Due to a prior committment for my Church's annual Circle Line boat cruise, I did not make it to Shea for yesterday's finale.  Steve expressed his pain earlier today but mine may be a little deeper for baseball and personal reasons.

I boarded the boat around 3:30 p.m. as the Mets were losing 2-0 and the Cubs and Brewers were tied at 1. 

My friends Igor and Catherine boarded right after me and we sat near each other to catch up.  Igor and Catherine are a great couple and publicly announced on the boat cruise that they are expecting their first child.  I congratulated them and am really happy for them.  Along with Steve and Kathleen as well as LI/Vermont Bill and his wife Jen, Igor and Catherine give me hope.  If marriage doesn't work for them, then what hope do I have? 

Strike 1: Igor and Catherine asked me when I was going to get married and possibly have kids.  Well, you know the the answer to that question.  You have a better chance of winning the Lottery.

But, wait, it got worse.  While Igor went to get drinks, I asked Catherine about Mira, my ex-girlfriend and Catherine's best friend.  Well, Mira just got engaged to some other guy.  No, not the "21st Street Loser" but some guy in Europe.  I really liked Mira a lot and we are both Montreal Canadiens fans.  She actually met Chris Chelios and Parrick Roy during the 1986 victory parade in Montreal.  How cool is that?!

Mira got busy with work last year, burned out, quit her job, and moved to Europe.  That's where she met her current fiance.  Not The Tank.  That really hurts.   

Strike 2: My fellow parishioners know I am a sports fan and were asking me for updates.  Steve and Linda were giving me updates and I was checking my Blackberry.  

Brewers rally to hit a go-ahead home run to win 3-1.  Darn it!

Strike 3: Mets tie the game at 2 but lose 4-2 on back to back home runs.  Linda questions the existence of the Mets bullpen.  But how can you blame the bullpen if you really don't have one?  Where is Nina?  Her Dad wanted her to come out of the bullpen.  She couldn't have done worse than Schoenweis.

If there is a charity auction to blow up Shea, Steve would win it.  Bill Gates and Warren Buffett and their billions wouldn't stand a chance against Steve. 

Is there somewhere I can hide from the bad news?  I go down to the boarding deck and couples are taking photos on the front of the ship like on the Titanic.  It reminds me of the stupid Celine Dion "My Heart Can't Go On" (AKA Titanic) song.  I'm on a boat and would like to jump off but I can't swim.  Where's my Deep Water Running belt?  At home of course.  So I have to stand and take it.  A three hour tour felt like a three day water torture session.     

Posted by The Tank trying to pick up the pieces of his broken love and sports heart.

You love the place and hate the place at the same time. You hate it since it is built on a swamp, right next to an airport and was the scene of so many bad memories such as the last game of last year and the last game of this year. But is also holds so many good memories, the Grand Slam Single, 1969, and of course Game 6-a moment that will continue to live in all of sports history. My last visit to Shea Stadium was a month ago and I had some quiet emotional time to say goodbye.

The Mets blowing yet another post season chance (more on that later this week) was a fitting end to Shea Stadium. I watched the game with low expectations and was not as down as most Mets fans when the post game “Shea Goodbye” ceremony took place. There were some emotional moments, Dwight Gooden, Mike Piazza, and Jessie Orosco. (Where was Mookie?????) I did feel a small sense of loss, but like most Mets fans April 13th, 2009 can’t come soon enough.

All the old timer Mets lined up and then touched home plate. Watching Willie Mays and Keith Hernandez touch home plate and Buddy Harrilson jump on it got me emotional, but boys don’t cry.

But then the Mets gods did something evil, they closed the day with Tom Seaver pitching a final pitch to Mike Piazza. That should not be allowed.

I held it together even as they pitched. (Tom pitched a one hopper to Mike.) So did most Mets fans. But then they embraced and walked from home plate to center field.

When they got to center field they closed the center field door and the lights went out. Not many dry eyes in the house.

(Photos from the AP)

Posted by Steve in New York, waiting for CitiField..

Say this for the Shea Stadium, in its last regular season game ever, the stadium will host a must-win game for the Mets. The Mets after an ace performance by Johan Santana (and what Mets fan can deny that Johan was worth every cent) yesterday are in a must win game in order to earn a playoff spot. It is this simple, if the Mets win, they are in (either alone or in a 1 day playoff with the Brewers). The fate of their season is in their hands. Open memo to the Mets: don’t make us cry again.

Posted by Steve, too nervous to watch

Brooklyn Brant and I tried to play the role of Mr. G the Weatherman as we tried to determine if the Mets were going to get the game in at Shea tonight.  (BTW, Dr. Dan introduced me to Mr. G last year while I was finishing up the final 10 mile marathon training run in October 2007.)

I lost one of my nine lives on Wednesday as the Mets blew a lead and lost to the Cubs in extra innings.  My roommate invited me to the Sierra Club's showing of the "Battle in Seattle" on Thursday night at the Angelika Film Center.  I missed Charlize Theron by about a week at the premier as I was coming back from Everest Base Camp.  Tough call but The Tank can't be in two places at once.

Anyhoo, Brooklyn Brant and I decided to give it a shot to go out to Shea.

Editor in Chief and PermaGuest Outlaw Jack reports that Mariano Rivera may have surgery on his shoulder.  I'm not jumping off any building yet.  I replied that it is better to have the surgery now rather than later like Posada.  Please keep the faith for a fast and full recovery.

The 7 train rumbles along to Shea.  Is this my last time at Shea?  I wanted to go with Jack, Linda, White Fedora Mike, and the rest of the Gang tomorrow (Saturday) but tonight is the Aussie Rules Grand Final until about 4 a.m. with Aussie Rod and hundreds of my closest Aussie friends.  JH unfortunately can't make it but is with us in spirit. 

Let's see if I can stay up to 4 am because of the time zone difference.  (BTW, I hold honorary Aussie, Canadian, Dominican, Kiwi, and Puerto Rican citizenships so I must go to the Grand Final.)

Brooklyn Brant beats me out to Shea.  "A loud cheer just went out," he reports.

I check my Blackberry as the train rolls along.  The Marlins lead 2-0.  Darn it!  Where's Nina?  Her Dad asked her to come out of the bull pen.  Is she still at work?  Is Maria Bartiromo available?  My right shoulder is hanging by a thread.  Time to suck it up and get a pain killer shot.

Random Thought: The Dr. Zizmor Subway ads push the limits of free speech and good taste.  I would welcome discussion but it's TMI.

Pelfrey hit on his pitching hand while I walked in.  Two on.  Mets don't score.  Darn it!

DW flies out to start the bottom of the third.  Delgado and Beltran single but Church grounds out into a double play.  Marlins 2 - Mets 0 at the end of three innings.

I receive an e-mail from former Bill Clinton strategist Dick Morris.  I am disappointed to not be invited to the first presidential debate but baseball comes first. 

Beltran makes a great diving catch to end the Marlins' top of the fourth.

Congratulations to Jose for winning Aerosmith Guitar Hero!  98 percent is awesome! 

Hanley Ramirez hits a leadoff single.  But, Ramirez and Delgado make great catches to end the top of the fifth.

Reyes and Church ground out.  DW gets hit by a pitch.  Delgado grounds out to deep second out.  It's still Marlins 2 - Mets 0 at the end of five innings.  Darn it!

Thank God the Cubs are leading 1-0 in the top of the second.  I'll ask Nikolaj to say some prayers for the Cubs during his breaks from writing his religious dissertation. 

Brant asks me about Eva.  I thought I made it clear in the blog last week.  Brant is supposed to be my future Attorney General when I'm elected President.  He'll be lucky if I put him in charge of the Civil Rights Division.  Our mutual college friend LI/Vermont Bill is still in line for Secretary of Energy, especially powering his home with biodiesel.

Yankees lead 1-0 at Fenway.  Yeah!

After a called questionable ball on 2-2, Willingham hits a solo shot to left field.  Darn it!  Marlins 3 - Mets 0 through the middle of six.

Brewers tie it at 1 in the bottom of the second.  Double darn!

Church walks with one out in the sixth.  Ramon Martinez hits a double to left.  I am going to the rally cap early tonight.  During a meeting at the mound, the "Let's Go Mets" cheer erupts. 

Red Sox 3 - Yankees 1 in the bottom of the first.  Darn!  Washington closes it to 7-4.

As the catcher goes to catch the foul ball, I yell "Drop It!l and he does.  Brooklyn Brant and the man behind us, Frank, are my witnesses.

Schneider grounds to short but Martinez is out at third on the throw.  But Church scores.  Marlins 3 - Mets 1.

Anderson comes in for Pelfrey.  Anderson strikes out on a lame swing.

Church doesn't field a ball too well.  The Marlins score.  Marlins 4 - Mets 1 with no out in the seventh. 

Brant and I go down memory lane with the Mets and Yankees.

Yankees 5 - Red Sox 3 in the top of the third.

Time to eat.

Marlins 5 - Mets 1 at the 7th Inning Stretch.  Forget booze or drugs, please pass the pain killers as Heilman is pitching.  I'm going to Bellevue and/or the cardiologist.

Brant brought up Franco and Benitez which is causing me to throw up and cry openly.  Brant has been demoted to Building Maintenance in a future Tank Administration.

DW gets on two out in the bottom of the seventh.  Delgado grounds out to first. 

Yankees 8 - Red Sox 3 in the top of the fourth.

Stokes is out to pitch.  The Marlins add another run, 6-1,  Schoenweis is out to pitch.  OMG!

At least the Yankees are winning 12-3 in Boston in the fourth. 

Church walks but Ramirez grounds into a double play.  Marlins 6 - Mets 1 at the end of eight innings.  Nothing happened in the ninth.  Marlins 6 - Mets 1.

Posted by The Tank reporting live from Shea Stadium in Flushing, Queens.

Saturday Afternoon Update: Jack and Linda report a three hit Santana gem for a 2-0 Mets victory at Shea.  Cubs are beating the Brewers 2-0 in Milwaukee.  Keep the Faith!  "Don't Stop Believing!" as the Journey song goes.

After the Yankees won the game, it was time for even more photos.  The Captain addressed the fans and thanked us for our support.

The Yankees then toured the field and waved goodbye.




One fan got too enthusiastic and wanted to join the Yankees.




For his efforts, he was prompted escorted off the field to become a guest of the City of New York.




I was emotional as I walked out.  Was this my last step ever in Yankee Stadium?



I went to meet up with Jack, Killian, Adam, and his son Chris outside the Stadium after the game.




I also met up with the Bleacher Creatures' Bald Vinny.  He was very helpful with some hair care advice. 





I wanted to include a couple of bonus photos from last year which I meant to post.  TBS' Craig Sager after ALDS Game 3.




A mixed Yankees-Mets couple.  I'll see if he is wearing a shirt stating the opposite tonight at Shea. 




Posted by a grateful Tank reporting live from the House That Ruth Built in the Boogie Down Bronx.  Thanks for the memories!

After the drama trying to get to Monument Park and the Pre-Game ceremony, there was finally a game to be played.

Four up, three down in the Orioles top of the bottom of the first.

Johnny Damon grounded out to second.  Derek Jeter struck out.  Abreu also struck out.  0-0 at the end of the first.

2,000 strikeouts for Andy Pettitte.  Wow!

Orioles score a run on a force out to A-Rod.  Castro flies to center to end the top of the second.  Orioles 1 - Yankees 0.

Lou Gehrig's "Farewell Address" is compared to Abraham Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address" in between innings.  Whoa!

A-Rod walks.  Jason Giambi flew out to left-center.  Xavier Nady grounds to first.  A-Rod advances to second.  Cano flies out to second.

I start talking to a Tigers fan who brought his wife and son here because his son was only five months when Tigers Stadium closed.

Orioles add a run while I had to run to the restroom.

Hit-Deki singles to right.  Molina singles to center.  Damon hits a three run shot to about 50 feet to my left and comes home to give the Yankees a 3-2 lead.

Jeter hits a liner to deep right.  Abreu flies out to center.  A-Rod walked.  Giambi walks.  Nady flies out to left.  Yankees 3 - Orioles 2 at the end of three.

Orioles tie the game with two out in the fourth.  Darn it!  At the end of the top of the fourth, Orioles 3 - Yankees 3.

Cano walks.  Matusi grounds out to deep second.  Molina hits a bomb to left field.  Yankees 5 - Orioles 3.  Damon lines out to center.  Jeter grounds out.  At the end of five, Yankees 5 - Orioles 3.

We are all just living in Disco Stu's world.

Abreu hits a drag bunt single down the third base line.  A-Rod flies out to left center.  Giambi grounds out into a double play.

The Met Life signs doesn't go from 1 to 0.  Yankee Broadcaster Michael Kay pulls the "Yankee Stadium Forever" Met Life sign.  The crowd goes crazy.   




Speaking of Michael Kay, we are pictured below on the ESPN 1050 Jets Cruise.  He's a great broadcaster and even better person. 




To the top of six., Andy Pettitte walks off after 84 pitches and 5.1 innings.  Andy jogs off.  Is this Andy's last time in pinstripes?  (I think and hope he comes back, touch wood.)




Jose Veras comes in to relieve Andy.  151,959,005 fans over the years.  I am grateful to have been one of those fans.




Nady flies out to left field.  Cano singles to center.  Matsui flies out to center.  Molina singles to left.  Damon walks.  Jeter called out strikes with the bases loaded.  You don't see it too often.

It's the final YMCA for the grounds crew.  Great job of keeping the field in great shape and entertaining everyone over the years!



After Joba comes in, Jeter makes a great stab going to his left.  The Captain still has it.

Dr. Ronan Tynan does a great job singing "God Bless America" during the Seventh Inning Stretch.

Abreu singles to center.  Abreu steals second while A-Rod is at bat.  A-Rod flies out to just in front of me. Abreu tags and goes to third.  Giambi bloops to shallow left.  Abreu scores.  Gardner is pinch running for Giambi.  Orioles pitching change.  "Come on!" everyone moans.  Nady hits to the shortstop who makes an error.  Britney Spears "Oops I did it again comes" on.  I get a photo with Jim Leyritz as the Yankees score another run.  At the end of seven, Yankees 7 - Orioles 3.

Joba comes out for the eighth.  Three up, three down.  1.2 innings on 14 pitches.  I think he should stay in the bull pen but circumstances dictated differently.

Molina grounded out.  Damon and Jeter are out to end the eighth.

"Enter Sandman" blares over the speakers as Mariano comes in.  Payton grounds out.  Scott grounds out.  Roberts grounds out for the final out.  "Ball game over, the Yankees win, the Yankeeesss win!"




Posted by a grateful Tank reporting live from the world's greatest stadium, the House That Built in the Boogie Down Bronx.

I was able transfer from the main Stadium to the Bleachers via the ambulance parking area.  I see a bunch of old time baseball players impersonating the 1923 Yankees.  They are pictured behind me below.

It was great catching up with Rob and Todd from GreatRoadTrip.com.  We had fun traveling to Fenway, Wrigley, and Toronto earlier this decade.  Wow!  The decade went by so fast.




The Pre Game Ceremony was an emotional packed including Reggie Jackson and Paul O'Neill below:




Willie Randolph treated us with a slide into second base. 



There wasn't a dry eye when Bernie joined Bobby Murcer's family in centerfield.  It was Bernie's first time back at the Stadium since he was unceremonially dissed by the Yankees at the beginning of last season.




Yogi was the old soldier at home plate. 




Babe Ruth's daughter comes out to throw the final ceremonial first pitch.




Speaking of Babe, he gives us one last wink.  To be continued...




Posted by a psyched Tank reporting live from Yankee Stadium in the Boogie Down Bronx.

I'm in the line for the field and Monument Park.  Different security and NYPD said it closed a while ago around 3 pm.  I arrived at 3:10 pm.  But, the cutoff is 4 pm so I'm giving it a shot, touch wood.

The line went from behind home plate up to the Loge up to the Tier all the way over to the Right Field Side and then all the way over to the Left Field Side and then down to the Field, God Willing!

Editor in Chief and PermaGuest Outlaw Jack is looking for a ticket.  Good luck bro!

As Dave the Rock Climber said, "I don't want to say in 50 years that I sat on the plane for ten hours NOT to stand in line for three hours to try to get onto the field."  That sums up my opinion.

Karen is a hard core Brooklyn Dodger fan.  Her grandmother and uncle took her to her first game, Dodgers at Yankees.  Karen seems a lot like Linda's Mom, hates the Yankees but respects the game.  I don't agree with it but can respect it.

Erin the Engineer and Dave the Rock Climber are "friends".  Kind of sounds like Ciaran and Sheena from Everest Base Camp.  Ron is a 27 year old fan from New Jersey whose Dad has had tickets in Section 6 since 1975.  Wow!

I can't write what Dave is willing to do to get onto the field.  Not even in our future premium content section.

Adam checks in at 5:10 pm.  I gave him my location at Tier 18 on the Tier.  In 90 minutes, I've made it most of the way, touch wood.

Beer doesn't go on sale until 6 pm according to Karen.

An older gentleman says it's six wide downstairs.  He says we won't get in but still another 80 minutes until pre-game starts at 6:50 pm.  It's worth a shot.  "You gotta believe sir!"

A NYPD cop says we won't get in.  Not good but no nobody leaves the line.  We have too much invested it in.

On the ramp back down, another NYPD cop puts his hand on my shoulder and says I'll be turned away.  "I have two hours invested in this line sir," I replied.  No one is quitting either.  Hey, I'm having a great time talking to Ron, Dave, Erin, Karen, and other fans.

Karen says that she spoke to a Yankee official who said the line is about an hour.  It is now 5:40 pm.  We have 65 minutes left until we have to go to our seats for the pre-game cermony.  It's worth a shot!  We have nothing better to do.  Watching Orioles batting practice doesn't count.  I don't think they care about it either.

Editor-In-Chief and Perma-Guest Outlaw went to Stub Hub.  He and Killian are in Main box 326, Row D $450 each for 2 Tickets.  "Had to do it," Jack writes.  You gotta respect it..

Group photo.  Karen refuses.  No photos she says but takes one of me, Dave the Rock Climber, Erin the Engineer, and Ron the Giants Fan.

6:05 pm.  We are told the line is closed.  Karen bails.  Erin and Ron bail and then come back.  I have to go around to get to the bleachers anyway.  Most people stay.  I have no choice because I have to get back to the lower level to get to the Bleachers.

"Let us in!" I start to chant at 6:12 pm and others echo it.  Still 30 minutes before we have to go to our seats.  Three hours of waiting to be 50 people from getting in.  That sucks!  No one is leaving.  There is a stand off.  Four NYPD and four security guards man two barricades.  A TV camera shows up while we scream "Let us in!" and "Five hours!".

"Call George!" someone screams.  "Call Hank!" another person screams. 

Officer Otero threatens to throw us out.  More NYPD arrive while they move a barricade.  20 minutes left. 

Officer La Trenta and his colleagues try to clear us out.  Not even little children are safe. 



A cool NYPD lieutenant (no name plate) discusses the issue with us.  Our point was if it was 6:45 pm then it is justified to cut off the line, but NOT at 6:15 pm.  He says there is supposed to be another public viewing day in a few weeks (as well as a rumored Springsteen concert or two).  I will try to do an afternoon tour, touch wood.  Cooler heads prevailed and we took a photo below with the NYPD lieutenant and Dave the Rock Climber -- no hard feelings, at least with the NYPD lieutenant. 




"Is it harder to go to Monument Park OR Everest Base Camp?" to answer a man's question from earlier in the day.  It's unfortunately harder to go to Monument Park on the last game of the season.  So close, yet so far away.

Posted by a disappointed Tank reporting live from Yankee Stadium in the Boogie Down Bronx.

The Bleacher Creatures were lucky to the have "The King", Jim Leyritz, stop by during last night's emotional finale.  I was even luckier to get a photo with the 1996 World Series hero. 
 

I also saw Joba's Dad.  It was a crammed zoo like fire regulations scary that EMTs were trying to clear the bottleneck behind home plate so no photo with Mr. Chamberlain but I got a photo of him and his family.




One post won't do last night any justice.  Please keep checking out the blog for photos and perspectives all this week.

Posted by a psyched Tank reporting live from the Baseball Cathedral, Yankee Stadium, in the Boogie Down Bronx. 

Today marks the final regular season game at Yankee Stadium.  The Yankees odds of making the post-season are not good so this is probably the end of the line for the 85 year masterpiece.

I am grateful to Steve for moving the Everest Base Camp trip up a few days.  I am also grateful that we motored to Everest Base Camp and back.  I didn't want to have to choose between Everest and the Yankees.  I couldn't live with having to choose between two life changing experiences.  I don't need to deal with another closure issue. 

I'll try to see long time Bleacher Creature friends as this year's ticket plan has unfortunately taken me to the Left Field Bleachers and Tier.

It will be tough to say goodbye.  Memories of Reggie Jackson's three home runs against the Dodgers helped give me hope as a young impressionable seven year old.  The loss to the Dodgers in the 1981 World Series took much of that innocence away as an 11 year old.  The pain from the rest of the 1980s was only numbed by Donnie Baseball and following the Oneonta (A) Yankees.

There are too many memories from the last 12.5 years living in the world's greatest City to list.  There will be very few dry eyes starting from the final Roll Call to the last out.  Mine won't be one of them.

Posted by an emotional Tank in NY.

The US Federal Reserve bailed out insurer AIG a few days ago.  AIG happens to sponsor my favorite English Premier League Team, Manchester United.

Since the Federal Reserve injected $85 Billion to save AIG, an argument can be made that American citizens now indirectly sponsor Manchester United.  For instance, a CNN reporter walked around Manhattan asking people if Man U's jersey should have "Federal Reserve" instead of "AIG" on the front.  Granted, it's somewhat of a reach but there is a point.

Though I am part owner of Ebbsfleet United, I did not ever expect nor wish this kind of scenario to happen with AIG.  I do want everyone to root for Man U of their own free will, instead of as taxpayers against their will.

"May you live in interesting times" is a famous Chinese proverb.  Given the current turmoil in the markets, I can go for some boredom right now.

Posted by a concerned Tank in NY.