NEW YORK — Being a Mets fan means living in a city where the Yankees have always seemed to get the bigger headlines, the bigger payrolls, the bigger television audience and, naturally, the bigger championship banners.
Then came the Subway Series.
For Mets fans, it was more than Interleague Play. It was our chance to finally settle the argument: Who really owns New York?
The Yankees and Mets first met in a regular-season game in 1997, with the Mets winning the opener at Yankee Stadium. For those of us wearing blue and orange, it was glorious. We had finally been invited to the Yankees’ party — and promptly spilled something on the carpet.
But nothing compared with 2000.
The Mets reached the World Series for the first time since 1986, only to discover that their opponent was the F*CKING Yankees. The entire city became a baseball battleground. Blue and orange against pinstripes. Shea Stadium against Yankee Stadium. Mets fans against Yankees fans.
Unfortunately, the Yankees won.
Still, that World Series cemented the Subway Series as one of baseball’s great rivalries. Since then, we’ve had Piazza versus F*CKING Clemens, dramatic home runs, bizarre bounces, extra innings, trash talk and enough bragging rights to keep both sides occupied until the next series.
And then came last night.
There was something profoundly different about this Subway Series. On the 25th anniversary of September 11, the Yankees and Mets gathered at Yankee Stadium to honor the people who were lost and the people who helped New York get through the unimaginable. F*CKING Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and Joe Torre were among the 2001 Yankees honored, while family members of 9/11 victims took part in the ceremonies.
For once, nobody cared about pinstripes versus orange and blue.
Then the game started.
F*CKING Carlos Rodón was excellent for the Yankees. F*CKING Cody Bellinger hit a three-run homer. F*CKING Ben Rice went deep. The Mets tried to make a late comeback, but the Yankees held on for a 6-4 victory.
So, yes, Mets fans lost.
We hate losing to the Yankees. We especially hate losing to the Yankees when they get to celebrate in their own ballpark.
But that’s the beauty — and the torture — of the Subway Series.
For a Mets fan, beating the Yankees isn’t worth three wins.
It’s worth a year’s supply of bragging rights. We ignore the losses.
