Huey Lewis & the News

Well, it's been several years, it seems like, since I darkened the hallowed halls of Misery Loves Company. Really, though, I've been getting my fill of Mets-related content when "friends" send me news bits like this:

WESTBURY, NY (Associated Press) - A seven-year old boy was at the center of a Nassau County courtroom drama yesterday when he challenged a court ruling over who should have custody of him. The boy has a history of being beaten by his parents, and the judge initially awarded custody to his aunt, in keeping with child custody law and regulation requiring that family unity be maintained to the highest degree possible. The boy surprised the court when he proclaimed that his aunt customarily beat him even more than his parents, and he adamantly refused to live with her. When the judge then suggested that he live with his grandparents, the boy began to cry, explaining that that they also beat him. After considering the remainder of the immediate family and learning that domestic violence was apparently a way of life among them, the judge took the unprecedented step of allowing the boy to propose who should have custody of him. After two recesses to check legal references and confer with the Child welfare officials, the judge granted temporary custody to the New York Mets, whom the boy firmly believes are not capable of beating anyone.

Thanks, thanks very much. I've got some thoughts on the way it went down for the Metmen this year -- and boy, did it go down. Those thoughts are forthcoming, and I'd better be quick about it; the Mets have already re-upped with a pair of their '07ers for next year, so the Hot Stove time is creeping in.

In the meantime, I would also like to include a recent electronic mail transmission from the occasional MLC commenter referred to as "Phillie-lovin' Nick":

You need to have a sit-down with Rob and break the news to him. You have to let him go. I think I would be your ideal co-writer in MLC.

The Sox World Series sweeps of 2004 and 2007 have disqualified them indefinitely for any right to share in misery. Put Rob on notice now. If the Sox can manage to go without a single championship and limit their next World Series visit to no sooner than 2022, he can come back to Miseryville. In the meantime, he can enjoy sipping champagne with all the winners of the world -- just have him call us the Deacon Blues
Brothers.

Seriously, 2004/2007 erases history. Aaron Boone, Bucky Dent and Bill Buckner were never born. 2003, 1986, 1975 and 1967 have been erased. The Babe never played in Beantown. Joe DiMaggio was an only child. Ted Williams’ plane was shot down over Pyonyang. Johnny Pesky was a lumberjack and was crushed by a redwood one tragic morning. Wade Boggs contracted HIV from a toothless redneck part time prostitute/part time night shift manager at a KFC in Pawtucket and as a result, never made it to the Show.

It’s me and you now, Whit. We are misery. What does Rob know?

Let me know after you have told him.

The thoughts of the MLC literati on whether a blog called "Misery Loves Company" can really exist with what's gone on in its midst are appreciated. Questions of whether five years in the same place is enough, whether I can abandon my little buddy over sour grapes, whether I can tolerate sharing space with someone who supports the Phightins, whether adversarial pairings make for better copy, or whether we oughtn't just expand MLC into a free-for-all with multiple writers touting their team on the same turf . . . these are all worth discussing at some length.

Over beers next Monday afternoon at The Dubliner in the Nation's Capital would be best, but over the blogwaves would suffice.