YouTube's Finest

YouTube. Kind of a big deal right now. Its innovator just got paid. Its users just got named Time’s People of the Year. Big things are happening over there.

Me, my experience with YouTube is kind of limited. Friends send me links from time to time. If I’ve got nothing to do at work I may search for videos from my favorite bands or comedians. That’s been about it.

But not today. See, this little site we run here, we gotta have something up for you every day. On a day like today, that presents me, the writer, with two options: write perhaps our 84th piece on Barry Zito, or use my imagination.

Really, the Zito thing’s been done. That doesn’t mean we won’t have more content on him. At some point he’ll either sign with the Mets or he won’t, and when that day comes we’ll either celebrate or we’ll mourn.

In the meantime though, I can’t really offer you anything on the Zito sweepstakes that you didn’t read in the papers this morning. Or here, I can sum up my feelings on Zito thusly: I want him on the team next year. Next?

So back to YouTube. I had a chance to give the online video resource the once over yesterday, and it seems some of you wacky Mets fans out there got to this whole YouTube thing before I did.

There’s no way to do justice to the entire canon of Mets videos out there. However, as far as I can tell (and I base this on about 30 minutes of YouTube exposure yesterday evening, so forgive me if I’m leaving anything out), Mets videos fall into one of the following five categories, which I’ll categorize here with an example of each.

1. The ‘Mets Do Something Good, and Nothing Captures the Moment Like a Cellphone’ Video.

Clinching, for example, or someone hitting a home run. These videos are meant to bring you back to a particular point in time, and by god if they’re not good at doing just that.



Honestly, I’m a sucker for this kind of thing, and videos such as the one above are right in my wheelhouse. They give me goosebumps every time.

To those who produce videos such as this and have the wherewithal to post them on YouTube, cheers. As we will see, it only goes downhill from here.

2. The ‘I’m Kind of a Psychotic in My Mets Appreciation, and I’m Going to Prove it to You’ Video.



Look at that video. What the eff is going on there? I really hope this male cheerleader isn’t part of our audience. If he is, I’d like to talk to him. Find out what was going through his mind when he agreed to let somebody film him doing this routine.

The comment by “deedub24” really captures it all, so let’s turn it over to him (I won’t correct for spelling, it adds too much): “that's one of THE corniest videos i have EVER seen. please don't ever do this again. you're a disgrace to Mets fans everywhere. i hope a Yankee or Brave fan doesn't see this shit cuz we as Mets' fans will never hear the end of it."

From your lips to god's ears, deedub.

3. The ‘Death Metal Gets Me Really Fucking Pumped, and So Do the Mets’ Video.



Remember Papa Roach? “Brod615” sure does! Set to the backdrop of a 6-year old song, the above clip from Brod615 (Talisman?) captures the essence of the death metal variety Mets clip.

The idea here is to inspire. In fairness, these videos do not always feature death metal, but a shockingly high percentage do. Why death metal? Because sometimes steroids, Red Bull, and coke just aren't enough.

4. The “Wow, the Mets Just Found a Way to Rip My Heart Out of My Chest, Here’s How I’m Handling It” Video.

Unfortunately, these are far too numerous.



What do you expect? This team, love it though we do, hasn't always been good to us. There have been some dark moments, and unfortunately enough, one of those moments occurred in the post-YouTube world. Hence the numerous videos of people in a drunken rage, crying their eyes out, paralyzed by their emotional pain, etc.

Sigh. At least these two had a sense of humor about it.

5. The ‘Holy Shit, Did Endy Just Catch That?’ Video.

I couldn’t leave you on a sour note.



Is this a “Mets Do Something Good, and I Was There” by another name? Yes. I concede that. Whatever. Watch it and be happy.

(Note: If this last video won't play, you can watch it here.)

- A.F.O.M.G.

(Note: The picture above appears courtesy of mlb.com)