Five Stages of Grief (2008 Mets fan version)

Dear reader,

As you may know, the past two seasons have not been good times to be a Mets fan. Granted, it isn't the 1990's (what I refer to as the 'Dark Years'), but it's been difficult to see so much money and talent going to waste. As the 2008 season came to a close, a possible sequel to the "Collapse of 2007" loomed. The end of this season was a nail-biter. My playoffs tickets had been purchased and sent via e-mail (permanently available in PDF format on my laptop) before the end of the season. Needless to say, the season did not end well as our hated rivals, the Philadelphia Phillies, not only made the playoffs but won the NL East.

This entry will chronicle my personal path through the Five Stages of Grief for the NY Mets 2008 season.

1. Denial and Isolation: At first, we tend to deny the loss has taken place, and may withdraw from our usual social contacts. This stage may last a few moments, or longer.
This pic was taken after the last game I attended at Shea Stadium (during the last week of the season). The writing was on the wall even at this stage. I witnessed yet another loss which brings the Mets to a record of 1-7 when I attended during the 2008 season. When will the pain end? Will they be able to come back? Who am I kidding!! I know they will and we're going to the playoffs!! No one can tell me otherwise... I have the tickets to prove it!! LET'S GO METS!!!

2. Anger: The grieving person may then be furious at the person who inflicted the hurt (even if s/he's dead), or at the world, for letting it happen. He may be angry with himself for letting the event take place, even if, realistically, nothing could have stopped it.
How the hell could the Mets win so dominantly with Johan on Saturday and NOT carry that momentum over to Sunday's game. And Ollie was pitching a good game (especially since he's pitched some stinkers this season!!). WTF!?!? I had these f'n tickets in my hand!! I was going to visit Shea one more time in a playoff game!!! AARRRRGGGHHH!!!!! Why did I have to bring them such bad luck this season!!?? I should have missed a few games and they would have won AT LEAST ONE of those games!!! No-o-ooooo!!!!

3. Bargaining: Now the grieving person may make bargains with God, asking, "If I do this, will you take away the loss?
Maybe the baseball gods will be kind to us and modify the qualifying rules for the postseason. They could find a way to add one more wild card team to the mix. Bud Selig could force MLB to pass the rule and put it into effect immediately. I mean, the NHL added a new rule in the middle of the playoffs last season... MLB can do it to right?? Please, oh great pantheon of baseball legends, give the Mets a chance to show that they are a good team and let us play this postseason... please... pretty please... I'm on my knees... Maybe the new rule can get the Yanks in too... (then again, maybe not... lol)

4. Depression: The person feels numb, although anger and sadness may remain underneath.
My visits to the Brooklyn Brewery became more frequent after the season (and my baseball loving life) ended. I even managed to sneak in to the distillery and tried to drown my sorrow straight from the fermenting tanks. It tasted awful but it took my mind off of the Mets for a few minutes. Moments later, while in the ambulance, I was told by friends that I was asked to never return again... especially since they found out I jynxed the team during 7 games. I opened the door and jumped out before we made it to the hospital so I think I managed to avoid a hefty bill. Who cares... it still won't change what the Mets did to me. I didn't even get a picture of the spot where Tommie Agee hit the HR in the Upper Deck at Shea. That place is gone forever... except in my memories... *sniff*

5. Acceptance: This is when the anger, sadness and mourning have tapered off. The person simply accepts the reality of the loss.
Yesterday, I finally realized that there would be no Mets appearance in the postseason. I realized that the tickets I had in my possession wouldn't allow me to actually enter the stadium since the games were never formally scheduled. I also found out that the playoffs did actually take place without the Mets and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays made it to the World Series against... some NL team.. I forget. At least there was one good story to talk about this postseason! So if the tickets are worthless, then I might as well get rid of them. Here you go Mr. Shredder. Enjoy them. I know I wasn't able to.

Here's to another postseason of wondering, waiting, uncertainty, hope, anticipation, and preparation. Spring Training can't come fast enough. I'll be watching this March as I do every season since my childhood. I plan to make my way to CitiField in April 2009 (yes, in person... inside... not just staring at it from the GCP).

This is still my team. And I still love them, win or lose. Let's go Mets!!

Faithful Mets fan til the end (despite the heartache, heartbreak, and heart attacks),
Alan G.

P.S. Can we have a winning record when I attend in 2009, plz? Do you hear me Mr. Ruth?

Remember, remember the 5th of November

Now we have a reason to truly remember and reflect on this 5th of November, 2008.

Today is the first full day without any campaigning (finally!). The votes have been tallied and the American people have spoken. Barack Obama is our president-elect.

This day is not marked, so much, by his victory as it is by two major developments. We will no longer have the daily tit-for-tat campaign updates that divided our country in unprecedented ways over the past several months ("real" America? seriously?!?). The most important election of my lifetime is finally over. It is time to accept that Mr. Obama is our nation's next president and not merely the "North's president" or the "Coastal president". Republicans will have to swallow their pride and accept that they will have as little say in national government as the Democrats did during the majority of Dubya's 8 year reign ... ahem, presidency. Likewise, Democrats need to realize that, although proud of the achievement of the Obama campaign and his supporters nationwide, they will need to reach out to Republicans in the same way they reached out to the "undecided" voters. This needs to happen if we are to solve the problems that plague our nation.

The next development is the need to focus on the future. Not simply the future of Obama's political career but our future and that of our country. There are many problems that will be left in the White House (like the mess left by vengeful tenants that trash their co-ops after receiving an eviction notice) that need to be cleaned up before we can reasonably expect true change to happen. Heck, the clean-up will be a major change in and of itself. But there will be much work still left to be done.

Domestically, we have a damaged economy, families are losing their homes, tens of (if not hundreds of) thousands are currently without adequate healthcare, not to mention the HIV/AIDS epidemic still causing havok nationwide, and so on and so on. Internationally, we have a reputation that needs to be rebuilt, friendships that need to be mended, wars that need to end, and legitimate efforts to control terrorism need to be put into place (and not with actions based on faulty intel).

There is a lot of work to be done by Obama and the citizens of the U.S. But, today... today I rejoice. I celebrate the fact that a change is a-comin'. And for the rest of my life I will forever remember, remember the 5th of November, 2008.