Mike C Has to Be America's Greatest Sports Fan

 

I should respect his privacy and not disclose his full name, but Mike reports that he attended 400 sporting events, as indicated in this handwritten note he posted on X.  There are only 365 days in the year, so many times as I have seen on X, he will attend one event in the afternoon and another in the evening.  He is most proud that he attended 9969 baseball games and will reach 10,000 early in 2026.  He must spend a fortune in purchasing tickets and incurring travel expenses.

What Ever Happened to the Houston Astrodome?

 

I thought my readers who are baseball fans would be interested.  Will they demolish or repurpose it?  This article in the New York Times tells the story.

God Only Knows by the Beach Boys - More Popular Now Than It Was When it Was Released in 1966

 

In the Summer of 1966, the Beach Boys released a two-sided hit with Wouldn't It Be Nice on the A-Side (reached #8 on the Billboard Chart) and God Only Knows on the B-Side  (reached #39 on the Billboard Chart).  The Oldies Board annually surveys its posters and music enthusiasts for their favorite songs.  God Only Knows charted at #2 or #3 from 2021 to the present, signifying it was more popular as an oldie.  It is possible that in 1966, radio stations were reluctant to play a song with the word "God" in its title.

Other songs became more popular as oldies.  Here are a few off the top of my head:

• River Deep Mountain High by Ike and Tina Turner
• Morning Girl - Neon Philharmonic
• Nothing but a Heartache by the Flirtations

Random Thoughts the Day after Christmas 2025

• I always wonder who reads my journal.  A few people make comments after I post an entry on Facebook.  Very few people make comments on Blogger.  Most people choose to be anonymous when they surf the web.  Blogger reports over 7 million hits, but how many of them are from robots?
• Over the years, I have posted many links to YouTube videos.  Many of those videos were deleted.  It would be a big job to replace those videos.
• This was a tough year as I lost 2 friends, Roy and Gary.
• I wish I had not had an excellent autobiographical as too many times I think of unpleasant experiences of the distant past.  I can't change things by second-guessing myself.
• Almost all the snail mail I receive is from organizations asking for money.  Once you donate to an organization, they keep asking for more money.

 

We Will See Song Sung Blue Tomorrow

 

We saw the Neil Diamond musical A Beautiful Noise about 2 years ago.  Tomorrow we will see the movie  Song Sung Blue, which, according to the review in the New York Times, is about a Neil Diamond cover band. I miss the College Point Multiplex so we'll have to drive a few miles to see it at the AMC Bay Terrace theater.

David Stearns - Please Come Through for the Older Met Fans

 

As you can see from the photo above, four popular Mets were also the longest-tenured members of the team and left within the last month.  Here are my comments:

• Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz should have been retained.  Steve Cohen could have exceeded the offers they received from the Orioles and Dodgers, respectively
• Marcus Semien improves the infield defense, but does not have the same power as Brandon Nimmo.  The latter was given an 8-year contract, then 3 years later they conceded he won' perform in the last years.
• The Jeff McNeil trade was a joke.  All they got in return was a 17-year-old prospect.  C'mon, David, you could have gotten more back for him.
• Today, a news conference was held to introduce Jorge Polanco.  He has been in the MLB for 10 years and can't communicate in English.  Doesn't he have enough money to hire a tutor to teach him the English language?

There are still several weeks left in the off-season.  Will David Stearns make a big splash by signing Cody Bellinger or obtaining a front-line pitcher?

I have been a Mets fan since day one in 1962.  I have survived many bad experiences, such as:

• The early years when the Mets lost over 100 games
• The Nolan Ryan trade
• The worst team that money could buy in the early 1990s
• The late-season collapses in 2007and 2008
• Steve Cohen promised us a world championship in 5 years after he purchased the team in 2020.  He has not come through for us.

If the Mets don't improve significantly over last season's 83-79 record, Steams should be fired.

Stay tuned.

Another Misadventure with a Dating App - Ghosted Again

 

A few months ago, I documented my bad experiences with dating apps.  At that time, I used a services limited to Jewish singles.  A friend said that if you do not eventually live with a woman or marry her, a difference in religion may not be important.  With that thought in mind, I signed up with a non-sectarian dating app. I encountered JA from Tennessee. I advised her that we are at a long distance from each other.  Here are some excerpts from our chat.  My answers are in italics:

 I have been single for three years now , lost my partner to cancer and ever since he passed, I haven’t been in any relationship just sick and tired of being alone that’s how I ended up on the dating site with the aim to meet a man who’s honest and ready for something in a long term

Do you think you could give this a try for the first time and see how it goes ?

Bruce - Do you really want to travel to NYC to meet a strange man?

I enjoy traveling and visiting New York would be a great time for me, once again distance doesn’t bother me when I find that special someone who’s gonna love and appreciate me

Bruce - Please don't make a trip to NYC just to meet me.  In any event, relationships take time to develop.  We don't know very much about each other.  It is my opinion that the difference in age will catch up to a couple sooner or later. I am 23 years older than you.

Remember I told you age and distance doesn’t bother me , I would like us to take it slow and get to know more about each other and see how compatible we both can be from time to time

Just to let you know, I’m not here for any games or fun

I haven't heard from her in 48 hours. GHOSTED.

No more dating apps for me.

Steve Somers Addresses The New York Giants Preservation Society at Finnerty's on 33rd Street in Manhattan

 

The New York Giants Preservation Society has been discussed several times in this journal.  For a few years, the group met at Finnerty's, a San Francisco-themed sports bar located at 2nd Avenue and 13th Street in Manhattan. During the COVID pandemic, the group had to meet online via Zoom.  The group thrived, but Finnerty's had to close.

Recently, Finnerty's reopened at 33rd Street, directly across from the Empire State Building.  Today, for the first time in 6 years, the group reconvened at Finnerty's with Steve Somers as the guest speaker.  He spoke about his recent book, Me Here, You There, which I reviewed a few weeks ago in this journal.  I bought the book on Amazon Kindle, but Steve was signing books for many of the 60 attendees.

A cake for the occasion 

The front of Finnerty's

..

Sometimes in Winter by Blood Sweat and Tears - Song of the Day

 

I've been thinking about this song since winter will be here in four days.  Steve Katz, formerly of The Blues Project, was the singer.

I Read the News Today Oy Vey!

 

Which one is worse?

1. At least 15 people have been killed, and 27 are in hospitals after a shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach yesterday. The attack, declared a terrorist incident, targeted Jewish Australians and is the country’s worst mass shooting in almost 30 years.  Report in the New York Times
2. Two students were killed and nine were injured in a shooting at Brown University.  Police are still looking for the shooter as of 3 PM on December 15.
3. Rob Reiner and his wife were allegedly killed by their son. Latest from the New York Times. Chutzpah is when a person murders his parents and pleads for mercy on the grounds he is an orphan.  There are too many nuts with knives and guns out there. What really gets me is the statement made by Donald Trump, who attributed Hollywood director and progressive activist Rob Reiner’s death as the likely result of the “anger he caused others” through “TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME.” Even some Republicans concurred that this was an insensitive and disrespectful remark about someone who died tragically.  Below is what Rob Reiner said about the tragic death of Charlie Kirk.

All of this qualifies for an "Oy Vey"

The Queens Baseball Convention Was Within Walking Distance of Home

 

For the third year in a row, Lee and I went to the Queens Baseball Convention at the Four Points by Sheraton, a 10-minute walk from home.  Today's gathering was significant after the recent losses of Brandon Nimmo, Edwin Diaz, and Pete Alonso.

The first event of the evening was an interview with retired Met reliever Jesse Orosco, as seen below. He reminisced about his appearances with the 1986 World Champion Mets.

There were two panels, State of the Mets and Till Mets Do Us Part.  The losses of Diaz and Alonso and the trade of Nimmo were considered, as well as future moves that David Stearns should make.  The consensus was that the Mets must plan for the future and not give long-term contracts to players in their thirties.

Former Mets manager Terry Collins was honored with the Gil Hodges Award and discussed the incident in the video seen below.  Tom Hallion, the umpire who argued with Terry from that game in 2016 also appeared. Adam Hamari was the home plate umpire who tossed Terry while Tom Hallion was the crew chief.

There was a feature called Mets Make a Deal based on the game show with a similar name.  It was Lee's lucky day as he was called out for wearing a Mets hockey jersey.  He won a Mets Connect Jersey and a Home Run Apple hat.

The day concluded with Kelly Franco interviewing current Met Brett Baty.  She runs a podcast called Three Inning Fan.

Random Thoughts of the Day - December 12, 2025

 

• Like everyone else, I am disappointed by the loss of Brandon Nimmo, Pete Alonso, and Edwin Diaz.  As I read Facebook and other stories, there is plenty of bitching going on.  There is no sense in writing anything more about this.  I will hear plenty of it at the Queens Baseball Convention tomorrow.  I just hate rumors and speculations.
• My Bob Dylan friends are all excited about the tour resuming in the spring.  Some are willing to travel long distances to see him.  The longest I traveled to see Dylan was in April 1997 when I went to William Paterson University in Wayne, NJ.
• My excellent autobiographical memory hurts me more than it helps.  I have too many flashbacks to unpleasant experiences and disappointments of the distant past.  Too often, I second-guess myself.
• Does the media report the news or create it?  For example, so much attention is given to Luigi Mangione while there are thousands of murders in the USA each year.

The Mets Lost Edwin Diaz and Pete Alonso - Who is to Blame?

 

Yesterday, the Mets lost Edwin Diaz to the Los Angeles Dodgers, who will be paying him $69 million over 3 years.  Today, they lost Pete Alonso to the Baltimore Orioles for $155 million over 5 years.  After trading Brandon Nimmo a few weeks ago, 3 fan favorites are gone.

I thought Steve Cohen had bottomless pockets and would at least match other teams' offers.  He promised us a World Series winner within 5 years of his becoming owner in 2020.  He obviously has not come through.  Is he holding back David Stearns?  Are they just afraid to give long-term contracts? Is Stearns afraid to make a counteroffer?

In any event, MLB salaries are absolutely outrageous.  Edwin Diaz pitched 66 innings for the Mets last season.  That would mean he gets about $350,000 an inning.

What are the Mets going to do?  They have already signed relief pitcher Devin Williams, who will be the closer, but they must shore up the bullpen.  Will they try to sign free agents or see if their farm system will come through?  How will the Mets replace Pete Alonso's 38 home runs and 126 RBIs? Will they sign Cody Bellinger or Kyle Tucker?  Will they move Mark Vientos to first base.

There is still plenty of time before spring training so obviously more moves wil be made.

Stay tuned.

The Rough and Rowdy Ways Tour Extends to 2026

 

My Bob Dylan friends are all excited that spring 2026 dates were announced for the Rough and Rowdy Ways Tour.  All the stops are at small cities except for Detroit, Cleveland, and Columbus, Ohio.  Sue already mapped out her trip and will buy her tickets as soon as they go on sale this Friday, December 12.  Unfortunately for me, there are no stops in or near NYC.

03/21/26 Omaha, Nebraska - Orpheum Theater

03/22/26 Sioux Falls, South Dakota - Mary W. Sommervold Hall

03/24/26 Rochester, Minnesota - Mayo Civic Center Arena

03/25/26 Iowa City, Iowa - Hancher Auditorium

03/27/26 La Crosse, Wisconsin - La Crosse Center

03/28/26 Rockford, Illinois - Coronado Theatre

03/30/26 Waukegan, Illinois - Genesee Theatre

03/31/26 Muncie, Indiana - Emens Auditorium

04/02/26 Grand Rapids, Michigan - De Vos Performance Hall

04/03/26 Saginaw, Michigan - Dow Events Center - The Theater

04/04/26 Detroit, Michigan - Masonic Temple Theatre

04/06/26 Louisville, Kentucky - The Louisville Palace

04/09/26 Columbus, Ohio - Palace Theatre details

04/10/26 Cleveland, Ohio - KeyBank State Theatre

04/12/26 Dayton, Ohio - Winsupply Theatre

04/14/26 Knoxville, Tennessee - Knoxville Civic Auditorium

04/16/26 Bowling Green, Kentucky - SKyPAC

04/17/26 Chattanooga, Tennessee - Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium

04/19/26 Asheville, North Carolina - Thomas Wolfe Auditorium

04/20/26 Spartanburg, South Carolina - Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium

04/22/26 Macon, Georgia - Macon City Auditorium

04/23/26 Dothan, Alabama - Dothan Civic Center

04/25/26 Jackson, Mississippi - Thalia Mara Hall

04/27/26 Baton Rouge, Louisiana - Raising Cane's River Center

04/28/26 Shreveport, Louisiana - Shreveport Municipal Auditorium

04/29/26 Tyler, Texas - Cowan Center

05/01/26 Abilene, Texas - Abilene Auditorium

Colorado Avalanche 3 New York Ranger 2 in OT at MSG

 

The ticket prices for Knicks and Rangers Games are so high, but there was a discount for tickets bought on Cyber Monday, so I splurged and bought tickets for this afternoon's game. It was a very close game with excellent defense as Artemi Panarin scored a goal with 42 seconds to go in regulation to tie the score at 2.  Nathan Mackinnon scored at 2:46 of the overtime period to secure the victory for the Avalanche.

The majority of the fans in the stands were under 40 years old.  Numerous small children were shown on the video board. Fewer older adults attend sporting events.

Game Recap

Book Review: A Nice Jewish Boy from San Francisco Makes it Big as a Host on WFAN in New York

 

Since 1987, when WFAN launched, I listened irregularly, but I never called in to speak to any of their hosts.  I just never wanted to be put on hold for a long time.  Steve Somers started at the station at its launch and was a full-time host until 2021.

In this autobiography that I have on the Kindle, Steve Somers traces his career from his boyhood in San Francisco until he became famous as an overnight host known as Captain Midnight at WFAN, America's foremost sports talk station.  He worked in several small radio and TV markets until he realized his dream of being on the air in the Big Apple.  I am not a night owl, so I didn't listen to him on his overnight shift.  But there were times when he was on the air during the day, and I heard his show.

He had some celebrity callers, including Jerry Seinfeld.  He calls the Mets the Metropolitans (their full name) and the Islanders the Icelanders.  Much of the book is devoted to anecdotes.  He listed many of his regular callers on the overnight shift.  He insisted that regular callers did not have a special line to the station.

On Wednesday, December 3rd, he spoke about his book at a Zoom meeting of the New York Giants Preservation Society.  I attended the meeting and asked him if he preferred one host or two, also did he think that hosts should talk about non-sports related topics.  He felt that the one host who talks to the callers is a better option and the host should stick to sports.

I highly recommend this book to sports fans.

The Bob Dylan Steve Cropper Connection

 

Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, and Steve Cropper

at the 1992 Tribute Concert to Dylan at Madison Square Garden

Sadly, so many musicians of the 1960s have passed away.  Yesterday, we found out that Steve Cropper, best known as a member of Booker T and the MGs, died at age 84.  He appeared with Dylan and other musicians at the 30th Anniversary Concert for Bob Dylan.

Obituary in The New York Times

Giving Tuesday Created Email Overload

 

We had Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, and now Giving Tuesday.  It was created in 2012 as a global generosity movement unleashing the power of radical generosity.  Over the years I have donated to several reputable charities in amounts up to $100.  These include cultural organizations, not-for-profit radio stations, universities, food banks, and medical institutions.  I trust that all of these entities minimize their administrative costs and overhead.

All of these organizations ask for home address, email address, and cell phone number.  It seems that it is easiest to make a pitch for a donation via email.  Thus, over the past few days, I have spent much time deleting emails.  I did donate to one medical organization yesterday.  Once you donate to one group, they constantly ask for more money.  I get many snail mails, text messages, and even phone calls asking for donations.

Fanatics or Just Fans of Bob Dylan

 

A fanatic is a person filled with excessive and single-minded zeal, especially for an extreme religious or political cause.  This can be applied to a hobby or a similar pursuit.

A fan shows a strong and enthusiastic liking for their chosen person, group, or thing.

I am aware of some Bob Dylan fanatics that I have encountered, mostly from social media.  To protect the innocent, I will not give names. “S” has attended 359 concerts since 1988 and 141 on the Rough and Rowdy Ways Tour.  She has certainly spent a lot of money chasing Dylan around the world. “Z” made a special trip from Germany to Washington state to see Dylan on his birthday.  “Y" traveled from Chicago to see a preview of the film A Complete Unknown a few weeks before its release.  Other people have seen the movie umpteen times.

There are also Bob Dylan scholars who have monetized their enthusiasm by writing books and teaching courses about him.  I consider them fanatics.  Others have Dylan-related podcasts.

I consider myself a fan since I only see one Dylan concert a year and would not travel outside the NYC area to see a concert.  I do have an extensive collection of records, tapes, CDs, and videos.

I doubt if Dylan appreciates the enthusiasm of his fans, scholars, and fanatics.  He never talks to the audience, nor does he give interviews.  When I saw him at Jones Beach, the video screens were off when he performed.  The point of going to a concert is to see the performer.  He wore a hoodie, partially hiding his face at other concerts.