Arsenal Stars Turn on the Team, Reality Sets in as Replace-Mets Begin an August Swoon

Arsenal's disastrous collapse that began with last February's Carling Cup defeat to Birmingham has become a lingering funk that has brought about a sense of uncertainty and angst amongst supporters that has lasted well in to the summer, the pre-season and now the beginning of the new campaign.  Add to that the fact that the media and pundits have been piling on with gloom and doom scenarios regarding Arsenal and Arsene Wenger.  Suffice it to say that it was a summer of discontent for Gooners everywhere as their beloved Arsenal seemed to be under attack from all directions.

As for the transfer market, Wenger brought in striker Gervinho from Lille, defender Carl Jenkinson from Charlton and "Alex" Oxlade-Chamberlain from Southampton.  Outside of Gervinho, fans were less than satisfied and wondering when Wenger was going to splash the cash and land the star players that the team needs to fill in their holes.  Instead of signings, Arsenal fans have witnessed an ongoing exit of squad players...Eboue to Galatasary, Vela loaned out to Real Sociedad (I still don't understand why he doesn't get playing time with Arsenal), Clichy left to join the oil barons in Manchester and Denilson was loaned out to Sao Paulo.  Meanwhile, players that fans wanted to depart...Almunia, Bendtner and the much despised and useless Squillaci still remain.

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Another troubling element of the Arsenal pre-season saw two major players depart the team following prolonged transfer sagas which played out like soap operas.  In my opinion both players were selfish and one in particular was outrageously classless. 

The Barca boys club always wanted Cesc to join them

Everyone knew that Cesc Fabregas wanted to return to his boyhood club Barcelona one day.  However, he signed for Arsenal at the age of 16 and manager Arsene Wenger brought him through the ranks to the point where he was team captain and the focal point of a major European club.  Yet, his incestuous Barcelona buddies continually courted him in the press and at Spanish team events.  It was almost as if there was some bizarre Barca love in going on. 

Cesc played coy throughout the long winded affair and instead of speaking up, hid behind the headlines.  In the end, Cesc was respectful and thankful to Arsene Wenger & the fans in his departure.  It may be just my opinion, but I have to question why a very young player who has been put in a powerful position with a major team and has the chance to become a legend, would give it up to go home to a team where he will be just another piece of the puzzle in a star studded team.  I feel that Fabregas owed more to Arsenal and Arsene Wenger in particular.

Judas "It's not about the money" Nasri

The Samir Nasri transfer is probably the most ugly and disrespectful thing I have witnessed in all my years of supporting Arsenal. (that includes Adebayor, Hleb, Petit, Cashley, etc.)  Arsene Wenger gave Nasri the opportunity to shine on a large scale and in the end, he completely turned his back on the manager, the team, the club and the fans who he seems to have held the most contempt for.  Lots of players switch teams in their careers, but Nasri made his change an ugly and contentious affair taking digs at the manager, the stadium and the fans in the press.  The Nasri situation bothers me more than most would as he was a player that I held in such high regard.  I considered him the new Robert Pires which is truly a compliment.  In the end he proved a disloyal, greedy, two faced fraud.  While Manchester City are flush with money now, Nasri refers to them as a "bigger team" than Arsenal.  Richer, yes.  But bigger, hell no.  In fact as recently as 1998 they were playing in Division Two. They managed to work their way back to the top flight for the 2000-2001 season only to be relegated again.  During City's up and down status, Arsenal were only representing the Premier League in the Champions League every season (and continue to for the 14th straight year).  I hate to wish bad things upon people, but I hope Nasri gets what he deserves.

Of course with these two transfer dragging on, Arsenal did not sign needed players and the pre-season play was totally uninspiring.  This malaise continued in to the start of the new season with a scoreless draw at Newcastle and a red card for Gervinho brought on by Joey "Thug" Barton who violently pulled Gervinho up by the collar and acted as if Muhammed Ali had punched him when Gervinho defended himself from the assault.

Theo's goal sealed Arsenal's progess in to the
Champions League group stages for the 14th season in a row

Then in Arsenal's first home match against Liverpool, the team came up on the short end of a 0-2 result with yet another red card for the exuberant youngster Emmanuel Frimpong.  The press just piled it on with every negative angle they could cover.  Even a 1-0 victory over Udinese in the first leg of their Champions League play in match was picked apart and looked at as a negative result?  Yes, Arsenal won, but the press found fault in their win.  Well, Arsenal showed up all the doubters by going in to Italy and coming away with a solid victory and team performance that once again has put them in Europe's elite tournament.

The transfer window is open for another five days, so fans are hopeful that Wenger will bring in some reinforcements.  Regardless, true Gooners stay loyal while frauds like Nasri jump on the money train at the first opportunity.

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As for the Mets, to be fair they have given the fans much more than anyone ever expected coming out of Spring Training.  Depleted by injuries all season long (Reyes, Wright, Niese, Santana, Hairston, Davis, Murphy, Young, Beltran, Pagan, Bay, etc.) and at times fielding a team made up of their AAA squad from Buffalo they have remained competitive and really given the fans some hope for the future.  I've said it before, but this team that was supposed to be horrible, played better, were more likable and were more exciting to watch than the Mets teams of 2007 and 2008 that were supposed to be good.

Lately the Mets have been losing more than winning, but rookies like Dillon Gee, Justin Turner and Lucas Duda look like players for the future, while old timers like R.A. Dickey and Jason Isringhausen have brought great attitudes and leadership to a team that needed it.  Of course the fact that the cornerstones of the current Mets franchise, David Wright and Jose Reyes, remain with the team is a plus moving forward.

With just over a month to go in the season, the Mets are currently six games under .500, which in itself is pretty amazing.  They have hovered around the .500 mark all year long and if they can finish the season strong they will have achieved more than anyone could have hoped for.  In fact, Spring Training 2012 is now something to look forward to.

2011 Mets have given their fans more than was expected

London is burning, Arsenal fans are asking questions and the Mets are surprising everyone

The footage out of London this week is truly horrifying and disturbing.  One of the greatest modern cities in the world is being terrorized by groups of opportunistic disenfranchised thugs with no regards for anyone but themselves.The images of businesses being looted and set aflame, regular citizens being mugged and terrorized and a police force unable to contain the madness are shocking.  Now it's spread to other cities in the country as lawlessness has become chic.

While I've been to London many times and know the city pretty well, I can't understand how something like this could be allowed to escalate to the point where businesses and offices are closing early, people are locking themselves in their houses and scheduled events are being cancelled.  While I am totally anti-gun, in this instance the British police force should be armed and taking control over this situation.

Obviously there are social issues that have ignited this violence, but the path chosen by these hooligans to express their outrage does not merit a dialogue.  It takes real geniuses to destroy their own neighborhoods and thus make the economic troubles they already face even worse. These idiots should be dealt with using force and heavy handed policing as they have lost their right to be treated with dignity.

Of course these morons are causing the start of the football season to be affected.  Several Carling Cup matches have been postponed as has England's friendly versus Holland at Wembley.  No decision has been made about the opening round of fixtures in the EPL this weekend, but the fact that this is taking away from what should be an exciting week for football fans is ridiculous.

But enough about these dopes.  Us Arsenal fans have other worries.  While I'll always support my team and remain optimistic, this off season has pretty much been a train wreck.  With three days to go before the start of the season (unless the rioters continue to wreak havoc), the Arsenal squad is looking thin and totally unsettled.

New signing Gervinho, proud to wear the Arsenal shirt

Arsene Wenger has not addressed a number of glaring problems with the squad; specifically the team's weak defense.  With Gael Clichy taking the money of the Man City oil barons and the less than stellar performances by Squillaci, Eboue and Djourou and relative newbies in Gibbs and Jenkinson there doesn't appear to be any improvement.  While the transfer window stays open until the end of the month, the season starts NOW.  If a defender does come in, it's going to take time for that player to gel with the team.  Why the long wait?

The no loyalty twins, Fabregas & Nasri

Then of course is the never ending Cesc and Nasri sagas.  My opinion...they are both major disappointments.  Fabregas is 24 and the captain of a major European team that made him a star. Poor baby wants to leave to go hang out with his buddies in Barcelona where he won't get to play every game and will just be another piece of the puzzle instead of the leading man.  Then there's Nasri.  I thought this guy was going to be another Robert Pires, instead he's another Adebayor.  Any respect I had for this player is gone and it's a real sad statement on the state of sport today.  To turn your back on the man and club that put you on the map and the fans that sang your name week in and week out, solely for more money than one person can spend is downright gross.  Plus, his assertion that he wants to win trophies so he needs to leave is hysterical as he was a part of the reason that Arsenal didn't win trophies.  Nasri it turns out is just another greedy mercenary.

So, with three days to go, both are still on the Arsenal roster as are Nicklas Bendtner and Manuel Almunia who should both be leaving.  It seems crazy to me to go in to a new season with a squad that is still not settled or complete.

The more pleasant surprise comes from the most unlikely of places...the New York Mets.  Going in to the season Mets fans had very low expectations and were prepared for a miserable and embarrassing season.  Since going to the NLCS in 2006 the franchise has been on a continual downward spiral.  Add to that, ace pitcher Johan Santana has been out all season, Reyes is on the DL for the second time, Ike Davis is out for the year, David Wright and Angel Pagan have both missed time with injuries and now this week Daniel Murphy goes down for the rest of the year.  Of course the trade of Carlos Beltran to San Francisco depleted the roster of another key player.

New manager Terry Collins deserves a ton of credit as he has had to use tons of minor league call ups and other assorted castoffs in order to field a team every night.  No one expected much from the "Replace-Mets" and if they had faded in to baseball oblivion no one would have been surprised.

The "Replace-Mets" pull out a comeback win

Instead, something else has happened.  This band of spare parts has been bringing fans back to the ballpark and showing fight and tenacity that better Mets teams never were able to produce.  Take Monday night's game for example; when Pelfrey and the bullpen were once again ineffective and gave away a 4-1 lead to the weak hitting Padres.  Unbelievably, this collection of misfits (like the land of misfit toys from Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer) overcame an 8-4 deficit in their last two at bats with Lucas Duda providing the game winning walk off single for a 9-8 win.

Then tonight, the Mets were down 4-2 in the 8th inning and again found a way to come back and secure a 5-4 victory.  Mets teams of the past few years, with better players and higher expectations rarely came through in these situations.

The Mets have been hovering at the .500 mark for weeks now, but that in itself is amazing.  While trophies may be important in sports, sometimes just playing the game hard and giving your fans something to cheer for is enough.  Despite the low expectations of fans at the start of the season and all the injuries that have continually gripped this team, the 2011 New York Mets have been fun, exciting and most of all likeable.

Vindication - Football, a.k.a. Soccer Comes to the Home of the New York Mets

It's true, soccer at the home of the Mets

I apologize in advance for going a bit off subject, but I promise that this rant will be worth it. (Plus, the game in question took place at Citi Field where the Mets play and I saw several folks wearing Arsenal jerseys so it's somewhat on topic).

I used to work at the biggest sports talk radio station in the country (no I was not on the air) and in the five years that I was there the sport of soccer was barely given any attention.  In fact the area's local MLS team was ignored to the extent that even the scores of their games weren't announced.  It was as if the city's professional soccer franchise and the sport itself didn't exist.



"Real" U.S. soccer fans of all ages

 The know it alls at this station called soccer boring and only popular with foreigners and kids. While I love "America's pastime" of baseball, it's ironic that the same folks who talk non stop about everything baseball would call soccer boring.  If you really look closely at the game of baseball, (even though I love it) it can be extremely boring.  While in baseball there are constant time outs, trips to the mound, pick off attempts, stepping in and out of the batter's box, etc. the game of soccer is non stop action for 90 plus minutes.  While fat tubby guys like Bartolo Colon and Prince Fielder are playing baseball, soccer players have to be athletes in top condition in order to keep up with the pace of their sport.

Maybe us Americans just like high scoring games and soccer matches are often tightly contested.  Perhaps if every touchdown that Peyton Manning threw only counted for one point rather than 6, American football wouldn't be as popular.  Imagine the Colts beating the Patriots 3-2 instead of 21-14.  Would that make football boring too?  After all as the Wall Street Journal reported, while an NFL game is 60 minutes long, in reality there is a grand total of 11 minutes of action.  Add in the commercials, time outs and half time and your average 60 minute football game lasts 3 hours, yet contains only 11 minutes of play.

While working at the radio station I often tried to check out what was going on in Champions League matches on one of the station's many newsroom televisions. I was pretty much laughed at and usually the channel would be changed to horse racing or something "more suitable".

The radio station's office was located in an area known for its high Greek population.  After the final match of Euro 2004 ended I made a bet with a couple of co-workers that if we went outside we would hear horns honking and people cheering within 5 minutes.  The bet was accepted and sure enough cars were driving by with men waving Greek flags and horns were honking like crazy.  Of course that was dismissed as something that only the local Greeks cared about.

While the rest of the planet was following the 2006 World Cup in Germany, the radio station pretty much just mentioned the scores of the games in brief updates.

Eventually I was able to get one of the more open minded on air hosts to come with me to check out an Arsenal vs. Manchester United match at Nevada Smiths.  At the time, Nevada Smiths was one of the only bars in New York that showed live soccer.  In fact to this day, Nevada Smiths uses the tag line, "Where football is religion". 

Due to the 5 hour time difference, we entered Nevada Smiths at 2:30 in the afternoon and as I expected, the place was packed with folks wearing Arsenal and Man. U jerseys.  As we squeezed in to find a spot, the singing began, the pints were flowing and I could tell that my guest was beginning to sense the passion and the meaning of the game to these fans.  While I can't recall the final score (I'm sure Arsenal won), as we left the still packed Nevada Smiths and emerged in to the late afternoon sunlight, the radio host told me that he loved the experience and defnitely got a better understanding of the sport and its fans.

Becks, more than just a pretty face

One of the most arrogant know it all hosts at the station, begrudgingly allowed MLS Commissioner Don Garber on air for an interview when the news of David Beckham coming to the states first hit.  It was probably the only time the sport had received more than a passing mention on air in the station's history.  I'm pretty sure it happened only because Beckham is a celebrity and on the pages of gossip magazines...not because he played soccer.

While this particular station continues to this date to ignore the sport of soccer in its own city, country and around the world in favor of baseball, NFL football, basketball and sometimes hockey (they don't really think anyone cares about hockey that much either), soccer has taken off big time in the U.S.


The NY area is now home to one of
the world's greatest soccer stars
Arsenal legend, Thierry Henry



• Major League Soccer has continued to grow with regular expansion in to new markets: Seattle, Philadelphia, Vancouver, Portland and Montreal in 2012, with increasing attendance and a clear plan for continued growth.
• Big name players have come to the states to play in MLS: Beckham, Henry, Angel, Márquez, Ljungberg while MLS players have gone on to Europe and succeded: Donovan, Friedel, Dempsey, Holden,  Altidore, Edu.
• Here in New York (sorry New Jersey) the Red Bulls have a beautiful brand new soccer specific stadium and a growing fan base.
• The US Men's national team topped their group at last summer's World Cup (sorry England) and stirred up a bit of soccer fever throughout the country.
• Most recently the Women's national team, yes the women, were being talked about everywhere, were all over the television and the entire country was caught up in their run to the final.
• Fans no longer have to head to a pub at 7 a.m. to see a game as Fox Soccer Channel has become a staple of cable television and even ESPN has begun to broadcast EPL and Champions League games along with their MLS coverage..
• On a typical weekend, soccer fans in the states have viewing access from home to about 5-6 EPL games, 2-3 La Liga and Serie A games, the occasional Bundesliga, Eredivisie and Ligue 1 match as well as Mexican league games and some South American games.
• This year's Champions League final was broadcast on Fox, yes national network coverage of the European championship in the U.S.



Fergie in New Jersey
2 things I never thought
would go together

• This year's MLS All Star Game with Manchester United at Red Bull Arena was a sell out with tickets being scalped for as much as $300.
• Each summer more international superstar filled teams continue to come to the U.S. for exhibition matches (and of course to sell merchandise) and play to large crowds.  This summer's World Football Challenge featuring teams such as Barcelona, Manchester United and Real Madrid includes 14 matches in cities across the U.S. and Canada.

Which leads to the match that I attended this past Tuesday at Citi Field, the home of baseball's New York Mets.  Club America of Mexico met Juventus of Italy as part of the World Football Challenge in conjunction with MLS.

While in my past life (when money was falling off of trees in the years prior to 2008) I used to get press passes and backstage credentials all the time, in my new recession life these type of perks have been much rarer.  Thus, I was thrilled when I was approved for a media credential for the match.  Along with the free food, following a sporting event from the press box is the way to go.  The stats are distributed the key plays are announced and of course you're protected from the elements (in this case there was a torrential downpour and lightning storm).



Holy crap, Buffon on the same field
where the Mets play?  Wow.

 The atmosphere inside the stadium was fantastic and despite not being a sellout, supporters of both teams made so much noise with fans decked out in team jerseys, carrying banners and even some vuvuzelas left over from South Africa.

When speaking with groups of fans for my game coverage, every single one of them was from the New York and New Jersey area and were thrilled to be able to see the team that they follow in their own backyard.  I truly felt vindicated and saw real proof that the know it all sports radio talking heads are missing the boat on the most popular sport in the world.  Yes, it's true...regular people, citizens of our very own country, in our very own city and surrounding areas are interested in soccer!!!!!!!!!!!!

As for the article, if you're interested, here it is.

Becks takes a corner in front of a SOLD OUT out NY
crowd.  Maybe there's something to this "boring" sport

Next post will be back on track about Arsenal and the New York Mets.

Arsenal and the Mets: Waiting for the Changes

Carlos Beltran may not be a Met for much longer

It's been a pretty suprising season so far for the much maligned New York Mets.  With the Maddoff scandal hanging over the heads of the Wilpons and little money to spend heading in to the season Mets fans braced themselves for six months of misery.  Adding to these less than stellar expectations were injuries to star pitcher Johan Santana and unexpected stints on the DL for David Wright, Ike Davis, Jason Bay and Jose Reyes.  With all the casualties, the Mets have at times fielded a lineup that resembled their AAA franchise, Buffalo Bison including Justin Turner, Ruben Tejada, Lucas Duda, Jason Pridie and Dillon Gee.

While not running away with the division by any means, the 2011 New York Mets have been a gritty, tough bunch that have been a lot of fun to watch.  In fact, this team that was expected to be terrible plays harder and with more pride than the 2007-2008 Mets teams that were expected to win. 

Josey Reyes is putting up MVP numbers and Carlos Beltran has quietly been going about his business and getting some major hits.  On the pitching side, Jonathan Niese and Dillon Geen have stepped in to the roles of dependable starters after supposed "ace" Mike Pelfrey has proven that he's simply not that good.

With the trading deadline approaching and the Mets not really in the playoff picture, it's inevitable that some players won't be on the roster come next week.  While early talk was of Reyes being the big chip in the trade market, Mets fans made their voices heard loud and clear and hopefully management has listened.  The player most likely to go is Beltran.  While he never quite lived up to the expectations he came with and will forever be remembered for his strikeout with the bases loaded to end game 7 of the 2006 NLCS, Beltran handled himself like a pro and will definitely be missed.  Hopefully the Mets will get some real prospects in return as the team's record with trades is less than stellar. 

While there may be some other moves, true Mets fans expect David Wright and Jose Reyes to still be Mets come August 1st.  Let the rebuilding begin.

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Of course it's not about the money

More troubling to me is the uncertainty and changes taking place at Arsenal.  One of the biggest and most successful clubs in all of English football yet this off season has brought nothing by negative stories.  From Clichy heading to money bags Man City and taking a swipe at Arsenal in the process, to Nasri snubbing Arsenal and seemingly holding out for the highest bidder and of course the neverending Barcelona lovefest with Cesc Fabregas its been nothing but negativity and who's leaving.

While I may be accused of believing in the tooth fairy and Santa Claus, the total disrespect and lack of gratitude being shown to Arsenal Football Club and Arsene Wenger by players he made in to stars is horrible.  I understand players have a short playing career and need to look out for their best interests, but the greed and disloyalty being displayed is disgusting.  Arsenal is one of the most valuable sports teams in the world and these ungrateful mercenaries are treating it like it's a pub team.

Arsene who? Show me the money.

Meanwhile, fans are grumbling about the lack of quality players coming in and doubt is starting to creep in.  The mighty Arsenal is being subjected to abuse by the "mean girls" of the EPL (ManUre, Sheik City and Chel$ki) as well as the "well respected" British press.

Despite all this, I still believe in Arsene Wenger and I hope that he gets to have the last laugh at all his detractors this season.

Summer happenings: Arsenal rumour mill and Mets play respectable baseball

Man City's Sheikh

Once the European football season ends "The Silly Season" officially begins.  This is the time when fans are bombarded with rumours, speculation, half truths and a constant barrage of transfer gossip that may or may not have any validity.  Teams looking to bring in players and those looking to offload are busy during the summer months looking for the best deals that will make their squads' stronger.

Arsenal are no different than the rest. However, what has made this a frustrating and often infuriating summer so far is the nastiness and vitriol being thrown at the team and manager Arsene Wenger.  If all the stories that have been printed were true, it would seem that Arsenal would have no players left other than Sebastien Squillaci, Marouane Chamakh, Abou Diaby and a couple of ball boys.  I can certainly understand why The News of the World got shut down as most of the British tabloids are pure crap.  Here are just a few examples:

Samir Nasri Arsenal or mercenary?

• According to The Sun Samir Nasri has signed for Manchester City, while today's Telegraph has Nasri heading to Manchester United.  Meanwhile The Guardian says Arsenal will do everything to keep Nasri.

• As reported in the journalistic masterpiece that is the Daily Star, Robin Van Persie wants to leave Arsenal.

• Metro, the free paper that exists solely to sell advertising, has Theo Walcott quitting Arsenal.

• The Daily Mirror is just one of the many papers that have had Andre Arshavin heading out to join: Chelsea, Juventus and Zenit St. Petersburg

Then of course there's the never ending Cesc Fabregas soap opera of will he rejoin his pals at Barcelona or will he stay at the club he currently captains.


Add to all these "tips" and "rumours" the constant Arsenal bashing of the press and you would think that Arsenal were Derby County of 2007-2008.  It's crazy.  This is one of the most successful football clubs in all of England and yes, they haven't won a trophy in 6 years, but they are always challenging for them.  Plus, let's be honest, a lot of teams haven't won a trophy since before most of us were born. 


One journalist who really got it right is John Cross of The Mirror.  What is most frustrating to Arsenal supporters who truly love the club, are players that seem to give up and don't take responsibility for their part in the teams' shortcomings.  This line from his article is spot on, "If Arsenal had won the title, there is no doubt in my mind that Nasri would have signed a new contract. But, at the same time, it's almost laughable when players absolve themselves personally of any blame for their club not winning trophies."


Agreed.  How about stepping up and being a leader for the club that gave you a shot at the big time?  If these players want to be with winners, then they themselves need to be winners.

Captain or join the boys club?

Cesc Fabregas has been great with Arsenal, but this love affair with Barcelona and their obnoxious players is ridiculous.  Be careful what you wish for Cesc as you may not get the playing time you are used to and you certainly won't be "the man" as you are at Arsenal.  In fact, you'll probably end up as a squad player.  I cannot understand a young player that has been given the captaincy of one of the biggest teams in Europe and is loved by the fans, throwing it all away so he can "hang out with his friends."  He may regret this decision,


Arsenal fans on Twitter are all united in their love for the club.  It's disappointing when a player that the fans have supported and sang songs for suddenly loses that passion once buckets of money and promises of glory are dangled in front of them.  This truly is "The Silly Season."
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Switching gears, the 2011 New York Mets have thus far been surprising over achievers.  They will head in to this week's All Star Break with a record over .500 and have earned a degree of respectability from those around the league.  What's amazing is they have done this without regular players David Wright, Ike Davis, Johan Santana and most recently Jose Reyes.  Somehow the replace"mets" have shown some fight and the oft maligned Carlos Beltran has morphed in to the team's leader.

Justin Turner has arrived

Lucas Duda, Justin Turner, Dillon Gee, Jason Pridie and Ruben Tejada have all contributed to making the Mets a gritty, hard nosed team that is fun to watch.


The Mets' recent road trip to Oakland, Texas and Detroit for inter league play looked pretty rough on paper.  However, something amazing happened; the Mets won 2 out of 3 in each series including scoring 14 runs over the Rangers in one game and putting up 14 runs followed by 16 runs in consecutive games against the Tigers.

Don't trade Reyes

Meanwhile, Jose Reyes is having an MVP season thus far: batting .350, 124 hits, 22 doubles, 15 triples and 30 stolen bases.  He has been the player every Mets fan always knew he could be and the Don't Trade Reyes cause has taken off.  Latest news has GM Sandy Alderson listening to the fans. 


While no one really expects the team to make the playoffs this season, new manager Terry Collins and GM Alderson appear to be making the right moves in restoring the Mets' reputation.

Remembering Sorcha, my best friend and fellow Mets and Arsenal supporter

Sorcha the Arsenal and Mets loving Boston Terrier

I love Arsenal and I love the New York Mets and both have given me plenty of joy and heartache over the years.  A recent event, however, has made me realize that the relationship I have with the teams that I follow is completely one sided.  While I might profess to "love" my teams, Arsenal and the Mets are not reaching back to me with gifts and tokens of affection.  While I root for Carlos Beltran to hit home runs and raise his batting average, he isn't worrying about the fact that the recession has affected my employment situation.  Likewise, my admiration for Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas runs deep and my hope is that he will stay on as the team's captain and lead the team to trophies.  However, Fabregas is totally unaware of my everyday life and the problems that I am faced with.  So while I support my teams and stick with them through thick and thin, I realize that love is a bit of a misguided word to express my connection to them.  I am a fan, they offer me a diversion and enjoyment and perhaps a sense of belonging.

Sorcha checks out Arsenal from bed

The reason these thoughts about the bond that I have with the Mets and Arsenal came up this week is because I lost my true best friend and greatest companion.  Sorcha was my beloved Boston Terrier and she gave me the greatest gift anyone can ever receive, unconditional love.  No matter what the day would bring or if I came home feeling as if the world had beaten me up, there was Sorcha rushing to greet me, kiss me and jumping around with crazy excitement at my arrival.  Sorcha was the first dog I ever owned and the love and companionship that I got from her were the greatest gifts I have ever received.  Her sudden and unexpected passing has left me devastated, lost and completely broken hearted.

Sorcha celebrates her Irish roots

Sorcha arrived to stay with me for two weeks in the summer of 2005 as her Irish owners were leaving New York City to return to Ireland during the boom of the Celtic Tiger.  Due to quarantine rules, Sorcha was unable to enter Ireland for another 4 months.  Myself and another family agreed to foster her during this period.  After the initial 2 weeks, I told the other family that I would be happy to watch her for the entire time.  As the months rolled along, Sorcha stole my heart and became a part of my world.  She also became a regular fixture and favorite in my building and throughout the neighborhood.  I dreaded the thought that she would eventually leave to join her family in Ireland.

Sorcha the goalie

As the time got closer, I exchanged e-mails with Sorcha's owner in Ireland and asked if I could keep her.  He said no, they missed her, their family wasn't complete without her, etc. and he would begin making plans.  I was crushed.  Then a funny thing happened...NOTHING.  I never heard from him again.  While some folks took this as Sorcha being abandoned, I think what happened is the owner's wife (with three small children and a new home) told her husband leave the dog in New York as Sorcha was with someone who would love her and they had their hands full in Ireland. I don't know for sure, but I know that Patrick, Sorcha's original owner, loved her.  Either way, Sorcha and I were now "family".

Sorcha was obsessed with her tennis ball and would chase it non stop.  A number of the workers in the building where I live in are of Spanish descent and gave her the Spanish nickname Sorchita (little Sorcha) and would practice their soccer/football skills with her using one of her tennis balls.  In time, Sorcha became a pretty good goalie and could stop many a shot.

Sorcha loves Arsenal

While I'm not sure if she was as in to the games as I was, (I'd like to believe that she was a hardcore Arsenal and NY Mets supporter) Sorcha watched many, many Arsenal matches and sat through tons of New York Mets games.  Being the cute dog that she was, I subjected her to many humiliating photos of her in Arsenal gear and posing with Mets paraphernalia and a Mr. Met stuffed toy.  When Arsenal would score and I would go nuts, she would look at me with that puzzled look as if to say, "You are insane".  On the other hand, when the Mets would blow a game and I'd be cursing at the TV, Sorcha would just came over with her tennis ball and demand to play.  She was a definite calming influence and always brought me back down to reality.

Sorcha passed away in her sleep last weekend and the shock has yet to subside.  My fandom is so ridiculous that I took the fact that the Mets came back to win on the day of her passing as a sign that she was at peace and was content.  I am not a religious person and I am having difficulty coming to grips with my loss. However, the memories that I have of the time that I spent with Sorcha and the unconditional love that she gave to me are comforting me at this time of sorrow. 

I will always remember you and love you Sorcha, and I know that you are in doggy heaven cheering on Arsenal and the New York Mets. 

Sorcha checks up on the Arsenal and NY Mets results

Sorcha leads the cheers for Arsenal

Sorcha shows her Arsenal allegiance

Sorcha asks for divine intervention for Arsenal & the Mets

Sorcha loves Arsenal

Sorcha's Arsenal cap

Sorcha forced to model a Leeds cap

Sorcha's favorite Italian squad in Calcio

Sorcha ready to kill for being forced to pose with a Hull jersey

One of Sorcha's many Arsenal scarfs

Sorcha schedules her viewing plans for Arsenal & the NY Mets

Arsenal Meets The Mets: Cesc and Van Persie Pay a Visit to Citi Field

Arsenal ended their up and down season with a less than convincing draw away to Fulham.  The defense was once again at fault on both Fulham goals and if not for the finishing of Van Persie in the first half and Walcott in the second, the Gunners would have been looking at another dropped three points.  The team's end of season swoon, enabled Manchester City to jump Arsenal for the third automatic Champions League spot and will now require Arsenal to face a play in opponent in order to qualify.

Show some loyalty Samir



While 4th place is certainly not the end of the world, the criticism and negativity currently surrounding the club from both the fans and the media paint the picture of a disastrous season.  Many have called for Arsene Wenger to step aside and for wholesale changes at the club.  While Wenger has admitted that there is a need for new signings and that changes will be made, the end of the season leads to the insanity of the summer transfer rumours.  Everyone and their mother is being linked to Chelsea, Real Madrid, Manchester City and all the other big spenders while Arsenal fans are being subjected to rumours that captain Cesc Fabregas will be off and that Samir Nasri is holding the team hostage for money before committing his future to the club.  (Nasri is one of my favorite players and it makes me sick to see him getting caught up in his own hype and disrespecting the team and manager that made him a star).



Holy crap Cesc & RVP at a Mets game



What Arsenal and its fans need more than anything else is some good news and a hearty dose of optimism.  The reality is, there are 16 other teams in the EPL that wish they were in Arsenal's position.

While European fans despise the summer months when football goes on break, it gives me the opportunity to turn my attention to baseball and the Mets.  To my surprise Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas and co-captain Robin Van Persie paid a visit to Flushing to take in a Mets game at Citi Field.  While I'd like to believe that they went out of their way to see the Mets, it's probably more likely that they went there only because the Yankees were out of town.  Regardless, the validation that I got knowing members of Arsenal were at a Mets game cannot be described.  Van Persie's Twitter feed about the visit to Citi Field was even picked up by the British press.



Evra and Vidic owned by Messi



The final football match of the season featured Barcelona versus Manchester United at Wembley Stadium for the Champions League final.  Despite a goal from Shrek, Barcelona owned Manchester United.  The final score was 3-1 but Barcelona had 70% of the possession and 20 shots on goal to Man U's 3.  Most Arsenal fans took pleasure in seeing ManU lose, knowing that Arsenal will forever remain the only team to have beaten Barcelona in this year's Champions League field.

Meanwhile, the Mets continue to bumble their way through the MLB season with half their "stars" on the disabled list and more members of the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons starting games than actual New York Mets players.  Adding to the ineptitude was good old Fred Wilpon who despite his ongoing Bernie Madoff adventures found the time to humiliate himself and his team first in the New Yorker and then in Sports Illustrated.  By publicly dissing Josey Reyes, David Wright and Carlos Beltran and then announcing that the team was bleeding money, Wilpon proved he's definitely not the brightest guy.  


Justin Turner



Don't Trade Reyes

On the field, the team continues to be unable to hit homeruns and the bullpen has continued to cough up late leads.  In fact, the Mets set another dubious record last week, losing their sixth straight home game after leading heading in to the 7th.  Despite the negativity surrounding the team, there have been some major surprises; pitcher Dillon Gee, infielder Justin Turner, Jon Niese and Ruben Tejada.  Additionally, RA Dickey continues to be a reliable pitcher, Carlos Beltran is healthy and playing well and Jose Reyes is on fire.  Of course with the rumour mill continuing to dangle Reyes as trade bait, Mets fans have begun to publicly campaign for the team not to trade Jose.  Hopefully Wilpon will swallow his pride and pay the man the money he deserves.  If not, the half empty stadium of this season could be completely empty next year.



Yes that's Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas in a NY Mets jersey

A couple of football stories that were circulating in the British press last week that were just too funny include:

Shrek getting a hair transplant

Ryan Giggs threatening to sue Twitter over his "alleged" affair only to become a trending topic on Twitter, and if that wasn't enough:

Ryan Giggs' eight year affair with his brother's wife is revealed

ManU may be EPL champions but they sure know how to make headlines for off the pitch activities.  You can't make this stuff up.