Things have been, as expected, relatively quiet in Yankeeland the last few days, other than the completely unsurprising news that Roy Halladay would be open to a trade to the Yanks (Wow Roy, you'd be willing to accept a trade to the defending World Champions? Way to go out on a limb there).There have, however, been a handful of amusing stories about everyone's favorite lovable losers, the crosstown New York Mets. Here's a hilarious tale of bustling activity at the Yankee Store during the holiday shopping weekend and tumbleweeds at the Mets'; another about the Mets introducing supposed throwback uniforms for next season (pretty sure they look exactly like one of the 8,000 versions the team wears on any given day), presumably to distract the fanbase from the sad product attempting to play baseball on the field; and another urging the Mets to trade for both Halladay and albatross Vernon Wells.
I've never fully understood what drives people to root for the Mets over the Yankees -- I mean, I get that Walter O'Malley ripped a huge hole in the heart of Brooklyn by moving the Dodgers out west, and, while you never really hear as much about it, I imagine there were a few folks who were sad that the Giants left town as well.
I for one would've loved to have bore witness to three baseball teams competing in New York City. It's an idea I'm still crazy about today. Though it'll likely never happen as both the Yankees and Mets would be loath to see another team come in and take away from their profits and fanbases, New York is such a baseball-crazy town (honestly, who gives a crap about football?) that I think a third team could really thrive without taking anything away from the other two.
I also get that the good people of Long Island need a baseball team to identify with -- I suppose if I were from the largest island in the United States and only had one major artery with which to get to anywhere that was clogged 24 hours a day, I'd be inclined to root for the Metropolitans too.
But I digress. I also realize that wanting to add a third team while making fun of the already-existing second team seems contradictory, but I just have trouble taking the Mets seriously. If your family were former Brooklyn Dodger or New York Giant fans, then fine, love the Mets. But if you have no particular allegiance one way or another, and you still end up going with the Mets over the Yankees (although it seems not many people do this, given the sheer preponderance of Yankee hats over Met hats you see walking around the City on a daily basis. Shoot, I see more Red Sox hats in New York City than Mets hats on any given day -- that's just sad) you probably have some self-esteem/loathing issues to take care of.
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