NEW YORK, NY – Hello, one and all… or maybe just one? Another Wednesday has rolled around and I’m (happily) getting to write this column on a day when the Mets have off and I’m not busy chewing my fingernails down to the wrist watching their bullpen high-wire act. Still, I’m not complaining. It’s cool still having a team to root for in baseball’s postseason. In fact, let’s start right there.
The Magic is Back. I’m sorry, but there’s no better way to describe the New York Mets’ run up to the post season and into the the NLCS than magical. Over the last 30 days or so, this team has played the most meaningful and entertaining games by A LOT. Francisco Lindor has silenced his critics (including yours truly) for good by coming up with a seemingly endless array of huge moments that make David Wright’s Mets career highlight reel look like a ditch-digging training film by comparison. Sean Manaea has somehow morphed into Jerry Koosman and Mark Vientos looks like a franchise corner piece for years to come. On paper, this team doesn’t look like much, but the games aren’t played on paper and this season (all season long) has looked like one built for any team that gets hot at the right time. Right now, that’s the Mets. Can it continue? I don’t see why not. We’ll find out more this evening in Flushing.
The New York Jest. Never has a cruddy 2-4 football team playing in a fairly anemic division captured the public’s imagination the way the 2024 New York Jets have. I honestly don’t even know why I’m bothering to write about them, except that they’ve run out of people to blame and have decided their salvation lies in acquiring a soon-to-be 32-year-old receiver from the Raiders. This team is as comically bad as it’s ever been… and that’s saying something. But, when your owner is a Trump crony named Woody Johnson, do you really have a choice? Aaron Rodgers has almost (almost!) run out of people to blame and so-called friends to demand his team acquire. If Davante Adams doesn’t work out, his last-ditch moves might be down to coaxing penis videographer Brett Favre out of retirement for additional motivation, acquiring coach Mike McCarthy (more on him in a sec) from Dallas for a case of Bud Light, and maybe holding a seance to contact the ghost of Ray Nitschke. I don’t really care what additional stupidity this team has planned, just please bring it on! To quote Oliver Twist: more please.
Cowboys and Injuries. For those of you who missed it, the Dallas Cowboys got absolutely demolished at home last Saturday at the hands of the Detroit Lions, to the tune of 47-9, on what was hilariously billed as “America’s Game of the Week.” The Cowboys really, really, really stink, and some people are trying to explain it away by pointing out how many injuries they have. Boo hoo. Whatever happened to “next man up?” I thought the state of Texas was supposed to be chock full o’ tough guys. This team can’t run the ball, can’t stop the run, and can’t do anything right but kick field goals. Mike McCarthy is now, and has always been, a God-awful head coach. Jerry Jones was past his expiration date two decades ago. Dak Prescott is the highest paid player in the NFL and Cee Dee Lamb ain’t far behind. You’d think they’d be unstoppable at those salaries. Watching the Cowboys flail has been amazing. It’s still early and their division ain’t all that great but, like the Jets, you get the feeling that they can still get worse… at least that’s the hope of millions of haters, such as myself. So, c’mon Dallas, do your worst. We’re all counting on you.
That’s all for this week. Come back tomorrow for Buddy Diaz, who will be talking about the Yankees cakewalk to the World Series or Donte DiVincenzo’s getting in touch with his anger towards the Knicks. Thanks for stopping by!
