I'll Make It
We've all seen it. Norman Dale drawing up a play for Ray, Hickory's # 2 option instead of Jimmy Chitwood. Jimmy, as charmingly softspoken as Sippy Momo Sr., emerged from silence and took the game in his hands.
"I'll make it,' Jimmy said.
Dale immediately changed the plan. Jimmy went on to make the shot, Hickory won the game, Sip got chills.
We all knew Jimmy would make that shot. Not only was this a movie -- movies usually end on a high note -- but this was Jimmy, a star.
For years, Boston fans felt this way about Pedro. When he took the mound, chills ran through their bodies. You knew he'd dominate. You knew he'd win.
When Pedro signed with the Mets after the 2004 season, a season where Pedro floated an ERA near 4 and a fastball closer to 90 than a 100, I had to say, I didn't know what to expect.
Then, I saw Pedro in orange and blue.
For much of last season, despite getting up there in years and sporting a deteriorating body, I knew Pedro would make it. He would take the mound and we would win.
Or at least that was how I felt. And for those who know me, I never feel that way.
2006 continued where '05 left off. Pedro dominated. He took the mound and we would win. And win some more. And win convincingly.
Then a scary thing happened.
Pedro lost his spark. Something was off. We all knew it and it scared the shit out of all Mets fans. Without our #1 guy we didn't have a chance. We needed that ace to take us to October and beyond. As great as Tommy "The Spy" has been, he is a #2.
Which is what makes last night so huge. Coming off a DL stint which followed Pedro's coldest stint as a pro, Pedro looked great on Thursday.
He allowed 4 hits and 1 ER over 6 innings, going neck and neck with Mets nemesis and Marlins ace Dontrelle Willis. Most importantly, Pedro struck out 9 Marlins in the 6 innings. He had that swagger, that dominance that makes Pedro special.
The Mets lost the game, and fortunately for us, these games just aren't that important (knock on wood).
We can lose these games, at least every once in a while.
The important thing though is Pedro. We need this guy to return to dominance, a place where we know that as confident we are, that is how scared our competition is.
We need Pedro to be our Jimmy. While that may be unrealistic, given his age, who thought the Mets would be where they are today.
Anything can happen with these guys. Ya just gotta believe.
Have a good weekend all.
VCD,
SM
"I'll make it,' Jimmy said.
Dale immediately changed the plan. Jimmy went on to make the shot, Hickory won the game, Sip got chills.
We all knew Jimmy would make that shot. Not only was this a movie -- movies usually end on a high note -- but this was Jimmy, a star.
For years, Boston fans felt this way about Pedro. When he took the mound, chills ran through their bodies. You knew he'd dominate. You knew he'd win.
When Pedro signed with the Mets after the 2004 season, a season where Pedro floated an ERA near 4 and a fastball closer to 90 than a 100, I had to say, I didn't know what to expect.
Then, I saw Pedro in orange and blue.
For much of last season, despite getting up there in years and sporting a deteriorating body, I knew Pedro would make it. He would take the mound and we would win.
Or at least that was how I felt. And for those who know me, I never feel that way.
2006 continued where '05 left off. Pedro dominated. He took the mound and we would win. And win some more. And win convincingly.
Then a scary thing happened.
Pedro lost his spark. Something was off. We all knew it and it scared the shit out of all Mets fans. Without our #1 guy we didn't have a chance. We needed that ace to take us to October and beyond. As great as Tommy "The Spy" has been, he is a #2.
Which is what makes last night so huge. Coming off a DL stint which followed Pedro's coldest stint as a pro, Pedro looked great on Thursday.
He allowed 4 hits and 1 ER over 6 innings, going neck and neck with Mets nemesis and Marlins ace Dontrelle Willis. Most importantly, Pedro struck out 9 Marlins in the 6 innings. He had that swagger, that dominance that makes Pedro special.
The Mets lost the game, and fortunately for us, these games just aren't that important (knock on wood).
We can lose these games, at least every once in a while.
The important thing though is Pedro. We need this guy to return to dominance, a place where we know that as confident we are, that is how scared our competition is.
We need Pedro to be our Jimmy. While that may be unrealistic, given his age, who thought the Mets would be where they are today.
Anything can happen with these guys. Ya just gotta believe.
Have a good weekend all.
VCD,
SM
posted by Sippy Momo at 12:00 PM
2 Comments:
Sip,
I have a tear in my eye reading this post. Contrary to popular belief on this site, I'm glad that you've embraced the fact that our team motto isn't "ya gotta find a reason why it's all going to come crashing down."
Believe,
Happy
Sure, the Jimmy allusion works, but for this newer generation, wouldn't Billy Bob's famous "Coach Lance, put me in there, we'll block it!" more appropriate? Tell me who out there didn't know _KNOW_ that Billy Bob would come through in that situation?
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