It's Definitely NOT April Fool's!!!

Howdy, loyal Mack's Mets readers- I've been away awhile, and so much has happened in my absence! Let's see...The Knicks are the best team in the NBA, the Jets & Giants will probably play each other in the Super Bowl, the Wilpons are finally selling the Mets and the Yankees couldn't afford to sign anyone new this off-season...so basically, it's business as usual!!!!!

Okay- NOW that I've woken up, and the drugs have (mostly) worn off, I can, finally, say ONE thing for certain: 

OUR DAYS OF BEING HELD CAPTIVE BY THE F&*&#$G WILPONS ARE FINALLY COMING TO A CLOSE...well, soon enough...WE PRAY!!!

So over the past 4-5 months, a lot of things have changed in my personal life, mostly regarding my health, and during this time, I had thoughts about mortality. I remember telling my dad, in January of 2008 that the Mets were about to trade for Johan Santana. He was in the hospital at the time, weeks away from dying, and while I was telling him this, I noticed that he wasn't really buying in to what I was saying. I think he thought that I knew he was dying and was humoring him, hoping to make him feel good about our beloved team, one last time. I wouldn't have done that, for as much as I loved my dad and wanted to give him something to dream about during that time, I would never lie to him about anything,  especially about the team that we bonded over from the time I was all of 4 years of age. 

Since my dad's passing, I've often thought about the "what if's" - "what if" the team never wins another World Series in my lifetime; "what if" the team is so bad, my grandkids can't bear to root for them, and growing up in Southern California they root for the Dodgers instead; "what if" we became this century's version of the Cubs or the Red Sox, curses and all, and truly became the laughingstock of this game we love so much?

Well, I can tell you, from personal, recent experience, when faced with our own mortality, these type of questions come fast and furious. That's why, on so many levels, when the news broke that Steve Cohen, minority investor in the Mets, was going to take over the team from the Wilponzi's over the next 5 years, I started doing a jig at my office desk!!!! (Full disclosure- I had heard a rumor to this extent a few months ago, but as with any such rumor, until it's proved truthful it sounded too much like wishful thinking!) Just think- this team I love SO much, that I've spent (literally) tens and tens and tens of thousands on over the years (and one day, I hope soon, I'll share some pics of my extensive Mets collection here), the same team I've spent an incalculable amount of hours watching and listening to, from all over Shea Stadium to watching religiously from my computer in SoCal, will FINALLY be able to compete like the big market, New York team it always SHOULD have been!!!!!

So now, as we process this information, I pray that my health continues to get better so that I live long enough to see the fifth ownership/ownership group take over the reigns of this team. My first thoughts are ALWAYS about my grand-kids and wanting to live long enough to see them grow up, go to college, get married and start their "happy-ever-after" - and my oldest is 4, and my youngest is a little over a year, so that's a LONG time away!!!! I think about being able to travel with my wife, enjoy much time with my many friends and loved ones, and being able to see the next round of Star Wars movies!!!! But right behind the parts regarding my grand-kids and wife, I MOST want to live long enough to see this team heading back to the World Series, and winning another one for a change!!!!!! 

I hope I'm not asking for too much; I hope that nothing happens to Mr. Cohen over these next 5 years; and most of all, I hope that, no matter where in the standings we end up, that each of us will be able to have more moments from this team to enjoy, debate about, and celebrate, together, for many years to come!!!

Here's wishing you all a VERY Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah, a Happy Kwanzaa and a Happy and HEALTHY New Year!!

LGFM!!!