More Citi Field Taxpayer Rage

Published: December 2, 2008
As Citigroup grovels for a bailout from public funds, the Mets insist the name of their new ballpark, Citi Field, will not change.

For several years, I have been insisting that the Mets should name their new stadium — partly paid for by the owners, the Wilpon family, with infrastructure mostly subsidized by the city — after a legitimate New York sports hero who would not embarrass everybody down the line.

The most obvious name would have been Jackie Robinson Stadium, but if the standard were somebody who wore the Mets uniform, then what about Gil Hodges Stadium?

Meantime, I persist in calling it New Shea, in honor of the lawyer who helped bring the National League back to New York, whose name was proudly affixed to the old dump that is being torn down.

Mets Police support “New Shea” or a more proper “Shea Stadium.”  Let us not forget the man who got us this team.   “Jackie Robinson Stadium” – enough already.   Let the Dodgers honor the Dodger.

The Death of Black? (And the Apple Lives!)

I’m hopeful that the black (uniforms) might be gone.
Metsblog.com just posted some fresh pics of CitiField here: http://www.metsblog.com/2008/12/02/pictures-from-citi-field-tour/
I’m fascinated by the 6th one down from the top.  A row of seats with a Mets logo.  I don’t see any black on the logo.  My fellow Mets Policemen are telling me to calm down and that it means nothing.  
I assume the Mets want these seats to last a while (after all there is a $25 service charge to rent one for 15 games) – if they were into the black wouldn’t they have used the logo with the black shading as opposed to this traditional logo?
Maybe my eyes are just bad.  Maybe I’m just wishful.   I hope blue & orange are back for good.

In other great news the Daily News says:   Oh, by the way, the old apple WILL be inside Citi Field. It will be on display on the concourse in the outfield. A new apple will pop up just beyond the center-field wall after homers. Also, the bullpens are on two levels in center field, similar to Philly, with the visitors’ bullpen closer to the fans.


I accidentally deleted a comment when I added the Apple information.

osh41 has left a new comment on your post “The Death of Black?“:

it’s a tease, still annoyed with them for getting rid of the little ‘ny’ – one less black thing is a victory nonetheless 

Citi Field to Stay The Name (Your Tax Dollars At Work And Lame Mets Logic)

Jeff Wilpon says:

 

“The company is still an ongoing company and a vital company that is doing business around the globe.  The taxpayers are backstopping what’s going on in the global economy. It’s not really Citi’s fault that they’re in this problem. There are a lot of other banks in the same situation—with naming-rights deals, also.”

 

“We have a deal with Citi that is good for them, good for us. It’s good business for us to have the partnership and the relationship.  We think we can bring the right people to help them market their product so they can be a going concern, and that over time, the fans that we bring here will become Citi customers and that Citi will thrive and be able to pay the money back to the government.”

 

“I understand where they’re coming from. I understand that there’s some upset-ness in the marketplace,” Wilpon said. “But we don’t agree with it.”

 

…and that’s why I blog.

Stuff You Missed While Eating Turkey

Hits were low over the weekend.  Maybe the blog just sucks, maybe you were thinking about things other than the Mets.  Anyway, here’s some fun stuff from the last few days:

Top Mets Turkeys Of All Time (Part 1)

Top Mets Turkeys Of All Time (Part 2)

A look back at The Japanese Greg Maddux

Some of the Secret Citi Field Ticket Pricing Info was revealed (finally)

and a Plaxico Burress post.

Mets Police 2009 HOF Ballot (and Hall of Garvey Nominees)

Rickey Henderson.   Yep.  You know a HOFer when you see one.   Memo to Rickey – wear an A’s hat.
 
Jim Rice.   Nope.  He belongs in the Hall of Garvey (which I invented to give a home to the likes of Jim Rice, Steve Garvey, Don Mattingly & Keith Hernandez).
 
Tommy John.  In.  288 wins.  Randy Johnson might be the final guy to get to this number.  Plus Rickey is a knucklehead and doesn’t deserve to have the day to himself.
 
Dave Concepcion.   No.
 
Bert Blyleven.  287 wins.  How do I put John in and not Blyleven.   I know a HOF when I see one, he wasn’t.  off to the Hall of Garvey.
 
Andre Dawson, Harold Baines, Don Mattingly.  No
 
Dave Parker, Alan Trammell, Lee Smith.  No.  Did you ever go to a game and get excited about Lee Smith?  No.
 
Jack Morris.  In.   I know one when I see one.  
 
Mark McGwire.  In.   When you prove to me he cheated and you change the record book then you can send him to Pete Rose Island.   Until then I will show you Jack Buck voiced highlights.
 
Pete Rose.  In.   All time hits leader and a winner.
 
Dale Murphy.   A lock for the Hall of Garvey