The return of: You Own This Mets Jersey

The site has picked up a bunch of new readers so I wanted to reset one of my favorite recurring gags around here.

It’s called You Own This Mets Jersey and here’s how it works.

You either

a)  Own up to owning an awful Mets jersey.  A mistake.  One that seemed like a good idea at the time.  For example…

b)  You have a really cool Mets jersey.  While we all love Tom Seaver and David Wright, those don’t qualify…try something like this:

c)  Or maybe you’re one of those crazy people that walks up behind people and sneaks photos of random jerseys…

Got it?  So what’s hiding in your closet Mets fans?   Send them in to [email protected]    I know you bought a Francoeur.  Time to own up.

Dickey to receive Mets’ Ya Gotta Believe award

METS TO HOLD ANNUAL WELCOME HOME DINNER
SUNDAY, APRIL 10 AT NEW YORK HILTON

Tickets are Available at Mets.com and by Phone at (718) 803-4074

FLUSHING, N.Y., April 4, 2011 – The New York Mets today announced they will hold their annual Welcome Home Dinner to benefit the Mets Foundation this Sunday, April 10 at 6:00 p.m. at the New York Hilton Hotel, located at 53rd Street and Seventh Avenue.

Mets General Manager Sandy Alderson, Manager Terry Collins, coaches, and all 25 Mets players will be in attendance.

Pitcher R.A. Dickey will receive the Ya Gotta Believe award, named for former Mets pitcher Tug McGraw. The lefty reliever famously coined the phrase in 1973 as the Mets rallied to capture the National League pennant despite being in last place in August. After being the first player cut during spring training in 2010, Dickey finished the season with an 11-9 record and a 2.84 ERA, seventh-best in the National League. Dickey, who reinvented his career in 2005 with Texas by becoming a knuckleball pitcher, signed the first guaranteed contract of his career last winter, a two-year deal with a club option for 2013.

“It’s been a long journey for me,” said Dickey, Sunday’s winning pitcher who is scheduled to start the Mets’ 4:10 p.m. home opener against the Washington Nationals this Friday, April 8. “My wife Anne always wanted me to continue to play. She didn’t want me to have any regrets.”

The Ya Gotta Believe award is given annually to an individual within or associated with the Mets family who has shown an exceptional commitment to the community, fortitude in overcoming adversity, and the spirit to believe that anything is possible.

For more information visit mets.com or by phone at (718) 803-4074.

New York Giants history lesson (AT&T Park photos)

Hey kids…I’m back and it’s good to be typing again.  I’m looking forward to My Opening Day tomorrow night after catching a few innings on the Slingbox on Friday and Saturday and only a half inning of good ol’ Howie Rose on Sunday.

While I get back in the swing of things, one last round of applause for Media Goon for covering at the crucial time of Opening Weekend, a time when I couldn’t just load up the joint with generics.

I’m not where to start so I will just start at the beginning.  I went to visit the New York Giants, and I was amazed at how much they care about New York Giants history.  Click on any of the photos below for a bigger view.  First up, I LOVE this sign.

Next, someone named Mel Ott apparently played baseball in New York City.  You’d never know about his 22 year career, his 511 home runs pre-steroids or his three World Series appearances unless you flew out west.   Then again, he never played for Brooklyn did he?

Next we have Bill Terry.  I bet you’ve never heard of Bill.  That’s because the Giants aren’t allowed to be spoken of in NYC but let’s all go ON AND ON AND ON about the Dodgers and their one dopey World Series.  Bill played fourteen seasons in New York, all at first, none in Brooklyn.  So let’s not talk about him.  Even though he’s in the Hall of Fame and you have never heard of him.

Before we move on, maybe you are thinking “Who cares about the Giants?”  Fair point.  But why not have things like this for Mets of the past?  It’s a great design.  Yeah yeah there’s a museum and yeah they hung some stuff on the walls but they could do so much more.  They being the Mets.  I’m half asleep – redeye and all.

Moving on..

There’s Luther Taylor.

Who?

This is why it is important that someone sticks up for the history.  I had to look up Mr. Taylor myself, and I am glad I did…

Taylor was profoundly deaf and performed on-field communications with his teammates in sign language. He is credited with helping to expand and make universal the use of sign language throughout the modern baseball infield, including but not limited to the use of pitching signs. He played baseball at the same time as another deaf player, William Ellsworth Hoy, more commonly known as Dummy Hoy.

See what sticking a picture of someone above a concession stand can do?

Here’s Hoyt Wilhelm…he played for several teams including the 1954 Giants.  You know what the 1954 Giants did?  No, you don’t because we’re not allowed to speak of them.  THEY WON THE WORLD SERIES.  Yep, one year before the dopey Dodgers but let’s all act like the Giants never happened.

I have some other photos but they are on my other camera and that’s enough history for today anyway.  AT&T Park also has statue technology and is obsessed with someone named Willie Mays who wore #24 just like Kelvin Torve and Rickey Henderson.

Let’s take a look at the Promenade.  As you know, Promenade comes from the French word for overpriced.  Well in San Francisco it connotes taking a walk along the water.  Let’s head up this escalator to see what a Promenade brings us..

OK, we’ve taken the escalator, we’re probably way up high…oh wait, what’s this?

And to our right?

Dudes, it’s awesome having a baseball game on one site of you and the water behind you.  Granted it was a day game and 75 and sunny.  And the view of the game…

Not bad at all my friends.  Not bad at all.  Click on that one for a better feel of what you’re looking at.

To be fair to Dave from Flushing, the upper deck has the exact same plexiglass problem Citi has.  I took a picture that will make you think it’s from Flushing…but it’s on the other camera and all that.  I was shocked, but it’s there and it’s just as bad.

Downstairs, AT&T is a dream.  Clearly nobody from the Yankees visited before building the awfulness in the Bronx, and I’m pretty sure that either nobody from the Mets did or the Giants heard I was coming and hung up a ton of crap.

I’ll do more Giants posts here and there…but for now Let’s Go Mets.  They will make the playoffs.  Ya Gotta Believe, and I do.  Don’t let the naysayers get you down…Colactus has got this!

This Shirt is…Just Wow…Im Speechless

Okay. Maybe not totally speechless but this is one ugly shirt. And the price tag on it, wow. Found it online at Modell’s.

Here is the description for it:
New York Mets Button Down Shirt by Robert Graham
Long sleeve pinstripe sport shirt with baseball stitching detail

Complementary contrasting team logo embroidered on inside cuffs and neckband

Embroidered team logo on left front chest
Embroidered silk applique team logo on back of shirt

Special buttons in baseball design. Single-button cuffs

100% Cotton, Dry Clean Only

Our Price: $198.00

Like I said. WOW. Hey Shannon, I think I have found one of the most guadiest and over priced Mets merch ever.

Magnetic Schedule Give Away Sunday

First 25,000 fans get this. I think this was just added recently as a Sunday game give away. When I did the rundown a few weeks ago I do not remember it being on the list that I broke down. Yes i am too lazy too look it up. If any of you want to look it up in any of our previous posts feel free and let me know.

Also don’t forget for  Friday ‘s home opener, the first 25,ooo fans get the Mr. Met Bobblehead.

This going to come in Handy for the Saturday game. First 25,000 fans will get this for Saturdays 7:10 start time.

I am trying to go to all three games. So far I am in for Saturday and Sunday for sure.