March Metness: The Road to the Metropolitan Championship

It’s been a big dance, but as ever, 2007’s edition of March Metness has come down to a pair of last waltzes — the Tom Filer Four, this Saturday’s last two games before the Metropolitan Championship hoedown Monday, April 2. It is then that we will find out what is, indisputably, the Quintessential Mets Thing.

The semifinals are at hand. As all sports fans are probably aware by now, the brackets have come down to this:

1 LET’S GO METS (Miracle Champion)
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7 JOSE! JOSE! JOSE! JOSE! (Magic Champion)
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1 THE HAPPY RECAP (Believe Champion)
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2 BUCKNER (Amazin’ Champion)

Congratulations are in order for this quartet of survivors. The matchups that await five days hence are indeed intriguing, with LGM and J!4 representing a dual shoutout to the Mets fan soul. Meanwhile, The Happy Recap and Buckner share a common bond of their own. When, after all, was there a more ecstatic postgame mood in Mets history than after Game Six?

Here’s how each of the remaining combatants have survived and advanced to the Filer Four.

LET’S GO METS
Chant with which Mets fans have regularly urged on their team since 1962
AASE ROUND: Defeated Mercury Mets (16); Defeated Mojo Risin’ (9)
RICK SWEET 16: Defeated Jane Jarvis (5)
ELLIOT EIGHT: Defeated Rheingold The Dry Beer (2)

JOSE! JOSE! JOSE! JOSE!
Soccer-derived song/cheer dedicated to Mets leadoff sensation Jose Reyes in 2006
AASE ROUND: Defeated LaGuardia (10); Defeated Bill Shea’s Floral Horseshoe (15)
RICK SWEET 16: Defeated Can’t Anybody Here Play This Game? (3)
ELLIOT EIGHT: Defeated The 7 Train (1)

THE HAPPY RECAP
Signature post-victory phrase of 42-year Mets announcer Bob Murphy
AASE ROUND: Defeated Michael Sergio (16); Defeated John Rocker (9)
RICK SWEET 16: Defeated Seinfeld (4)
ELLIOT EIGHT: Defeated The Franchise (3)

BUCKNER
First base error that turned 1986 World Series in Mets’ favor
AASE ROUND: Defeated Dairylea (15); Defeated Jimmy Qualls (10)
RICK SWEET 16: Defeated Pete Rose (5)
ELLIOT EIGHT: Defeated Mr. Met (1)

The Road to the Metropolitan Championship continues Saturday. We will, of course, be there to cover all the action.

March Metness: First Weekend Results
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday

March Metness: Second Weekend Results
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday