The Mets Police

Leading off today's 5 Questions For An Average Mets Fan is Kevin.  As we've been doing we'll mix in the 5 questions with other business throughout the day.


1. When did you start following the Mets?

1981. It was the first year I went to Shea, and I was handed a baseball by Reggie Smith, of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

2. What is your favorite Mets memory?

Three-way tie for this one. And one answer won't make Shannon too happy. All three games I saw in person:

1. Sept. 21, 2001 -- The Piazza Homerun. Having been in Jersey City on Sept. 11, 2001, there was no better way for me to celebrate my 27th birthday (Sept. 21) than to see Piazza hit that homer.

2. Oct. 25, 1986 -- I may have only been 12, but I would have missed the entire bottom half of the 10th inning had I had my way. My mother refused to leave or to let me leave. Man am I glad she didn't.

3. Last day of the regular season 1999 -- From a pure excitement perspective, that wild pitch was something else. And to have been at Shea that day was something. Still never could understand, though, why Mike Piazza just stood there with his hands on his hips. Perhaps he really wanted to swing.

3. What is your worst Mets memory or experience?

September of 1998, 2007 & 2008 -- all very close in horror.

4. If you could change one off-field thing about the franchise what
would it be?

Ownership. I have no faith in the Wilpons. Since Nelson Doubleday sold, look at what we've experienced. Also, I'd consider reassigning Charlie Samuels to another position within the organization, one where he had nothing to do with uniform ring-around-the-rosie.

5. If you owned the team starting tomorrow, what is the first thing you would change? 

Uniforms, obviously. The rumored cream-colored pinstripes would be standard at every home game, with blue caps/helmets/socks. The black would be a distant memory -- eternally. On the road, the traditional grey with the same blue setup. No other combos. 

Additionally, Bobby Valentine wouldn't just be my manager, he'd be my general manager, team president and COO. I'd pay him anything he asked for. And he'd have a blank checkbook.