"RSN-Wherever You Are-Ya Gotta Believe"

About this time in 1973, with their Backs against the wall, in last place in the National League East & with Yogi Berra as Manager, the New York Mets, filled with injuries, as well as having a 42 Year Old Center Fielder named Willie Howard Mays, old #24, as he was finishing out his career in New York, where he started with the New York Giants, that team began an amazing run:

Tim Mc Graw’s father, Francis Edwin Mc Graw, a Mets Reliever, coined a most-famous phrase, one which sits with me to this day;

“Ya Gotta Believe”;

Well, this is NOT the time for we fans of “The Carmine Hose” to give up hope. Adversity is what makes us great fans. It makes for fun, whereas despair makes us an unhappy, if not suicidal lot;

Our Captain, Mr Varitek, may return Sunday, as will Trot Nixon. Did I mention that Mr Dave Wallace is back as pitching coach? & David “El Papi Grande” will be back tomorrow night;

That Mets Team, in ‘73, was 82-79 & dragged the Oakland Athletics 7 games in the ‘73 World Series;

I hope, for Jon Lester’s sake, that all he has is a bad cold & nothing more;

If it’s more-serious, this season is dedicated to him & a glorious post season will follow;

It’s time for the players to give MORE of themselves, just like the ‘73 Mets did;

The time is NOW, for a run of these proportions;

It isn’t time for the fans to run to the Zakim Bridge or for the NY contingent of Red Sox Nation, to run to some high point & commit Hari-Kiri;

It’s time for all to remember Francis Edwin Mc Graw’s Adage, which rings true in every season, where “Play Ball” is heard;

“Ya Gotta Believe”;

Thanks, Tug. Those words ring true all the time;

Francis Edwin “Tug” Mc Graw (1940-2004);

Thanks!

-Michael.