Paul Lukas, ESPN columnist and lifelong Mets fan, wrote a scathing review of Mike Piazza's Mets career in his Page 2 column today. The title of the column is "Good Riddance, Mike Piazza".Whether you agree with the column or not (and judging by how much Piazza is beloved in this town, I'm guessing most of you will not), a column like that from a lifelong Mets fan doesn't bother me, because at least his opinion is informed and comes from following the team. And most importantly, I give points to Lukas for truth in advertising. He doesn't care for Piazza ... he laid out why he doesn't ... and his title led you to believe that a rip job was coming. If the title of the very same article was "A Tribute to Mike Piazza", then Paul Lukas would be ...
Well, he'd be ESPN Classic.
I quote Metsblog:
"ESPN Classic will honor Mike Piazza, who retired from baseball yesterday, with a five-hour tribute on Friday, starting at 2 pm. The Mike Piazza Tribute consists of three of his most-memorable games, including July 8, 2000, against the Yankees; Oct. 22, 2000, against the Yankees; and Sept. 21, 2001, against the Braves."Now I'm nothing more than an idiot blogger. But correct me if I'm wrong: Isn't a tribute supposed to be a recollection of one's greatest accomplishments? You agree with that, right? All right great. Now answer me this: How do the first two thirds of that trilogy qualify as a damn tribute? On July 8th, 2000, Mike Piazza was concussed by Roger Clemens. On October 22nd, 2000, Mike Piazza was almost impaled by Roger Clemens. That's what ESPN calls a tribute?
That's a Dean Martin Celebrity Roast!
Since Dean Martin is no longer with us, maybe ESPN can get Andy Dick to narrate the so-called "tribute", complete with sound effects. Maybe ESPN Classic can show game two of last night's doubleheader during their Ryan Church "tribute".
7 comments:
Wow! Read the Comments on that Lukas article, the posters are really RIPPING into him.
I read the first few. I'm not surprised at all. That was a rough article. It's just part of ESPN's preferred treatment of a Met.
I don't agree with him, but like I said, I'd rather that from a Met fan than somebody who watches about 3 innings of Met baseball every five years.
He ripped him for the first base thing, which I think is totally off because Art Howe DID screw that up royally.
He ripped him because he can't slide and he can't throw to second ... players can't have shortcomings?
I see his point on number 4, but he expects athletes to make good social activists?
And number 5 is off because the guy was just trying to make a living.
The ESPN Classic thing still botheres me infinitely more.
The Lukas article was absurd. You hit all the right points. Piazza wasn't good at sliding? Pardon me, but who gives a %$#$? The guy turned us from a joke franchise to a World Series team in two years, hit nothing but big home run after big home run, played hurt, kept his nose clean, was well-respected and hustled every single minute of every single game. For this, he gets "good riddance" from Mr. Lukas? Douchbag.
What a joke. Anyone at ESPN consider airing the game when Piazza:
- hit the game winning homer off future HOF Trevor Hoffman to beat the Padres at Shea in 1999?
- hit the two run homer against future HOF John Smoltz to tie Game 6 of the 1999 NLCS?
- hit a grand slam off Clemens in 2000 against the Yankees at the Stadium?
- hit that massive shot off of Mendoza against the Yankees at Shea in 2000?
- had two hits, including a big home run, in Game 2 of the NLCS against the Cardinals in 1999?
- hit two home runs in any one of the 17 games in which he did it with the Mets?
- had four hits in any one of the 11 games in which he did it with the Mets?
No, right, it's better to show the game where he got beaned and left after two at-bats. That's good TV.
Damus- you forgot that this is ESPN. EVERYTHING has to be tied to the Yankees, lest they fail to fulfil their daily knob-slobbering.
What about the game from July 2000 where the Mets came back from like 7 runs down against the Braves at Shea, capped off by Mike's laser-beam shot to left field? Ugh, still can't handle the fact I left that one early.
I should've also noted that Piazza put up the numbers that he did as a Met despite the fact that he had absolutely no one to protect him in the lineup. But, ah, he couldn't slide very well. What a bum.
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