wow, what a matchup

I'm writing this as the end of game 7 is happening -- and game 6 was so incredible to see in person.

I think the excitement of it all started for me as I got off the 7 train at Shea Stadium - Willets Point and was greeted by the MTA train conductors shouting Lets Go Mets through bullhorns.

Then, as I walked down the stairs, I saw a street preacher holding up placards that said "God said repent....Jesus died for your sins..." and some smart aleck behind me saw the signs and shouted out "God said...Lets go Mets!"

I think I must have sung "Jose...Jose Jose Jose....Jo-se, Jo-se" a million times, and gotten up so many times. I bought a program, and a "fan pack" which consisted of a pennant, a pin and a sticker which featured both the Mets and Cardinals logos on them.

While I was waiting for the friend of a friend of a friend to show up with my ticket, I stopped to chat with a few Cardinals fans (who were getting booed mightily). Cardinals fans are probably the nicest around, and as it turned out, I met a retired Cardinals baseball scout! He wore an actual World Series ring from 1967 (or was it 68?) He was so nice. He was a minor leaguer for the Yankees and Cardinals, but "never got the cigar" as he put it. Then he was asked to scout, and did that until 1981 when Whitey Herzog took over as manager.

I borrowed the office digital camera and was able to take some great photos!

Then, right before the game started, the Jumbotron screen showed an excerpt from The Wizard of Oz saying "There's no place like home".


I saw two Sikhs with Cardinals colors in their turbans, very cool. Although the experience was a bit marred by some idiot racists booing and telling the "terrorists to go home to Pakistan". What idiots. The second time I heard someone say that, I told him off. Didn't do a lot of good, but I felt better, and I thought he looked slightly shamefaced.

Gosh, there were so many great moments in the game....I can't remember them all right now.

Oh wow, I just finished writing this, and game 7 over. Mets bases loaded and Beltran struck out. What a season -- I'm disappointed that there won't be a local World Series to celebrate, but what a great season!

I'm so glad I got to go to the NLDS playoff vs the Dodgers and the NLCS playoff vs the Mets. I guess it's a good thing NeighborsBaba didn't watch tonight's game and was a trip to Vietnam. I think his blood pressure would've gone up with all the nervous tension.