Matthew Cerrone of Metsblog built a digital I-95 from his site to mine by linking to yesterday’s post on Billy Wagner. Here's where the northbound lane starts.
Cerrone linked to a gas-fired post I’m not particularly proud of after Billy Wagner’s comments to the Inquirer. Usually, cooler heads prevail at Beerleaguer. However, zero championships in my cognizant lifetime will cause one to lash out from time to time.
I meant what I said, however, about winners and players who fight their battles on the field, not in the media as Wagner repeatedly does. Billy is all about Billy. Enjoy, Mets fans. He's yours for a while.
Linking to a post by Peter Gammons on the potential for a renewed rivalry between the Mets and Phils, Cerrone had this to say:
…in the 22 years i have been watching the mets, the phillies have never really felt like a big rival, despite playing in the same division the entire time…when you look back over the last two decades, the two teams have completed with one another more for last place, such as in the early and mid-to-late 90s, then they have for the division title, for as one was winning, the other was always losing…yet, because of the short distance between the two cities, i suppose, it has felt like a rivalry, even though i’m not sure it technically is……
…it would be nice to begin a little something here, in what could make for a pretty interesting battle along I-95.
Beerleaguer take
It may not feel like a rivalry to Mets fans, but games played in Philadelphia definitely bring out a defensive, protective edge from the home crowd. Expect roughly 20-25 percent of fans to be supporting the Mets tonight, a bigger percentage considering their hot start.
The Mets tend to be the only team where Phillies fans will reserve jeering their own players and save it for the opposition. Half show of support, half show, unfortunately.
United we stand... at least for the next three.
What people dont get is, WE HATE NYC.
Posted by: That Dude | Tuesday, May 09, 2006 at 04:49 PM
Damn, did u read the comments on that site? HOly Bleeping bleep I hate the Mets. One guy claims their 1-6 hitters are better than ours. What frickin cojones. Bring on the Mets baybee.
Posted by: That Dude | Tuesday, May 09, 2006 at 04:51 PM
Not true, I grew up in Philly, and now live in Brooklyn.
I don't hate NYC, just New Yorker's, especially from Queens!
Posted by: yt | Tuesday, May 09, 2006 at 04:51 PM
damn some other guy talks about the Vet as a dump. What, do they think Shea is nice? cmon
Sorry for the multiple comments I am getting fired up.
Posted by: That Dude | Tuesday, May 09, 2006 at 04:52 PM
And yes I did read the comments, and left one of my own. Go Phils!!!
Posted by: yt | Tuesday, May 09, 2006 at 04:52 PM
The mets 1-6 hitters are better than yours, and for that matter, X-man has been the best 7 hitter in baseball, so prepare to get slugged by players not on juice, and then get shut down by ur favorite closer, ill be bringing my broom on wendesday phils fans LETS GO METS!!
Posted by: Dylan | Tuesday, May 09, 2006 at 05:41 PM
I won't speak for anyone else, but the Mets are my absolute least favorite team in the world. Even worse than the Cowboys.
It's not a rivalry per se, b/c yes, it's true, both teams have sucked for the last 20+ years.
However, doesn't stop me from wanting only to have the Phils beat the Mets... and it's probably the only reason I love Burrell (b/c of his untamed anger towards the Mets, according to his splits against them).
Shea is a dump... it's the old Vet without the awesome courtroom in the basement, without any of the intimidation, and with a stupid paper mache apple in the outfield.
The Mets' lineup is good, but I think this year, both are equally good. I'll take Utley and Howard and Abreu and Burrell and Rollins against Wright, Beltran, Reyes, Floyd, and Delgado... it's a close one, but at least we didn't buy half of our players.
Posted by: Ed | Tuesday, May 09, 2006 at 05:49 PM
The problem with the Mets-Phillies rivalry is it really has been dormant since the mid-eighties. And no one is around (at least in the blogosphere) to remember it.
In the early 80s and late 70s, the 700 level of the Vet during a Mets series was as crazy as it gets. The rep the 700 level earned in later years with the Eagles was born in those days. A few of few those late September series way back then were the only times (other than two trips to Nausau Colloseum) that I ever feared for my life at a sporting event.
Posted by: ruby legs | Tuesday, May 09, 2006 at 06:11 PM
Wow, I used to wish that Phillies blogs had the number of posters that New York had but after reading all that horsesh't, never mind. God, Mets fans are boring - their posts are too banal to even be obnoxious.
Isn't there a Mets blog with fans who know how to capitalize or spell out the words for numerals?
Posted by: kdon | Tuesday, May 09, 2006 at 06:23 PM
Are you kidding? I remember what it was like in the '80s. That sweep of the Mets in '86 when they needed one game to clinch was as satisfying a memory from that era as any. It's impossible for me not to hate the Mets, it was burned into me during those years. But it's true, the two teams have very rarely, if ever, competed head-to-head for the playoffs during their respective histories. Maybe this is the year.
Hey, visiting Mets fans, don't forget that while you've finished behind Atlanta the past five years...you've also finished behind the Phillies in all five as well. Here's hoping you have a nice trip back up the Turnpike with some crow stuffed into the sides of your fat mouths.
Posted by: RickSchuBlues | Tuesday, May 09, 2006 at 07:18 PM
WHEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
Posted by: THAT DUDE | Tuesday, May 09, 2006 at 09:49 PM
"ill be bringing my broom on wendesday phils fans LETS GO METS!!"
Open mouth...insert broom
Posted by: That Dude | Tuesday, May 09, 2006 at 09:54 PM
this is a late post, i know...but man, i can't for you guys to be disappointed...yet....again!
Posted by: Roach | Wednesday, May 10, 2006 at 05:44 PM