The Columnist Manifesto

I find it extremely irritating how the sports pundits, like the entire ESPN broadcast team, treat the Mets like a boring non story: loaded with high priced talent, the Mets were always supposed to win. They've chosen to forget that, at the start of the season, they picked the Braves to win the division again, with the Mets finishing third behind the Phillies. And that they had gleefully plotted out a story line about the Mets: big payroll, big disappointment.

Okay, so "we were wrong" is something broadcasters don't like to say. But they take their refusal to eat crow a step further with their studied indifference.

These days they're all:

"Oh, the Mets, they're in the post season already. Ho, hum. Now, how about those Phillies! 20-12 since they traded Bobby Abreu!!"

Of course, the Mets are 21-11 in the same time frame, with a starting staff consisting of Steve Trachsel, el Duque and the minor league cast-offs. The Mets, who have had more key injuries then about anybody, have the second best record in baseball, a mere 1 game behind the "phenomenal" Detroit Tigers.

No matter -- living well is the best revenge.