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SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

G-Fafif Nov 06 2009 03:52 PM

Fab news from Neil Best of Newsday: Call it offseason filler if you must, but SNY's new "Mets Yearbook," debuting Thursday night after its "Hot Stove" show, is off-the-charts cool for sports and TV nostalgia buffs. The series features 27 season highlight films from 1962 through '88 that had been languishing in the Mets' archives for years. The ones from the early years were made for promotional purposes and shown mostly to community groups; they were not designed for television and in some cases never have been seen on TV before. Gary Morgenstern, SNY's VP of programming, said the hodgepodge of films followed various formats and were of varying lengths but have been turned into half-hour shows for "Mets Yearbook." The first five - 1971, '84, '75, '68 and '63 - will be shown on Thursdays in 2009, with about 10 more in '10 and the rest sometime the following year. So far I have watched '71, '68 and '63. The '71 show includes footage of an old-timers' game in which Satchel Paige is seen pitching, and in which Bobby Thomson pitched to Ralph Branca. (You read that right.) In the '68 show, Gil Hodges is seen going over scouting reports in the locker room with his young pitching staff, including Tom Seaver and Jerry Koosman. The '63 highlights were most interesting of all, because they included extensive, full color, rarely seen footage of the Mets playing at the Polo Grounds. That includes the final major league game played there, after which Casey Stengel is shown walking off through centerfield in a scene similar to the one featuring Tom Seaver and Mike Piazza at Shea 45 years later.

Benjamin Grimm Nov 06 2009 04:14 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Wow! Sounds like something to TiVo and burn to DVD.

Edgy MD Nov 06 2009 06:55 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

And to dupe for your friends!

Kong76 Nov 06 2009 07:01 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Exciting news!

seawolf17 Nov 06 2009 07:19 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Shit, these sound awesome.

soupcan Nov 06 2009 07:34 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

seawolf17 wrote: Shit, these sound awesome. I second that emotion.

Rockin' Doc Nov 06 2009 08:00 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Sounds like must see viewing for any true Mets fan.

Ashie62 Nov 07 2009 06:24 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

I remember watching many of those in school when we had a substitute teacher Much better than the mr. Science films

Benjamin Grimm Nov 07 2009 08:30 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

I'm glad they're starting with 1971. That was my first year as a fan.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Nov 07 2009 12:01 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

The series features 27 season highlight films from 1962 through '88 that had been languishing in the Mets' archives for years. What, no '93? We cut out cable for the cost last year. I'm thinking about putting months of cable on our baby registry now.

G-Fafif Nov 07 2009 02:36 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: The series features 27 season highlight films from 1962 through '88 that had been languishing in the Mets' archives for years. What, no '93? We cut out cable for the cost last year. I'm thinking about putting months of cable on our baby registry now. Since 1988, the only annual highlight films of which I'm aware are 1990, 1999, 2000 and 2006. I was disappointed when it sank in that they weren't doing them as a matter of course anymore (having spent all of '98 waiting for the uplifting '97 reel that was never produced). I liked the Mets' ability to twist 95-loss seasons into bastions of progress with titles like Getting Better All The Time. Hell, the NFL mandates that its teams do it every year.

Ashie62 Nov 07 2009 02:41 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

I wouldn't mind seeing the old Video TV intro played to Meet the Mets played by Channel 9 when the game came on. Remember how the used to show the lineup cards and Lindsey Nelson would read them off??

Kong76 Nov 07 2009 02:55 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

I have '65 Expressway to the Big Leagues, '67 Year of Change, and '68 Year of the Mets Pitchers on VHS. They're available online if anyone is looking for holiday presents. I can't remember the vendor (it will come to me) but they have all kinds of baseball stuff like that -- old radio broad- casts, etc. I know exactly the locker room meeting in '68 he speaks of. The gave out the '70 Look Who's Number One at Shea years ago, it's probably somewhere on ebay.

Kong76 Nov 07 2009 03:08 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Here's the vendor: http://www.baseballdirect.com/ Click on Rare Films down the left ... Crap, now I'm going to have to buy this: Casey at the Mets Two vintage films featuring Casey Stengel. The first is a 1963 pre-game Stengel interview with Pirate broadcaster Bob Prince and New York writer Phil Pepe. "Casey at the Mets", filmed in 1964, includes an interview with the ol' Professor, shots of Shea Stadium under construction, and Dodger players serenading Casey on his birthday.

Met Hunter Nov 07 2009 04:27 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

I have that Casey at the Mets on an old reel for 8mm. Still in the original box. I doubt we ever watched it.

Kong76 Nov 07 2009 04:50 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

8mm film sounds like something I'd look to unload on another nut. (I mean nut in the kindest of ways). I need to stop looking around that site ... Full radio broadcasts: 1962 April 11 St. Louis 11, New York (NL) 4. The Mets' very first game. (Kiner, Murphy, Nelson) #1198 CD ($19.95) 1962 Sept. 23 New York (NL) 2, Chicago (NL) 1. Thomas singles home Coleman in last of ninth as Mets win season finale at the Polo Grounds. Kranepool gets first major league hit. (Kiner, Murphy, Nelson) #2008 CD ($19.95) 1964 April 17 Pittsburgh 4, New York (NL) 3. The first game played at the Mets' new home, Shea Stadium. (Kiner, Murphy, Nelson) #1980 CD ($19.95)

Edgy MD Nov 07 2009 05:45 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

I'm surprised these made it until '88. (I guess that means some will be narrated by Fran Healy.) The last one I remember must've been '82, featuring a walk-off extra-inning jack by Ron Gardenhire.

G-Fafif Nov 13 2009 05:38 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

1971's highlight film, "The Winning Way," debuted as the first installment of Mets Yearbook last night. Every bit as good as anticipated. It's like they took a can opener to my subconscious and emptied the contents into the TV. Great things about it in no particular order: --Bud Harrelson, wearing civilian clothes, speaks in a relaxed and candid fashion about being an All-Star and why the Instructional League, which he's never played in, is a good thing (which is to say it looks like a hostage tape) --The Mets are counting on young Ken Singleton, Mike Jorgensen and, if he ever stops being fooled on pop flies, Tim Foli --Jim Fregosi is coming! Jim Fregosi is coming! --Wayne Garrett missed most of the year in the armed forces --Ralph Kiner is showing the kids in the aforementioned Instructional League how to hit --Mets don't hit home runs in 1971 like they didn't hit them in 2009 --Gary Gentry's kid is awesome on Family Day --Banner Day and "Emblem Day" are big winners --Groovy production music (and I don't use the term with irony) --Lindsey Nelson twice uses the phrase "Where it's at" --Seaver wins his 20th on the final day --Minutes of glorious context-free great plays and bad plays, proving that you get it all at beautiful Shea Stadium --Beautiful Shea Stadium --Don Hahn is not known for home runs, according to Bob Murphy (which was somehow supposed to be flattering) --Ed Kranepool had his best year ever --Long man Charlie Williams gets advice from Joe Pignatano --People come to Shea for all kinds of reasons, including one guy who goes to "get away from my mother" The film has been restored so it looks ready to be presented to the Kiwanis of Lindenhurst. The audio is crisp. Our three announcers are in great voice. Dick Young takes a credit as consulting director or whatever conflict-of-interest sinecure he had going. Repeat airings are scheduled for Sunday at 6 PM and Wednesday at 9:30 PM (though live sporting programming may fiddle with those plans). Thursday at 7:30 next (11/19) is the 1984 film.

Benjamin Grimm Nov 13 2009 05:47 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

BLACKED OUT! DirecTV blocked it! The show is "unavailable in my area." WTF?

G-Fafif Nov 13 2009 05:50 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Benjamin Grimm wrote: BLACKED OUT! DirecTV blocked it! The show is "unavailable in my area." WTF? Was there a conflict with Comcast's presentation of "The 1971 Phillies: Historically Sucking For A Little While Longer"?

MFS62 Nov 13 2009 09:27 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

G - there is one name in your post about 1971 that I had tried to push back into the inner recesses of my mind so that I would never remember it. You undid over 30 years of my efforts. During that time, I have not even uttered the person's name. I did not want to quote or copy your post. lest I inadvertently see it again. Well, at least I still have not thought of Mel Rooooooooooooooooooooooo - oooh shit. I just did it to myself. Later

seawolf17 Nov 13 2009 07:56 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

I'm finally watching 1971, and it's kicking my ass all over the place.

G-Fafif Nov 19 2009 11:27 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Reminder -- Mets Yearbook: 1984 debuts tonight on SNY at 7:30. Rebroadcasts scheduled for 7:30 Saturday night, 6:00 Sunday night. No new ep next Thursday but SNY provides a T'Giving Day marathon of all five games of the '69 WS plus its Miracle documentary.

seawolf17 Nov 19 2009 12:17 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Aaaaaaaaaaaand the DVR is now set, from my computer. That's awesome.

metirish Nov 19 2009 12:22 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

seawolf17 wrote: Aaaaaaaaaaaand the DVR is now set, from my computer. That's awesome. Where on cablevision.com are you doing that?

seawolf17 Nov 19 2009 01:51 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

If you search "DVR" in the help box, you can find the screen where you log in and access your DVR that way.

G-Fafif Dec 04 2009 04:56 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

The 1975 highlight film, "Meet The Mets," aired last night on SNY. Will rebroadcast Sunday night at 7. A masterpiece of the genre. The Mets we meet are primarily if not exclusively the many new Mets who made Shea such an exciting place in the past season, particularly an incredibly chatty and amiable Dave Kingman (teaching kids in the community how to hit) and the endlessly promising Mike Vail. Joe Frazier's introductory press conference (at which he's asked if he's got any more Vails at Tidewater), Dairylea Day, Jerry Koosman's brief stint as closer and a visit by Pele are all covered. Plus more. Much more. Terrific excerpt here.

Ashie62 Dec 04 2009 08:13 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

G-Fafif wrote: The 1975 highlight film, "Meet The Mets," aired last night on SNY. Will rebroadcast Sunday night at 7. A masterpiece of the genre. The Mets we meet are primarily if not exclusively the many new Mets who made Shea such an exciting place in the past season, particularly an incredibly chatty and amiable Dave Kingman (teaching kids in the community how to hit) and the endlessly promising Mike Vail. Joe Frazier's introductory press conference (at which he's asked if he's got any more Vails at Tidewater), Dairylea Day, Jerry Koosman's brief stint as closer and a visit by Pele are all covered. Plus more. Much more. Terrific excerpt here. The 1975 film was a hoot. I loved where Lindsey was so proud to mention the Mets would break 1.75 million in attendance. That appearance by Pele was worth more than a quick bite. Done in an era where home team kool-aid tasted so good

G-Fafif Dec 09 2009 02:33 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Thursday night (12/10), 7:30, SNY: The 1968 highlight film, oh boy.

Kong76 Dec 09 2009 07:51 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Not entirely off topic, do I need to see a 2009 World Series advertisement on SNY while watching Game Four from forty years ago?

G-Fafif Dec 10 2009 08:34 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

"Year of the METS Pitcher" was yet another big winner in the Mets Yearbook series. Pre-1969, Post-1964 Shea as I'd never seen it. Did you know there was a Bayer aspirin ad next to the Rheingold ad? And that the Rheingold ad was for the 10 Minute Head while Bayer is for headaches? Or that Tom Seaver threw on whatever jersey was handy (38, I think) for a clinic in a city park? Or that Look magazine covered Ron Swoboda? Or that, in the words of Bob Murphy (scripted by Dick Young), Bud Harrelson is a slender drink of water who offers a pound of hustle for every ounce of weight. It was great watching so much excitement drained from a 73-89 record. And listening to Jerry Koosman's internal monologue. And Jerry Grote explain that it helped him to stop squawking at umpires. And Kevin Collins make a play at third. And hearing Banner Day referred to as "the granddaddy of them all" and the Mets' "soul" promotion. Young wasn't so bad before he turned evil. It runs again Tuesday night (12/15) at 7:00 -- and runs about two minutes past its allotted time slot, so record accordingly. It will be followed at 7:30ish by the Omir Vaporizes Papelbon game...a new Mets Classic, of all things!

Kong76 Dec 12 2009 05:12 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

I watched some of this and was a little disappointing with the video quality in some parts. I have to dig it out this afternoon and watch the tape I have of this and see but I think I have a better copy than SNY could get their hands on? That would be pretty funny (to me, at least).

Edgy MD Dec 12 2009 06:04 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

"Thank you, Mr. Kong. This will a great service to Met fans everywhere. Now please turn around and put your hands up against the wall. You have the right to remain silent..."

Frayed Knot Dec 12 2009 04:24 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

MLB.TV is replaying the 1999 Play-in game vs the Reds NOW!!!! Just tuned in. 4-0 Mets in the 6th ... oops, 5-0 as Fonzie doubles. Leiter has a 1-hitter thru 5.

G-Fafif Dec 17 2009 03:39 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Tonight at 7:30 on SNY it's Mets Yearbook: 1963. A very chatty Casey Stengel, a very young Ed Kranepool, a very old Polo Grounds, a very under construction Shea Stadium and so much more.

themetfairy Dec 17 2009 05:59 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

G-Fafif wrote: Tonight at 7:30 on SNY it's Mets Yearbook: 1963. A very chatty Casey Stengel, a very young Ed Kranepool, a very old Polo Grounds, a very under construction Shea Stadium and so much more. Love Miss Rheingold, and the bullpen carts that are as modern as any you'd see on a golf course....

G-Fafif Dec 17 2009 08:25 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Losing 111 games never sounded like such brand equity.

G-Fafif Jan 01 2010 04:30 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

SNY airing all five Mets Yearbooks thus far produced Saturday at 5:00 PM. Watch/record.

Kong76 Jan 02 2010 10:28 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Thanks for the reminder, I have yet to see '75 and '84.

Kong76 Jan 02 2010 03:59 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

That '63 episode gets me right here. (pointing to lump in throat) I'm far too emotional over this stuff sometimes lol.

Kong76 Jan 02 2010 04:47 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

I guess I never saw all of 1971 ... I have no recollection of Ralph Kiner in uniform wearing #54 as a batting instructor.

G-Fafif Jan 28 2010 06:39 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Tonight, 7:30, sez the program guide on my television, Mets Yearbook: 1976. I wonder how much praise will be heaped on the speedy Pepe Mangual.

Edgy MD Jan 28 2010 07:36 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Highlights from Joe Frazier's troops. [list][*]Koosman wins 21.[/*:m] [*]Matlack wins 17.[/*:m] [*]Seaver wins only 14 despite pitching more innings with a lower ERA than either. (You read it here first. Tom Seaver did not know how to pitch to the score.)[/*:m] [*]Mazzilli homers in second career plate appearance.[/*:m] [*]Kingman breaks his own team homerun record.[/*:m] [*]Country gentleman with good glove at third.[/*:m] [*]Felix Millan plays 162 games, leads league in getting hit by pitches and in choking up.[/*:m] [*]Seeming breakthroughs by Bruce Boisclair and John Stearns on the bench.[/*:m] [*]Jerry Grote has his best hitting seaoson in eight years.[/*:m] [*]Lockwood and Apodaca dazzle in the pen.[/*:m] [*]Nino Espinosa --- is that an afro or is that an afro?![/*:m] [*]This game. Holy crap, do I believe![/*:m][/list:u] Unlikely to be shown: [list][*]Offseason trade of the portly Staub for the portly Lolich being slowly but surely lost by the Mets.[/*:m] [*]Nobody steals bases.[/*:m] [*]Seaver so frustrated by his run support, he dreams of violence.[/*:m] [*]All the while, Stengel and Payson are dead, the Mets are decapitated symbolically and perhaps in fact, but nobody quite knows it yet.[/*:m][/list:u]

batmagadanleadoff Jan 28 2010 09:29 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Is this an SNY premiere, or a rerun from 2009?

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 28 2010 09:41 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Tonight, 7:30, sez the program guide on my television, Mets Yearbook: 1976. I wonder how much praise will be heaped on the speedy Pepe Mangual. Cardboard Gods recently featured a Jim Dwyer card, causing me to reflect on this trade. At the time, I think it hit me harder than the Seaver deal did, because at least with the latter there was a chance things worked out for us. It was evident to me right away that Mangual was a stiff, and Dwyer wouldn't show much till many, many years later as an O's supersub. I was 10 that summer and as into baseball as ever, probably. Kingman breaks his own team homerun record. This despite missing so much time with that injury. We were "camping" in my friend's backyard and I heard this happen a transistor radio, what a crushing feeling. This game. Holy crap, do I believe! Did this inspire Lasorda's profane rant? Oh yes it did. (WARNING, profane rant at this address) [url]http://tommykingman.ytmnd.com/

Edgy MD Jan 28 2010 09:47 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Holla Famer Tommy Lasorda, ladies and gentlemen.

Kong76 Jan 28 2010 05:33 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Holy ugly striped hats flashback, Batman!

metirish Jan 28 2010 05:37 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

I am in stitches here , WOW.....classic

metirish Jan 28 2010 05:41 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

That's not a skit is it? , I'm dying over here

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 28 2010 05:59 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

That was awesome.

Kong76 Jan 28 2010 06:04 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Wow, I thoroughly enjoyed seeing that again. I haven't seen it on SNY but I guess it's familiar from maybe rain delays or something. Got a little verklempt a couple of times lol ...

G-Fafif Feb 10 2010 09:08 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Thursday night, 7:30...1966! See Mets Yearbook celebrate the snot out of a team not losing a hundred games.

Ceetar Feb 11 2010 09:43 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Looking forward to it. Just wish my optimum DVR was capable of recording "Mets Yearbook" new episodes instead of treating each year as a seperate show needing separate effort to record. (Oh, i can record online..I should do that now or I'll end up forgetting to record it)

metirish Feb 11 2010 05:38 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

I just love the commentary on this, not sure about the red color that is coming through on my tv though. Mets went to Greenland on a goodwill tour, wow.

themetfairy Feb 11 2010 05:53 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Question - can a fine young pitcher like Tom Seaver make the jump to Shea Stadium?

metirish Feb 11 2010 06:02 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

On Hunt's inside the park home run the ball looked like it took a vicious bounce of the grass in CF and it clear bounced over the center fielder, the camera angle though looked like it was from right dowm by the catcher.

G-Fafif Mar 22 2010 07:15 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

New ep of Mets Yearbook, featuring 1980, Tuesday night at 6:30 (record before heading over to Two Boots), rebroadcast Wednesday afternoon at 4:00. Long live Steve Henderson.

Mex17 Mar 23 2010 05:12 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

New ep of Mets Yearbook, featuring 1980, Tuesday night at 6:30 (record before heading over to Two Boots), rebroadcast Wednesday afternoon at 4:00. Long live Steve Henderson. 1980: The year that my family moved back to NY after six or so years living in Massashusetts/New Hampshire. We had intended to stay at my grandparents in Ozone Park for only a few weeks while waiting for the new house in East Northport to close. Instead, that turned into the entire summer as my Dad's VA loan was being held up. I knew that I was not staying there, so I did not really venture out much to make friends. So, as a way to make it up and because it was so close, Dad took me out to Shea A LOT that season! I was there for the Steve Henderson walk-off. . .it was the first time I really saw and heard Shea really alive! This is the year that I got hooked. It will ALWAYS have a special place in my heart despite it being a 90-loss year.

Edgy MD Mar 23 2010 07:06 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Two things from the Henderson walkoff that my memory insists on that I need confirmed or exploded. 1) That the umpires participated in the curtain call. They may have been groundskeepers, but I remember seeing the backs of the crew clustered around home clapping as Henderson re-emerged. 2) That Henderson had already begun undressing, and came out of the dugout with his jersey already shed, and wearing suspenders over his three-quarter-sleeve undershirt.

batmagadanleadoff Mar 23 2010 07:56 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Hendu was fully dressed when he emerged from the dugout for his curtain call. He was flanked by Mets ushers.

Edgy MD Mar 23 2010 09:34 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Damn. Exploded. And it's altogether possible (probable? probable) that the ushers are playing the part of the umps in my memory.

G-Fafif Mar 23 2010 09:57 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Bob Murphy, on radio, said with stunnage that Henderson had come out to "take a bow". This may have been the first Shea Stadium curtain call. I don't remember any before (which isn't to say it didn't happen, but it did seem unprecedented).

batmagadanleadoff Mar 23 2010 10:17 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

G-Fafif wrote: Bob Murphy, on radio, said with stunnage that Henderson had come out to "take a bow". This may have been the first Shea Stadium curtain call. I don't remember any before (which isn't to say it didn't happen, but it did seem unprecedented). Hendu was prompted to come out for that bow by Gary Carter's locker room telephone call to the Mets hero. It was Carter's idea.

G-Fafif Mar 23 2010 10:20 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

batmagadanleadoff wrote: G-Fafif wrote: Bob Murphy, on radio, said with stunnage that Henderson had come out to "take a bow". This may have been the first Shea Stadium curtain call. I don't remember any before (which isn't to say it didn't happen, but it did seem unprecedented). Hendu was prompted to come out for that bow by Gary Carter's locker room telephone call to the Mets hero. It was Carter's idea. I stand corrected.

dgwphotography Mar 23 2010 11:14 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

When Hendu started back towards the dugout after the curtain call, he got a high five from Fred Wilpon, IIRC.

batmagadanleadoff Mar 24 2010 02:23 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

I recorded SNY's 1980 yearbook on DVD. I already own almost every Met highlight ever produced (I think that the 1970 season highlight film is the only one I'm missing) but wanted to re-record 1980 because the quality of my copy is not up to snuff. Anyway, what I noticed is that SNY's version is an edited version of the original highlight film. Among the stuff cut out was Hendu's curtain call. So it's curtains for Hendu's curtain call.

G-Fafif Mar 24 2010 03:19 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

BML, perhaps you can answer this: In the SNY version (which started two minutes early this afternoon, thus my timed recording comes in slightly late, darn it all to heck) the last scenes are backed by production music. I have a distinct recollection of the actual film using "Do You Believe in Magic?" by the Lovin' Spoonful or perhaps some other song with magic in the title at the end. Any confirmation you can offer? SNY has edited all of these to fit a half-hour time slot because their programming is too important to mess with. (Still, an awesome series nonetheless.)

batmagadanleadoff Mar 24 2010 03:27 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

I'll check up on this later today. I'd be surprised if the production budget was large enough to allow for the licensing of a Lovin' Spoonful song, though. By the way, I also figured that the film was edited so that it could be shown in a half-hour time slot -- with commercials.

G-Fafif Mar 24 2010 04:12 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Two "real" songs do appear: a cover of "Work to Do" (a hit for the Isleys) and Chuck Mangione's "Children of Sanchez," making me believe SNY didn't recognize either of them.

batmagadanleadoff Mar 24 2010 05:41 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Hah! Whaddya know? The last minute and 50 seconds of the original higlight film is backed by the Lovin' Spoonful's Do you Believe in Magic. The Magic is Back.

dgwphotography Mar 24 2010 06:19 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

batmagadanleadoff wrote: I recorded SNY's 1980 yearbook on DVD. I already own almost every Met highlight ever produced (I think that the 1970 season highlight film is the only one I'm missing) but wanted to re-record 1980 because the quality of my copy is not up to snuff. Anyway, what I noticed is that SNY's version is an edited version of the original highlight film. Among the stuff cut out was Hendu's curtain call. So it's curtains for Hendu's curtain call. The curtain call is shown in the 25th anniversary video. (God, I need a life)

G-Fafif Mar 24 2010 09:06 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

batmagadanleadoff wrote: Hah! Whaddya know? The last minute and 50 seconds of the original higlight film is backed by the Lovin' Spoonful's Do you Believe in Magic. The Magic is Back. Is that the same montage of highlights that appears in the SNY version to production music? If so, gads they're cheap/licensing is expensive. '85 and '86 films were heavy on music video-style montages set to well-known song. I guess Keith Hernandez won't be "The Warrior" when SNY gets its hands on "No Surrender".

batmagadanleadoff Mar 24 2010 09:18 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

G-Fafif wrote: batmagadanleadoff wrote: Hah! Whaddya know? The last minute and 50 seconds of the original higlight film is backed by the Lovin' Spoonful's Do you Believe in Magic. The Magic is Back. Is that the same montage of highlights that appears in the SNY version to production music? If so, gads they're cheap/licensing is expensive. '85 and '86 films were heavy on music video-style montages set to well-known song. I guess Keith Hernandez won't be "The Warrior" when SNY gets its hands on "No Surrender". I stopped recording (and watching) as soon as I realized that the SNY version was edited so I can't answer your question. 1981 might've been the last highlight film compiled from hand-held camera angles and film stock. Most (or all) of the subsequent highlight packages used actual TV video game footage.

G-Fafif Mar 25 2010 04:53 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

A lot of 1980 was clearly televised highlights set to film. Cheaper than hiring a couple of guys with cameras at the dawn of the Wilpon era. I'm pretty sure they simply cut it off before getting to the "Do You Believe in Magic?" portion. When SNY began airing these, they had beginnings and ends. Now they're kind of joined and ended where it doesn't look too clumsy. Don't want to downplay on technical points what a trip the '80 Yearbook is. I found myself drawing a straight line from the elation at the notion the Mets could be modestly competent for a few months to why I can never completely dismiss Dwight Gooden as a hopeless case. We were so ready for someone like Doc and a team like that which formed behind him. You can taste it in that 1980 film all over again. I'd forgive almost anybody who rescued us from the Lorinda de Saster. It took me nearly thirty years to accept that Fred Wilpon wasn't eternally good news, and he was only a minority partner.

G-Fafif May 01 2010 06:04 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years Edited 1 time(s), most recently on May 01 2010 07:08 AM

8 o'clock tonight, unless the Fox game runs really long (but not as long as the last Fox game) and the postgame show gets in the way, SNY will [crossout:33n70kol]debut[/crossout:33n70kol] reair Mets Yearbook: 1972. That was a year that featured a great start even better than this one. Not such a great finish, though 83-73 (with six games cancelled due to strike) represented the second-best winning percentage in team history until 1984. Elevation of Yogi under sad circumstances, acquisition of Rusty, homecoming of Willie, Seaver being Seaver, Tug being an All-Star, Matlack being Rookie of the Year and -- between the shortened schedule and a rash of injuries -- nobody collecting 100 hits. Looking ahead, on Memorial Day, May 31, instead of airing a 32-inning doubleheader, SNY will show all the Yearbooks thus far produced starting at 4:30 PM, culminating in the premiere of Mets Yearbook: 1988 at 9:00 PM. Then stay tuned for Pre Game Live and the Mets at San Diego. (This is a public service announcement, though it's suspiciously commercial-like toward the end.)

Edgy MD May 01 2010 06:17 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

1972 is one of the seasons that is analagous to the injury bug of last year. The casuality list was so long that Bill James' Win Shares has Duffy Dyer as the team's MVP. (We don't.)

themetfairy May 01 2010 07:01 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

That was actually on the other day - my DVR caught it. Like Edgy said, was kind of like an old timey version of 2009....

G-Fafif May 27 2010 06:48 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Mets Yearbook: 1988 debuts 7 o'clock Friday night. SNY runs all ten produced thus far on Monday, from 4:30 PM through 9:30 PM. In chronological order, they will be: 1963, 1966, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1975, 1976, 1980, 1984 and 1988.

Kong76 May 28 2010 05:28 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Thoroughly enjoyed the '88 one. Thanks for reminding us that it was on.

G-Fafif May 31 2010 11:25 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Reminder: Mets Yearbook marathon on SNY later today. 4:30 -- 1963 5:00 -- 1966 5:30 -- 1968 6:00 -- 1971 6:30 -- 1972 7:00 -- 1975 7:30 -- 1976 8:00 -- 1980 8:30 -- 1984 9:00 -- 1988

G-Fafif Jun 19 2010 04:09 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Holy Tim Foli! Monday night (off night) at 6:30 it's Mets Yearbook: 1978.

Kong76 Jun 19 2010 06:39 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Saw the commercial during that Sat noon show ... that's gonna be fun.

G-Fafif Jul 14 2010 12:12 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Next installment: 1965 ("Expressway to the Big Leagues), Thursday night at 9:00, just ahead of the pregame show. Join the Mets, make the majors quickly...'cause we're not too good yet. Or as the banner of its day put it: DON'T BE SORE THE METS AND I ARE ONLY FOUR

themetfairy Jul 14 2010 12:14 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

With most shows, my DVR can tape only the new episodes. But with Mets Yearbook, it tapes each episode no matter how many times it has previously aired. I keep having to make sure my episodes are cleared out so that my 1963 episode doesn't get deleted (IMO, that's the best one to date).

G-Fafif Jul 15 2010 02:38 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

1965: 9 tonight.

themetfairy Jul 15 2010 06:59 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

G-Fafif wrote: 1965: 9 tonight. As in, NOW!!!

G-Fafif Aug 13 2010 08:43 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

1973 Mets Yearbook, Tuesday night at 7:00. Repeat, 1973 Mets Yearbook, Tuesday night at 7:00. Watch, record, whatever. No excuses accepted if you have access to SNY.

themetfairy Aug 13 2010 08:45 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Thanks - the DVR is set!

G-Fafif Aug 16 2010 07:21 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Will keep reminding because I don't want anybody to slap a forehead afterward: 7 PM, Tuesday night, SNY, Mets Yearbook: 1973.

Ceetar Aug 16 2010 07:52 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Will keep reminding because I don't want anybody to slap a forehead afterward: 7 PM, Tuesday night, SNY, Mets Yearbook: 1973. Good. my DVr sucks and won't let me record the "season" so I haev to record individually and never remember. Probably better off watching this than the actual game.

HahnSolo Aug 16 2010 08:59 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

They've got to show the ball off the top of the wall play, no? At the Mets HOF "postseason video kiosk", little Solo and I watched that play about 5 times in a row, goosebumps every time.

Zvon Aug 16 2010 07:00 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

G-Fafif wrote: 1973 Mets Yearbook, Tuesday night at 7:00. Repeat, 1973 Mets Yearbook, Tuesday night at 7:00. Watch, record, whatever. No excuses accepted if you have access to SNY. SNY don't reach me. Can you let me know how much footage from the playoffs they show? It's possible I might be in it, but very unlikely because they always have seemed to avoid showing footage from the last game, when fans went wild. Things were out of control in the stands for at least the last 2 innings if I remember right. Can anyone say what inning they took the Reds families from the wooden built box in front of the field box seats and led them away to the Reds bullpen? That's pretty much when things began to get out of hand.

G-Fafif Aug 17 2010 09:30 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

One more bump. Tonight at 7, 1973. No matter how grainy, it's gotta look clearer than 2010.

G-Fafif Sep 22 2010 03:03 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Thursday night, 6:30, it's Mets Yearbook: 1967. I hear they have a rookie of note and hire a new manager toward the end.

Edgy MD Sep 22 2010 06:22 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

I'm excited about that Denehy guy.

G-Fafif Sep 23 2010 03:10 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Reminder: 6:30 tonite -- in case you don't reflexively tune into SNY these evenings at 6:30.

themetfairy Sep 23 2010 07:54 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Wow - listening to Whitey Herzog's scouting report on Jon Matlack was pretty amazin'!

G-Fafif Sep 23 2010 08:39 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Wow - listening to Whitey Herzog's scouting report on Jon Matlack was pretty amazin'! Indeed. Let the MFYs keep their two-dimensional Blahm-berg (he's Jewish and he was the first DH -- got it). We got a rookie of the year and three-time All-Star. Unspoken but definitely between the lines if one listened for it: MFYs had first draft pick in 1967 because they finished LAST in 1966.

G-Fafif Nov 23 2010 10:27 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

It's a Mets Yearbook marathon on SNY this Friday, 3 PM to 10 PM, all fourteen installments thus far produced running in chronological order. The rundown is here. It will be a happy Black Friday after all.

Ceetar Nov 24 2010 05:49 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

time to set my tivo so i can finally see them all.

G-Fafif Dec 01 2010 10:56 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

SNY interrupts a blur of college basketball and other who-cares programmng to present Mets Yearbook: 1982 Thursday night (12/2) at 7:30 PM. This may be the first installment to which I'm anticipatorily hostile in that I seriously hated the 1982 season -- a harbinger for the venom with which I'd come to view 1992 and 2002. If they can make me gauzily nostalgic for the year of Georges Bamberger & Foster and the 15-game losing streak and the .333 ball played from June to October, then brother, they can sell me pay-per-view of Roberto Alomar's Hall of Fame induction speech. /crossing fingers regarding 2012

G-Fafif Dec 03 2010 01:53 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

I hope y'all got to see 1982. If you didn't, you missed: --A half-hour with Steve Lamar, who would have you pining for a long car ride with Wayne Hagin --One brief mention of the excitement surrounding George Foster, which seems to die after exactly one game. (Though Foster does get a high five from a less partisan Philly Phanatic.) --The Maza family, which keeps score, gets a cap and tips the usher en route to a Great Time at Shea --Buddy Harrelson of the Future, Ron Gardenhire --Minor league footage of Jose "Oh-kwen-doh" --The long-term promise of Jeff Bittiger --Craig Swan with three days' growth --George Bamberger not looking dismayed --"Hustlin' Mookie Wilson" --Desperate flashbacks to the 1963 highlight film (with new, helpful Chyron graphics that identified "Casey Stengel," in case you didn't know who was talking about all them placards) --Production music out of the yin-yang --And, best of all, not one but TWO segments devoted to that great-looking rookie in the outfield...DiamondVision, "the scoreboard of the '80s" I'd love to say it meant well in the spirit of the '60s highlight films wherein true highlights were hard to come by, but its hokey cheeriness and evasion of a clear narrative just underscored how fucking awful 1982 turned over the final four months. That said, a few indisputable super fun things: --A lengthy segment (lots of lengthy segments needed to suck up time otherwise devoted to 97 brutal losses) in which the 1962 Opening Day lineup is recalled through closeups of the Original Mets' baseball cards, artifacts you were less likely to see then than you are now on Internet bulletin boards and such. --Sherman "Roadblock" Jones, in Starter jacket, throwing out the first pitch in the Home Opener, commemorating his role 20 years earlier as the first Home Opener starter (there seemed to be a vague Twenty Years of Mets theme informing the film when it remembered to have a theme). --Restaurateur of the '10s Darryl Strawberry, in tuxedo shirt and bowtie (no jacket), picking up his Doubleday award, and being interviewed by Jackson, Miss. TV on how every day in every way he keeps getting better and better. --Dave Kingman blasting his franchise-best 119th home run, and Lamar, to his or the scriptwriter's credit, referring to it as a "Sky King" shot. --Tacked on at the end, a slice of Tom Seaver's return press conference, during which he (accurately) warned the results might be there but the effort would be and, by the way, he's happy to be a New York Met again. This was followed by a shot of players gathering around Bamberger in his second Spring Training and Lamar Haganistically reminding us Opening Day is April 5, 1983! No Mets Yearbook isn't a worthwhile endeavor, but even with 28 years to gird myself, I sure cringed a whole lot.

G-Fafif Apr 05 2011 02:51 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Mets Yearbook returns, Thursday night, 6:30 with...1969! Brought to you by Borden, if I'm not mistaken.

G-Fafif Apr 07 2011 12:47 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

After this afternoon's game!

G-Fafif Apr 07 2011 05:03 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

I knew they'd edit/hatchet the highlight film to avoid showing costly postseason clips, but SNY committed heresy in its presentation of Mets Yearbook: 1969. I guess their news judgment was nothing much happened in the playoffs and World Series.

G-Fafif May 09 2011 12:01 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Mets Yearbook: 1970 debuts Wednesday night, 6:30, after Mets-Rox. Seaver, Agee, Clendenon and Harrelson all had banner years. The fans had Banner Day. Yet the Miracle Mets slid into merely mundane. But I look forward to be propagandized all over again.

G-Fafif Jun 12 2011 05:02 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

I somehow missed the premiere of Mets Yearbook: 1977 on Thursday evening, but was fortunate enough to catch a rebroadcast not long after today's game -- more fortunate than I was to experience the 1977 season in full. Lots of Mets in leather jackets, enunciating poorly. The BS level is off the charts, as Joe Torre convinces us that he's stopped thinking of what happened on June 15 as the Tom Seaver Trade and instead views it as the Steve Henderson Trade (many excited allusions to the "new look pitching staff". Also lots of non-Shea set pieces: Joe riding horses with his family; Ed Kranepool criticizing the state of the James Monroe High School ball field while standing amid its rocks and pebbles. They get to 16-year veteran Ed early, which is never a good sign. Inspiring story, however, regarding Jackson Todd's overcoming cancer (with a 'fro that outdoes Doug Flynn's; Flynn's pissed that he can't afford a house in New York), and a little fun with the blackout, if not the looting. Set your DVRs for 1:30 PM Tuesday for another run. If you're of the proper vintage to recall '77, of course you want to miss it. And if you're not, attempt to discern what the fuss is all about.

themetfairy Jun 12 2011 05:37 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

DVR set - thanks Greg!

G-Fafif Jul 03 2011 11:54 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Thursday night. Nine o'clock. 1979. You've been warned...or perhaps dared.

Edgy MD Jul 04 2011 07:46 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Love 1979. I mean, you'd almost have to.

Ashie62 Jul 04 2011 09:00 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

1979, The Mets "Plan 9 form Outer Space" episode.

themetfairy Jul 04 2011 10:18 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

1979 - a Kelvin Chapman season.

Edgy MD Jul 04 2011 10:58 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Yeah, Orosco also debuted breaking camp that year --- like Chapman, it was well years before he was ready.

themetfairy Jul 07 2011 07:55 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

They dedicated a lot of time in the 1979 show to celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Miracle Mets. All things considered, that was a wise decision....

G-Fafif Jul 08 2011 02:28 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Revisiting that season via this film, there wasn't a goddamn thing about the 1979 Mets that wasn't dirt cheap. They had second-rate celebrity softball players, they made the Old-Timers borrow the current team's uniforms, they didn't give the players' kids baseball pants and even that mule looked undernourished. Oh, and a Chevette was parked in the visitors' bullpen all year.

Edgy MD Jul 08 2011 06:55 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

There was nothing second-rate about the celebrity of the Fonz. If anything, what was lame about that game was that the Met wives lost 10-0, despite having ringers like Joe Pignatano and (I think) Ron Swoboda playing for them. There was some bitchy war of words over the name of the mule. The name "Krane-mule" was suggested and Ed, somehow more miffed than honored, countered with the notion that perhaps "De-Mule-et" would be more appropriate. I devoured anything Metly I could and savored it on my tongue it like manna from Heaven, but I remember thinking, "Wow, those are two really terrible puns. Not in a smirking-writy-groan of the metahumorous self-aware punner either --- just simply awful."

G-Fafif Jul 08 2011 03:03 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Edgy DC wrote: There was nothing second-rate about the celebrity of the Fonz. If anything, what was lame about that game was that the Met wives lost 10-0, despite having ringers like Joe Pignatano and (I think) Ron Swoboda playing for them. This wasn't the Fonz year. That was 1978. This was the year of Kevin Dobson, Robert Walden and Kent McCord. Though Carl Weathers made a nice running catch.

Edgy MD Jul 08 2011 03:06 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Oh, then I hear you. Though I'm a big Kent McCord fan. Huge.

Edgy MD Jul 08 2011 03:11 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Cut from the same cloth as Rocky.

G-Fafif Jul 08 2011 03:11 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Kent McCord's show had only been off the air four years when he was invited to romp around Shea. But that's what syndication is for.

Edgy MD Jul 11 2011 05:30 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Pehaps already at work shooting his new show, Gallactica 1980.

G-Fafif Jul 18 2011 11:59 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

SNY to Feature Ralph Kiner! Thursday at 7:00 PM, they celebrate his half-century in the Mets booth. Per Neil Best in Newsday: Among those interviewed are Tom Seaver, Keith Hernandez, Tim McCarver and Kiner, who has a sense of humor about himself and surely won’t mind SNY including some of his famous malapropisms. Kiner also recalls his first (and only) date with Elizabeth Taylor, who soon was gone, goodbye. I can't decide what would have been stranger had somebody told it to me in 1986: That there was an announcer working, even in a limited capacity, who had begun his gig in 1937 (making it fifty seasons for that hypothetical guy) or that Ralph Kiner will still be doing Mets games in 2011.

G-Fafif Aug 21 2011 02:55 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

SNY filling post-postgame time with 1978 film. If Eddie is bitter that Jose/David breaks his hit record, it won't match his resentment at Bobby V taking the bubble-blowing crown.

G-Fafif Aug 21 2011 02:55 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

And John Stearns just identified Craig Swan as "probably the best pitcher on our staff." Suck on it, Zachry.

G-Fafif Aug 25 2011 07:02 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

6:30 tonight, debut of Mets Yearbook: 1981. Don't know if it will be presented in two halves.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Dec 09 2011 07:15 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Not a Yearbook, but good for what ails ya: Matt Franco Game, right now!

G-Fafif Dec 28 2011 01:14 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Friday Mets Yearbook marathon: Nine Hours, Eighteen Yearbooks, starting at 1:30, encompassing all so far produced, save for 1965 and 1978.

Edgy MD Dec 28 2011 01:46 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Good day to get sick.

G-Fafif Dec 30 2011 05:57 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

"Brand new ownership with innovative ideas," Steve Albert promises toward end of 1979 highlight film. If only he'd said, "...about investments!"

G-Fafif Jan 04 2012 05:55 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Thursday night Mets Classic (7:30): Bay sinks Rivera and the MFYs from the golden year of 2011. It's something.

Ceetar Jan 20 2012 07:42 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

G-Fafif wrote: Thursday night Mets Classic (7:30): Bay sinks Rivera and the MFYs from the golden year of 2011. It's something. watching this one now. It sucks. 1-6 homestand, Wright-Davis collision, injuries..bleh Just show me Dickey pitching, Beltran and Reyes being awesome, transition to Duda/young guys being awesome and Reyes more.. bleh. I imagine they're planning to do one every year.

G-Fafif Jan 20 2012 11:53 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Mets Yearbook: 2011, to be rerun tonight at 6 and Wednesday at 2:30 PM, is a well-meaning attempt to capture a fraction of the spirit of the old highlight films. It's missing the spectacular cheesiness that marked basically all of them from the early '60s to the early '80s, but the team being featured can certainly hold its own against the 1963 and 1982 editions (rim shot!). Undermining the Guys!-narrated production is its surfeit of journalistic integrity, not pretending, for example, that Reyes and Beltran never existed while banging the drum for Jackson Todd...I mean Zack Wheeler. Plenty of Reyes and Beltran, actually...to the point, really, where I was getting bummed out all over again that there'll be none in 2012. It occurs to me what was missing (besides the sense of fun the filter of hindsight attaches to stuff like this) was the ol' "it's always a great time at the ballgame!" factor. Every one of those darn films told us how great Helmet Day, Dairylea Day, Whatever Day (and, of course, Banner Day) was. The Mets didn't do enough of these in 2011 but they did their share of giveaways. They had fans in the stands wearing wacky getups...or at least colorful team apparel. SNY didn't overly propagandize the 77-85 Mets but it feels like the script went through the Department of Whimsy before it could get to a screen near you. Record it, save it for a few years and watch it again when 2011 holds the same impossible nostalgic appeal that 1978 does now.

Benjamin Grimm Mar 19 2012 02:57 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

I just watched Mets Yearbook for the first time ever. It was the 1965 edition. A few observations: [list]Shea Stadium as I first knew it, green and park-like. No loudspeakers, no garishness. The Astrodome with grass! The Cincinnati Reds with the players' names on the back of the uniform, just above the belt and below the uniform number. Yogi Berra presenting a cow with a Mets jersey. The centerfield fence at Williamsport had the following message painted on it in big white letters: ATTEND THE CHURCH OF YOUR CHOICE EVERY SUNDAY. (In other words, we don't care what religion you are, but it better be Christian!) Ron Swoboda and Tug McGraw visit the set of Bonanza and schmooze with Lorne Green and Michael Landon. Ron Swoboda has the nickname of "Robust Ron." A weird-looking Shea Stadium cake presented to an absent Casey Stengel after his broken hip. Lindsey Nelson tells us that someday a superstar will come along and lead the Mets to a World Series, and it might be me![/list:u]

G-Fafif Apr 17 2012 03:23 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

A new Mets Yearbook arrives from 1985, Wednesday at 7:00 PM, reairing Thursday at 1:30 PM. Prediction: SNY will/did not pay for the rights to use Scandal, Blues Brothers, Nils Lofgren, Buffalo Springfield or Springsteen, all of which made "No Surrender" so awesome and, yes, cheesy in its day. But McCarver narrates and the Mets still don't surrender.

Edgy MD Apr 17 2012 07:09 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

I'm not sure what we're talking about. Is this "No Surrender" by Springsteen?

G-Fafif Apr 18 2012 04:06 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

"No Surrender" was the name of the 1985 film, and used said song as its theme.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Apr 18 2012 04:05 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

What is this Adam Schein, and why does he say such stupid, loud things?

G-Fafif Apr 18 2012 08:09 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Good thing Roe v. Wade has never been overturned because SNY performed an abortion on the 1985 highlight film.

G-Fafif May 15 2012 12:08 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

This one's so big that even the New York Times noticed...Mets Yearbook: 1962, Thursday night at 8:00 and again at 10:00. Not a year in review, but the preview that was filmed during the very first Spring Training. WOW! one assumes (since Snigh his less likely to cutting to ribbons earlier films than the later versions). To Mets fans who bleed Orange and Blue, the video, which will be broadcast for the first time on SNY Thursday at 8 p.m., is a precious time capsule. Filmed before the Mets had played an exhibition game, the Mets were still undefeated and fans could dream that George Weiss, the team’s stuffy president, had a plan to produce a contender. To sports fans, the show, which is called “1962 Yearbook,” is a wonderful example of how sports was covered a half-century ago, complete with fawning announcers, eager players and a lack of whiz-bang technology that predominates on sports networks these days. Same night at 7 PM and 9 PM, SNY airs thir 50 Greatest Mets show.

Ceetar May 17 2012 06:38 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

I enjoyed that one. '62.

themetfairy May 17 2012 08:23 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

I LOVE the clip of the guy in catching gear wearing #43 who not only misses catching the fly ball, but then falls to the ground after the failed attempt. It was a sign of the season to come, and friggin' hysterical!

John Cougar Lunchbucket May 18 2012 06:02 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Best part of that show I saw were the accents of the writers interviewing Weiss.

Ceetar May 18 2012 06:11 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Best part of that show I saw were the accents of the writers interviewing Weiss. and then being nearly beaned by an errant throw/hit

batmagadanleadoff May 18 2012 11:52 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Link below to the list of SNY's 50 greatest Mets, which first aired yesterday. http://metspolice.com/2012/05/18/review ... -the-list/

Edgy MD May 18 2012 12:09 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

John Franco is the guy everybody seems to hate because every seems to like or something.

metirish May 18 2012 12:28 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Christ 49. Bobby Bonilla. As I said in the walk-up to this special, if you played more than two seasons you’re probably on the list. Luckilly Bobby’s part of the special was shorter than it took you to read this sentence. I caught a snippet of this and the narrator is the guy that did all those VH1 shows?

G-Fafif May 18 2012 12:42 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Every adult was old in 1962, yet nobody noticed because Casey was so wonderfully lavishly ancient. He's about a dozen years younger in this film than my dad is now and he's waaaaaaay older.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr May 18 2012 12:53 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

I can't tell you how glad I am to (A) have been too young to live through the stupid fucking Kingman years (even if it means my missing the Steve Henderson game) and (B) the SNY guys actually stuck him somewhere near where his performance-- rather than his being a Freakshow attraction during a down period-- should slot him. Fuck Kingman. FUCK Kingman. Kingman Should Be Fucked. Also... all due respect to the Kid, but there's no way-- NO WAY-- he tops Alfonzo, Mookie, Darling, Cleon, Grote, HoJo, or Leiter (or Matlack, or Sid, or Tug). He was a hell of a guy, and a hell of a get, but if you wipe the '86 sheen from your eyes and look at him, he's barely a top-20 Met-performance guy. Also also... I love Keith, but come on.

Edgy MD May 18 2012 01:04 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Fuck Kingman. FUCK Kingman. Kingman Should Be Fucked. You, off the bus.

G-Fafif May 18 2012 01:46 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

I can't tell you how glad I am to (A) have been too young to live through the stupid fucking Kingman years (even if it means my missing the Steve Henderson game) and (B) the SNY guys actually stuck him somewhere near where his performance-- rather than his being a Freakshow attraction during a down period-- should slot him. Fuck Kingman. FUCK Kingman. Kingman Should Be Fucked. Also... all due respect to the Kid, but there's no way-- NO WAY-- he tops Alfonzo, Mookie, Darling, Cleon, Grote, HoJo, or Leiter (or Matlack, or Sid, or Tug). He was a hell of a guy, and a hell of a get, but if you wipe the '86 sheen from your eyes and look at him, he's barely a top-20 Met-performance guy. Also also... I love Keith, but come on. The Kingman Years (which weren't really the Kingman Years, or at least not the darkest period, as his trade was an almost incidental signpost that things were getting much worse): Ya hadta be there. The post-Kingman years (after Kingman II, that is) were that much better because we'd lived through them. I wouldn't recommend them, but if they happened to you, they're charming with a heaping helping of hindsight. (And if you didn't live through Kingman, why such harsh fuckage?) The countdown and Carter: I'm wary of getting riled up by these things because unless you're going to apply nothing but strict statistical formulas (which is a spreadsheet, not a show), then it's all touch and feel. The Mets experience is mostly touch and feel as is. And at the risk of truthiness, giving Carter the benefit of the touch and feel doubt feels more right than wrong. What you did, when you did it, the circumstances surrounding what you did and the mark what you did left says a lot to me in crafting historical perspective. Carter gets points for all of that, even if his performance began sliding in year three of his contract and crashed by year five. That '86 sheen is justifiably powerful stuff. When Carter was inducted in the Mets HOF in 2001, the Post ran his all-time ranking on various Mets offensive lists. Hey, I thought, he's not particularly high on any of them. And it didn't stop me for one second from thinking his induction was richly deserved as is his "Mount Rushmore of that era" Met status, as Howie put it in the show. And Keith too.

Vic Sage May 18 2012 02:21 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Kong was fun at a time when there was little fun to be had at Shea. He was an early exemplar of the 3 perfect outcomes, along with Brewers like Rob Deer and Gorman Thomas. But all that fuckage you hurled at Kingman i would heartily endorse if you substituted, instead, Kevin McReynolds... "Fuck Kevin. FUCK Kevin. Kevin Should Be Fucked." yeah, that works for me.

G-Fafif Jun 26 2012 07:08 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

7 PM tonight (Tuesday), Mets Yearbook: 1983 debuts...as does Darryl Strawberry and, for our purposes, Keith Hernandez.

G-Fafif Jul 01 2012 08:05 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Fourth of July, 6:30 PM...Mets Yearbook: 1964. I hear a ballpark opens.

themetfairy Jul 01 2012 08:14 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Fourth of July, 6:30 PM...Mets Yearbook: 1964. I hear a ballpark opens. Excellent - DVR set! As always, thanks Greg :)

G-Fafif Aug 20 2012 12:31 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Thursday night, 8/23, 6:30 PM: Mets Yearbook: 1974. An aberration in the generally pleasing .500+ era during which several 'Poolers came of rooting age or, given the organizational that was setting in, a harbinger of the ill times ahead? I doubt Ralph, Lindsey or Bob will get that deep. If I recall, the postseason trip to Japan takes up a lot of airtime, as Joe Torre dons the blue and orange for the first time and Yogi Berra is greeted by somebody in a kimono. Good times, 71-91 record notwithstanding.

G-Fafif Aug 21 2012 11:29 AM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

DVR/live viewing reminder drowning in a sea of Schaefer: Mets Yearbook: 1974, Thursday night at 6:30.

G-Fafif Sep 29 2012 08:56 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Thursday, 7:30 -- Mets Yearbook: 1987, a.k.a. At the Ballpark with Frank Cashen and Keith Hernandez (as Siskel and Ebert, or so I'm told). This leaves the unaired eps down to one, 1986, which if it airs, will be gutted to avoid musical licensing fees. (It can be watched here.)

themetfairy Oct 05 2012 03:33 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

The sound quality of 1987 was hard to deal with - the Cashen/Keith stuff was barely audible, and the rest of it blasted!

Ceetar Oct 05 2012 08:27 PM Re: SNY to Feature Best Years, Worst Years, All Years

Thursday, 7:30 -- Mets Yearbook: 1987, a.k.a. At the Ballpark with Frank Cashen and Keith Hernandez (as Siskel and Ebert, or so I'm told). This leaves the unaired eps down to one, 1986, which if it airs, will be gutted to avoid musical licensing fees. (It can be watched here.) if that's all the ones from the past, I propose they start airing some of the future ones. 2035 Mets!