Deep Into The Night! Mets Win It!

This weekend my wife had a bit of a sit-down with me, saying that my daily, five-hour affair with the Mets was draining on her. I assured her that she was exaggerating, because Mets games usually didn't even go past 3 and a half hours. I knew why it seemed like five hours, though. Before each game I would spend forty-five minutes reading blogs, ESPN, and anywhere else I could get info, then I'd watch part of the pregame, the game, and after the game I'd spend time blogging, reading other blogs, and when all was said and done I'm sure the total time approached five hours. I promised her I'd cut back on the pre-and post- game rituals, and find a way to make the Mets games less intrusive on our marriage.

One part of my plan was a feature on SNY called Mets Fast Forward. They condense a three hour game into a one hour program. It usually airs at 5 am, but if I TiVo it I can watch a game the next morning in about forty-five minutes by skipping past commercials, etc.

Last night I watched the first few inning of the game, live, long enough to see David Wright's homer and to see that Trachsel wasn't terrific. I then left the set to record and watched a movie, Match Point, with my wife. Match Point was an enjoyable, but long movie. Once it was over we got ready for bed, and I planned on getting up early to watch the condensed game, but before I could go to sleep the curiosity got the best of me and I went to the computer to check the score. I was very surprised to see on Mets.com that the game was still going on, and that it was 8-8 in the ninth, with a comeback rally capped by a Jose Reyes homerun. I briefly considered going to bed anyway, but really there was no way I was going to miss what happened.

Aside from Beltran's shot, it was worth staying up late to hear an exhausted Gary Cohen screw up a call in the 14th inning. Clif Floyd hit a ball to center that didn't even reach the warning track and Gary called it like it was a game-winner. Ron Darling and Keith Hernandez were howling, making fun of him. It was so funny, and I doubt it made the Mets Fast Forward show.

I finally stumbled to bed at around 12:30, thrilled I got to see Beltran's game-winning shot. Gary Cohen's call was perfect, as usual, and in total, the game lasted five and half hours, proving my wife right yet again.