Best Games of 2011

Let's face it, this year has been an OFF-FIELD story driven year. From the Penn State/Syracuse Scandal to the BCS debacle insulting college football fans, there seemed not to be as much to cheer about on the field. That is until you think about these games that glued viewers to the screens, fans to their seats, left people talking about the game for days after.

12) Rangers/Capitals Game 4 - The Rangers took game 3 of the first round playoff against the Washington Capitals, but the headline going into the game was Coach Bruce Boudreau saying MSG is "not that loud". After the Rangers blitzed the Capitals for a 3-0 lead, the Garden crowd chanted, "Can you hear us?!" Only to see the Capitals rally and force overtime, which didn't disappoint for drama and featured Henrik Lunqvist stopping Alex Ovechkin on a breakaway. The end of the game was cruel and unlikely as Rangers star Marian Gaborik accidently poked a loose puck from Lundqvist and into the crease for Jason Chimera to poke it in and give the Caps a 4-3 win.

 11) Michigan/Notre Dame - Under the lights for the first primetime game at the Big House, Michigan supplied a classic game for their already historic rivalry. Forget the previous 58 minutes -which were amazing- with 1:12 remaining in the game, Michigan completed a 17 point comeback when Vincent Smith caught a 21 yard Denard Robinson pass, giving the Wolverines their first lead of the night. Game over? Nope, Notre Dame drives down and Tommy Rees hits Theo Riddick for a 29 yard score, taking the lead right back? Game over? Think again. Michigan drives down and Robinson hit Roy Roundtree with 2 seconds remaining.

10) Lightning/Bruins Game 7 - A trip to Vancouver was on the line for two underdog teams. The only question was which one? The Lightning took out the Penguins and #1 seed Capitals, whereas the Bruins fought off their rival Canadiens and Flyers. This series was back and forth, Game 7 was not. It was a game that every inch of ice was hard to come by and two goalies that gave nothing for shooters. With the game scoreless midway through the third period, Bruins winger Nathan Horton deflected the puck behind Lightning Goalie Dwayne Roloston to give the Bruins the only goal they'd need. They'd only need that lone goal because Tim Thomas was stellar. He stopped 24 shots including a sprawling stick save on Dominic Moore. Later, Thomas would win the Conn Smythe and the Stanley Cup.

9) VCU/Kansas Elite 8- At the beginning of the NCAA Tourney, all the critics were calling out the NCAA selection committee for selecting VCU. The committee claims that VCU "passed the eye test". Two weeks later, VCU shut their critics up by beating the #1 team in the nation in Kansas. VCU sprinted to an early 18 point lead, which Kansas cut to 2 with 13:11 minutes remaining. However, the slipper was on Cinderalla's foot as VCU went on an 11-3 run immediately and put themselves in the books as one of the biggest Final Four upsets of All Time.

8) Heat/Mavericks Game 4 - The storylines for this game were simple. Heat win and they can backup their promise for a championship. Mavericks win and they continue one of the best underdog stories in NBA history. With everyone in the country outside of Miami rooting for the Mavericks, the Heat and Mavs went back-and-forth in the third quarter, but the Mavericks -led by a flu-ridden Dirk Nowitzki- kept the "Heatles" close until the closing minutes of the game. Nowitzki hit a lay-up with 14.4 seconds left, capping his 10-point fourth quarter. It would also be a game that started a theme for the series- poor Fourth Quarters by the Heat, especially LeBron James. The Mavs surged with a 21-9 run to end the game and leave the Heat sweating. The Mavs would win their first NBA Championship five days later and spark many LeBron jokes. By the way, he can't change a dollar because he won't give the fourth quarter.

7) Rory McIlroy at the US Open - Not a game, but a performance that was as unexpected as any other this year. If you did a soap opera style "Previously...", you would have seen Rory McIlroy at Augusta National choking away his lead and finishing with an embarrassing round for an amateur. Fast forward to June at the US Open where McIlroy did the unthinkable. He shot FOUR subpar rounds on the "Golf's Toughest Test" and set or tied 12 records including the largest win with a 16 shots under par. McIlroy's highs and lows are well documented in 2011, but his high was a memory for the ages.

6) USA/Brazil Women's World Cup - In one of the most thrilling games in the history of Women's sports, USA loaded with talent, took on Brazil -which was considered to be their greatest obstacle. Brazil proved the Analysts right when they tied the game at 1 late in the second half. In extra time, their star Marta would break the tie and assure Brazil victory. That is until time was winding down, seconds ticking off the clock, Megan Repinoe kicked a soccer-style "Hail Mary" toward the net where Abby Wambach was sprinting to the right post. She headed the ball into the empty net and sent the game into penalty kicks. Hope Solo made two saves and moved the Americans on. Had the US won the World Cup, Wambach would be synonymous with Mike Eruzione.

5) Butler/Florida Elite 8- The NCAA tournament features several exceptional games a year- usually a first round upset. This year Florida and Butler played a classic game that said who'd go to the Final Four. Midway through the second half, Butler -2010 finalist- were down 11 to the Gators and Billy Donovan. Butler started to chip away and to tie in regulation, take a 3-point lead in overtime until Florida's Kenny Boyton made a three pointer to give the Gators the lead right back. After a foul, Butler tied the game and then came the unbelievable. On back-to-back plays at the end of regulation, Florida's Erving Walker hit a 3-pointer which was followed by Butler's Shelvin Mack hitting a three to tie. Butler would outwork Florida and win the game at the foul line, but it was a classing game for an already rich history of the NCAA.

4) Jets/Patriots AFC Divisional Playoff - Second Straight year the Jet improbable win makes the list. This game was a shocker for many reasons. The Jets were playing in Foxboro, where their last visit ended 45-3 with them on the short side and the Patriots haven't lost at Foxboro since 2008 (not counting playoffs). On the Jets side, the Patriots haven't won a playoff game since 2007, when they advanced to the Super Bowl. Despite falling behind 3-0, the Jets would back up their talk. Mark Sanchez threw touchdown passes to LaDanian Thomlinson and Brayon Edwards to make it 14-3. Sanchez would fling it to Santonio Holmes to give the Jets a ten point lead that Shonn Greene would add to with a 16-yard touchdown run. The win would send the Jets to their second straight Conference Final and Bart Scott would be remembered for saying, "Can't Wait!"

3) USA/Japan Women's World Cup - How could the USA/Brazil game be topped? Even for the biggest male chauvinist would have to say this game was outstanding even if the game ended the wrong way for the USA. Alex Morgan gave the US a 1-0, only to have Japan tie the game on a USA goof that Aya Miyama capitalized on. Unlike the Brazil game, Abby Wambach didn't wait till the closing seconds of extra time, when she headed in a crossing feed, but Japan wasn't done. Playing for their country that has been ravaged by natural disasters in the last year, the Japanese women fought and tied the game when Homare Sawa managed to redirected a ball past Hope Solo. Japan would win in penalty kicks, but the argument is clear that with the World Cup on the line, this game was the best of the summer.

2) Baseball's Final Day - This isn't a game, but a collective of moments from several games of baseball's final dramatic day. With the Wild Card spots on the line in BOTH leagues, the Braves/Cardinals battling in the NL and the Rays/Red Sox in the AL. Early in the evening, the Yankees did their best to help the Red Sox (I know, weird) by taking a 7-0 lead. In the meantime, the Sox were leading 2-0 over Baltimore, but the Rays would burst out with a 6 run eighth inning. All this built to the ninth, when Jon Papelbon was on the mound trying to save the game in Baltimore, Dan Johnson was down to his final strike against Cory Wade. Johnson would strike Wade's pitch off the foul pole to tie the game as Papelbon blows the save in Baltimore almost simultaneously! Evan Longoria would hit a homerun and punch the Rays ticket to the Wild Card. In the National League, Chris Carpenter and the Cards shut out the Astros while the Braves fell in extra innings to the Phillies. BOTH the Red Sox and Braves completed collapses that saw them leading by 10 games or more in the final week of August.

GAME OF THE YEAR:

1) Cardinals/Rangers Game 6 - In a series that will be held up against the greats, Game 6 put itself on a level with 1993, 1990, 1986 and 1975. A back-and-forth game where the Rangers took and early lead to the Cardinals striking back, but starting with the seventh inning, the game took on a new life. With the score tied at 4, Adrian Beltre hit a go-ahead home run to give the Rangers the lead, but Nelson Cruz hit a towering shot over the leftfield wall right after him. Ian Kinsler would add an RBI single to make it 7-4. The Rangers felt confident with their vaunted bullpen that they would close the game out. The Cardinals had other ideas. In the eighth, super-sub Allen Craig hits a solo home run to close it to 7-5, but in the ninth inning, David Freese struck a Neftali Feliz fastball to right field that eluded Nelson Cruz. That didn't kill the Rangers resolve. "The Natural" Josh Hamilton hit a two-run home run to right, seemingly to write a climax to his comeback story. The only problem was that the Cardinals didn't want to quit. Ryan Theriot had an RBI groundout, then Lance Berkman singled to center off Scott Feldman to tie the game at 9. It was the second time the Cardinals were down to their final strike of the SEASON. The following turn at bat for the Cardinals would force Game 7. David Freese -the eventual World Series MVP- would take a Mark Lowe offering over the centerfield wall as Joe Buck re-created his father's home run call from Kirby Puckett's 1990 Game 6 winning home run, "We'll see you tomorrow night." The Cardinals would not falter at home in Game 7, completing one of the most improbable runs to a championship in baseball history.

These are my games of 2011. I'm kind of shocked that I have two WOMEN's games on here, but gotta hand it to the US Women. They certainly entertained this year. If you have others, please leave a comment here or my Facebook.

Life Lessons by Link

Every time Nintendo puts out a Legend of Zelda title, gamers dig in and delve into the land of Hyrule. As gamers play through the game, they may not realize they're getting good morale direction from the game's protagonist- Link (though you can give him any name). The reason is simple, if you weren't a noble-do-gooder than the game would end quickly. However- in directly- Link teaches people many things they may not realize.

Sacrifice for the Greater Good - A theme in most Zelda games is that the characters (not just Link) put themselves at great risk. Whether it's Zoran Princess or the Gorons in Ocarina or Zelda (repeatedly) putting their own lives on the line to stop evil, only to be rescued later. The point is that Link isn't just trying to do good alone. There's others trying as well.

Always Do the Right Thing - It's not just Spike Lee who thinks that- Link does too. Whether it's to help a young girl find her chickens (Ocarina) to helping an old woman (who looks an awful lot like a witch he killed before) get back to her sister (Majora's Mask). Not that this isn't without reward... which will be covered later, but another good example is Link refusing to tell Ganondorf which way Zelda went after fleeing Hyrule Castle in Ocarina of Time. He refused and got a lightning bolt to the face from his adversary. Nice. Before you think, "Well duh, that was all in the moment," remember Link had a premonition of that moment in Ocarina's into. If I knew I'd get a lightning bolt to the face, you can have her, man. In fact, there's only one person Link really screws over in the Zelda series- the man that played the Song of Storms in Kakariko Village.

Someone may not like you... now - Zelda's stories are littered with Frien-emies. Take for instance Lido in Ocarina or Groose in Skyward Sword. Both characters hate Link in the beginning, but their experiences soon lead to a respect for Link.  There's always the fairy from Majora's Mask or even Navi from Ocarina, but the chief example is Midna from Twilight Princess. She clearly is not a fan of Link's, but little by little, Midna grows to love her traveling companion, so much so that she thinks he falls in love with her upon seeing her true beauty.  Even the majority of Zelda villains are "brainwashed" or "mistaken" creatures that try to kill Link, but come to their senses after Link defeats them. Funny how a little ass-kicking makes you want to befriend someone.

A Stranger is just a Friend You Haven't Met - Streetcar said, "You can always depend on the kindness of Strangers," but it's clear that you're the stranger in Hyrule that has to make everyone's acquaintance. Now Link meets some many colorful characters in his travels. In the first Legend of Zelda, Link meets an ogre who simply says, "Grumble, Grumble." Link brings him some meat and then the guy becomes so nice that he lets you proceed through Level 7. There's the old woman making stew in "Link to the Past" that you give a mushroom to and get back Magic Dust. I'd list the rest of these, but let's face it, I don't want this blog entry to go for days.

Proper Tools for Proper Work - Link's adventures could have been a game where you swing your sword around, killing ogres and bugs that jump around, but it isn't. Nah, Nintendo has supplied Zelda players with several items both necessary and baffling. Sure the bow is the most obvious need since Silver/Light Arrows are always needed to thwart Ganon(dorf), but there's boomerangs, hammers, bombs, magic rods that shoot fire or ice, candles, boots that allow you to hover for a second, boots that make you sink, gloves that give you epic strength, flippers, a raft, a ladder, invisible capes (yeah Harry Potter stole it), bug catching nets, books for translating, mushrooms for potions, candles to burn down trees... and more. There's many different shields, swords, tunics, rings and grappling hooks; all for Link to use for specific tasks which can be as important as saving the WORLD or as little as helping a person collect bugs. My favorite, the Ball and Chain from Twilight Princess- that thing was bad ass!!!

There's a Girl Out There for You - I know what you're thinking, "Zelda! D'uh!!" Not exactly. Since Ocarina, Link's been a bit of a chick magnet. There was Saria, Midna, the Item Check girl in Skyward. Heck, Zelda isn't even a love interest for most of the series. Skyward Sword is one of the games that spells it out for you, though it is possible for you to treat her like crap and still have her end up in love with you. Geez, I hope that's not a lesson...

Music Is Under-appreciated - Not just having the most iconic music in video game history. In the first Legend of Zelda, the old man tells you in Level 5 that Digdogger hates sounds of a certain kind. AH-HA! You should play this Recorder (or whistle) that four graders play and everyone finds annoying as well. However, it's uses didn't stop there. If you used the whistle later, a whirlwind will take you around all of Hyrule. Since then, music has played a role in Zelda. It unlocks worlds, drains lakes, cures curses and moves you into the netherworld. You've played a Flute, an Ocarina (two of them), a conductor's wand, the howl of a wolf and a harp in the series latest installment. Thank God the quests never required a piano. It's great that Nintendo has continued using music in the game, but if Link is required to use a DJ table then I'm done.

Take Time to Stop and Smell the Roses - As you travel around the world of Zelda, you encounter various new villages, lands, kingdoms and species. You can have several sides adventures in these lands, play various mini-games and save up for new items which helps the Hyrule economy from sliding into a depression. You may also see that some people have their own problems; a house of people turned into spiders, a giant whale stuck in a mountain or a demon that needs you to do more good deeds so he can become human. Some many people, some many lands, so much to do...

The Apathy of the World - The previous point leads me to this- don't people ever notice that the world around them is going to shit. There's a black cloud over Death Mountain- which isn't a good name for a mountain you want to hike up one day- or that an entire kingdom is flooded, a princess is missing and maybe the fact that everyone in Hyrule Castle is the WALKING DEAD! Gee, you think maybe delivering milk seems kind of pointless if an evil sorcerer is making the people of the world into the same brain capacity of the Jersey Shore cast! Staying up late with the "All Night Mask" just to get a piece of a heart from the old storytelling woman can wait too. What about the fishing portion? Can't people see Link is busy! No, it's okay, because the idiot does the deeds thinking this falls under the "Do the Right Thing." Doesn't anyone notice the moon getting closer? What the fuck?!!!!

There's Greatness Inside of You - EVERY Legend of Zelda (don't count Link's Awakening) begins with a simple peasant boy that leads a simple life, but there's some act of evil that plunges him into the world where he is completely over his head. One adventure after another and Link discovers that he's armed with more than just his courage. He's been turned into a Wolf, dropped from the Sky, changed into a Fish, a creature made of wood and whatever a Goron is. He's been through the light world, the dark world, the desert, the sea, the sky, the shadow world and underground. Hell the Water Temple in Ocarina is reason enough to respect him. Why does he do it? Because there's alway more to him than being a simple peasant boy. A great hero that the world needs. There's so much more than a simple life.

Fact is that the Legend of Zelda show us more about ourselves than just trying to figure out when to play the flute in level 5. It shows us that we're never complete. There's always something we need to get to move us further in our stories. It lets us realize that there's always someone in need. That there's always a challenge to face, something to stand up for, something to fight for. So go home, play the game...maybe to escape into fantasy, help someone in need or maybe... just maybe... you can see that Link is really a part of you. The part that always wants to make the world a better place and always will fight for what's right.

Remembering the Mets Post-9/11 Game

On September 21st, 2001, I attended a baseball game unlike any other played before it. It was ten days after the attacks on New York City and Washington DC on 9/11 and was the first regular season game played in NY city since the attacks. It was the first time for many fans to return to normalcy. Some had their chance a few days earlier when the Rangers played the Devils in a preseason NHL game, but this game was much different.
You see there were several storylines for this game. It was the first game in NYC after 9/11 for the Mets after rescheduling their series versus the Pirates to Pittsburgh. It was also a site where Mets players, brass and manager Bobby Valentine volunteered to help the victims of the attacks. It was the first time for many fans encountering the new security protocols that are normal today. It was a time to quell the hysteria of many after the attacks. It was a time to begin the healing. John Buck's words rang clear, "Should we be hear? YES!" The fans were treated to a pregame show where the NYPD, FDNY and Port Authority were all honored by the franchised and the admiring crowd. To honor them, the Mets wore hats from the members of these organizations. There was a 21 gun salute where Shea Stadium could hear a pin drop in the stadium filled to capacity. There was a change to the Mets scoreboard where the NYC skyline was mimicked. This night, and everyone after, a Red-White-Blue ribbon was attached to where the Towers were represented.

Not lost in this night was the importance of the game itself. However, the two hated rivals shook hands after the National Anthem. To them, we were all Americans. Unfortunately, the Mets were 4 games behind the Braves for first place and the series was critical. It was the reliable Braves rookie and Staten Island Native Jason Marquis against the Mets new addition Bruce Chen. In one of the most important games of the season, the Braves moved ahead late in the game. When in the eighth inning, Mets star Mike Piazza stepped to the plate with one on and took a Steve Karsay fastball over the centerfield fence for a two run homerun and the lead. 
If Hollywood wrote the script, it couldn't be more perfect! The home team star leads the team to victory in their darkest hour, but this day wasn't about baseball. It was nowhere near about it. It was about beginning the healing of many people. Honoring the loved one who made the greatest sacrifice. The men and women who climbed into a burning building not to return. The people who gave their lives in the hope to save one. 

For me, the most memorable moment of the weekend was hearing my grandfather, a WWII veteran, sing along to the national anthem with a tear dripping of out his left eye hoping his grandson wouldn't see. He was a man who fought for his country and thought he'd never see this day. I thought of John Amarante who sang the National Anthem at MSG and wasn't interrupted as normally, but not this day. His tears on "God Bless America" almost didn't let him finish. Listening to my grandfather, I realized what being an American was. Here was man who gave his youth to keep my family free. He never heard of an attack on mainland America and his home was threatened.  He did not take kindly to that. As Piazza's towering drive sailed over the stands, it began the resurgence to go back to our lives, but it wasn't complete. How could it be? War was upon and people would have to risk their lives for our safety. How could we repay them? How could we honor what they wanted to do?
Simple. Today, hug a cop. Tell a fireman, "Thank you", and let a veteran of Iraq/Afghanistan know their fight is appreciated. Let them know you appreciate what they did for us. And most importantly, never forget.

Movies Hollywood Shouldn't Remake or Prequel

It almost seems like an everyday occurrence lately. You turn to a friend and talk about a movie you loved when they reply, "Oh they're remaking it."  "WHAT?!," you exclaim as you rush to your computer or smartphone to check IMDb only to see that the studio is not only remaking it, but have chosen an actor or director that makes you shake your head.  In recent years, you've seen "Clash of the Titans" remake that changed the mythology of Perseus, but be somewhat watchable.  This weekend "Fright Night" opens, where Colin Farrell remakes the 80's vampire movie.  Just what America needs, another vampire movie. What's more horrifying is that he's filming a remake of "Total Recall".  It's understandable that Hollywood needs to take already established franchises and continue to churn them out to make money. "Final Destination 19" is due soon, where there's a premonition of death on line at the supermarket.  Thanks to George Lucas, prequels opened up a new door of crappy films to get out.  "Cruel Intentions" has a prequel. Hollywood has always made sequels, but now they can show how it got to the original.  Either way, no remake, prequel or substandard sequel can hurt the original, right? Well, how often have you watched "Star Wars" since the prequels where made.  I beg to Hollywood, don't touch these films because there's no way to improve them.

Citizen Kane - Orsen Welles' premiere film that was a semi-homage to his life and the life of William Randolph Hurst was a masterpiece of cinematography, storytelling and good acting.  Though it was shutout of the Oscars due to politics, it was placed at number one on the Amercian Film Institute's all time list.  It was a film before it's time and one that still has an iconic image of Welles' whispering "Rosebud".

Why can it never be remade? Well the prequel/sequel is out since that's in the story telling, but if it's to be updated for modern times, it's not going to match the original.  There could be capable actors out there, but no one could ever pull the remake off.

Back to the Future - Here's a fun great film that was made perfectly, even if they ended with an actor that wasn't the first choice. The film had great charisma, action, comedy and story.  It was something you can watch over and over again and still laugh at the same points.  It is the reason the Delorean is even relevant in the minds of the average 25+ year old.

Why can it never be remade? Can there be another Marty McFly? Of course not.  Michael J. Fox was perfect.  In what is his biggest film, Fox hits every aspect of the character flawlessly and looking as if he's having a great time doing it.  The supporting cast was perfect as well with Christopher Lloyd, Cripsin Glover and Lea Thompson.  Add on to this reason, you won't find a better director than Robert Zemeckis.

Ferris Bueller's Day Off - Back to the lead actor making a movie un-remake-able, this 1986 John Hughes timeless film is the perfect example. Matthew Broderick's eternal smirk and narration is stuck inside many people's minds over the last thirty years. You can't turn on Family Guy without a Ferris Bueller reference.  How many people have stared at a picture wearing a Gordie Howe jersey?

Why can't this film be remade? It's Broderick. Nothing more needs to be said. I'm sure Hollywood will try to make this again with an Ellen Paige clone, but this film was an 80's icon.  Also times have changed, and Ferris' sick play won't work as well now unless he's Facebook savvy.

It's A Wonderful Life - A staple of the Christmas season, it's a movie that's not really about Christmas.  Frank Capra's film about a man who is saved by his guardian angel and shown what the world would be like if he never existed, was original and beloved years AFTER it's release.

Why can't this film be remade? Besides Jimmy Stewart being one of the most beloved American actors of All Time, the innocence of the fifties is captured brilliantly by one of the best directors of the 20th century. The scene of Stewart realizing he was alive and running through town screaming, "Merry Christmas," is etch into everyone's minds...if you were born before 1985.

A Christmas Story - Another Christmas movie (don't worry, it's the only other one) but this one is actually about Christmas.  The story of a young boy that just wants a Bee-bee rifle gun and journey to get there. It covers bullies, decoder rings, flagpole licking, eating soap after cursing, wearing pink bunny suits and being pushed down a slide by Santa's foot. 

Why can't this be remade? TBS shows this movie for 24 hours straight every year.  It's one of the most popular quotable films.  "You'll shoot your eye out, kid," is a line everyone knows.  Plus how can you improve on Darren McGavin getting a lamp in the shape of a leg?

The Princess Bride - The first film directed by Rob Reiner is a perfect example of a Four Quadrant movie (good for men, women, old and young).  It gives great performances by several actors from Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Andre the Giant, Chris Sarandon and Robin Wright while Fred Savage is read the story from his grandfather Peter Falk.  It's a sweet fairy tale that never skips on it's humor for a needless crude joke.

Why can't this be remade? Movies these days try to fit in dick and fart jokes as much as they can.  This would be one that would not fit.  Also, find a person that doesn't know a line from this movie.  You can't.  Where to begin on the memorable moments or quotes?  Just leave it with this: do you know the end of this quote?  "Hello! My name is Inigo Montoya..."  You're saying it right now, aren't you.

The Outsiders - One of the forgotten great Francis Ford Coppola films with a great story and a star studded cast that launched many careers. The film was the last great greaser gang films and is one of the films you can't turn off.

Why can't this be remade? Name a movie with this many stars at the beginning of their careers and done well.  The only actor that didn't make it huge from this film was C. Thomas Howell, but it had Rob Lowe, Tom Cruise, Emilio Estevez, Ralph Macchio, Patrick Swayze and Diane Lane.

Casablanca - Humphrey Bogart's well known speech and possibly his great performance about an American tavern owner in unoccupied Africa in the early days of World War II that re-encounters an old flame.

Why can't this be remade/prequelled? Prequel is a possibility for Hollywood, but why would they? Why not? It's a way to make a quick buck since the film CAN'T be remade.  No one can reproduce Bogart's "Here's Looking at You" speech.  No should anyone try?

Perhaps there's other films for the list.  There really weren't many prequels mentioned, but feel free to suggest some other films for the list.

Mets All Time Batting Order/Rotation

Just for some fun, I whipped up the All Time New York Mets batting order and pitching staffs.

Batting Order

1) Jose Reyes SS - The speedy Shortstop has been a fixture at the top of the Mets batting order since 2004. Though the Mets tried to ruin Reyes by moving him to second base or change his running style, Reyes has flourished in Flushing
Why bat him here? Reyes is the prototypical lead off hitter. He's fast and his speed can be so disruptive that  he can get on and score all by himself.  The Mets win 70% of the games when Reyes scores.  That's enough to seal the leadoff spot all time for him.

2) Edgardo Alfonzo 2B - Though Alfonzo played a big number at third, his best years were at second base for the Amazins.  He was a career .292 hitter on the Mets and had power to all fields.  He was an outstanding hitter, especially with two strikes.
Why bat him here? His best year with the Mets was 1999, when he hit second in front of John Olerud and behind Ricky Henderson. He hit .304, 27 HRs, 108 RBIs.

3) Mike Piazza C - Possibly the best hitter in Mets history, but definitely their best right handed hitter.  The Mets were fortunate to get Piazza in his prime and keep him.  The day Piazza re-signed he said, "I want to finish my career here."  Though he didn't, his number will likely be added to the "Great Wall of Flushing".
Why bat him here? Piazza was the Mets best three hitter.  He was the most dangerous hitter in the lineup and could hit in nearly any way in big situation.  He could get a key single to right or drive the ball over the centerfield wall at Shea.

4) Darryl Strawberry RF - The Mets all time homerun leader hit many towering drives at Shea Stadium. Though his off-filed career was turbulent, his on-field performance for the Mets was outstanding.  Strawberry won Rookie of the year in 1983 and was the first Met to join the 30/30 club.
Why bat him here? Strawberry's power alone cements him in the cleanup spot.  He is the only Met to hit over 100 homeruns at pitcher friendly Shea Stadium and is the franchise all time RBI leader with 733.

5) David Wright 3B - Wright has had various highs and lows in the last two years, but no one can argue his place in Mets history.  Wright has solidified a position that saw 142 other players take the hot corner in Queens.
Why bat him here? Wright is currently second in Mets history with 682 RBIs and will likely take over one of many records he'll eventually get.

6) Carlos Beltran CF - Though Beltran will be remembered for one at bat by Met fans, his production as the Mets centerfielder is equalled by none.  He is tied with Todd Hundley for the franchise's single season homerun record at 41, and averaged 29 HRs and 104 RBIs while hitting .275 during his seven years in Flushing- that's including three seasons with 16 HRs or fewer.
Why bat him here? All the other spots were taken.  Beltran has not hit lower than fourth as a Met, but he wouldn't get the nod over the guys ahead of him.

7) Keith Hernandez 1B - The acquisition of Hernandez (1979 NL co-MVP) changed the Mets' organization in 1983.  His experience and leadership was critical to shape the young improving Mets, but it wasn't like he couldn't play.  Hernandez was always a clutch hitter (once holding a record for game winning RBIs that MLB used to keep) and sparked the Mets comeback in Game 7 of the 86 Series.  He was also an incredible fielding first baseman.
Why hit him here? Like Beltran, all the other spots were taken.  Hernandez is the third (or fourth depending on where you'd rank Wright) best #3 hitter in Mets history, but he doesn't have Beltran or Piazza's power.

8) Cleon Jones LF- The toughest position to give the nod is leftfield, but Jones gets it.  His full seasons with the Mets saw him hit with a .285, 92 HRs and 503 RBIs.  Jones would hit a career high .340 in 1969.
Why hit him here? I ran out of spots.

Bench: Mookie Wilson, Howard Johnson, Ed Kranepool, Lee Mazzilli, Gary Carter, Rusty Staub and Bud Harrelson





Starting Rotation:

#1 Tom Seaver- The only Met Hall of Famer and only player to have his number retired by the Mets, "The Franchise" or "Tom Terrific" is the team's all time records for wins (198), ERA (2.57) and strikeouts (2541).  For good measure stat geeks, he's also the all time WHIP leader (1.08) though he's tied with Brett Saberhagen.
Why is he #1? Re-read the first paragraph.  Add on that he won THREE Cy Young Awards in Flushing.










#2 Dwight Gooden - Possibly the most talented pitcher in the franchise's history though also a tale of "What might have been".  Gooden was the 1984 rookie of the year, but his 1985 season is among the greatest in the history of baseball when he won the pitching Triple Crown and came the closest MLB pitcher to Bob Gibson's all time ERA record with a 1.53.
Why is he #2? Gooden's number were incredible and his worst season was 1993 (12-15) still kept his ERA under a 4.00.
#3 Jerry Koosman- The best lefty in Mets history holds the records for wins by a left handed pitcher and is third on the Mets all time win list (140).  Oddly Koosman had his first 20 win season ninth season with the Mets.
Why #3? For a career, Koosman is the Mets third best pitcher all time.
#4 David Cone- The greatest value trade in Mets' history as he was acquired for backup catcher Ed Hearn.  In 1988, Cone's 20-3 record with a 2.22 ERA stand out as one of the best seasons in Mets history.
Why #4? Though others could have fit here, Cone was a beacon of light in the late 80's and early 90's. He had several memorable games (like 2 near no-hitters).
#5 Ron Darling - A dependable starter for Mets, Darling would soldier though games.  He didn't strikeout everyone like Gooden or Cone, and his career ERA as a Met was 3.50, but few remember that he was the pitcher with the most complete games in 1986.
Why #5? This is more of a person choice, perhaps because he's on SNY now, but you could go with a number of other people, like John Matlack, Sid Fernandez or Al Leiter, but Darling's career numbers and 99 wins put him on the list.

Closer:

John Franco- Staten Island's own who grew up a Mets fan and wore his father's orange sanitation uniform shirt under his Mets uniform.  Franco's prime years were when the Mets struggled, so his number aren't overwhelming, but he did save 25 games or more all but three seasons as the Mets closer.
Why? Who else?  Randy Myers didn't play as a Met long enough.  Roger McDowell and Jerry Orosco split time.  That leaves Armando Benitez, Braden Looper, Billy Wagner and K-Rod.  Simply put, none of them are what Franco was.

So there's a brief list. Discuss.

You're a Fraud!!!!

When I was a kid talking about baseball with my grandfather, he helped instill a love of the game by telling me stories about his favorite player Babe Ruth.  I remember going to Mets games with him, my mother and brothers and seeing my favorite player Keith Hernandez.  Watching the Mets in the 80's was a treat for a growing little boy, but they only won a single World Series. They got close in 84, 85, 87 and lost the NLCS in 88.  Even in their Championship 1986 season, the Mets had to battle.  As I got older, I added other teams to my passion.  My brother Dan's video yearbook called "Poised For Glory" about the division winning 89-90 New York Rangers and watching Dan Marino eventually turned me in a Dolphins' fan.  I know, weird, but true.  I watched my teams winning only two championship and lose COUNTLESS games.  I think it showed me how to love my team and made me a true fan of my teams.  However, there are signs of "Fraud fans".  If you are one of these, please change your ways.
Walking around Citifield yesterday, I was disgusted at seeing the many Yankee fans with names on the back of their jerseys.  Really? Have you ever seen Derek Jeter wear a uniform with his name on it?  Or is it that you need to let people know who wears number 2 on the Yankees?  The worst part is that it doesn't stop there.  I saw fans with Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio and Mantle.  The first thing a child should know when becoming a Yankee fan is their history.  If they don't know who wore #3, they deserve a slap. That would be like not knowing who was the first president of the United States. It's inconceivable!  The best part is that there are "die hard" fans that don't know who Ron Guidry is or that Elston Howard was the first African American player to play for the Yankees.  Honor your history!!!!

I wish the were alone, but they're not.  Front runners aren't just Yankee fans.  They can go to any team.  In 1999, I actually was present when a guy tried to cheer on the Mets with an "M-E-T-S" chant.  He was heckled down for being a moron.  People should honor their teams and be true fans.  Regardless of the records, stand by your team.  Don't ever do this!!!!

Best Comic Book Movie Heroes

In the previous post, I talked about the villains that entertained us. In recent years, comic book films have become fashionable, drawing the top of the A-List actors and getting fine performances.  In the past, we've seen campy performances (George Clooney's Batman) to the Superhero sex scene in "The Watchmen".  There's been plenty of good ones, but here's the cream of the crop.

11) Patrick Stewart - (X-Men/X2/X3): Stewart had two franchises working at the same time (Star Trek), but his Professor Charles Xavier was the key figure in the X-Men films and always the voice of reason and tolerance in an increasingly harsh world.  But Xavier did have a super-power, he could read, communicate and even take control of multiple minds, freezing their movements.  His "death" in the third X-Men film is still not well received by many fans.

10) Jackie Earle Haley - (Watchmen): Haley's Rorschach was the most compelling character in the love-it-or-hate-it "Watchmen".  His patience is put to the test when he couldn't save a murdered little girl and turns into a darker soul as he murders a suspect by chopping his head apart with a meat cleaver.  "People go to jail! Dogs get put down!" This act sends him to prison, which ends up being bad news for the inmates as he continues to slaughter them from behind bars.

9) Tom Hanks - (Road to Perdition): The Oscar award winning actor played Michael Sullivan, a Chicago hitman outcast by his adopted family when Daniel Craig murders his wife and son.  The graphic novel was brought to life by fine acting and the direction of Sam Mendes.  For a film that saw Pep Streebeck kill people, the scene in the rain where a conflicted Hanks kills his surrogate father (Paul Newman) is worth watching over and over again.

8) Wesley Snipes - (Blade): Before Marvel could put out Spider-man, X-Men and the Hulk, Blade came to the big screen in 1998.  At this time, vampires weren't in every other film, but this provided a new twist.  A half-human/vampire hybrid, Blade spends his life hunting vampires down to kill them.  Snipes' character was unforgiving, relentless and cold.  In one of the most over-looked comic book movies, Snipes stayed memorable.

7) Michael Keaton - (Batman): Though Christian Bale appears on this list, Keaton played a good Bruce Wayne/Batman.  He didn't smile like Val Kilmer's and wasn't a victim of an awful script (Clooney), he was the distraught millionaire that Bruce Wayne had to be to dress up like a bat and stalk the streets.  He also didn't make up an annoying voice when he put on the Bat suit.

6) Ron Perlman - (Hellboy): When Guilermo Del Toro casted the 40+ year-old Perlman as Hellboy, some would have doubted that the HUGE age difference wouldn't be a problem. Instead, Perlman personified Hellboy well (twice) and spawned an animated series. Perlman had just the right amount of camp while being quite a bad ass.

5) Christian Bale - (Batman Begins/Dark Knight): Bale's Batman may not be perfect- the voice when he is Batman is pretty annoying- however, Bale is one of the better Bruce Wayne's that the franchise had.  His two-sided approach allows him to be Wayne even when he is Batman and vice-versa.  Though the villains have overshadowed his performances in these two films, Bale has been the ideal Bruce Wayne/Batman.

4) Tobey Maguire - (Spider-Man): It's hard not to see Maguire as Peter Parker, that's how perfect he was. He could be dorky and clumsy, but you can see him grow from film to film until Sam Rami had him dancing in the third film for some reason.  However, the first two films were dead on and Maguire nailed it in every way, especially in the second installment.

3) Robert Downey Jr. - (Iron Man/Iron Man 2): Tony Stark is an egotistical bastard that cares only about himself and grows to be a better person, but it still VERY much the same.  Downey doesn't nail Stark, he splits the arrow Robin Hood style.  Every emotion of Tony Stark is perfect from Downey, from his childish behavior to his noble deeds where he attempts to save the world from his own weapons.  Whether it's excusing himself from fighting with his would-be-girlfriend because he's fighting an army of drones to pretending he's jogging when being pursued by the Air Force, Downey plays this role perfectly.

2) Christopher Reeve - (Superman/Superman II/III/IV): All of these actor embodies their characters, but Reeve literally appears as if he was taken from the page.  Though Superman can be a bit of a tool, Reeve's Superman is one that is always compelling.  His internal conflict was great in the sequel, but the best part was teaching a vile trucker a lesson in a diner and paying for the damages.  Reeve captivated and charmed audiences for years and could easily be number one on this list.

1) Hugh Jackman - (X-Men/X2/X3/Wolverine): Evolution is the theme of the X-Men films, but perhaps the greatest evolution is the performances by Hugh Jackman.  It is clear that X-Men was a role that Jackman didn't know the history of the character, but as early as X2 Jackman began pleasing even the hard core fans.  Also Jackman is passionate about Wolverine.  In an interview before the X2 release, Jackman expressed how he yearned to see Wolverine go berserk and he does in X2, slicing up the invading soldiers in Xavier's mansion.  Jackman has said in interviews how he wants to constantly improve an make Wolverine MORE ICONIC of an image.  He is three times the size he was when he was originally the character in 2000.  Though Wolverine is a tough, rigid emotional character, Jackman brings a tremendous amount of heart into it often finding plenty of tear-jerker scenes.  In 2000, fans weren't pleased with the selection of him, but his cameo in X-Men:First Class received the loudest reaction on opening night.  In the 2009 Oscars, Jackman sang and danced around stage (as he did when he won a Tony Award for the "Boy From Oz"), and concluded it by singing out, "I AM WOLVERINE!!!!"  Of all the characters embraced by comic fans, who'd have thought their favorite would be a song-and-dance man.  Like Ian McKellen for villains, X-Men's Jackman is the champ of Movie Superheroes.