The New York Mets’ TV broadcast crew is making the best of things after having to relocate for the team’s series in Oakland.
Mets announcers Gary Cohen and Ron Darling shared the story during Friday’s SNY telecast of how they were not able to broadcast the game from the usual visitors’ booth at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. The reason, apparently, is that a possum has decided to make itself at home in the booth instead.
Last night, Gary and Ron shared the story of how they got moved out of the visiting television booth thanks to a possum 😂 pic.twitter.com/t3aK3siEzT
— SNY (@SNYtv) April 15, 2023
Cohen said that Angels broadcaster Wayne Randazzo had revealed that the possum made an appearance when Los Angeles opened the season in Oakland, and Coliseum staff have been unable to trap or capture it. That created a big problem for the Mets crew.
“When our tech people walked into the booth, (they) were immediately met by the stench of the possum having, you know, done his business in the booth,” Cohen said. “Apparently, the booth reeked so badly of possum leavings that an executive decision was made to move us to this booth, which is somewhat smaller and has a few impediments, like there’s a pole right in front of me.”
The Mets have had good luck with rodents in the past, but clearly the tables have turned. One might argue that stadium employees might be better served tracking the possum down instead of confiscating harmless signs, but that is in the eye of the beholder.
The Coliseum is infamous for its decrepit state and relative cheapness. This will only add to the aura, for better or worse — probably worse.
