ANOTHER CELEBRATION

Yesterday I wrote about how a lot of teams are celebrating a lot of different milestones in 2008. It just dawned on me that if I was a baseball team, I would also be wearing a patch on my sleeve this year "Celebrating 30 Years". I kind of keep forgetting this is the big 3-0...perhaps because I made such a big deal out of last year's birthday on 7/7/07. It was the best 29th birthday anyone has ever had.

But I think 30 is going to be quite good.

Here's what's going down:

There's the "Last Play at Shea", Billy Joel's concert at Shea Stadium, the last concert that will be held there before the new stadium is opened up. I still don't have tickets (I don't know if I updated my lack of success on that front) - but they did add a second show, and I'm hoping something will come up. That will be in July - shortly after I turn 30.

Now, the other exciting part about this whole thing, and I don't think I've mentioned this before (but if I have, please forgive me), but the Mets would be dumb to not play up the Billy Joel thing the entire season. I would love it if they adopted a Billy Joel theme song, a la the Knicks in 1993-1994 with "All About Soul". My suggestions:

-"Angry Young Man" when the Mets come out to take the field.
-"Pressure" every time the opposing team has to make a mound visit. (They usually do this already, I think.)
-"New York State of Mind" right before "Angry Young Man", almost like the build-up to a concert.
-After "Take Me Out to the Ballgame", "You're Only Human (Second Wind)" if the Mets are behind or tied, and if they're ahead, "Big Man On Mulberry Street" or "Everybody Loves You Now".

Just a few thoughts. But I think the Mets have to play at least two Billy Joel songs in between innings during games this season. It has to be their theme all year.

More good news for my 1978-2008 celebration: If I don't get to see the "Last Play at Shea" concert, I will see Billy Joel in my 30th year. He's playing Mohegan Sun on June 15th (the last of six scheduled shows there). I kind of stumbled onto the tickets - I saw that there were some left, so I scooped a couple up for me and the Wife. It's like the perfect storm of events for me - Billy Joel, a casino, and it's Father's Day. So I think it's a match made in heaven.

There's also the fact that I will become a father for the second time towards the end of this 30th anniversary celebration.

All told, 2008 will be an exciting year for johnnymets....but it would certainly make for an odd-looking sleeve patch: