"Dear Members Of The Mets Fan Clan"

Just 2 Years ago, the "Abandon Hope Forever, Ye Who Enter Here" Sign, may as well have been hung over Shea Stadium, as the place & the team was in a Pall:

Yet, a youngster named Jose' Reyes, he of much speed, was showing some signs of life, as also the promise of the future, Mr David Wright, eventually came up to the Team;

The Good News was that, in that time, "The Last Days of Al Leiter & John Franco", were nigh;

By '05, a Couple of "Upper-Level" Guys named Willie Randolph & Omar Minaya, were put in charge of righting the ship;

The Mets in '06, have the Best Record in the NL, so my word to "The Bandwagoners" is that you should shut up about this mini-slump, as it happens to EVERY Team;

I go back as far as when Wes Westrum was Manager, when Seaver was a Glimmer in One's eyes, when Cleon Jones was the Centerfielder, when Jack Fisher was the Prime Starter, which wasn't saying much, when there was some dude named Jack Hamilton in the Bullpen, as was one Frank Edwin "Tug" McGraw & Ed Kranepool played 1st Base, he wearing #7, like a certain IRT Line, which stops @ Shea Stadium;

In 1967, things changed a bit, when Tom Seaver came up & a New Direction was coming, leading to the Hiring of Johnny Murphy as GM, who engineered the trade of Pitcher Bill Dennehy, to obtain that Bklyn Dodger Great 1st Sacker & Washington Senators Manager, Gil Hodges;

It should be noted that Johnny M, was The Red Sox Scout, who signed Carl Yastremski of the East End of Long Island, to a Red Sox Contract;

By '68, Jerry Koosman & a WILD Nolan Ryan, came up & Young Players were coming to start the building to the "Miracle of '69";

By '69, it was all in place & there was that Great Championship, repletye with the 2 Great World Series Catches by Tommie Agee;

There was a competetive period, culminating with an 82-79 Mets in a 7 Game World Series with a Powerhouse Oakland A's Team, but the swagger was gone by '76 & still the Fans came to Shea Stadium;

It was "The Great Betrayal of Ownership" which sent Tom Seaver packing & the crowds took off;

We still followed the team on Radio & TV;

& $1.30 was upper level general admission;

This current period, I see, is just a bump in this road & Red Sox Nation will be there to help you newbies to understand what's going on here;

To those Bandwagoners who question my Red Sox Cap, let it be known that I was around for the forementioned period of time, & '86 tasted so sweet, in a personal year of family tragedies(Running to Hospitals for Injured Parents was no fun);

"Let's Go Mets!"

"Ladies & Gentlemen, Fasten Your Seat Belts, We're in The 9th Inning", as Bob Murphy would say.

-Mike.