The Mets Police

I know nobody around these parts cares about NASCAR but it's bigger than hockey, regularly draws over 100,000 people to races and it's 100% steroid free!

There are three racing series in NASCAR (think majors, AAA and AA for you newbies).  Drivers were tested for performance enhancing drugs.  All passed.

The penalty if caught?  Indefinite suspension.

Read more here:  USA Today


www.metspolice.com

I hope Jimmie Johnson's car breaks today.  Early.  Like lap two.  

I have nothing against Jimmie.  In fact I hope he wins the Chase today (that's the NASCAR championship for you Mets fans).   Let me catch the Yankees up - basically Jimmie has a huge lead (think "games back") and the only way he can lose the championship is if Omar Minaya hires the Mets bullpen to be the pit crew or if he finishes really really poorly, worse then 36th.   That would give Carl Edwards a shot to catch up if Edwards has a great day.

So back to my point - I hope Jimmie's car breaks down early.   I don't want a wreck.  I don't want him to get hurt.  I just want to see him standing on the side frustrated while the Mets bullpen tries to repair his ride.   Meanwhile I'd like to see Carl have a great day.

Why?   I'd like the Chase to have theater.  It's boring if Jimmie can cruise around at 60 miles an hour hoping not to wreck, or waiting until a bunch of other guys do.   I want to see a race.  I want to see Edwards furiously trying to pull one out.

So Jimmie, I hope your car stalls...and best of luck on winning today, it's a great accomplishment.

After my head exploded over the Citi Field ticket prices (go down one post) I decided to jump on www.mets.com and learn even more about Citi Field and I found this which makes me laugh because the featured politician is Eliot Spitzer.    I'm a big fan of Mr. Spitzer back from his days as Attorney General when he would let Cablevision charge whatever they wanted for Sportschannel, and let them keep YES off their systems for a year.  Spitzer always had the little guy's interest in mind.   I do like that the new governor Paterson is an honest to goodness Mets fan.



So Yankee Stadiun as come and gone twice, and yet the Red Sox can somehow survive in Fenway Park.   Apparently it's possible to win the World Series in the 21st Century, something the Yankees haven't done, without a new ballpark.  Without skyboxes.  Without moving across the street from your history.   Interesting.



I was in Fenway the day Mickey Mantle died.   I was sitting in the rooftop seats which are literally in the roof next to the light stand.   They gave us a survey that day which basically said "not that we ever would, but if we did build a new stadium what would you want to be part of it."  They were fishing for New Fenway, and seeing if people would want a big green wall (duh).   Fortunately that never came to be.   I can't stick up for Shea (wasn't that a slogan circa 1993 "Stick Up For Shea!") but I think the NYY's are crazy moving across the street.    Steinbrenner (George I mean) stopped talking about it when four million people started showing up, but it really is a lousy neighborhood for a stadium. 



A whole generation of Bosox fans is being raised to think of the Red Sox as winners.   Say you're 15 years old.  You've never known your team to suck, and you've enjoyed two World Championships.  Amazing.



Fantastic job out of the Yankees catching the Sox in the loss column.   I like having both the Mets and Yankees in the playoffs in October, it makes for a fun month of TV.



Isn't it nice that the Mets can lose a game and we don't all lose our minds?   They lost to Pujols in 14.  It happens.  I was excited that once again Jerry's team (unlike Willie's team) didn't roll over and die.  They had plenty of opportunities.



Jose Reyes got married Friday.   Mets Police wish a long and happy marriage to Mr. & Mrs. Reyes.



Nascar is really cool until Memorial Day.  Then, up in these parts at least, it's really challenging to make time for.   In the dead sports period of February & March it's really cool.   Daytona, Talladega - races on FOX with their excellent coverage.   A steady diet of Saturday Nationwide Series and Sunday Cup.



Then in the northeast the sun comes out, baseball starts, the races move to TNT and tracks like Pocono, and lame road courses.    Now the races are on ABC/ESPN but it's 85 and sunny out until 9pm, no thanks.    Come the fall they race against the NFL.   No thanks.



Nascar is a great sport, and like hockey you really need to see it in person, but the season is way too long, and doesn't work on a Sunday afternoon.    Maybe they could race on Thursday night?  Friday night?   that would change some of the tailgating culture - but is anyone really tailgating at Pocono anyway?



Finally, Metsradamus seems like he is channeling The Mets Police today.

Look, I know this is the last season of Shea Stadium. Fine. You want to preserve your memories. Fine. You want a picture of yourself in the House That Kranepool Built. Fine. But it's bad enough you stand at the entrance of the section between innings and block everyone from getting to the bathroom or the snack line before it fills up. Tonight, you took to standing at the entrance of the section while the play was going on and blocking our view of the game!

Read the whole thing here.

Jerry forgot Pedro is a 4 inning pitcher. I like that Jerry has been letting the starters go loner but it was obvious that Pedro was gassed. J-Man took his sweet time getting him.

If you think the Mets look like idiots now, wait until Willie is in pinstripes at the All Star Game ceremonies. On Memorial Day Willie the most hated man in town (after his SNY comments) and now he's a folk hero. Unreal. Hurdle's even talking of letting him manage wearing a Yankee uniform.

"Only strippers get fired at 3am." Thanks to The Guardian for that line.

I wonder when the Mets are going to tell us how much tickets at Citi Field will cost. I guess this isn't the week to tell us they are jacking them up (again).

I love that MLB emails me to remind me to scalp tickets on stubhub. Organized scalping. Gotta love it.

Bill Madden has a Mazzilli factoid I did not know: Angelos and the team's attorneys drafted a statement of support for Palmeiro and asked Mazzilli to sign it. He refused, telling the lawyer he would have nothing to do with supporting a player who had lied to him, lied to his son and lied to Congress about taking steroids. Two days later, Mazzilli was fired. Also, by the way, in Anaheim.

Weekly NASCAR mention: Road courses suck. Stop with these. I'm not watching today.

Weekly Soccer mention: Go Spain! My adopted team takes on Italy today. I know you're watching.

Finally, I leave you with this link because it gets into the Giants-ignoring that the Wilpons do:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/30386-New-York-Mets-Have-Worst-Ownership-in-Baseball

When the Mets added black to their uniforms in the late '90s, Wilpon claimed that it was in honor of the old NY Giants, whose colors were orange and black. There might be some piece of the new facility dedicated to the Giants, perhaps a men's room or a closet in the upper deck. The old Giants fans, many of whom are now Mets fans, cannot believe the balls on Fred Wilpon. The New York Giants actually had a bigger fanbase than the Dodgers. They had more World Series wins and just as many Hall of Famers. But Fred doesn't want you to know about that. The Giants? @#$% the Giants!!

Joey is an 18 year old NASCAR driver who won the Nationwide Series race tonight. Amazing! Don;t be a hater, that's pretty cool for a kid in his third race.

Mean while in other sports you don't care about, "my" Spain won their second game in the Euro 2008.