Billy Joel is a Jerk (Part II)

I got a couple angry comments to my recent post, "Billy Joel is a Jerk." Yeah, I admit, I have a love/hate relationship with the guy. I love him because I grew up with his music, and as a Long Islander he's practically a local hero. On the other hand I hate him because he's eschewed pop music (for dubious reasons) and he's become a greedy bastard who milks his fans for every penny.

He gave me more ammo recently when it was announced that he'd be performing the last concert ever at Shea Stadium. Tickets went on sale, and sold out in like an hour or something. So what did they do? Added a second show, of course! Meaning, those 50,000 people who bought tickets to what they thought was the Last Concert Ever At Shea Stadium suddenly found themselves with tickets to... The Second-To-Last Concert Ever at Shea Stadium. Nice.

"Forgiveable," people said to me. It's nothing to get worked up about. I just have a bias against the guy and will look for any reason to dis him, they said. OK. It's going to be the same concert anyway, right? Yeah, except until the concerts actually happened.

The Wednesday night show, according to a friend of mine who was there, featured an overweight, out-of-breath, "pumpkin-headed" Joel who was barely able to hit the notes. But the stage looked cool. And there were special guests! A group of A-minus list pop stars like John Mellencamp, the overrated John Mayer, and Don Henley. OK, not bad.

Until Friday night rolls around. Same pumpkin-head, same stage... But the special guests? A little different. How about Roger Daltrey, Garth Brooks, Steven Tyler, and... Paul F*ckin McCartney. Are you kidding me? Are you KIDDING Me. Everyone knows The Beatles performance at Shea Stadium (the first concert ever at Shea) in 1965 is one of the most famous concerts of all time, and who better to put a lid on the whole thing than Sir Paul himself. (Yes, McCartney was in a band before Wings) Holy moly. So, you still don't think the Wednesday-nighters got ripped off?

Transplanted ex-Met Carlos Gomez hurt while making catch

Carlos Gomez sustained a lower back injury when he crashed into the padded wall while making a catch in yesterdays Twins game against the Indians. Making a long chase after a Ben Francisco fly ball, Gomez jumped, caught the ball, and slammed into the outfield wall. He crumpled on the warning track and spent several minutes writhing in pain before he was immobilized on a backboard, loaded on a cart and transported to a Cleveland hospital. Gomez returned to the ballpark about 10 minutes after the end of the game, saying he "never had so much pain in my life," An MRI came back negative.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/8379808/Twins%27-Gomez-hurt-while-making-catch

Sign Ollie!!

The friggin Junkees traded for Transplanted X-Met Xavier Nady, the right-handed bat the Mets have been missing ever since they traded him for Oliver Perez and Bert Hernandez a few seasons ago.

After a mind-wrenching, several-seasons-long stretch of alternating brilliant/horrible starts, O'Perez finally has found his groove, mere months away from free agency.  In April and May we were wondering if the Mets should try to sign him to a contract.  Even though lefthanders with his stuff aren't easy to come by, his inconsistency drove us to agita so often that we were just about ready to be done with him.  Well, the time has come to grit our teeth and overpay for the Scott Boras client.  He's a lefty, he can dominate the Phillies (and Junkees), and he's young.  And yesterday sealed the deal:  signing O'Perez is the only way we can stomach seeing our boy Nady (whose jersey was hung up in the Mets dugout during the 2006 playoff run to honor the player who had to be traded because Duaner Sanchez's favorite restaurant didn't deliver) play right field for the friggin Junkees every day.

You hear me, Omar????!!!  Sign Oliver Perez! 

I'm headed to Shea tonight to see the FIRST PLACE METS take on the Cardinals.  The Brandon Knight era begins.  I think this guy is technically a rookie, since he's only been in 11 games in his career, even though he's closing in on his 33rd birthday.  Hope the bullpen is rested.  Yes, they are.  Thank you Mike Pelfrey!