Monday, April 20, 2009

METS OWNERSHIP CLUELESS YET AGAIN

If not being able to hit with men on base isn’t enough to anger Mets fans, then the decision from Mets management to remove an impromptu signature by Dwight Gooden on the wall in the Ebbets Field Club at Citi Field will absolutely infuriate them. And who could blame them?

With so much criticism levied at the Wilpons for not showing enough Mets history in the new park (not to mention a bullpen that no one can see in to or out of), you would think they would not only accept this brilliant stroke of spontaneity, but that they would wholeheartedly embrace it for its originality, authenticity. And for crying out loud, it’s Doctor “K”! It’s not like it was Jeff Innis (no offense Jeff).

Instead, much like the Mets hitters for the last 2+ seasons, the Mets brass just can’t take advantage of an opportunity when it’s right there in front of them. How cool would that have been to have Doc’s signature on that wall forever? The story alone would go down as legend. I can just picture Gary Cohen, long after his retirement, relaying this great story as a guest in the broadcast booth (with David Wright and Mike Pelfrey doing color). Rather than covering it with a felt cloth held up by four tacks like they did this weekend, they should have put a glass case around it like the freakin’ Mona Lisa! But, of course, with stupidity perpetually oozing out of their pores, they elect to erase it. Yes, erase it! I mean, you can’t make this stuff up. I wonder what Gooden thinks about it. I guarantee you if Rachel Robinson (Jackie’s wife) had signed her name on that wall, they would have been drooling all over it and hired every newspaper, TV outlet they could find to do a story about it.

"It's a brand-new building," said Jay Horwitz, the Mets' VP of media relations. "No one is supposed to write on the wall. It's going to be erased." An autograph on the wall? Absolutely not! Firing the manger in the middle of the night one game into a west coast trip? You beth’cya. Brilliant, just absolutely brilliant.

Listen, I’m not even that bent out of shape about the lack of Mets stuff in the park. I agree, there should be more, but I’m not going crazy about it like many others. I like the Jackie Robinson Rotunda, and the ball park is gorgeous, although I did sit in the upper deck for Opening Night and was very annoyed about not being able to see the right field corner. However, I was fortunate to go to the next game and sat in the field level section behind Pardres’ dugout, which was a first class experience. Ironically, I actually saw the Doctor signing autographs two sections away behind home plate.

I’m just sick and tired of this organization not getting it! Time and time again they simply fail to connect with their fan base and they wonder why we’re so angry. They just don’t have a clue.

I have a great idea for the Wilpons that I am positive they will love: Sell a sponsorship next to Gooden’s signature. Preferably that awesome clip art from that fork lift ad next to the giant scoreboard in center field…It’s so cheesy it’s perfect for them.

5 comments:

Coop said...

This is great and I would agree wholeheartedly - apparently, there was a reason they want to take his signature off - a Citifield worker posted on Metsblog earlier that others started "vandalizing" the area- so perhaps the Mets want to have Doc do it again but in a designated area?

Well, it sounded good at least. But I'm with ya. They really have no clue.

bryan said...

Easy to fix others attempting to write on it. Just have security keep an eye on the area and give anyone a summons and kick them out for mucking it up. plus, if they can erase doc's signature, they can erase anyone else's.

Unknown said...

another brilliant commentary on the angry life that is being a mets lifer. this is the type of stuff PR people dream of. Doc signs the wall and now you have a unique celebrity wall at your ballpark where every former Mets player is invited to sign when he visits the ballpark. It's genius!

But no. They ruined the Benjamin Moore paint job that cost $25/hour. How dare Doctor K shame Benjamin Moore like that.

Only the Mets

Brad said...

Well played, gents...Citi Field NEEDS this kind of Mets personalization.

I say let them all sign...except for Doug Sisk. Never liked him...

Unknown said...

I'll see your Doug Sisk and raise you a Don Aase.

Looks like the Mets PR team is scrambling and saying they're moving Gooden's signature to a more "prominent location" where more fans can enjoy it. And they're going to get other ex-Mets to sign it too.

Hmmmm, wonder where they got that idea?