A NY Mets Fan’s World Series ‘Dilemma’
Cliff Lee pitches at the first game of the 2009 World Series at Yankee Stadium in New York City (Jim McIsaac/Getty)
Watching the Philadelphia Phillies’ Cliff Lee, effortlessly mow down the fearsome New York Yankees line-up during last night’s inaugural game of this year’s World Series, was incredibly nerve-wracking for me. Why?
I’m unfortunately, a lifetime New York Mets fan.
The dilemma: I don’t know which team to despise more.
The dreaded New York Yankees, are of course, the Mets’ crosstown rivals. Yankee Stadium is forbidden territory for a Mets fan — sort of like Area 51. Even though the Yanks play in the South Bronx (not as cool a fact as it used to be…), they represent the “city” in “New York City”: tall buildings, overpopulated streets, broken escalators at the 53rd Street subway stop, and unbearably long lunch lines, just to get a chicken gyro at a corner stand. And, Kate Hudson attends Yankee games, now.
We Mets fans are suburban, working-class, Queens and Long Island types. Who needs “Fifth Avenue” when you have “Jericho Turnpike”? We take pride in losing playoff contention in September, comparable to the way churlish Yankee fans go on and on about their dumb championships. I’ll take the Mets two championships over the Yankees garish, twenty-six titles, on any day.
Screw the Yankees. I hope they get swept.
Then we have the Phillies: the Mets’ Eastern Division rivals. The Defending World Series champions. In 2007 and 2008, my Mets squandered first-place leads to the Phillies. In response to the repeated collapses, Phillies’ pitcher Cole Hamels labeled the Mets as “choke artists.“ The Phillies seem to have a faux “swagger” to them. Especially infielder Jimmy Rollins, and outfielder Jayson Werth. C’mon, how much serious “swagger” can come out of Philadelphia, anyway? A city where visitors line up to see a tourist attraction with a crack in it.
Screw the Phillies. I hope they get swept.
Now, it is obvious even to me, that someone has to win this thing. No matter how painful it will be, either the Yankees or the Phillies will rise out of this showdown as the victor, and champion of the entire baseball galaxy.
To that, I say: “screw the World Series.” Hey, I won’t get swept up in it…
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I’m with you Bill. Grew up on Long Island, first a Dodger, then a Mets fan. Moved to Boston, home of Red Sox nation. But it’s a little easier for us. We hate the Yankees above all.
Glad to see a fellow Long Islander “feeling my pain,” Jerry.
In response to another comment. See in context »In the same boat. I’m trying to root for the most displeasure possible on all sides, like flubbed grounders and hit batsmen.
It’s been a grim two games so far.
It’s about time someone put the spotlight on the Met fan.
It’s not enough that our season held enough bloopers to make up an entire ESPN Not Top 10 (this, even before the awful unassisted triple play and season-ending sweep by the Nationals), but now we have to be subjected to the single World Series we all hoped wouldn’t happen.
On one hand, all this obnoxious talk on the local news of the Yanks being the “only” team from New York – getting this sort of walk-on-water treatment – it’s insulting to a Met fan.
And on the other, we have the Phillies, who have such an inferiority complex that they still needed to rip on the Mets last winter, after winning the damn World Series.
Man, you got me Bill. Maybe another earthquake will hit and postpone the series indefinitely. A guy can hope.
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