Friday, October 13, 2006By Mike Steffanos
I promise a recap of last night's game before too much longer. I didn't get home until after 3 AM, and am trying to catch up on some work. For the moment, I'll just share a little of my experience as a life-long Mets fan at his first playoff game last night.
I got to the ballpark insanely early, and walked around outside for an hour before going in to catch the end of the Mets' batting practice and some of the Cardinals'. As the stadium started filling up, the excitement level grew. By the time they introduced all the players and coaches the whole place was rocking.
Even as the Mets lineup was struggling to do anything against Weaver the crowd was alive and supportive. All of the terrific fielding plays fired everyone up. When Beltran cranked that ball of the scoreboard, however, it was as if someone flipped a switch, and all of that built-up nervous energy from 6 innings of waiting for the Mets to break through was released instantaneously.
My voice was almost gone, my hands hurt from clapping so hard and slapping the hands of everyone around me. A small price to pay to be a part of all that. After the final out, when all the fans were filing out of the ballpark, we were chanting, singing and having a great time. You're repeatedly slapping your aching hands with total strangers, and it was still worth it.
I walked over and spent a few minutes watching SNY do their post-game show, and that was fun, then it was onto a subway full of Mets fans and then a Metro-North train back to Connecticut that looked like the Mets express.
I got home about 3:15 AM, watched a little of the post-game show that I recorded, and then got a few hours sleep. I'm still smiling, and still buzzed. My first playoff game ever was worth the 38-year wait.
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Comments (6)
Thanks Mike for that mini report, it put me there with you. I'm flippin out and don't want it to end.We got to get Reyes on base and start the scoring to build up.I don't expect us to win with shutouts the rest of the way.I just feel we have to score 6 or more to win tonight?
Posted by REV AL | October 13, 2006 12:58 PM
It's hard to predict what we need tonight, Rev. No one predicted either Weaver or Glavine to pitch as well as they did last night. In the playoffs anything can happen. I'd like to see us get our offense going, but Carpenter is a tough guy to get going against.
Posted by Mike S. | October 13, 2006 1:31 PM
Great game last night and a great team attitude. Did anyone catch Wagner's interview after the game when someone asked how he felt about the Cardinals throwing Carptenter at the Mets in Game 2? Wagner said something to the effect of "We don't care, we are throwing John Maine". The more I hear from Wagner, the more I love him. This team has spirit and swagger - from top to bottom.
Posted by Joe | October 13, 2006 1:57 PM
Joe - It's the right kind of swagger, too. More of a "we know we can do it" swagger than an "in your face" type of deal.
Posted by Mike S. | October 13, 2006 2:01 PM
That sounds amazing. I'm going to games 4 and 5 out here in enemy territory, but that still ought to be sick-- I'm going with 4 friends from school and we're gonna be the only ones going insane every time the Mets come through. I imagine, though, that it'll still be an equally surreal experience. I can't wait.
Posted by Matt | October 13, 2006 3:01 PM
Matt - root like hell, we'll all be counting on you.
Posted by Mike S. | October 13, 2006 3:07 PM