I Guess This Is Growing Up
Sunday Paper (Year 3, Volume XXI)
I had a weird end to the week.
It started on Thursday when, for just about the first time I can ever remember, I didn't care about a Mets game.
Well, not that I didn't care totally...just that I absolutely forgot there was a game.
The Mets played at 1pm Thursday afternoon.
It didn't even occur to me to look for a score until well after 5pm.
And, I'll be honest with you - I didn't care all that much.
If you're a regular reader, you're well aware this is a crazy busy time of year for me. Reports for school, end-of-year school stuff dominates my time - it happens every year and the blog, unfortunately, ends up taking a backseat.
But usually when there's a Mets day game I'll pop on-line during the day to catch a score or two. And if I don't have the time to do that, I'll at least think about the game and wish I could find out how the Mets were doing.
But I guess I'm past that now. Other things on my mind.
I now understand how it was when my dad would go to bed before the game was a final when I was growing up. There was a role reversal at some point - somewhere around high school, when I was the one leaving him notes about how the night games ended rather than him leaving me notes about what happened past my bedtime.
So that was Thursday. Friday brought the death of "Macho Man" Randy Savage, and the outpouring of sorrow on twitter and Facebook from my peers. Not being a huge wrestling fan growing up, I didn't quite get it. Saturday brought the news that, after reportedly suffering headaches and small memory loss, Hall of Famer Gary Carter had four small tumors found on his brain. Then I got it.
I wouldn't say I was devastated by the news - I guess I'm hoping for the best - maybe the tumors are benign. But I was certainly shaken.
And that's what happens when you realize the vulnerability of your childhood heroes. Listen, I never thought Gary Carter would be around forever. If everything follows the natural order of things, he'll be gone long before I am. But I'm certainly not expecting him to go at age 57. My dad's childhood hero was Bobby Richardson - he's in his 70s (as far as I know).
I suppose I always thought there would be a chance somewhere down the line for me to meet Gary Carter, say thanks for mailing the autograph on my 16th birthday, and shake his hand. That's something I like to think about every now and then. It'll probably never happen, but I like thinking that it can. I'm not ready to let go of the thought.
Something else happened on Friday night/Saturday morning. It reminded me how cyclical this situation is.
My daughter wore her David Wright t-shirt, and on days that she does, she likes to watch the beginning of the Mets game with me. So we watched the first inning of Mets-Yankees together, I explained to her how David Wright had a hurt back, and when it was time for her to go to bed she asked me, "Will you tell me in the morning if the Mets won?"
Saturday morning the first thing she said to me was, "Daddy, did the Mets win?" Just like the boy with the Gary Carter hat 25 years ago.
*The Mets have been playing pretty good baseball lately...but they need to play really well against really good teams for about a month to get me excited. And even still...I hope they don't. They're going to lose guys as free agents this off-season, so I'd rather see them get something back in trades. And I'd rather see those trades happen sooner rather than later.
*And I really don't know whether I want to see Jose Reyes go. He's playing amazing baseball so far this season. But he probably wouldn't sign with the Mets...and he's bound to get hurt again...I guess I say make a deal before he comes down to earth and/or gets hurt and damages his trade value. But man, when he is on he is fun to watch.
*Keeping an eye on the teams I picked to make the World Series this year - both the Brewers and the Angels are fighting to stay at .500....just like the Mets. That's not a good sign for me. Luckily no one is running away with either the NL Central or the AL West, so they're both within striking distance. Not giving up on that World Series matchup just yet. The Twins...yeah, I'm giving up on them in the AL Central.
*Why can't I buy into Jose Bautista? Two more homers Saturday - he's at 18 for the season. Sorry. I can't help but think something's up.
*This first series of interleague play really snuck up on me this year.
*For what it's worth, I haven't been paying a ton of attention to my fantasy team this year, but it's doing really, really well. I'm pretty proud of the draft I had.
*Justin from Sports Crackle Pop! had a great idea this week (he has lots of good ideas) - an on-line book club involving, at the very least, the Southern Bureau and Dave From Brighton, me, and him, discussing the new ESPN book coming out Tuesday. I'll keep you posted with the appropriate links when the time comes.
