Finally, Mets win the NL East crown--Hopefully the first of 4 celebrations

It took four nights, but finally the Mets were able to clinch the National League East title for the first time since 1988. Great night--the fans were all juiced up and nearly sold the place out, which is amazing considering the presold crowd was probably about 30,000 and it was a Monday school night. Catcher Paul LoDuca announced on live television tonight after the game, "I'm F--king Freaking Lovin' it!" Weren't we all.
I didn't go, because I'm not feeling 100% healthy yet, but more importantly, I feel like a jinx when I've gone this season. In 1999 and 2000 I was a combined 12-2 in games I went to. Then the Mets started losing and my record reflected their seasons, for instance 3-7 last year. But this year they've had the best record in baseball for nearly a month and have been world beaters at home. They are 48-26 at home. I am 3-9 when I've seen them. I've gone to only 12 out of 74 home games and I've seen over a THIRD of their losses. That's unimaginable.
After the last game (Aug. 25), when they played like the game didn't count (5-0), I swore I would not see another game that mattered this year. So no clinchers or playoff games for me. And it kills me, because all season long as the idea of a Mets clinching game slowly became a reality I could not remember why I didn't go to Shea to see the Clincher on Sept. 17, 1986. So I said, if I had the chance this year I'd go. But after 8/25, I knew that if I spent the time and money to go, they'd lose that night, so I'd rather watch at home.
We'll see if I change my mind for a playoff or hopefully World Series game. I was nearly invited to the Pennant winning game in 2000 and missed being soaked with Champaign (like my friend Pete) from the appreciative players. That would be very cool.
What seems weird is the long time between division wins--18 years, and playoff appearances--6 years, just doesn't seem that long anymore. I became a moderate fan in 1976, when Seaver and Kingman were still in their primes and the Mets were still good (86-76), but I became a bleed with the team fan in 1980, when the phrase The Magic is Back took hold.
From 1980 until 1986, I went from being a 13 year old in grammar school to being a 20 year old junior in college and those are some LONNNGGG years. That I suffered with each Mets loss and losing season during those years, made the ultimate triumph that much sweeter. Many times during that stretch I wondered if they would ever win anything again in my lifetime (3 years old in 1969 and still too young at 6 to remember 1973).
Since they have, the desperation is not nearly as great and the past 20 years have gone by almost as fast as those first 6, but it would be the Ultimate to see another Championship. When I was 20 I went nuts, but I also knew in my heart that it would probably happen again very soon, maybe in 1987. Little did I know that Dwight Gooden would become a drug addict and that this was a one-time thing. As you get older you learn to appreciate these things more because you may not see them again.
But this is a team that could Win it all, too.
Now, of course, we have to take it one game and one series at a time. But in May and June when the Mets were starting to show that they might be good enough to make the playoffs, Met fans told me they didn't want to see the Yankees in the World Series again. That just making the World Series would be great, but losing to the Yankees a second time would be unbearable. I sort of felt the same way, except that at the time it didn't look like the Yankees were even a cinch to make the playoffs. The Boston Red Sox looked like the better team. They manhandled the Mets in June sweeping a 3 game series in Boston. I wanted the Mets to make the WS, but I wanted them to win it, so I was rooting for the worst opponent in the American League if one existed.
But now Met fans are feeling frisky. For the First time in the 45 YEAR History of the team, both the Yanks and Mets will win their divisions in the Same Year. Yes, they've made the playoffs in the same year twice before, but winning the division and being the two best teams in baseball is a moment they've never shared together.
And now Met fans are openly rooting for the Yankees to meet the Mets in the WS, because this time they feel the Mets are good enough to beat them. And while the 2000 WS loss to the Yanks was disappointing, a 2006 WS win by the Mets would be absolutely crushing to the pinstripe fans. One die-hard Yankee fan told me if that happened he'd have to move to Boise, Idaho. I'll pay for his Ryder moving van.
Me? Do I hope for this? Well, I'm taking these games one at time. My friend Paul thought they would be division winners from the early part of the season, but I made no such claims. I played a wait and see approach, not taking anything for granted, because I know how they've disappointed me before. But deep inside that Yankees rematch would be something. Because if you are going to win it all, wouldn't it be sweeter to do it by beating the best.
Subway Series 1955. The Thrilla in Manilla 1975. Nebraska-Miami 1984. Villanova--Georgetown 1985. Subway Series 2006.
Oh yeah, one last thing to the Braves fans, winners of the last 11 straight NL East Crowns---Ahhhh Ah Ahhuhhhh, Ahhhh Ah Ahhuhhhh (And a Tomahawk Chop to you, too!!!)


The Metitor (err, Freditor)