It is a theory I have posited before: the disrespect of Shea Stadium is responsible for the woes of the Mets.
I've said it so often, friends have stopped returning my calls. People won't sit next to me on the subway. My kids are begging me to get a new hobby.
But see, I'm not alone!
The Bleacher Report wrote an excellent item today saying the same thing:
The Ghost of Shea Stadium is haunting Mets players and Citi Field, wreaking havoc on ticket sales and thyroids. A few choice excerpts:
While the Mets played
their first season at home in a ballpark other than Shea Stadium for
the first time since 1963, the team struggled for most of the year.
After the first month, the injury bug hit this team as hard as it has
ever hit a ball club in the history of this game. As the stars fell,
so did the Mets in the standings. By September, Citi Field's empty
seats finally resembled the many empty fall nights at old Shea.
Those connected to the
spiritual world started to question if there was something or someone
behind this sudden streak of bad luck. Sure, the Mets would never be
considered a winning franchise, with more losing seasons that winning
ones. But, the bloating disabled list, as well as a defensive
performance that had little leaguers laughing, started to reveal that
someone or something had a score to settle.
Perhaps the Mets'
misfortunes were caused by the ghost of Shea Stadium. Or maybe it was
the baseball gods who were trying to even the score by playing a part
in the 2009 season. Maybe the proper tribute was not displayed to the
stadium next door, as ownership continued to express how Citi Field was
a great improvement, treating old Shea as the ex who was used and
abused until something better came along.
Maybe 2009 was Shea's revenge.
Read the whole piece. Then you will believe.
Old Shea's ghost is mad...Very Mad. It's mad because it can see how it's friends are being treated. Its like a parent protecting their children. Those children are all of us LOGE 13'ers.
Shea's ghost remembers the first time our parents brought us. The excitement we had, how our eyes opened wide to take her all in. She KNEW we would be back. She saw us there when the team failed but was thankful that we stuck by her thru the years and rewarded us with closer seats. When times turn good, she would "SHAKE" with excitement, We all felt her, knowing we were there and stuck by her.
She saw were "$iti" made us sit last year. She's mad that our friends who we sat with us "All Those Years" were split up. She sees the changes being made for 2010 but still she thinks "$iti" can do alot better. For that, I applaud her.
Only when we can return to our old seat locations at a FAIR PRICE with the friends that sat with us thru the years, will I feel Back Home. Then and only then can Shea's Ghost Rest In Peace....