Larry Brown Sports

Marylou Belles of Bethel, Conn. died back on July 13. According to her obituary which we read on the Daily Courier-Observer’s website, she battled cancer for 27 years before passing away on Friday the 13th — which was described as a “perfect day” for it since she was a big Stephen King fan. Belles’ obituary also said that she “gave cancer the finger,” but that wasn’t nearly the most enjoyable part for sports fans like us. Whoever wrote it really hit a home run with what they said about the Mets.

She was also a lifelong NY Mets fan though surprisingly, that wasn’t what killed her.”

Zing. Taking a shot at your favorite team on the way to the Pearly Gates isn’t unheard of, as we saw with this Twins fan and again with this Broncos fan who apparently despised Peyton Manning. What is truly embarrassing is that this isn’t even the first time a Mets fan’s obituary has mentioned their frustrations with the team. Obituaries usually take up very little space in the newspaper, and the fact that fans have felt the need to rag on the Mets on more than one occasion within that limited space truly says a lot. Bravo, Belles family.

H/T Hardball Talk via JimRomenesko.com

Amid the celebration of Johan Santana’s no-hitter at Citi Field on Friday was one unusual sight: a dude in jean shorts and a Gary Carter jersey was jumping on the edge of the pile, celebrating with the team.

It turns out that fan was 32-year-old Rafael Diaz, and he paid a hefty price for his memorable actions. Diaz spent two days (38 hours) in jail on trespassing charges, missed his son’s first birthday party on Saturday, and received a lifetime ban from Citi Field.

“I couldn’t help myself,” Diaz said. “I just wanted to be on the mound celebrating the no-hitter.”

Diaz wouldn’t answer if it was worthwhile, so we’ll answer that for him: Yes. Absolutely yes. Diaz couldn’t say yes and risk upsetting his wife after he missed his kid’s birthday party, but he has a wonderful story to tell for the rest of his life.

Oh, and just how exactly do the Mets enforce this lifetime ban? Do they have retina scanners on every fan that walks through the gates? I just don’t see how that’s possible.

H/T The 700 Level via Hot Clicks

An off-duty police officer was arrested at Citi Field on Thursday night when stadium officials discovered that he was sitting in the wrong seat. If you have never been in the position 30-year-old Eduardo Cornejo was in as he was watching the Mets lose 6-3 to the Reds, you’ve either never been to many sporting events or are a strict law-abiding citizen.

According to the NY Post, Cornejo — whom they described as “drunk” — moved to a more expensive seat and was asked to move back to his own seat several times. When he refused, he was asked a number of times to leave the stadium. Cornejo reportedly would not comply, so a uniformed police officer relieved stadium security of their duties and arrested him.

“He was in a section he wasn’t supposed to be,” Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said according to the NY Daily News. “They asked him to leave. He wouldn’t. (A) supervisor asked him to leave. He wouldn’t. The uniformed police sergeant asked him to leave. He wouldn’t, and he was arrested as a result.”

Cornejo was arraigned on criminal trespassing charges Thursday and released before declining to comment on the situation. While there are certain to be a number of people who are outraged that a police officer was arrested over something like this, that should have no bearing on the situation. If you want to argue that the Mets should allow fans to move to more expensive seats toward the end of the game, that’s one thing. I’ve done it many times at sporting events, but I’ve also moved back if a security guard asked me too. Whether he agreed that he should be allowed to sit there or not, Cornejo was required to comply the same way any other fan would be.

H/T Big League Stew
Photo credit: Jason O. Watson-US PRESSWIRE

Jose Reyes made his return to Citi Field on Tuesday night for the time in a Marlins uniform, and the reaction was predictably mixed. Reyes was given no choice but to leave New York last winter, as they team didn’t even try to keep him. Educated fans understand that, whereas morons like the ones you see in the video above feel slighted by Reyes’ departure.

As you can see, a group of fans with Reyes’ name, number and a red X on their shirts taunted the Marlins shortstop during batting practice. They yelled “No loyalty!” and “All about the cash!” among other things, since Reyes was apparently supposed to do the right thing and take half the money Miami offered him to stay in New York. After the game, Reyes told reporters he was not surprised by the booing.

“It doesn’t surprise me because I play for another team now,” he said according to MLB.com. “Like I said, no hard feelings. I just tried to win this game, but unfortunately we lost it.”

It doesn’t surprise me, either. But that doesn’t make it any less classless.

Video via Daily Pitch
Photo credit: The Star-Ledger-US PRESSWIRE

Any highly-paid player who does not bring a championship to a bitter fan base is at risk of becoming a scapegoat.  When the Mets signed Carlos Beltran to a seven-year, $119 million contract back in 2005, their fans immediately began thinking “World Series or bust.”  They were almost treated to a World Series trip in 2006, but they fell just short in the NLCS and remained — well — the Mets.  More than five years later, Beltran thinks it is time for Mets fans to get over that loss.

“I just want to have the opportunity to be in the playoffs,” Beltran told the NY Daily News after signing with the Cardinals, the team that defeated the Mets in that 2006 NLCS. “What happened in 2006, you have to turn the page. That’s over. We can’t bring 2006 back to 2012. It has been six years. If they want to continue to think about that moment, then that’s their problem. Like I said, I have turned the page. I have really moved on.”

Beltran, of course, struck out to end that series.  What he doesn’t realize is that New York fans don’t forget.  Even worse, Mets fans have not been given a reason to forget anything since 1986.  They are used to having high expectations each season and awaiting an inevitable meltdown.  This is a fan base that needs something to harp on.  Until Beltran makes his way into a disgruntled obituary, fans questioning his 2006 performance should be the least of his concerns.

Fist pound to Hardball Talk for the story

The Mets have won two World Series, which is more than six franchises. That’s not bad considering they’ve been around for 50 years. But despite the two World Series titles, the Mets have only been to the playoffs seven times, and they’ve finished last in their division 13 times. That’s caused plenty of disappointment for fans, especially one man whose obituary referenced the team’s failures.

Former English professor Richard Spiegel died recently, and here is what was written about him:

The final, and an immensely popular course he taught, was that of the literature of baseball. This was thinly veiled therapy to alleviate the trauma he sustained from coaching arguably the worst Little League [sic] team in recorded (or unrecorded) history and from the sufferings he endured from 40 years as a devout Mets fan.

I just hope that’s not what my uncle’s obituary says (don’t worry Uncle Al, not pushing you into the grave). At least this guy’s obit didn’t have as angry of a tone as this Minnesota fan. Inept sports teams — killing fans for the past 100 years.

Thanks to Hot Clicks for sharing the story.

That disturbing image was haunting viewers during the Mets-Marlins game on Monday night. After much debate, we have concluded it was a fan wearing a baby mask, though one could easily argue he was trying out for a villain’s role in the sequel of Dick Tracy. Even the Marlins announcers got in on the act laughing at said fan. Check out this video passed along by our friends at Kegs ‘n Eggs:

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