June 1st, 2012 will forever be etched, not only in the record books, but in the hearts of all Mets fans that have folowed this laughable franchise over the past fifty years. Today, Johan Santana has done what some of the most talented pitchers that have worn the orange and blue have never done--pitched a no hitter. Names like Ryan, Seaver, Gooden, Cone, Viola, Hampton, Saberhagen and many others have had this monumental task elude them. Now you saw Santana, coming off shoulder surgery, take a pitch count to 134 and complete the feat against the best hitting team in the National League.
I have been a Mets fan for 30 years and have been toyed with emotionally as I saw pitcher after pitcher come and go, while usually throwing a no-no for other teams. Yet today, the wait was well worth it for all the right reasons. This team is beginning to show signs of something amazin'. This Mets team is built with minor league players playing major roles and winning ball games that most would say they have no right to win. This Mets team battles through every inning, takes pride in the way they play the game of baseball, and gives every fan a reason to believe once again.
Terry Collins has been the consummate manager that is teaching the game the right way and is allowing the players to grow together as a unit. As I look back over the past 30 years especially, there really is no better person and player than Johan to go into Mets lore as the one to break the curse. As the final pitch was thrown, I just closed my eyes and waited for the called swing and a miss. History was made, Collins called Johan his hero, and Johan himself admitted that he has never thrown a no hitter on any level--even in a video game.
The raw emotion of a lifetime of fandom that has seen this team lose a 7th game to St. Louis to avoid going to a world series, lose back-to-back division leads in '07 and '08, only win once with the most talented teams in the late 80's and many other years of misery and heartbreak are all tossed aside. This night belongs to Johan Santana, the Mets organization and all its fans. This night leaves all of us absolutely knowing that with this team, anything really is possible. That is the joy of being a Met fan. The Mets don't win as many world series as their cross-town rivals, consistently win division titles like the Braves or Phillies, have a star-studded lineup with the best players(although they try--thanks Bay, Bonilla and Benitez, etc.), but what they do have is a faithful following that cherish all of these special moments.
This is our team, and we love these Mets because of those special moments that we never take for granted. As fans, this almost makes our life complete just knowing that the first one is out of the way. Thank you Johan for restoring the faith and helping us to believe once again that miracles do happen, even for Mets fans. Throughout the first quarter of this season, you can almost sense that this was a special team and today just solidified that notion. As we head towards the All-Star break and beyond, remember one thing Mets fans--El Gocho Believe It!!!
I have been a Mets fan for 30 years and have been toyed with emotionally as I saw pitcher after pitcher come and go, while usually throwing a no-no for other teams. Yet today, the wait was well worth it for all the right reasons. This team is beginning to show signs of something amazin'. This Mets team is built with minor league players playing major roles and winning ball games that most would say they have no right to win. This Mets team battles through every inning, takes pride in the way they play the game of baseball, and gives every fan a reason to believe once again.
Terry Collins has been the consummate manager that is teaching the game the right way and is allowing the players to grow together as a unit. As I look back over the past 30 years especially, there really is no better person and player than Johan to go into Mets lore as the one to break the curse. As the final pitch was thrown, I just closed my eyes and waited for the called swing and a miss. History was made, Collins called Johan his hero, and Johan himself admitted that he has never thrown a no hitter on any level--even in a video game.
The raw emotion of a lifetime of fandom that has seen this team lose a 7th game to St. Louis to avoid going to a world series, lose back-to-back division leads in '07 and '08, only win once with the most talented teams in the late 80's and many other years of misery and heartbreak are all tossed aside. This night belongs to Johan Santana, the Mets organization and all its fans. This night leaves all of us absolutely knowing that with this team, anything really is possible. That is the joy of being a Met fan. The Mets don't win as many world series as their cross-town rivals, consistently win division titles like the Braves or Phillies, have a star-studded lineup with the best players(although they try--thanks Bay, Bonilla and Benitez, etc.), but what they do have is a faithful following that cherish all of these special moments.
This is our team, and we love these Mets because of those special moments that we never take for granted. As fans, this almost makes our life complete just knowing that the first one is out of the way. Thank you Johan for restoring the faith and helping us to believe once again that miracles do happen, even for Mets fans. Throughout the first quarter of this season, you can almost sense that this was a special team and today just solidified that notion. As we head towards the All-Star break and beyond, remember one thing Mets fans--El Gocho Believe It!!!
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