Steve and the Tank! - (1) 1986 Mets World Series Celebration; (2) How I reconcile being a life-long Yankees fans with rooting for the Mets; (3) Rockies at Mets

(1) 1986 Mets World Series Celebration; (2) How I reconcile being a life-long Yankees fans with rooting for the Mets; (3) Rockies at Mets

(1) 1986 Mets World Series Celebration:

The year 1986 conjures up many great sports, music, movies, and personal memories. One of the most special was the Mets victory over the Red
Sox. As I entered Shea Stadium extra early around 6:30 pm, the ticket taker said that all 1986 ceremonial baseball cards were gone at 4:30
pm. You have got to kidding me because I was amongst the first 25,000 to be eligible for the ceremonial cards and you know my feelings about
baseball cards. Not cool!

Anyway, the infectious "Let's Go Mets" played over the speakers and I went to my seat.

As a special 1986 tarp covered the field from the light rain, Mets radio announcer Howie Rose was the MC for the 1986 World Series Celebration.
When the WS trophy was brought out, the crowd went crazy! And now, for the returning heroes who walked down the first and third base aisles
giving high fives and walked to their respective name and number signs along the diamond from first to third base:

GM Mr. Frank Cashen
23 Bud Harrelson
48 Randy Niemann
2 Kevin Elster
49 Ed Hearn
25 Danny Heep
39 Doug Sisk
38 Rick Aguilera
7 Kevin Mitchell 11 Tim Tueffel
20 Howard Johnson
3 Santana
6 Wally Backman
12 Ron Darling - The Birthday Boy
19 Bobby Ojeda
50 Sid Fernandez
4 Lenny Dykstra
47 Jessie Orosco
1 Mookie Wilson
17 Keith Hernandez
8 Gary Carter
18 Darryl Strawberry - The loudest cheers were for "Straw". He was really touched by the cheers. Fingers crossed for a successful recovery.

Howie turned over to Keith Hernandez who turned it over to Mookie Wilson. The National Anthem performed by 1986 Opening Day and World Series
Game 1 singer and lifelong Mets fan and #94 Glenn Close -- great job!

A USSOCOM parachuter landed in right center field and furled out a "Go Mets" banner. There was a team Photo in CF while "You belong to the
City" played.

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(2) How I reconcile being a life-long Yankees fans with rooting for the Mets:

The "abbreviated" version appears below. After an upcoming post-season "summit" with Tony Robbins, A-Rod, Steve, and myself, I may provide a
thesis length version if we figure out all of A-Rod's and my issues out first which is premised on the fact that we try to make everyone happy
(AKA "A-Rodosis" or "Tomism") and need to tell people to take a hike from time to time. :-)

(A) Early Years:
I have been often asked how I can root for the Mets while being a lifelong Yankees fan. Yes, rooting the Mets against the Boston Red Sox was easy
but my roots go earlier and deeper than that. Most of you know that I grew up in beautiful Upstate New York but not many know that I actually
watched more Mets games than Yankees games because of how the games were broadcast on local stations, only the Utica NBC and the Binghamton CBS
affiliates. The Syracuse ABC affiliate was out of range and what was Fox? Believe me, my brother and I called the local cable company to ask
for our MTV but there were not enough people along our road which happened to be a New York State highway.

Anyway, I listened to Yankees games on the radio called by Phil Rizzuto and still catch most games on the radio through MLB.com. I
watched Mets games on TV and enjoyed watching Rusty Staub, Dave "King Kong" Kingman hit moon shot home runs, amongst others. (Unfortunately,
Dave has yet to run my e-mail from a couple months back.).

(B) Speaking of Upstate, I never was confronted with making the choice that my Downstate brethren had to make between the Yankees and Mets.
Ah, the innocence of youth. Remember, it's two different leagues and in essence, two different games within our great pastime so I enjoy
aspects of both. My multiple personalities can appreciate this. :-)

(C) While reading an issue of "Sports Illustrated" in the mid 1980s, I remember the lyrics of Suzanna Vega's "Luka" along in an article about
the Mets. I always had a crush on Suzanne Vega and other female singer songwriters like her, Carly Simon, Sheryl Crow, etc. Maybe Suzanne was
a Mets fan and I could meet her. Hey, I was an impressionable teenager. OK, I am impressionable adult too. :-)

These reasons may seem incomprehensible to you but that's my story and I am sticking to it.

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(3) Colorado Rockies at Mets, Saturday, August 19:

After the ceremony and the grounds crew removed the tarp and groomed the field, the game started and hour late at 8:06 pm.

Nice catch by a fan right up against the railing in foul territory in the lower Mezzanine on the third base line while Yorvit Torrealba was at
base with two out in the top of the second.

Nice pickoff attempt to end the top of the third (1-3-4).

John Mellencamp's "R.O.C.K. In the USA" preceeds Lastings Milledge who gets on first after HBP. Endy Chavez sacrifices Milledge to second.
Profesor Reyes grounds out to end the third. It's still scoreless.

A wave attempt ends the top of the fourth and the infectious "Let's Go Mets" plays again with 1986 footage.

Beltran hits a nice fly out to the warning track in center. Darn it! The shift is on for Delgado who unfortunately strikes out to end the
fifth.

Torrealba hits a home run to open the sixth. Rockies 1 - Mets 0. Darn it!

The caped crusader with a Mets Blanket as a cape who was a couple of sections to my right takes a bow after Milledge singles to right. Chavez
grounds out to end the sixth.

"Rock Me Amadeus" plays during the t-shirt toss. As soon as I learn more German, I am considering entering the German version "American Idol"
as I am unfortunately too old for the American version as it tops out at 29 to enter. Taylor Hicks who looks much older than me recently
turned 30. As recently witnessed during my recent trip to Australia where I encountered "karaoke discrimination" for not being Japanese, I'll
continue to fight against "musical contest age discrimination". I greatly appreciate your help in this important freedom of speech issue.

Delgado makes a great catch on a bunt attempt for the first out in the top of the sixth. Runners at first and third with two out while the
trainer comes out to check Williams. Willaims is out with an injury.

While I went to the rest room, the Rockies hit a three run shot. OK, sorry Steve and Linda but I had to go and even the radio commentators
noted the shortness of Hernandez's warmup for the injured Williams. The Rockies unfortunately lead 4-0.

When the Mets come up in the sixth, Beltran hits a fly ball that the LF drops and scores a run.

A wild pitch makes it 4 to 3. Delgado on second. It's fast and furious in the bottom of the sixth. After the WP, DW is intentionally
walked. Woodward flies out for the second out. Lastings Milledge singles to right field to tie the game. DW is almost caught in a run down at
second but a throwing error gets DW to third and Milledge advances to second. Julio Franco is intentionally walked to load the bases. Tucker is
back up and works a walk to break the 4-4 tie. Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer" plays during the pitching change. Profesor Reyes works a walk
after an 0-2 count and the Mets lead 6-4. This kid has has ice water in his veins. The crowd rallies behind Paul LoDuca in light of his
recent personal issues. LoDuca unfortunately flies out to the right center warning track to end the sixth but the Mets lead 6-4 after scoring
sixth runs on two errors and only two earned runs.

Huey Lewis's "Stuck with You" plays going into the top of the 7th.

The home plate umpire Wally Bell got nailed with a ball in the left shoulder on a 1-2 count with one out. Bell is thankfully okay.

DW starts the double play and the Mets lead 6-4 at the 7th inning stretch.

After flashing on outfield screen, I am tempted to go over to get my picture with the 1986 WS trophy in the right field food court but know
there are thousands en route and don't want to jinx the winning karma.  (After the game, I did go to the Right Field Food Court but they already
cut the photo line off. However, the security guard informs me that both championship trophies are in the Diamond Club for future reference.)

55,085 are announced for the eighth sellout of the season.

Delgado hits a ground rule double to left but Holliday thankfully dropped another ball near the wall. This is almost the exact spot where I
practiced catching the ball after the "Run to Home Plate" on Saturday, July 29. (Holliday probably didn't run in the RTHP and was afraid of
hitting the wall unlike The Tank who almost ran over a college professor who considered blocking home plate for a moment and then moved while
The Tank rounded third base during a student-teacher softball game in college. No brown nosing because I need to score and win; I even got an
A- in the class.) DW lines out to the SS and Delgado is unfortunately caught off of second.

A guy to my left with two chocolate ice creams in both hands gets a "Chocolate Ice Cream" chant. Heilemann thankfully works an effective top
of the eighth.

Steve Windwood's "Higher Love" plays before the Mets bat in the bottom of the eighth. I am loving this musical trip down memory lane.

Milledge hits a bomb to left field bleachers and Billy Idol's "Mony Mony" blares over the speakers.

While the first part of Rule 10.1.9 gives the advantage to Hernandez for the win after relieving Williams in the sixth but the official scorer
rightfully awards the win to Heilemann because he gave up one hit over two innings while Hernandez gave up the three run home run.

"Enter Sandman" blares over the speakers and Billy Wagner enters the game. Clint Barmes flies out to Milledge to end the game.

The Mets win 7-4!

Posted by The Tank from Shea in NY.

MLB

Sunday, August 20, 2006 2:15:59 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

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