Several responses came in without the questions attached, so I thought for today I would give myself a break and handle the five questions a little differently. There will also be other content throughout the day including the Japanese Greg Maddux.
Here are the 5 Questions for your reference…
1. When did you start following the Mets?
2. What is your favorite Mets memory?
3. What is your worst Mets memory or experience?
4. If you could change one off-field thing about the franchise what would it be?
5. If you owned the team starting tomorrow, what is the first thing you would change?
..and here’s a whole set of answers.
George (#32)
1) As long as I can remember- born in 1981 and I was taken to a game in 1983 which is amongst my earliest memories.
2) Favorite memory is in 2006 my father, brother and I went to game 3 in LA of the NLDS, and we had great seats and saw the mets come back in that game and complete the sweep. It was particularly nice because I have very strong memories of going to the 1988 playoffs in LA and watching my heros fall to the Dodgers in front of screaming dodger fans. After that game in 88 my father took me to where the players exit and I got to go up to my hero at the time, Darryl Strawberry, and shake is hand(he wouldn’t sign anything). I wore my throwback strawberry jersey to the 2006 game, and was heckled mercilessly by the dodger fans. It all combines for my best Mets memory.
3) Losing the last game of 2008. 07 was bad, but somehow the night after the last 08 game really got me. It compounded all the failures of the year before, and it felt like the organization was heading into a bad stretch.
4) I would change the uniforms and the stadium. The mets as a franchise need to reinvent themselves. I would want to start that with appearances- opting for a more classic look less of the blacks of the late 90’s and more of the cream colored classic 60’s look.
5) I would take the superficial off field change further and focus on building a team around pitching and defense from the minors up. Thats the mets way- I’d identify the brand as such and not make it some kind of wannabe Yankees where we sign big names to huge contracts. I’d look to sign the right kinds of players, but not just the best ones out there- I’d create the identity of the franchise and have that reflected in the stadium, the uniforms, the kinds of players signed etc. Even failure would be more palatable if it was done “the mets way”
Adam (#33)
1973 is my first memory
Game 7 1986 WS
tie: Game 5 2000 WS, Game 7 2006 NLCS, Game 162 2008
Better embrace the team history.
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Richard (#34)
1. 1962
2. 1969 World Series – I was sitting in the last row of Shea.
3. The trade of Tom Seaver (the first time the Mets gave up). This past season came in as a close second.
4. I want them to want to win more than anything.
5. I’d fire the general manager and the manager
Frequent commenter KJS (#35) has a really interesting favorite memory….osh41 always gives me a hard time on missing that one but I had a crush on a girl so I didn’t go to the game.
1. 1969—the Mets had all of Queens jumping, and Jerry Grote and Al Weis were neighbors in Glen Oaks. However, I didn’t attend my first game until 1970.
2. It’s sad to say that my favorite Mets memory took place in the Bronx in 1985 when 40,000 fellow Mets fans and I swarmed into Yankee Stadium on Phil Rizzuto Day to see Tom Seaver gain his 300th win for the White Sox.
3. Everything after Endy’s catch in Game 6…nothing has gone right since then.
4. A no-brainer—an ownership team that has a long-term vision of building a winning franchise. I’m finding myself more in favor of a salary cap, mercenaries don’t turn me on anymore, and we’ve few home-grown players to be proud of.
5. Reduce ticket prices for the fans and make the most odious of the partial-view seats $5 each, make the OF symetrical and “fair” with an 8-foot fence, “de-Dogerize” the new stadium as much as possible, eliminate the “exclusive” clubs (they have zero to do with baseball), and be honest with the fans about a rebuilding project that may take up to five years if the farm system is to be rebuilt. And yes, dump the black-and-blue attire. Orange and Blue, baby!!!
One more before turkey…here’s #36 Joseph.
1. 1980.
2. Being at game 6 of the 1986 World Series with my Dad and brother.
3. The Mets losing game 7 of the 1988 National League Championship Series. I cried.
4. New Ownership. I truly believe that as long as the Wilpons are in charge then the Mets are destined to fail. They seem like nice enough guys and to be business smart (although the Madoff thing may suggest otherwise) but they are not baseball people.
5. Hire Bobby Valentine as manager. I think this would be a step in the right direction toward changing the culture of the organization. They should only be interested in bringing on players/coaches who have that attitude of always hustling, getting your uniform dirty, running through brick walls and basically win at all costs.
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