By John W. Lillpop
While Democrats and Republicans in Washington, D.C., worked feverishly to deal with the trillion dollar stinker laid by bankers and investors on Wall Street, the good folks of New York City were fighting a blistering one-two punch delivered by the sports Gods.
Consider the carnage:
For the first time in 13 years, the Yankees failed to make the playoffs.
Even more agonizing for some New Yorkers, for the second time in two years the Mets failed in the final innings of the season, and will spend the off season working to exorcise a pesky addiction to gutless choking.
In all probability, the collapse of Wall Street has absolutely nothing to do with the demise of the Yankees and or the Mets.
Still, perhaps George W. Bush, Henry Paulson, Ben Bernanke,
Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and all of the other anti-American socialists who have worked 24/7 to bail out corrupt bankers and investors could be persuaded to show some compassion for New York ball fans.
Why not a few billion dollars for the Yankees and a few billion more for the Mets so that club brass can unload their toxic ballplayers and sign promising, but unproved, teenagers to long term contracts at $15 million a year?
That would make about as much sense as lending a conglomerate of uneducated, illiterate illegal aliens, earning minimum wage, $650,000 to purchase a three bedroom, 1.5 bath, 1,500 square foot slice of the American dream in California.
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Indeed, if Congress has any legitimate constitutional responsibility to look over auto makers in Detroit, surely there must be an obligation to assure that the Yankee relief pitching is up to speed, especially since Mariano Rivera is headed to the surgeon's table for his wonky shoulder?
Why not a taxpayer funded rescue plan for the thousands of fans on the verge of suicide after the second successive swan dive by their once beloved Mets?
Casey Stengel, the old professor of baseball lore who managed both the Yankees and Mets during his illustrious career, must be rolling over in his grave.
Casey's most memorial quote would be a legitimate question for both New York clubs in 2008, "Can't anyone here play the game?"
While the Gods of quality baseball have forsaken New York City in its hour of greatest need, other American cities are richly blessed.
In fact, both Los Angeles teams (Angels and Dodgers) are in the playoffs, as are both Chicago franchises (Cubs and White Sox).
Bottom line: Perhaps the Yankees and Mets are God's way of punishing New York city for the unethical and predatory business practices so prevalent on Wall Street?
