First you will see Joey's answers, followed by his colleague's answers. Enjoy!
Question #1: When did I start following the Mets?
Answer: June 20, 2004. That was the day I was born. I was born at the Mets Team Store at Shea Stadium. I was named after Jose Reyes, but immediately changed my name to Joey because I didn't know Spanish at the time and I wanted to be able to pronounce my own name.
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Question #2: Favorite Mets memory?
Answer: May 17, 2007. The Mets were down 5-1 in the ninth inning against the Cubs and rallied for five runs to win 6-5. I was in Section 2 of the Upper Deck and I lost my voice. My colleague almost fell into the row in the front of him twice while he was jumping up and down in front of his seat. I would have paid to see that. Another Mets moment I will never forget was sitting in field level seats for Game 1 of the 2006 NLCS.
My fav'rit Mets moment would have been September 18, 2006 (the night the Mets clinched the NL East Division title), but someone forgot me at home that night.
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Question #3: Worst Mets memory?
Answer: The day the picture below was taken. I was so embarrassed that day. Poofball hats and me; not a good combination.
Another horrible memory occurred when I dropped my cannoli at Citi Field. My colleague didn't go for my "five second rule". It was still in one piece. Why couldn't I pick it up? I don't even remember if the Mets won or lost that game. It was all about the cannoli for me.
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Question #4: One off-field change I could make?
Answer: Two words - CAKE SHACK!
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Question #5: First thing I would change if I owned the team?
Answer: Three words - MORE CAKE SHACK! (I'd also make sure that Omar Minaya would make himself available before each home game to sit in the Dunk Tank in the Fan Fest Area.)
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Those are my answers and I'm sticking to them. Now here are the answers by my colleague. Let's see how wrong his answers will be.
Question #1: When did I start following the Mets?
Answer: It was during the 1981 season. I remember watching Mookie Wilson run the bases and fell in love with him (not that there's anything wrong with that) and the team. Then the strike happened. To this day, I wonder if major league baseball would have gone on strike had I not put a hex on Craig Swan that season.
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Question #2: Favorite Mets memory?
Answer: For games I attended, we have October 3, 1999. That was the game Brad Clontz threw a wild pitch past Mike Piazza that allowed Melvin Mora to score the winning run and send the Mets "to some semblance of post-season play" (quote provided by Howie Rose). I also have fond memories of attending the division clincher in 2006 (sorry for leaving you home, Joey) and three post-season games that year, all of which were Mets victories.
Of course, Game 6 of the 1986 World Series is not only my fav'rit Mets moment of all-time, it's also the single greatest moment of my life. I remember every moment as if it took place yesterday. I can still see my mother toss aside her lucky ceramic elephant after her "pollo", Keith Hernandez, flied out to Dave Henderson for the second out of the tenth inning. I picked up the elephant and we all know what transpired on the field after that. I threw the elephant up in the air after Ray Knight scored the winning run and it didn't break when it hit the ceiling at full speed. You just knew the Mets were going to win the World Series after that comeback.
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Question #3: Worst Mets memory?
Answer: September 28, 2008. It was the day I said goodbye to Shea Stadium. It did not end with a celebration, but with a loss. Even the ceremonies after the game seemed funereal to me.
Another bad Mets memory actually happened on a day when the Mets won on a walk-off home run by Rico Brogna. The day was May 11, 1996. The Mets had a four-run lead on the Cubs and Pete Harnisch was pitching well. Then Cubs' catcher Scott Servais started jawing at Harnisch when Pete came up to bat in the bottom of the fifth inning. Harnisch turned around, got in Servais' face and haymakers ensued. I was sitting behind the Cubs dugout and the fight spilled over near where I was sitting. Of course, since I knew I would be a Mets blogger 13 years later, I figured I should get closer to the action to take a picture of the fisticuffs. Then my left cheek was introduced to Mark Grace's fist...
I never did get any pictures that day, but I did get a swollen cheek. The Cubs eventually rallied to tie the game in the ninth inning, but with one out, Rico Brogna hit a long fly ball down the right field line that just went over the outstretched glove of Sammy Sosa at the wall for a game-winning home run. The Mets won the game 7-6, but I took home some of Mark Grace's DNA on my cheek.
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Question #4: One off-field change I could make?
Answer: Do not allow the Phillies team bus to enter the Citi Field parking lot for any reason. With a couple of forfeits, the Mets might have some meaningful games in September next season.
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Question #5: First thing I would change if I owned the team?
Answer: First, I'd bring back Mike Piazza and have Zakk Wylde provide the music while the opposing team is batting. If Zakk Wylde is unavailable, just have Piazza play guitar for Skid Row. However, make sure Sebastian Bach is the lead singer. Otherwise, kidnap Zakk Wylde and blame it on Shane Victorino. Say he's still bitter for making the last out of the World Series.
The main thing I would want the team to change is the direction they're going in. Instead of focusing on Brooklyn Dodger references, the direction each bullpen faces and hiring members of the '86 Mets for any possible job within the organization, how about putting together a team that can beat the Phillies?
Start with pitching and go from there. If the team on the field next year performs better than the one that embarrassed us this year, then I don't mind paying an extra few bucks for my promenade seats. I'd rather have more expensive tickets and a competitive team than a minor discount and craparoni on the field. I would also make it mandatory for the vendor who shouts "SODA" to go out on a date with me.
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That's it for this questionnaire, o beloved SMFs! Thanks for reading our answers and please leave comments with your own answers as well. Remember, there are no wrong answers, unless if you're a fan of the Yankees or the Phillies. Have fun!
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