A Fresh Start and a Look Back

Call it a New Years Resolution if you want, although I've always been against such an idea. But with the new year, I feel a need for a fresh start, and it begins with returning to my blog. Not only will I begin posting again, but I am committing to at least one post per day. There's really no reason for not updating daily.

With such high expectations (and demands) coming into last season, the Mets drove me straight into a brick wall in late April/early May, stripping me of all motivation and desire to continue with my blog devoted to the team I so desperately wanted to see succeed in its final year at Shea Stadium. It took me quite awhile to recover (or rather, for the team to recover so I could as well), and when I did, I decided not to return to my blog out of fear that I would just be run into another brick wall and stop posting again.

I would have been right.

One positive thing I could take out of last season (if I even can) is that it tested my love and devotion to the Mets as much as possible. Never before, and I doubt never again, will I be as down on the Mets as I was at the end of the 2008 regular season. It was a cumulation of the past three seasons, in which I wanted nothing more than to see the Mets win a World Series that I could remember with Shea as their home, from the Beltran strikeout to the "devastating" Glavine performance and to every loss by our bullpen, right down to Scott Schoeneweis and Luis Ayala on September 28th, which was followed by the closing ceremony for Shea Stadium.

As Tom Seaver and Mike Piazza closed the center field fence and the lights dimmed, it was as if I was closing the door as well. I was leaving along with Shea. I wanted nothing to do with this team anymore. All the pain and heartbreak was just not worth it. I could not devote myself to this team anymore.

The only reason I could watch the playoffs was so I could watch the Devil Rays (yes, I still call them the Devil Rays), my favorite team besides the Mets, in their first season out of mediocrity and into the playoffs. Their incredible run to an AL pennant came crashing down with a World Series loss, but not just to any team.... to the Phillies. The Phillies were World Series Champs. Forget the Mets, I swore off all of baseball right then and there.

Yet, once all the offseason buzz began, I couldn't help myself. There I was, searching for information on the Mets' offseason plans, figuring out the best way this team could turn it around for 2009. Searching for hope after all the hope was just sucked out of me. I couldn't stay away.

So, here I am, once again eagerly anticipating the upcoming season. I still don't know if I can watch a game when the season rolls around, especially the opening game at Citi Field. I fear seeing any footage of Shea being taken down, as I don't want that to be the final image of my memories of it. I'm certainly not prepared to attend any home games, and stand in the parking lot that is the ghost of Shea Stadium. But what I do know is that one day, I will be ready to fully embrace the Mets again. I will accept Citi Field as my home eventually. And one day, I hope this team will reach the ultimate goal and make this whole wild ride worth it.

Lets Go Mets.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year everyone.

I apologize for not keeping this up to date over the past month. Maybe the RIP posts wore me out, I don't know. Maybe I'm just looking for an excuse.

I'm not one for New Years resolutions, but it's about time that I get back into this.

Here's to 2008, the last year of Shea Stadium. Let's send it out with a bang in more ways than just one.

Poll Results: Close, but yes to A-Rod

You can't really draw anything conclusive about a poll with just 11 votes, but I suppose something can be said about the split decision. MetsBlog.com polls about the issue, which do draw a great amount of votes, have had fairly split results as well. So I'm getting the sense that there is a nice split between those who would love to have the player regardless, and those like me who just want to stay away.

I just hope that if we do get A-Rod, that subsequent polls won't show a great majority of people who are happy we got him, because it's easy to think differently after you have the player than when it's still in question.

Welcome to my blog.

Welcome to my blog! This will predominately be a blog for me to discuss the New York Mets, but I will also take the time to discuss other major topics in baseball and other sports.

The meaning of the title, Long Live Shea, is a reflection of a character trait that comes out strongly for me when it comes to sports. Although I may not be old enough to truly appreciate the past, I hate to see the traditions and values of the past broken or changed. A big example of this is the fact that the Mets are currently building a new stadium, Citi Field. Most everybody seems to be very excited for this, even quite a bit saying "Good Riddance" to Shea Stadium. I've been a Mets fan all my life, and Shea has been a part of that the whole time, and I am upset and even a bit angry to know that it's about to be torn down at the end of next season. I don't know if I'll ever be able to appreciate Citi Field as much as I do Shea Stadium, even with all of its upgrades.

Anyway, what you can expect from this blog is a lot of opinions and reactions to news stories, games, and transactions regarding the Mets. Right now it's the offseason, and so there is plenty to talk about with the team needing to make some moves to get back into contention for next season, and there's some big names floating around in Alex Rodriguez and Johan Santana. So, thanks for checking out my blog, and I hope you enjoy it and stick around!

Long Live Shea, and Long Live the Mets!