NEW YORK, NY – I’m writing this several hours prior to the Mets/Brewers wildcard game on Tuesday and, if Monday’s nail-biting double-dip in Atlanta is any indication, I wanted to get some words down before I suffer a massive heart attack. [SPOILER ALERT: The Amazins miraculously won again!] This series has a bit of extra meaning for me, as the Mets were, first and foremost, my brother’s team. I want this improbable run to continue, as it makes me feel like he’s sticking around just a little bit longer. But the Mets aren’t the only thing happening around here. Let’s take a look.
RIP, Charlie Hustle. For those of you who hadn’t heard, MLB all-time hits leader Pete Rose’s 30,000+ consecutive-day breathing streak has come to an end. A polarizing figure throughout his career, there’s no denying that Rose was a great player. Personally, I wasn’t a big fan, but his incredible run at DiMaggio’s unassailable 56-game hitting streak during the summer of 1978 was something I’ll never forget. Ending at 44 games, Rose just missed being the second-longest streak in MLB history. Still banned from the Hall of Fame for gambling, it’s anyone’s bet (see what I did there?) whether he’ll eventually make it in posthumously.
Karl-Anthony Towns Joining the Knicks. This is a huge deal, right? Wondering what all the Knicks fans out there think about it. I doubt you guys are worried about moving on from Julius Randle, but any misgivings about losing Donte DiVincenzo? He seemed like a huge fan fave and a guy who really stepped up when the Knicks turned into a postseason “Final Destination” movie last year. Sometimes it’s the non-superstars that make the difference on a team. Guess we’ll see. Also, I had no idea KAT was Dominican-American. ¡Que sorpresa!
Thank You, Short and Tall Matt. Just wanted to say a quick word of thanks to the “Founding Matts” (Short and Tall) for attending my brother’s services last Friday and then bringing some much-needed levity to the lunch that followed. You guys were great.
NFL is Up for Grabs. We’re only four weeks into the NFL regular season and it’s really anyone’s guess who the best teams are. From week to week you just never know. The Chiefs are undefeated and hard to ignore, but they could just as easily be 1-3… Buffalo looked great and then got crushed by Baltimore. Preseason darlings, the Texans, have looked pedestrian, at best… There’s an undefeated team in the NFC too, but we’re not gonna talk about them…
The Niners look ok, but the Eagles look like trash… again. This just seems like one of those years where we’ll end up with a couple of new teams in the Super Bowl. Again, it’s way early, but it may come down to who stays somewhat healthy and is best at covering their flaws. Just so long as it’s not Dallas.
Okay, that’s about it for today. I’m gonna get myself as mentally-ready as possible for Mets/Brewers. Come back tomorrow for Buddy Diaz, who will be either talking the Knicks (smart money on this one) or offering up a playoff preview for the Yankees. Have a good Wednesday, everyone.
