 Mets fans are probably pretty down in the bumps these days. But, tyey
do have a treat in store for them if they read Dana Brand's book, "Mets
Fan". Mike Silva, the host of NY Baseball Talk, attended the book launch last
Sunday, and said the event was "a Mets blogasphere version of a “blind
date”.
So many people who had spoken through typed words for years finally had a chance to put a name with the face at this small bar in Alphabet City. Dana Brand has been a friend of NY Baseball Talk since day one. Meeting him and being able to share the perspective of someone that has been through all forty-five years of Mets history was an honor. I was also glad to meet some of the “elite” of the Mets blogasphere and share a lengthy conversation with Steve Keane of the Eddie Kranepool Society and Mike Steffanos of Mike’s Mets.
Since this was a Mets gathering it was not without peril, much like the history of the team. With the recent slump putting the team only two games ahead of the Phillies for the NL East title, most thoughts were on the action at Dolphin Stadium. Unfortunately there was no TV to watch the final innings of the Mets taking on the Marlins. A collection of fans looking at their PDA’s, listening to headsets, and going downstairs to the bar for updates kept everyone informed. There was uneasiness about the gathering and most of the talk was on the disappointment of the current group. Of course, just when you think the Mets would ruin the day, they pull through in extra innings to increase their lead in the NL East.
The event could be described as a micrcosm of the team itself.. Mo Pitkins provided the type of environment that fits the Mets team well.
It was an open and friendly place without the pretension that follows the “other NY team”. Just like Shea Staudium it was not aesthetically pristine, but the fans put character to the environment making everything seem so perfect and right.
At the end of the day everything turned out right. A Mets win, good food, and new friendships created. The Mets have never been truly effective in celebrating their history throughout the teams existence. There are times when one might believe this is due to shame and embarrassment. The success of Dana Brand’s book proves that neither of those adjectives describes the feelings of the Mets fan base. Perhaps the success of this type of book/event will lead to more celebration of the teams and individuals that make Mets baseball the ultimate distraction from real life.
As for Brand's book, "Mets Fan " It reads almost like a memoir, as Brand spends each chapter spinning the tales that inspired him to become a fan of the team in Flushing, rather than the team in the Bronx. Actually, unlike some books about the Mets penned by fans, it contains little of the petty Yankee-hatred that engulfs other collections in this genre. Unlike the forgettable "For Mets Fans only", a tedious and redundant read, Brand simply explains why the Mets, not the Yankees, are his team of choice.
It may not be fair for Met fans to hate the Yankees for their wealth and
dominance, since the Mets are a rich team too. Often the Mets have only
been underdogs because of the incompetence of the front office. But since
we share this city with the Yankees, and since we don’t spend quite as much
as they do, we feel a local version of what fans everywhere feel about the
Yankees.
We wonder if Yankee fans can still be enjoying themselves. Can they
experience the hungry hope that is baseball fandom for the rest of us? If
they do still hope, aren’t they gluttons? If they can still be disappointed,
shouldn’t they be embarrassed? I know the Yankees haven’t broken any
rules, but aren’t they in danger of boring themselves to death? Haven’t
they reduced the payout for a jackpot to just a few coins?
Now, whether or not I agree with the above doesn't mean that it doesn't resonate for most Mets fans. The thing I like is that Brand tries to avoid the "Mets fans are better than Yankee fans because we know more about baseball" prattle.
Particularly enjkoyable are his takes on ceratin Mets GM-manager tenures, and how -- as a fan -- he reacted to each of the organizations "Big Moves" throught the years. One thing that's especially refreshing are his essays on the different broadcasting folks that cover the team, and his analysis of the relationship between Mets fans and FAN's long-standing drive-time hosts, Mike (Francesa) and the Mad Dog (Chris Russo), is a howl.
Gotham Baseball Magazine alum and co-author of Faith and Fear in Flushing Greg Prince agrees, saying that Mets Fan is "“This is a book for us. It's a book for Mets fans. It's a book we deserve. It's a book we will absorb through our pores. This is our book. It's about time we got one like this… "
During a time when the Mets are building a new ballpark, which may or may not be a celebration of Mets history, Brand even writes a chapter on how he'll miss Shea Stadium and all of it's personality. Brand doesn't lament the Brooklyn Dodger homage that will be Citi Field, but does admit that for all of its "ugliness" it has been home to Mets fans since 1964 and will be missed by many.
I like its awkward incoherent immensity, which never feels oppressive because so many things at Shea are so silly, like Mr. Met and the apple in the hat and the t-shirt launches and Lou Monte singing Lazy Mary at the seventh-inning stretch. Shea has a personality. It is big and goofy and unsophisticated. It inspires the stadium characters who come and go over the years, who make themselves famous by holding up signs or beating cow-bells. It inspires vendors and ushers to be characters. It inspires sentimentality and manic energy. It is very New Yorky in an old-fashioned way. The smaller, stylish stadium might preserve some of what Shea has. But I’ll bet it won’t be the same.
If you are a Mets fan, buy this book. Buy it for other Mets fans. Share it with any Met fan you meet in the street, in a bar, or at the ballpark. It's that good of a read. Even after the most mopnumental collapse in baseball history, Mets fans will rally 'ropund this book, and who knows, maybe even get excited about next year.
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