May 25, 2013

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The NFL a remedy for Mets fans…

Sep 27, 2012 By Leave a Comment

So I get emails from time to time asking, so where did you guys go? And the simple answer is no where. We are still here and we are still Mets fans, but the truth is there just hasn’t been that passion to write and blog about a team that has very little appeal to them, long term. We are passionate fans and to watch every game every day can really take it’s toll on you. I find it’s healthier for me to take a step away and take the “wait and see ” approach and let them draw me back, instead of continually wishing they get better, invest money, etc etc etc.

In the mean time I have been doing a lot of handicapping with the NFL. It can be just as stressful but it’s a lot of fun. It’s really super easy too I just click to view odds and then look at what Vegas has set the lines for on this weeks games (you can also get the odds on the Mets for next season if your feeling particularly lucky, or charitable).

For me it can be tough as a really huge New York Giants fan, to keep myself objective and not just bet with my heart and passion. I try to stay away from their games, but at the same time they are the team I know the best and have the best feel for, especially early in the season when the NFL is so chaotic and good teams are down and last years doormats are showing signs of promise.

It can be a long cold winter as Mets fan, especially when it’s hard to even look forward to spring training knowing the Wilpons and Management will do very little to improve this team. It’s up to use to find ways to enjoy ourselves and get the highs along with the lows we know so well. For me even as a huge football fan I love putting some action on games I wouldn’t normally care about because it can make them so much fun to watch.

Filed Under: Blogging

Official: New York Mets Awarded 2013 All-Star Game

May 30, 2012 By Leave a Comment

After years of speculation, MLB Commissioner Bud Selig made the official announcement on Wednesday, May 16 that the New York Mets will host the 2013 All-Star Game. This is a great way for the city to bring positive publicity to its new ballpark in Queens and welcome visitors from around the country to see their favorite players battle it out for the divisional All-Star title. After several rocky years on the new field, the Mets are hoping that the energy for the All-Star game will drive the team throughout the regular season as well.

The Mets started playing at their new home, Citi Field, in 2009, but they have suffered a heartbreaking losing records for all of their first three years. In addition, the team has had some financial troubles, leading owner Fred Wilpon to go through a long string of negotiations with the MLB over this game. It has been in the works for several years, promised to the city along with the 2008 game at the Yankee Stadium. Now that negotiations are complete, the city can officially start publicizing the game and hopefully create momentum around the Mets this year.

This will be the second time the NY Mets have had a chance to host the All-Star Game, with the first being in 1964. However, New York City has definitely seen its share of games, with the Yankees hosting four times, including 2008, which was their last year in Yankee Stadium. The Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants also hosted the game when they were in the area. And the metro New York area will see the Super Bowl come to the area in 2014, when the big game will take place just across the river at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ.

New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg estimates that the game will bring the city $191 million in a combination of ticket sales, hotel revenue, and money from the associated events. According to ESPN, there will be a procession of athletes through Manhattan, a charity run, and a big concert all held that weekend as part of the festivities. In addition, the Fan Fest will be held at the Javits Convention Center. The city will set a record as the only to have hosted the MLB All-Star Game nine times.

Ticket prices for the game are expected to rise close to where they were for the game held at Yankee Stadium, which charged $150 to $725 for each seat. Compare this to the ticket's for this year's game in Kansas City, which are selling for $125 to $450. However, everything in New York is more expensive, so the steep prices are to be expected. For visitors who can't make it to New York for the game, Direct TV is the best place to get not only the game, but also surrounding events and interviews to complete the All-Star experience.

The All-Star game is scheduled for Tuesday, July 16, 2013, which is the latest the game will ever be played. It usually occurs earlier in the month of July. Unlike the NFL's Pro Bowl, the MLB's All-Star Game occurs in the middle of the season, giving players only half of the season to prove themselves worthy of selection to represent their league. However, it also ensures that players from the top teams get to play in the game, which the NFL's Super Bowl schedule does not allow. This encourages fans to attend because they know their favorite players will be there.

Filed Under: Breaking News

Sometimes you gotta get action somewhere else

Apr 30, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Yes our Mets are on a great little run here and I am loving it. I like seeing the grit and fight in this team. I could care less about their record this year, for me it’s all about their attitude. Give me a team that fights hard and doesn’t back down from anyone that loses 100 games any day over a team of spoiled prima donna’s that win 85 and blame everything else but themselves for the team shortcomings.

So what have I been doing lately to keep my attention? I’ve been doing a little wagering. I love to gamble on the NFL and do it in all kinds of crazy ways, but baseball never really interested me. I started to work with a new guy and he’s crazy about betting the MLB. After hearing about how he does it and realizing it’s really not that complicated as long as you follow baseball I decided to give it a shot. If your interested here is the site I use, it has a comprehensive list of all the MLB Odds. It’s been super easy to use.

Let me tell you, the other night when Daniel Murphy launched that homer in the 8th inning of that game against the Nationals I went nuts. I’d normally go nuts anyways, but with some bills on the line too I was ecstatic. I probably haven’t felt like that since 2006. Totally ridiculous I know but hey, it’s what I do, haha.

Anyways thanks for hanging with us, we are still here, we still love our Mets baseball, and Lets Go Mets!

Filed Under: 2011 Mets, Blogging

Amazin’ Avenue Annual 2011: New York Mets Preview

Feb 25, 2011 By 2 Comments

Just a quick heads up to you guys out there. The Amazin’ Avenue Annual 2011: New York Mets Preview is now available to order. It wont be released until March 1st but you can go ahead and reserve your copies today.

Amazon: Amazin’ Avenue Annual 2011: New York Mets Preview
Official Site: Amazin Avenue Annual
Amazin Avenue: Check out the blog

I placed my order for mine today, and am looking forward to checking it out. I post a review of it once I get a chance to sit down with it in a week or two.

My only question is how can a dude get to be a a part of this? It’s a goal for 2011!

Filed Under: Links

Time to turn the page

Feb 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Nobody will ever mistake me for a rose-colored-glasses Mets fan. I tend to lean way way to the pessimistic. Now with camp open though it’s time to turn the page. While I fully admit Mets fans will never forget the last few seasons, it’s time to put them in the past.

How can we expect the team to put it behind then, how can we create a new “culture” and chart a new direction for the franchise if we as fans and bloggers constantly harp on the negative. I’m a married man, and I am far from perfect, and if my wife continually harped on all the stupid stuff I’ve have done in the past, the future wouldn’t be a happy one. Instead you learn from the little issues and create a great future together. Much can be the same with the Mets. Lets hope that the Mets can learn from the past and use it as motivation. A new page is being written now with the new front office, a transition that I love and have high hopes for in the long run.

As a website I want to start to focus our attention on the field. As fascinated as I am with the entire Madoff story, it really wont have any(more) effect on this current team so I will try to put that to the back burner. It’s a huge story, and one I will personally follow closely, but I will promise to not let it effect the day-to-day operations of the team … blog.

Lets have fun and watch some baseball. It’s a great time of year. Take realistic expectations and try to find storylines you want to follow closely this season. For me I am really anxious to see what Thole and Davis can do in Year 2. I am a youth/prospect guy so I love to watch players develop. Find the little niches that will interest you day to day, I find it helps a lot and can draw you into the team even more.

Spring training 2011 is upon us, so let’s play ball.

Filed Under: 2011 Mets, Blogging Tagged With:

Mets are gambling with thier fanbase

Feb 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The Mets and their front office are really playing dangerous games with their fanbase. If your a real fan you have to be infuriated when they see that stupid commercial. You know the one where the voice says “What started as a slow fall, turned into a productive winter!” or something like that. Say what? Did I miss something? Did you guys sneak Prince Fielder in the back door or something? What the hell did they do that I am supposed to be excited about?

I’ll tell you what they did. They cut more payroll in one season then any other club in history. Yes more then the Marlins who caught so much heat for their fire-sale. They reportedly are cutting over 50 million from their payroll. The truly sad part is the payroll is still at 90 million and they have a terrible team. The Mets are truly playing casino games with their fans. They are basically betting they we are morons and don’t know whats really going on. “Hey look we moved the walls in so our power hitters can hit more homers!” Guess what? We don’t have any power hitters! This just means the opponents hitters are gonna hit more too. Smoke and mirrors folks.

Now we have Sandy Alderson starting a Twitter accounts to make jokes of the Mets financial problems. I know he’s trying to make light of it, but here’s some feedback, stop it. Maybe if you have been around more then 2 years you wouldn’t find it funny. Maybe if you’ve been living the ups and downs of this team for 30 years like I have, you too would have a hard time finding the humor in the slow death that is now the Wilpons and the Mets, Mr Alderson.

The Mets continue to embarrass us as a fan base. Just remember this season, none of this is on the players so don’t take it out on them. I really hope we set another record this year for the Wilpons, and that is the single season attendance drop off. You wont see me at any games that’s for sure. I refuse to support the Wilpons as they leverage our beloved team in an effort to save their financial empire that was based on greed and stupidity. Save your money folks, it’d be better spend at the casino, so click here, I’d rather you waste your money gambling then by putting it in the Wilpon family bail-out!

Filed Under: 2012 Mets, Front Office Fiasco

Wilpons offered Madoff part ownership of Mets

Feb 6, 2011 By 1 Comment

Could you imagine how bad this thing would be if he had taken them up on it?

From ESPN-NY:

When Fred Wilpon and family bought out Nelson Doubleday’s half of Mets ownership in 2002, Wilpon offered Bernard Madoff a chance to buy into the Mets. Madoff, who otherwise invested $12 million in alleged funny money with Sterling businesses, declined.

Here’s the exact passage in the lawsuit:

The only time Sterling offered Madoff an opportunity to invest that he declined was in the Mets, when in 2002, Doubleday sold its 50% ownership of the Mets and Sterling offered Madoff partial ownership interests in the franchise.

Filed Under: 2011 Mets, Madoff

Mets lived beyond their means

Feb 6, 2011 By 1 Comment

As I continue to read more and more into this Wilpon-Madoff lawsuit, one thing seems to jump out at me: how reliant the Wilpons were on Madoff for day-to-day operations of their empire. What rings alarms to me is how they used Madoff as their own personal bank. Not just for business ventures or large investments, no they relied on Madoff to meet payroll, pay for stadium operations, and for players deferred money payments. Madoff was woven into the day-to-day operations of the Mets. The reason they did this is even more alarming. They took the “investments” from Madoff when needed in lieu of “loans” from a traditional bank or even a private fund, because if they took “loans” they would have to disclose that. By taking private “investments” they could keep that secret. Sure seems dishonest to me, at the very least a little shady.
[Read more...]

Filed Under: Blogging, Madoff Tagged With: , , ,

Legal Input on Lawsuit

Feb 4, 2011 By 2 Comments

Adam Rubin over at ESPN-NY had an excellent discussion with a legal expert and it was very enlightening about how we have gotten where we are and exactly what the outlook is.

Read it here: ESPN-NY Legal experts weigh in.

This particular excerpt could really spell doom for the Mets as a franchise for the near future:

Conceivably, if they go to court, they could get slapped with an $800 million, $900 million, $1 billion judgment and instead of having to sell a portion of their baseball team — 20 to 25 percent — they may have to sell the whole thing at that point? If they settle, they’re cutting their losses and only need to sell a quarter of the team.

“Right. But follow one other thing here that is interesting: They’re alleging the Mets as a team, the entity that owns it, was an investor and participant. So they could wind up that not only the Wilpons would have to pay money back, but the Mets team itself would have to pay money back. If it were $40 million or $50 million, if the team doesn’t have that kind of cash, you’ve got a Texas Rangers situation. It isn’t a question of the value of the team. It’s does the team have $50 million worth of cash that they could pay to satisfy the judgment? Or do they have $50 million of value that some bank is going to lend them? And if a bank would lend them $50 million, let’s assume it’s at 10 percent interest, that’s $5 million a year of interest that’s got to hit the Mets’ cash flow. The team may not be able to sustain it.”

Filed Under: Madoff

Wilpon-Madoff lawsuit blow by blow

Feb 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment

I will use this post to publish some of the more interesting quotes I find as I read through the papers that were unsealed today in the Wilpon-Madoff Trustee lawsuit.

To read the entire thing yourself, go eat a heavy meal first – your gonna be a while, go here: Wilpon-Madoff Lawsuit Unsealed

Fernando A. Bohorquez, Jr., a Baker & Hostetler partner representing the Trustee.:

“There are thousands of victims of Bernard Madoff’s massive Ponzi scheme. Saul Katz is not one of them. Neither is Fred Wilpon. And neither are the rest of the Sterling Equities’ partners. In fact, Saul Katz, Fred Wilpon, the other Sterling partners, … were collectively one of the largest beneficiaries of Madoff’s fraud, reaping hundreds of millions in fictitious profits over Sterling’s quarter-century relationship with Madoff.”

Saying the Wilpon empire was propped up by Madoff money:

Saul Katz, Fred Wilpon and their partners capitalized on their close personal connection with Madoff and used their BLMIS investments to anchor the Sterling empire. Madoff money flowed through every aspect of Sterling’s business; whether real estate, baseball or private equity, virtually every Sterling business held investments with BLMIS,” said Mr. Bohorquez.

Not funny, but tells you of the aggressive pursuit by Trustee:

suit even attempts to recover $27.5 million in “fictious profits” from 1 of Jeff’s children

On how the Wilpons were believed to have been warned about the Madoff scheme:

Given Sterling’s dependency on Madoff, it comes as no surprise that the partners willfully turned a blind eye to every red flag of fraud before them. The warning signs were many and varied, ranging from cautionary counsel from financial industry experts and trusted advisors to Madoff’s schemes to avoid regulatory scrutiny.

Other Warnings:

Suit also says Wilpons were warned of potential trouble with Madoff in 2007 by Merrill-Lynch.

Wilpons/Katz also received warnings in 2002 and 03 from various outside parties, suit says

They “made so much easy money from Madoff for so long that despite the many objective indicia of fraud before them, the Sterling partners chose to simply look the other way”

And this my fellow Mets fan’s is the scariest part:

Suit also says Wilpons so dependent on Madoff financing their activities they had to restructure >$500 million in debt after fraud uncovered

So aside from all this, the Wilpons had $500 million on debt that had to restructure, could it be CitiField debt? Saying that none of this would effect the Mets is laughable at this point.

Thanks in large part to @AdamRubinESPN for a lot of the information.

Filed Under: Blogging, Madoff
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