The resilient Washington Nationals did it again. After what it appeared the Houston Astros would win Game 7, the Nationals answered by scoring three runs to overcome a two-run deficit in the seventh inning to beat the Astros 6-2 on Wednesday night that would have them celebrate their first World Series championship.
It made sense that the Nats would win that way after rebounding from a 19-31 start to make the playoffs as a wild-card, and then rally in a wild-card game to advance and have this magic ride all the way to the World Series. It couldn’t happen any other way.
If the Yankees and Mets watched this at home, all they can wonder is this: Why couldn’t it be them? Yankees and Mets fans certainly thought so watching all of this unfold.
The Yankees and their fans know it could have been their night to celebrate. The Houston Astros begged to be beaten in the American League Championship Series, but the Yankees couldn’t hit when it mattered, and that’s why it’s ten years and counting since they last won it all. The Mets fans ponder today what could have been if the Mets played the Nationals in the wild-card game with Jacob deGrom starting in that game. The Mets players thought about it for awhile now. As for the Wilpons, they couldn’t care less since their team is on the black as in making money than losing money.
What should bother New York sports fans is the DMV (D.C, Maryland and Virginia) area celebrated championships in recent years than us. The DMV folks saw the Washington Capitals hoisting the Stanley Cup, University of Virginia Cavaliers winning the national championship, Washington Mystics celebrating the WNBA championship and now the Nationals. No one will confuse the DMV as a real sports area, not when most residents there are not even from there. It’s a transient town at best. Think Miami with all those transplants.
Meanwhile in Loserville, USA aka New York City, we haven’t seen a Canyon of Heroes parade since 2012 when the Giants won the last championship in town. The controversial Megan Rapinoe represented New York in the parade these last few years only. YUCK!
Only the Yankees offered hope to end this championship drought, and they did not get it done. Yankees fans wonder now if their new Core Four players have what it takes to win it all when it matters. This new group of players failed these last few years, and they have yet to show they can have that October moment that would put them on YES Network’s Yankeeography. It could just be the Yankees are a great regular season team and not a good postseason team. It could be another 10 years until we see them celebrating a championship.
The Mets? They haven’t experienced the playoffs since Conor Gillaspie hit that three-run home run off Mets closer Jeurys Familia in the ninth inning of that wild-card game. They wasted a great season from deGrom and Pete Alonso by missing the playoffs. They underachieved with a competent starting rotation. They have no bullpen. They decided they would rather hire a manager who would take orders from the Wilpons rather than pay up for a manager who thinks on his own in Joe Girardi, who is now the Philadelphia Phillies manager. Why even care about the Mets next season when they won’t spend to be a playoff team or hire a manager that knows what he’s doing? Sorry, but hiring an inexperienced manager shouldn’t get anyone excited to watch them on television or at Citi Field.
But hey as long as the Wilpons are making money and fans are coming to the games, this season is a success for them. It’s amusing to see Mets COO Jeff Wilpon talking about wanting to play meaningful games in October when citing the firing of Mickey Callaway as Mets manager when he is going to hire another Callaway. Winning has never been a priority for them, and never will.
The football here stinks. The Giants will miss the playoffs for the seventh time in eight seasons since they last won the Super Bowl, and their quarterback of the present and future in Daniel Jones showed that he is not an NFL quarterback with a 2-4 record and seven interceptions to show for it. The Jets players have clearly quit on Jets head coach Adam Gase, and Jets quarterback Sam Darnold regressed to the point he is playing like Mark Sanchez, which explains their 1-6 record.
Both teams could be looking for a new head coach after another forgettable football season. Pat Shurmur’s job security becomes an issue each passing week with every Giants loss. Gase could be one and done if the Jets continue on this awful path of incompetence since it would be hard to sell fans and disgruntled fans for another season. He is by far the worst Jets coach since Rich Kotite.
The Knicks are a national laughingstock. They are the new version of the Donald Sterling-led Los Angeles Clippers, and James Dolan playing the role of Sterling. Only they can alienate a star player in Kristaps Porzingis and run him out of town. They have nothing to offer. They couldn’t get Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant to sign with them, let alone talk to them. They did not even waste their time talking to Kawhi Leonard since they knew it would be a waste of time. They offer no hope, and as long as Dolan owns the Knicks, there won’t be any hope. Why would any free agent want to work for them? God bless RJ Barrett for being drafted by them since he is going to waste his year.
The Nets should be a playoff team despite their 1-3 start, but they won’t be contending for a championship until Durant comes back from his Achilles injury next season. He poses questions about whether he can be the same after the injury. Also, the jury is out about Kenny Atkinson capable of coaching a team that has championship aspirations.
The Islanders are the only team worth talking about here. They won seven in a row, and they came off from last season’s success of playing all the way to the second round of the playoffs. They are well-coached by Barry Trotz, and Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello knows a thing or two about building a championship. The Islanders can win the Stanley Cup this year.
As for the Rangers and Devils, they both stink. The Devils are about to lose Taylor Hall, who is a pending free agent, so they are likely going to trade him for prospects later this season.
Seton Hall should be a tournament team with Big East Player of the Year candidate Myles Powell, but can they go to the Sweet 16 this season? Rutgers should be an NIT team as fourth year head Steve Pikiell continues to build a foundation. St. John’s is starting over in basketball after Chris Mullin resigned.
Rutgers football? The less said, the better. If Greg Schiano does not want to coach Rutgers, this program is screwed.
Even our soccer teams in NYCFC and the New York Red Bulls don’t win playoff games much.
The Liberty are in the market for a new head coach as new owner Joseph Tsai starts to build a team that he inherited from Dolan.
Rough times indeed with all of our teams going back to the last few seasons, and it won’t get better anytime soon.
In a few years, ten years will come where we celebrated our last Canyon of Heroes parade from a New York sports team, which would be the Giants beating the New England Patriots.
It could be another ten years we celebrate a title.
New York is now the new Washington, D.C. of sports.
