My devotion to the New York Mets has been well-chronicled here this season.
There was the trip to Citi Field in late June with my dear wife Karen and friends Steve and Kristen that spurred my multiple-part series about the team and stadium.
And there was my discovery that Mets cable network SNY picked my photo for its DataStrong fan of the game feature during a telecast.
In Syracuse, though, even during a postseason run to the World Series, a Mets fan can can feel stranded among so many Yankees, Red Sox and Washington Nationals followers.
Mets postseason selfie.
So I took a midweek trip to Syracuse mega shopping, dining and entertainment complex in search of determining my squad’s standing in sporting goods stores.
I wrote my Mark It Up community column for Syracuse Public Media site waer.org about what I found. You can read my story and see my photos by clicking the link below.
http://waer.org/post/even-amid-world-series-run-mets-fans-can-feel-lonely-syracuse#stream/0
Mets’ blue-and-orange amid the Red Sox and Yankees hats at The Sports Authority.
Hey, I already own four Mets T-shirts and a handful of hats, so I’m not in the market. But when the World Series shirts get in …
What team are you rooting for in the baseball postseason, and why? Do you ever feel like a one-person cheering section, and why? What’s the last sporting goods store purchase you made, and why?
Mark Bialczak 
I’m well over a year post-comments here, but, have a question. My fiancé and I are thinking about moving upstate in about a year, or so. We’ve been wondering if Syracuse airs Rangers and Mets games, without the blackout problems of Sabres and such. Time Warner gives no straight answer. How do you watch the games regularly, and are you forced to either head to the pub for blackouts, or, use an Unlocator? Cheers!
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You’d have to subscribe to the regional sports level of programming to get SNY and MSG on Time Warner cable, Jason. I year or so back, I ditched cable for satellite. I also have to pay extra for those stations on DirecTV, but the overall cost is less than Time Warner for basically the same programming without their local news station and their sports station that broadcasts the lesser Syracuse University basketball, regional college and high school games.
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And you are the cutest, most kind Mets fan ever!!
I’m operating on 3 hours of sleep after last night’s debut.
Depending on how our friendly wager shakes down, you may have to help me score a sweet Mets cap. Or, me send you my Mooooose shirt.
On to game 2, my friend!!
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Yes, I have no KC gear at all, Michelle. I am a tired Mutt today, yes, I am. ❤
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Always the Yankees. Good luck to your Mets, though.
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I know, Austin, about your illness. I pray for you every season. 🙂 Thanks for your good wishes about my Mets. Yay. Once a decade.
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Why didn’t the World Series start this weekend? The wait is ridiculous!
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I agree. Too much in-between! Baseball is afraid of the NFL, obviousy.
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I think it was also because they had to be prepared for the other series to go 7 games…
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Yes. That, too. 🙂
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My grandfather was a mets fan he passed away in 1985 and I always remember when they won it in 1986 how happy he would have been I am a Phillies fan, but I always have a special place in my heart for the Mets.. My Phillies aren’t in it so..Hope they go all the way for you Mark!
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Your grandfather had good taste, Danielle. I’m sure he would have been so thrilled in ’86 along with the rest of us Mets fans. Now he’s looking down happy, too! Thanks for your sweet comment as a Phils fans rooting for us in the Series now. 🙂
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Can you hear us crying here in Chi-town, Mark? Oh, you broke our hearts! But congrats on the win:). Hope you are celebrating big!
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Sorry, Kay. I know you Cub fans have been waiting awhile for the return to the World Series. Yes, I am celebrating. A lot. My Mets get good once a decade. 🙂
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It must be like being a White Sox fan in the middle of Illinois… rife with Cubs and Cardinals fans. Maybe a nice run of success with the young pitching staff will change that. If the Royals make it, I’ll definitely be rooting for your Mets since I don’t want KC to have yet another excuse to jack up the cost of visiting The K next year…
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Let’s Go Mets, Bill. I want your trips to The K to stay reasonable, you know? 🙂
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Yeah, I have no desire to take out a second mortgage next Spring just to see a couple ballgames! And now, regardless of the result, next season will open up with a World Series rematch…
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What am I missing? Are Mets and Royals playing in Japan or something?
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When the schedules for next year were announced back in September, the headline was that the Mets would be playing in KC in the opener, and I’m assuming if that wasn’t already the Sunday night game before Opening Day, it definitely will be now.
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I see. Interesting to start with interleague play. And odd. I’ll take it. I didn’t know Madame Marie was consulted in the schedule making!
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Two teams have to start off the season with interleague play now that the leagues are even. The Phillies got stuck with that assignment each of the past two years, so I guess the baton gets passed to the Mets now. But yeah, it’s all very fitting given they’re the last two teams standing…
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I forgot about the odd amount of teams in each league thing. Yup. Mets’ turn.
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I like Ohio teams. I do hope for some other teams to get ahead in other games but won’t choose one in this tough competition, Mark. I like and trust your opinion and if I were hanging out with someone who liked a team, I would root for them:)
So, for you I will cheer, “Go, Mets to the World Series finals!!” 🙂
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Thanks for hanging out with me and cheering for the Mets, Robin. The more the merrier. 🙂
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I’d been casually following the Blue Jays this season, so happy to jump on the bandwagon post-season. Why not? It’s a wagon, and there’s a band on it. Sounds like fun. When in Canada, and the Jays do well, you really have no choice but to cheer for them. It becomes a national thing, which is weird and sweet and, well, cutely Canadian. Speaking of which, off to Montreal tomorrow to watch the Raptors play the Wizards in pre-season.
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Enjoy your national NBA squad, Ross, live and in person. And good luck to the Jays out there in KC. A nation is holding its breath, I know now. 🙂
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Down 3-2, it’s a tall order.
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Congrats on your team making it to the Series! Awesome. I’m a lifelong, frustrated A’s fan. There are former A’s players on all four teams in the LCS series’ so I’m pretty good with whoever takes it all.
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I’m glad you’ll have the fun of following former favorite A’s in the World Series, rgemom. I’ll be having a great time rooting for my Mets. 🙂 Thanks for dropping by and commenting.
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I am obligated by my residence to NOT cheer for a NY team. Or any other state team. So, let me know who wins. 😉
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You just might see more Mets posts here during the World Series, MBC. 😉 Just to keep you updated, and all.
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I will gladly read about this! 😉
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I have a Yankees sweatshirt. Don’t hold it against me. I really don’t care about sports. I just like the sweatshirt. It was free. 🙂
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Ain’t nothin’ quite like a comfortable free sweatshirt, Holley. You have my blessing to wear the Yankees on yourself. 🙂
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Yay!! 🙂 I think I left it at work the other day. So if you see a 90 year old lady wearing a Yankees sweatshirt, it’s my fault. lol
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I hope it’s still there when you go back, Holley. 😉 No need to have to ‘find’ another free one.
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Right. I hope so too! 🙂
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Join the Pray4Mets community by emailing pray4mets@gmail.com, and we’ll keep you from being lonely in Syracuse! Check out our wordpress blog at pray4mets.org.
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I’ll check it out, Hopeful. Thanks for reading and commenting.
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Hi Mark, I don’t have any teams that I root for, it kind of makes me feel very un-American. I used to love the Blackhawks when I lived in Chicago, they had cool jerseys.
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The Black Hawks do have cool jerseys, SD. And that’s as good a reason as any to keep rooting for them from California. 🙂
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Hard to think of ice hockey while sweating in California. But I really would like one of those jerseys, especially one with the Native American image on it – I wonder if they are allowed to use that logo anymore, what with being politically correct and all that other stuff.
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I don’t know about the logo, SD. It is quite a depiction of a chief.
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Branded merchandise is so very difficult for suppliers when quantities are unknown. I worked for a retailer who had in-store brands and branded – i.e.\ sports teams,. etc. The owners of the brands, naturally, insist on quality and quantity numbers well in advance- which means ordering before the series are determined. We had in-store brands and had agreements with suppliers who could replenish on a 3 day turn around. Not so branded – most require 6 months or more notification.
It really isn’t personal Mark – you dedicated fan – it’s logistics. 😀
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Yes, logistics rule the world, Paul. Brick-and-mortar, anyway. 🙂
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Mark, I have been a huge Mets fan all my life. I am not even sure why but maybe because my dad is such a Yankees nut. I have watched them play amazing games in the past and am expecting more this year. Think about the dilemma of being in Dodger country, with a family of in-laws who have a box at Dodger Stadium and rooting for the Mets. Talk about lonely. And, I still hold it against the Brooklyn Dodgers that they ran to California. Serves them right that they are so un-spectacular these days. Go Mets!!
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There is a direct line between Dodgers and Mets fan, indeed, Beth. My father was a jilted young Brooklyn man who turned to the Mets in that first year of 1962 to feed the void. I came along for the ride. In the Little Bitty, by the way, I have LA native Karen converted from Dodgers’ fan to Mets fan. 🙂
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I wish I could say I converted Geoffrey, but no dice. A diehard Dodger to the end. Sigh!!
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It would be extremely hard to convert a Dodgers fan living in LA, Beth. Nice try, though!
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Congratulations to you and your state, even the Yankees fans. The last sporting goods item I purchased was a Cubs hat for my kid. Oh I also once bought a Bears jersey for a Patriots fan in NY. I think you can get stoned for wearing that there.
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Thanks, Rose! Sorry about the elimination of your Cubs. Not! You do tug at my heartstrings with the line about buying a Cubs hat for your kid, though.
A Bears jersey for a Patriots fan in New York. That’s a tricky slope all around!
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Heh, well I can be cheeky now and then
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Sorry, Mark, I’ve got to go with the Royals. Some of my best (non-Pirates) baseball memories are of the epic Royals-Yankees playoff battles of the late ’70s. I hated the Yankees, so I kind of became a Royals fan. Besides that, I always have a soft spot for small market teams in MLB.
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I’ll be ready for some Royals-Mets friendly blogger wagers, Scott. Start thinking of a cool trade. 🙂
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I’m not sure I’m interested enough to wager. I don’t even know how much of it I’ll watch. I’m going with the Royals mostly from nostalgia, not because I’m a front-row fan. Try me again if the Mets ever meet the Pirates in the NLCS.
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Will do, my friend. I hope both of our squads rise to that level again. 🙂
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congrats to you, mark.your mets had a stellar season and postseason. i really have been rooting for the cubs and jays, but…
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Well, I can understand the Blue Jays considering the Toronto trip you took last month, Beth. 🙂 But the Cubs? Oh, well, better luck next season for them. They have a great young team. My Mets have the arms, though.
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you’re right about that and i’m an underdog supporter. )
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Congrats, Mark. So happy for you and all the Mets fan. ⚾️⚾️⚾️
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They did it, Van! I’m pretty dang excited. Bring on the AL. 🙂 Thanks, my friend. Hey, Saturday, your Nittany Lions will stomp on my newly-coached Terps. Good luck in Baltimore. 🙂
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Same to you, Mark. ☺ Those Lions are pretty unpredictable these days…sigh.
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Not bad since that opening loss to Temple … and then came Ohio State. Sigh, indeed. We’ll both a loss to the defending national champion as our last game played, Van.
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I watched baseball last night. I know, it’s shocking. But I did, Cubs and Mets, for just a little while. I might have watched more, but I needed SOME sleep! lol
I can’t remember the last sporting goods item I purchased. Probably some soccer kip.
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I hope you had fun watching that bit of Mets-Cubs, Joey, so you can get behind the Mets in the World Series. We need every voice we can get. And I do recall your Sassy soccer photo a bit ago!
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A Cubs fan feels lonely on matter where he is. Something about a goat or a jinx;or something. Seriously though there seems to be as many Sox and Reds fans as Cubs fans in Indy.The Reds I can see,because of the proximity the Sox? I don’t get it.
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For a while there, the Red Sox had become America’s Team, kind of like the Dallas Cowboys in football, Benson. But the Cubs have the same tale of a curse that the Sox finally busted a decade ago, you know, so I’m with you about that being odd in Indy!
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Well neither team was ever my fave. Congrats for your Mets.We always have next year,I suppose.
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Yes, hope will spring eternal come spring training, Benson.
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Hahaha!!! Wow!!!! Amazin’!!! This season has been full of fun, emotion, excitement, tears and laughs … like most Mets years! BUT this year we end it in the World Series! Yay!!!
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I know, Mike. I’m still pinching myself. Now I wish there weren’t all these days off before the World Series. I’m rooting for the Royals because of friendship ties. You?
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Either the Royals or the Jays … bring ’em on! When Murphy hit that homer last night, it was magical. Duda, Wilmer, Cespedes, Granderson and the Captain all contributing. And the pitching!! When you are like us long-time Mets fans, it makes you believe that anything can happen. This is good for our soul.
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It is a once-a-decade culmination of all those other years of no cigar, Mike. 🙂
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OK, so win it for dear old Roger Craig.
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That’s one reason to prevail, Carl. 🙂
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