Before the season I suggested some new traditions for Citi Field. For my Monday column on Flushing University I thought I would take a look back at the suggestions and see how I did.
With the season in ruins I thought I’d take a look back to when hope sprung eternal. Back then on The Mets Police I called for some new traditions for Citi Field. New rituals for a new building. Let’s see what has happened.1. Bring back Old Timer’s Day. Well, David Howard has told us it is a poor investment, so this list is off to a rotten start.2. Bring back banner day. This one boggles the mind. Perhaps the Mets are afraid of being criticized. Wait until they discover the internet.3. Rusty’s Ribs. I had forgotten about this one. A “homegrown” food place would be more fun and blue collar than some of the stores at Citi. I’ll give the Mets a pass.4. “Meet Me At The Apple.” – well I didn’t know they were going to hid the apple under the stairs of the least used gate. They might as well have placed it in the actual junkyard across the street. I will change this request to “meet me at the Seaver statue” which should be in front of the rotunda entrance.5. Seaver Always Throws Out Opening Day. They are 1 for 1 and this list is 1 for 5.6. Hang a 17 on the fence. Even way back in March my spidey sense was tingling that the new place could use some more Mets.7. Wear pinstripes and blue hats 6 days a week. Charlie Samuels seem to disagree, but I think I could drive cross-country with Howie and not run out of things to talk about.8. Bullpen cars with cap-tops. Like in the 70’s at Shea. I think at this point I’d settle for bullpens we could see.9. The new sign man. I keep hoping someone will take up the tradition, but I don’t think any self respecting sign man could afford seats on the main level.10. No wave. So far so good. I haven’t seen that many waves this year. Have you?11. Organ music. The season started promising and then the noise idiots started getting carried away again. This will be an easy fix once I buy the team.12. The traditional Take Me Out To The Ballgame recording using the PA announcer from the 80’s. Ding, winner!13. The Curly Shuffle. They went for Meet the Mets in the 8th so I will just smile and wave nicely at Jeff Wilpon and be glad we didn’t get stuck with Sweet Caroline (it olnly took two months for them to figure that one out.)14. Lady Met returns. Not a chance.15. The traditional booing of Luis Castillo. It took a Subway Series for this to take root, but hey at least we have a tradition to call our own!
Any suggestions out there?
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I've seen the wave a bunch of times. I don't have a problem with it, especially with how boring the on-field product has been this season.
You must have been reading my mind. I've given thought to just about everything on your list and agree with it all. Spoken like a true Met fan.
I'd like to add a few more to that. Besides a statue to Seaver, let's have one for Gil Hodges as well.
Give names to the "bridge" and to the food court area. Forget Shake Shack. Call it Shea Shack.
Rename (if possible) some of the levels and/or restaurants to reflect Met history. Maybe calling a restaurant the "69 Club." It maybe a little controversial, but it would pique interest.
Above all, re-do the JR Rotunda. They can keep the name of it and the general theme. Would it should be is dedicated to the history of NY National League baseball. Have timelines of the Giants and Dodgers leading up to and including the history of the Mets. Use the video boards in the room to show clips of all three teams and when possible accompany them with the broadcast. It would be great to hear Murph's voice booming in that room.
Just my thoughts.
The problem with the wave is that at Shea it would stop but at the new place it just keeps going round and round and round
I say we add fireworks to the apple when the Mets hit a homer…i think it would be great!!! Phili has there bell tolls we should have something cool to go with the apple..
Mets need fireworks with the apple when they hit a homerun!!
The last time I was there, the wave went around 5 full times — let that sink in … 5 times!!! All the way around.
i've seen the/a sign guy around…he's usually up on the pepsi porch overlooking the bridge, which is kind of a good place for him:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/anthonyonyrscuk/3456727059/in/set-72157617059551140/
Some of the stuff I just don't care about.
I know people criticize the Apple and Pennant placement, but that area could be an awesome area with some love. I think once (NYC red tape! Yah!) they start and finish the Willets Point project where that area is actually nice, it'll be a popular entrance. (All you need is one bar across the street with a beer garden, and then you tailgate there, and go to the park via the bullpen entrance)
I don't dislike the bullpen location necessarily, and I like that you can get behind it. However, I wouldn't mind a screen somewhere that was a live feed into the bullpen. Instead of "warming up in the Mets bullpen, number 25, Pedro Feliciano" (besides the worry that that text will get burned into the screen due to repetition) actually make it so we can watch him warm up via a screen. (Oh, and why did it take SNY half a season to realize they could just put a camera inside there rather than try to peak through fences?)
What's Rusty's Ribs? (I actually think the NYC flair of the Taste of New York, shake shack area is kinda cool. The Mets are home to true, original New York baseball, and I'm perfectly happy with them honoring just about everything baseball that originated in NYC. (I want to see some Negro leagues honored as well) The Yankees, obviously, are from Baltimore.
Seaver's too busy making wine to trek out to NY every April.
I've seen the wave some. It depends on the crowd and what kind of average fan is there. No more or less than Yankee Stadium or anywhere else.
Due to finances I haven't been to Citi a lot recently, but they _were_ playing Organ Music (and of top songs) early on. Did they stop or something?
Sign Man would be cool. I think it's hard to find someone willing ot do that _Every_ game. The prices aren't that horrible, perfect spot would be right around the Modell's zone, the 101-103 sections, which are actually cool places to sit anyway.
Lindsey Nelson Jacket Night! and Homer the Dog.
My 2 cents:
1) Bring back the Curly Shuffle
2) More old Mets. I like the idea of retiring 17 and turning the JR Rotunda into a less Jackie-centric area and more of a Mets area. I like Lou W's idea for the rotunda. More pictures and banners in the inner areas celebrating the Mets. Honor the 1969, 1973 and 1986 and 2000 Mets. There should even be something for the original Mets of 1962. Honor the people that played for this franchise.
3)Again, I agree with Lou W. Statues outside the stadium to great Mets, such as Seaver and Hodges. Go to SF, Pittsburgh, etc, and they have statues honoring their great players. Granted, the Mets don't have to many HoF players, but Seaver and Hodges would not be embarrassing.
4)I can't get on board for the traditional booing of Castillo – I used that all up on Benitez and Roger Cedeno, part 2
5) Fireworks on Met home runs would be nice.
6) Love "Lazy Mary"
7) Can't think of a good way, but something has to be done to honor Bob Murphy.
Bring back the blue caps and uniforms EVERYDAY! It's time to kill all the black! the tops, the caps, even the black drop shadow on the numbers!!!!
I agree with the whole fireworks everytime the Mets hit a homer…I think it would be great and fans would love it 🙂
I am all in for the Fireworks when the Mets hit a homerun…what do u Shannon Shark and Matthew Cerrone think?? I think having the apple pop on up with the fireworks…im excited just thinking about it!!
How about a K counter.
There are so many great ideas from the fans! Why is that building so damn generic-looking? I'm almost ashamed to be a Mets fan these days. Putting aside that the fact that team on the field has been a great disappointment for the past few years the Mets are a bush-league organization and management does not honor our history and has no sense of imagination. "New Shea" is an uninspired place. I hate to say it but Citizens Bank Park is a much more enjoyable ballpark.
I know what everyone is saying…i thought with a new stadium something cool like fireworks would be a given…but i forgot it's the Mets!
yea i've been to Citizens Bank Park a few times and also Citi Field a few times…and im sorry im a Mets fan but Citizens Bank Park is way better!! They have the cool bell tolls and the bell rocking back and forth when the Phillies hit a homer…it's so awesome..The only thing the Mets have is an Apple?? not like anything cool to go with it like fireworks, or water pumps..etc horrible the Mets didnt do either..go to a Phillies game to watch a better team and a better atmosphere all around..
I thought The Wave was dead there but I'm glad to hear it isn't. That was nothing less than awesome in the 80s and it means that the new stadium isn't total garbage if still around. Just 90%. Other than the cool fans that do the wave (shame on the morons who don't), the Apple (if you can find it), and the skyline on the concession stand there is nothing redeeming about that place whatsoever. Keep doing the wave so that Dolphin Stadium doesn't surpass CitiField by a mile like it's pretty much doing without even trying.
haha Citi Field is horrible…ive been to citizens bank park and see the bell rocking with the cool liberty bell swinging…and the Mets only have an apple?? wow some great improvement guys?? the only thing they did was make the apple bigger..add something to the apple jeeze..i didnt think i had to come on here and say how bad it is just watching an apple go up..add something to it.. its a new stadium right..isnt it suppose to be better than Shea?? this organization and the people who run it are a joke!!
Put the Apple back in its Top Hat! now it comes out of a hole in the ground. It might as well be a gopher.
Can't do the fireworks, Debits Field is still too close to La Guardia and its planes.
More organ music.
Less of that announcer with the fake voice that does all the in-house promotions. Small-market.
Yes, a Rusty's Ribs will do. His original 3rd Avenue restaurant was a hoppin' place.
If we can't have the fireworks have something cool like loud sirens or something cool..the apple is just too plain!!
Have the apple with fireworks and with Sirens!!! that would be cool and i bet no Mets fan will have a problem with that!!! Go mets and hopefully we see something cool to go with the apple next year when Mets hit homers…im sorry but just seeing the apple pop with nothing new is kinda boring compared what other new ballparks have added?? dont u think??
Love the idea of the Bullpen cars, pinstripes and blue caps, moving the apple to a better location, bringing back banner day and would they please put Bob Murphy and Ralp Kiners name on the outfield wall along with #17…AND CHANGE THE WALL TO BLUE!