CHEERS - by Tom Brennan

 

 

CHEERS - by Tom Brennan

 

CHEERS was a show everyone watched years ago - except me.  

 

I was watching the Mets - wanting to cheer, but not often succeeding.

 

In the past, prior to August 2015, that is, I have so often been the type of Mets fan who always feels the other shoe is about to drop.  At least since 1969's Cinderella story was over.  Heading down Memory Lane…

 

1973 was almost a miracle, coming from 10 games under going into September to what was almost a World Series clinching win, but Tom Seaver's fastball ran into Mr. October's bat before he was called such, and that miracle died.

 

Heck in 1984 we were close again, after many stultifying seasons, but Rick Sutcliffe gets traded to the NL and goes 16-1.  POOF.  

 

In 1985, despite Gooden's mercurial supremacy, John Tudor was ridiculously good for a great Cards team - and the Mets' 98 wins got them through game 162 but no further.  

 

We win the World Series in 1986, but only after hanging onto a very precipitously steep ledge by the tip of our pinky fingers in game 6.  Gets...by…Buckner.  PHEW.

 

But in 1987, that dastardly Tudor killed us again.  Hated the dude.

 

In 1988, Orel Hersheiser only knew how to put up zeros like no other major leaguer ever had.   Well, you get the idea…I could go on and on.

 

Last year, when the shoe-is-ready-to-fall Mets stuff seemed never-ending, we made dynamite trades, mixed in a few Wilmer Flores tears, and instantly transformed from sputtering jalopy through July to a Yoenis juggernaut the rest of the way.  

 

We got so close, but serendipity was not ours to be had in the World Series.  A foul off a very important knee cap here, a throw there to the plate that landed somewhere in Europe, and similar calamities and, well, the dream died - but man, what fun the ride was.  I did some moaning at times, but a lot of cheering.  Coulda skipped the extra weight from nervous overconsumption of chips, though.  Burp.

 

This year, however, regardless of what happens, I am doing one thing and one thing only: cheering for the Mets. So if a guy strikes out 4 times: I’m cheering. 1-25 slump? I’m cheering.  Lousy spring team record?  I'm cheering.

 

Sandy has given us a TEAM with the re-signing of Yoenis (Pig Slayer) Cespedes, and we have 5 guys named Clint Eastwood doing their best High Plains Drifter on the starters' mound when Wheeler returns, likely to replace Cool Hand Luke Colon.  I did my favorite Mets article series recently, and there is so much on this team to like, whether it is with the starters, the pen, the position players, and yes, even the bench.  Cheerful to ponder.

 

So, no matter what happens during 2016, I will cheer - but I have a feeling I will be cheering all the way to a return trip to the World Series - and a long awaited return to the Canyon of Heroes.  

 

Cheer with me, and make Queens Great Again.