The Mets Police

Across from Radio City, there is a gathering of soon-to-be-disappointed people in green.








I tried to get a photo of the fireman dude but he disappeared.  Props to one Chargers fan who is there!







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As the Jets and Giants start to think about their new home...a look back at the days when playing in NJ was a novelty.

Last Sunday the two New York teams came home after four weeks on the road with a combined record of 0 and 8. The New Yorker who owed no particular allegiance to either the Giants or the Jets but had the know-how to obtain a ticket to one of two stadiums was faced with a curious dilemma. Should he try to find the New Jersey swamp where the Giants had moved and watch what used to be the darlings of Manhattan lose to the Dallas Cowboys while christening their new home? Or should he perhaps go out to windy old Shea and watch what used to be the darlings of Queens play a game they might have a chance to win, inasmuch as the Jets were matched against the Buffalo Bills, a team that is every bit as inept and possibly as unhappy?


There were side benefits to each choice. By going across the Hudson River into dark and strange New Jersey to watch the gang that still claims New York as its nest—but has carefully replaced the familiar "NY" headgear logo with "Giants," in case anybody from Essex Fells or East Orange notices—the New Yorker could at least be treated to seeing what a solid club looks like, this being the Cowboys. And by going out to the Jet-Buffalo game the extra treat would be to visualize a couple of millionaires, Joe Namath and O. J. Simpson, combating the media. Earlier in the week both Namath and Simpson had sounded off about the same press that has helped make them wealthy. Such ironies are not new to sport, however.


In any event, something special was happening on both flanks of Manhattan last Sunday afternoon, and about 135,000 people went to the trouble to see it live. In Shea Stadium the fans got very little of Namath passing or Simpson running, and while it can hardly be said that they were served up a thriller of a game, at least they could leave the place with the memory of a win. The Jets outgroped the Bills 17-14 for their first victory of the season but, as any hard-core New Yorker knew, even the old Titans with Al Dorow throwing end-over-ends won occasionally.


More below:

IN THAT SECTION OF NEW YORK KNOWN AS NEW JERSEY, THE - 10.18.76 - SI Vault

I had tickets for tonight.  I thought about Stubhubbing them for 88 cents each but instead I decided to work out a trade.

I traded my tickets to the guys from Googling God in exchange for pictures from the Jets game.  It's not a great trade, but if there's one think I hate more than the Jets it's Los Mets jerseys.

So let's see what was happening out in East Rutherford, future home of a completely unnecessary stadium.

Jets fans must spend a lot at Modells.  I bet this guy has a Favre, and a Pennington and even a Foley.











I can respect that.












A college jersey I guess?   GG asks "is this cool or not?" and I can't decide












Odd choice sir.











Tom Brady sent in this to the comments section..."Hey guys, good one.  I'm going to go bang my supermodel wife while wearing my Super Bowl ring.   Tell Rich Kotite I said hi!"







That was fun.  I welcome any and all Jets mocking pics.

We now resume giving the Mets a hard time.

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Mets Police love to say "I told ya so."

Remember how I tried to rally the troops to get Opening Night changed to a 1:10 or even a 4:10 start?

Some fellow bloggers followed my lead....but not enough of you complained on WFAN, so we wound up being cold in the 6th inning.  (Blah blah union rules....public opinion will always win in the end, ask Pepsi who gave away tickets on WFAN yesterday.)

Jets fans...they got it done!

The NFL has moved the start time of the September 27th Jets game from 4:05 to 1:05 after lots of Jets fans complained about having two home games played on the high Jewish holidays.

It took three days to get this game moved.

Mets fans, next time listen to the Mets Police when we ask for your help.

Now..about those black uniforms.....

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Something I wrote for Examiner.com

NY Sports Examiner: Favre retirement gives the Jets their future back

Posted using ShareThis

Looks like playing for the Jets finally made Favre realize his career was over.

According to ESPN Favre has told his agent to let the Jets know he is retiring...

Again

Seriously

It's for good this time

Until August when he will want to play one last time for a winner

I actually do believe he is done. Playing for the Jets (just like rooting for them) can suck the life out of you.

So what did the Jets get for one year of Favre

1. Another typical Jets collapse
2. A fired coach
3. An apparently dysfunctional locker room
4. An opponent who won 1 game last year winning the division with their old QB
5. No clear QB for next season

Yeah - that was really worth it

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Looks like Rex Ryan will be a good choice for the Jets.

I'm not going to pretend I'm an expert in NFL coordinators, but I know this - in all sports a good defense beats a good offense, and defense wins championships.   The Ravens had a good defense.  Yes you still need players, but players also need a leader to lead them to their potential.

Apparently Ryan is a firey guy. Good. The Jets could use that.  Grab some headlines. Be entertaining. Enjoy the back and forth with the media.  Look how well threatening to stab someone worked for Jerry Manuel.  Overnight he went from someone we weren't excited about to a really fun dude.

Ryan should consider punching Favre in the nose after his next interception.  It might just be the wakeup call this franchise needs.


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An awful week for the Jets continues - awesome - as Peter King has reported that Mike Shanahan will sit out until 2010.

The Jets are going to wind up with a rookie coach which is going to be a step back for the franchise.  Yeah go ahead and hit comments about how successful the rookie coaches were this season, and then go read this:    I Hate The Jets

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I really am a nice guy.  I should just sit here with my mouth shut and let the Jets do their usual silly things.  Yesterday I heard talk of Marty Schottenheimer (not the son) being considered as HC of the NYJ.  Marty is the Bobby Valentine of football.  He'll get you close quickly, but never over the top.

Word today is that Bill Cowher told the Jets to MOSFU (trust me an MOSFU isn't good).   That's smart for Bill.

Meanwhile the Broncos did the Jets a favor by firing Mike Shanahan.  Back in September Shanahan was agenious when he went for two against the Chargers.  Now he's a bum.   He's one other thing, a winner.   The Broncos were never awful, and they always found players to replace other players.   If you play fantasy football you know this to be true.

The other thing Shanahan did was win with an old QB named John Elway.  

It seems like the Jets want someone who can deal with one more year of Brett, and then plug someone else into a system.   Mike is your guy.  

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Well the Jets got one thing right, they fired the coach the day after a disastrous season.

I still don't understand how the Mets brought Willie back for 2008, after the historic 2007 collapse, only to have Willie dig a huge hole for the team.  

The Jets were smart today to turn the page.  They'd be wise to turn the page on Favre too.  Why let a new coach start a program with a QB who likely will be around for only a year or two.   I'm sure the business of PSL selling and a new stadium will encourage the Jets to find a way to motivate Brett to return for 2009.

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Wow I really have the anti-Jets venom today.  Truly the greatest moment in Jets history.



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Ah Jets, how I enjoy your misery (read this if you missed it:  I Hate The Jets ).

Another disastrous Jets season and another lame Jets-pun headline.

Today will be so sweet.

A month ago uppity Jets fans were talking about the Super Bowl and even going as far to ask the NFL what they would do if both the Jets & Giants were hosting conference championship games.   Silly Jets.  (The answer was that one game would be played Monday night by the way).   Everyone buy your tickets for Tampa for the Swampway Super Bowl!

Brett Favre made the Namath on the Rams mistake.  He made the Jerry Rice on the Broncos mistake.   The Unitas on the Chargers mistake.  The Willie Mays on the Mets mistake.  He didn't get off the field with the legend intact and stayed one year too many.  (Props to Mike Mussina for realizing it was a good time to get out.)

Now the Jets are faced with the Dolphins.   The Dolphins led by of all people Chad Pennington.  How great will it be when Pennington clinches the division at the Meadowlands.   Your home-grown QB that you kicked off the street for a hired gun.   That never works out in sports - even Joe Montana couldn't lead the Chiefs to the Super Bowl - but you went for it.   Now your castoff will send you to the off-season, with the help of your former savior Bill Parcells.   I love it, and Parcells rhymes with PSLs so get ready to write Woody Johnson some checks so you can enjoy another 40 years of misery.

Go Dolphins!




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This post about Michael Kay  got a lot of attention.   One of the things I brought up was my suspicion that Kay doesn't like like the regular folks.

I don't know where Kay stays or doesn't stay when on the road.  For all I know he stays on a friend's couch and walks to the stadium.    Bob Raissman wrote in today's news about some other announcers:

Does the cost-cutting at networks extend to the lavish perks enjoyed by marquee sports voices?

For example, take NBC Sports. Those who traveled here for Sunday night's Panthers-Giants tilt have to stay somewhere. Believe me, Al Michaels ain't flopping at no Motel 6 in Piscataway. A man of Al-Exigente's stature is more likely to take his wakeup calls at the Four Seasons Hotel in Manhattan.

The dude probably checked into a suite Thursday night. Four nights in a Season's suite cost $12,485.25 (including tax). That's living la-la-large - Daddy-O.

Again, maybe Kay sleeps in a tent on the street, what do I know?  I do know Kay said on his radio show that paying $10 a seat is the same as paying $25 a seat so I'm guessing he isn't as affected by the economy as you are.

By the way I actually like Kay on the radio - but he's out of touch on this one.

Raissman also mentioned Lee Mazzilli may get a job with the new MLB Network.  Cool.

Also this week, Metspolice.com got some attention about this: Alleged Racist Angels Fans who don't seem to upset that K-Rod left

We announced the Greatest Met of the 1990's and don't forget I Hate The Jets.


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I love the Jets.

They never dissapoint me.

Whenever Jets fans get uppity and think they will win the Super Bowl, the Same Old Jets manage to suck against bad teams.  Losses to the 49ers and Seattle?!   Chad Pennington going to win the AFC East?   Awesome!

Same Old Third Place Jets.  Hahahahahaha.

Hey Brett, the team in green is Seattle.

Oh, in case you didn't realize it:  I Hate The Jets   I wasn't too far off when I said this.

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To all Giants fans everywhere I'd like to apologize on behalf of NBC and the NFL.

As you know this week's game has been shifted to an 8:15pm start.  At 9pm the air temperature is expected to be 29 degrees, but it will feel like 17.

Jets fans should not feel left out.   There's a 99% chance that your week 17 game will also be moved to a warm December night.

Enjoy the game, and don't forget to send off that PSL check for $20,000.

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Flipping through the News this morning I saw this nonsense:

Giants and Jets owners say they had no choice with pricey PSLs 


Really?   That's interesting.  No choice huh?  Let me read more...

Mara says that the Giants would have been unable to avoid the PSL program even if they had known how severe the financial crisis would become. "That program is necessary to complete the construction of the new stadium," he says.

Oh.  Interesting.  The PSLs fund the new stadium.

The question nobody answers, and the question the mainstream media continues not to ask is:

WHY DID THEY NEED A NEW STADIUM?

Show me one fan, Giants or Jets, who had a problem with the "old" stadium.   Any complaints are related to parking (especially since construction started on the Xanadu boondogle).   It's hard to get their on mass transit, more so now that they made it a two seat ride.     Building a new stadium in the exact same place solves none of these issues.

The Giants are...let me check....undefeated and the Super Bowl champions.   The Jets were able to get this Brett Favre guy.   The NFL still has revenue sharing and a pretty good TV contract.

You wanted to make even more money.

You wanted to make even more money.

You wanted to make even more money.

Be honest when sending out those $20,000 invoices.

1.  Wear white pinstriped uniforms.

2.  Wear blue hats.  Just to be clear, wear blue Mets hats.

3.   Introduce Tom Seaver last.   Last.   Tom walks out to the mound in a white pinstriped #41 (vintage, no black shadows).

4.  Have Tom Seaver throw a pitch to Jerry Grote, who is also in a vintage uniform.

5.  Focus on the 1969 Mets and the 1986 Mets.

6.  Do not focus on the 2000 Mets or the Wild Card Mets.  This is a celebration of Tom Seaver and Keith Hernandez and Buddy Harrelson and Mookie Wilson.   This is not about Todd Pratt and Robin Ventura.   They can be there but it's not about them.

7.   Get Mookie Wilson to show up.  I understand he is mad at the Mets.  Just work it out.  $50,000 check, a job, a public apology - just make it happen.

8.  Get Davey Johnson to show up.   See #7.

9.  Don't let the Yankees steal what little history the Mets have.  Invite Strawberry, Gooden and Cone.   They are Mets.  Don't worry where else they played or didn't.  Invite them.

10.  Ignore everyone's warts.   Gooden, Strawberry, anyone else with personal issues - everyone is welcome.

11.  No matter what the weather is this week, make sure the final regular season game is the game people paid good money to attend at 1pm on Sunday.  If a makeup game is needed don't you dare play it Sunday night or Monday.  Get out of bed and play a split doubleheader at six in the morning.   The final game is 1pm and that's that.

12.  Surprise us with the retiring of Keith Hernandez' #17.   You can announce that it will happen next June if you need the sellout that bad, but announce it now.

13.  Play tape of the long-time PA announcer (I don't know his name) who sang Take Me Out To The Ballgame (on tape) in the 1980's and beyond.

14.  Win.

15.  Don't be eliminated.

16.  Honor Lindsey Nelson, Bob Murphy and Ralph Kiner.

17.  No Citibank executives need to be part of this.  They can throw out the ball  at game 27 next season.

18.  Mention the Jets.

19.  Invite Joe Namath

20.  Mention the Beatles.

21.  Don't have imitation Beatles make an appearance.  Focus on the Mets.

22.  Do not mention Billy Joel.  He is not a major part of Shea history despite what he's been selling.

23.  Make sure all the "right" players are there.  If you are on item #23 on a blog called Mets Police, you know who I mean.

24.  Have some of the players from the bad teams.  I want to see Joel Youngblood and John Stearns.

25.   Remember that Jackie Robinson never played for the Mets nor at Shea.   No need to turn this into a celebration of the Brooklyn Dodgers.

That's a quick 25 off the top of my head...what are your suggestions?

Same Old Jets.    The Jets are the Road Runner.   You will never win.  It is all a tease.

Maybe Belichick does actually know what he's doing.  I remember when his QB got hurt and he rode a rookie named Tom Brady.

Shanahan is a maniac.  If you missed it, he went for two rather than a tie in the final minute of the game.  Got away with it too.

Martz-Ball kicked in for the 49ers.   J.T. O'Sullivan to Isaac Bruce.   Just like Montana to Rice.  

The Cardinals aren't allowed to be good are they?

Jets fans probably remember a man named Herm Edwards.  He's a lousy coach in KC too.

The Sparano's won't be whacking anyone any time soon.  That's Miami for those of you that don't know coaches.

The Curse of the PSL's has not yet kicked in for the Evil Money Grubbing Giants From New Jersey....but it will.

Really good article in the News today.

The teams are sharing the stadium costs 50-50. That's $800 million each. Each team received $150 million from the NFL's stadium fund that is repaid with the visiting team's share of the club box revenue. That brings the number down to $650 million per team.

The fan backlash has been understandable and predictable. Each team, after taxes, will generate $175 million from the PSLs. That brings the stadium price tag down to $475 million per team.

The naming rights estimate: The final number will be $30 million per year. Over a 20-year period, that raises another $300 million per team, bringing it down to $175 million per team. Sponsorships further defray the cost.

Myers does a good job asking the greatest question of them all: Why do they even need a new stadium?

Given the choice between staying in Giants Stadium or paying the PSLs and increased ticket prices, one longtime (his family's tickets go back to 1964 inYankee Stadium) season ticket holder told me it's an easy choice.

"I would stay in Giants Stadium," he said. "There is nothing wrong with it. Sometimes the access roads and the parking is messy, but that's only because they are building a new stadium. Every seat is terrific, it's not in disrepair, there is enough restroom facilities.

"I sit in my seat the beginning of the game and don't get up until the game is over. My friends go to the bathroom at halftime and get back in time for the kickoff."

I think Mushnick has the best idea of them all....no matter what the stadium is offically names, everyone should call it PSL Stadium.  That will make the naming rights useless.   I'm in.