Familiar Darkness

Into the darkness my beloved team goes. All teams venture into the darkness…the hole where all goes wrong on the field and continue to spiral out of control.

Some teams spend decades there and other teams drift in and out, methodically, without ever truly seeing the full force of sunlight. Some are thrust into the darkness because of a bad trade (Red Sox and Babe Ruth) while some fall in after getting oh so close (the Cubs and Steve Bartman). Some exist there simply as a result of bad ownership and a little bad luck (the Expos/Nationals and 1994).

The Mets have seen their share of the darkness (early 60’s, late 70’s, early 80’s, most of the 90’s and pretty much all of this century, excluding 2000 and 2006). Losing on the field is one thing, but it is the off field darkness that is frustrating. Things like trading away Tom Seaver and the antics of guys like Vince Coleman make the losing feel worse. I can deal with the losses. I enjoy baseball enough that it is the individual performances and the beauty of the games I can appreciate when the Mets are out of it. I can even deal with “the collapse”. I am still proud to be a Mets fan.

Injuries have decimated the current team and we are likely facing at least another year trying to get past the collapse. I can deal with it. However, the latest circus hurts. It’s an embarrassment to die hard fans and brings back memories of bleach and firecrackers and incompetent owners. I am still proud to be a Mets fan, but the darkness is all around. And it sucks. With that happening, dropped balls and missed bases become unbearable and make you question your love.

However, of course, the love continues. The darkness should subside. Patience should bring us through. The sixties gave way to the 1969 team. The 1970’s and 1980’s gave way to 1986 and even the 1990’s gave way to the fun team of 2000. Now, I look forward to seeing what the current circus gives way to. I look forward to being in the light again.