By rejoice1/M. Lee
May 23, 2008 -

For a team which suffered a terrible collapse last year, this is not the type of start which the New Yok Mets and their fans hoped for. As of  May 23 , the Amazings find themselves next to last in the National League East. Injuries, untimely hitting, and just plain old fashioned bad breaks find this ball club with more questions than answers. It has also drawn the ire of it's fanbase which is frustrated not only by last year, but with more than 20 years without a world series championship, Not to mention a period  of  crosstown yankee dynasty and the sustained excellence of divisional rival Atlanta. A fanbase which has always been considered as loyal, faithful and loving has, sad to say , become one of the more angrier and worst behaved fanbases in sports in this nation.  the anger is not only fueled by disappointment on the field, but the advent of 24 hour sports stations such as WFAN and internet fansites and blogs.

Frustration has set into the clubhouse and the Manager's office with remarks from Coach Willie Randolph and Reliever Billy Wagner seemingly stoking the fires of fan anger and resentment to an all-time fever pitch. I have watched this ballclub since it's earliest of days. I can not remember a time where this team has been turned upon by it's fanbase and an irresponsible sportsmedia. Shea stadium is not "home sweet home" for this team. Cat calls, boos, angry insults are hurled from the stands onto the home team. Even the newest of  mets, such as the  Johann Santanna have heard the Cat Calls.The behavior of  many (not all)Mets fans, in this one's humble opinion has gone the way of the gutter. The entire mets organization is seemingly at a crossroads of what to do. Do they tear it up and allow some kids to come in? Do they ride out this situation hoping for a break out streak?  It's easy as a fan sometimes to play "general manager", or "owner". But one can be sure that the flushing braintrust is  thinking about the best alternatives to take.

In frustration , fans have turned on members of the team as not being "blue collar enough", and that the minaya/randolph regime is a failed experiment in bettering the lot of this ballclub. Obviously we all want to win. Yet, I fear this situation has brought out in many a 'dark side' as to how they perceive others. Whether it is on WFAN, Blog sites,etc. We can say a whole lot even when we say but a few words. Before the mets manager even took the reigns of leadership in late 2004, some fans already took pen to paper and formed four letters: GROW. Others feared the "latin invasion" that Omar Minaya  was "perpetrating" on a team which in  late 2004 desperately needed to become relevant again.One can argue that Randolph's decisions are not always wise, and that Omar Minaya brought in a few clunkers. Yet the dark side of tribal fears, prejudices and perceptions has become a daily display among we as fans. We love our labels, and we can label others based upon the views of  the different"tribes" which we represent. We can label a ben eckstein as "blue collar", as well as a Mookie Wilson, but not to a Carlos Delgado, or a Carlos Beltran, who (even with their slumps) have track records of  hard work, hustle, love for family and lavish charity work in the communities in which they represent.Isn't that supposed to be "blue collar" as well, or are those titles just for people "like us"? Some fans who lavish a lou pinella with being fiery will turn around and label a willie randolph as a lunatic if he acted the same way.  Are we angry at Willie Randolph because of his statements, or are we angry that in his statements he shined some light on the darker side of our nature as mets fans and human beings that we are not comfortable as yet to deal with?

Is this season over? No. As I wrote earlier,I have watched this team since the early years of the 1960's. I saw 1969, 1973, and 1986. the mets have always had a "phoenix like" quality about them. Just when writers say that this team is irrelevant and that New York is a "yankee town" here come the mets to remind us that anything is possible. This generation of mets fans have lost that mindset which we as older fans possess. They are fed nonsense by Francessa, Russo, Matthews and other Sports "journalists. I can write about drastic changes which must be made in new york area newsrooms and sports talk. these men and women must wake up and realize that for the old dollar bill they are lying to fans in the big apple regarding the true nuts and bolts that are needed to build a sports franchise, but that is for another day. There are yet over 100 games left in this season. Our mets need to get it in gear, but I am not ready to declare the season over in May.