Sticking with the education theme Yahoo! was kind enough to come up with [1] for us and 29 other contributing blogs, my attention was detained this morning when I saw the following headline on mets.com [2]:
Mets’ loss to Cards a valued learning experience
Say, I thought, that looks familiar. Where and when have I seen that sentiment before?
Oh yeah — on the same site at the same time under more or less the same circumstances a year ago [3]:
Rival’s clinch could be lesson for young Mets
Hey, the Mets are learning! They’re sitting quietly in their dugout as the upperclassmen on the Phillies one season and the Cardinals the next teach them how to win by giving them a competitive wedgie! Aren’t those contenders courteous that way?
I realize the headlines are a matter of MLB accentuating the positive (the way ensuring uniformity is better [4] than honoring the memories of fallen heroes [5]); and yes, the Aldersonians need time to undo the damage Tropical Storm Minaya wreaked; and yes, [fill in your rationalization of choice regarding the prevailing mediocrity of the era and how it might actually end someday], but geez. It’s yet another September of learning by losing for the New York Mets. Another year when the L’s outpoint the W’s. Another chance to pick apart Mike Pelfrey’s brain [6]. Another offseason when patience won’t be so much a virtue but our only option as Mets fans.
Yippee.