the other studs that never worked out. I’m going dark again, huh?Rolling Stones, 1989 at Shea, the night it rained during Sympathy for the Devil.The squares outside Shea.The squares being gone outside Shea.The neon players on the outside when they were still weird and new.Tom Seaver’s number retired.Opening Day 1987, we actually raised a flag!Dava Magadan rotting away on the bench.The potential of Greg Jefferies.The second time Doc let us down with drugs.That’s enough for now, it’s a long way back to April and hope, and I suspect I will need to do this again.What random memories jump into your mind?
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I was 15 or 16 when the Samuel trade happened, and I remember how livid I was like it was yesterday. McDowell, especially, was one of my favorites. My brother thought I was nuts because I went on a tirade and wouldn't calm down. I actually sat at the family typewriter and started a letter to management about how p.o.ed I was. I kept a makeshift (i.e., white athletic tape and Marks-a-Lot) "memorial" patch for McDowell and Dykstra on the sleeve of my Mets jersey for weeks afterward.
That trade sucked, but those were good times!