Why "Pond Scum"? Here's the answer...

by The Ol Goaler on Oct 10, 2006 11:18 AM EDT

For those that don't (or can't) remember, there were several reasons Cardinal fans thought of the Mets as "Pond Scum".

First of all, the Mets were supposed to be the dominant National League team of the 1980s, according to the national media. (Yes, East Coast Bias [TM] existed even before the advent of ESPN!)

Never mind the fact that when the teams went head-to-head during the regular season as NL East Division foes, the Cardinals won three division titles to the Mets' alleged "dynasty" of one!

Add to that the fact that, well... the Mets featured several players that had the personal characteristics of (ahem)...

Keith Hernandez had admitted his cocaine abuse during the "Pittsburgh Cocaine Trial"... and while he had apologized to Mets fans for his transgressions, he didn't say a mumblin' word to Cardinals fans for snortin' snow while wearing the Birds On The Bat! Didn't sit well with a lot of folks in Cardinal Nation.

Howard Johnson had inexplicably developed a tremendous power surge out of nowhere, instantly transforming himself into a home-run hitter. Then as now, guys who suddenly started hitting the ball farther were assumed to be cheating... but in the 1980's, the assumption was that HoJo was corking his bat, along with several of his teammates.

For whatever reason, Gary Carter was also intensely disliked... I suspect Carter was a victim of what I call "Steve Garvey Syndrome"... simply too good to be true.

Darryl Strawberry carried himself with an arrogance that brought jeers and chants of "Darrr-yllll" anywhere but Shea Stadium. Doc Gooden was scary good, before these two players became the poster children for "Wasted Talent."

Mookie Wilson (our own P-Dub's stepdad!) was the closest thing to a likeable Met on the roster... but he had to share time in CF with Lenny "Nails" Dykstra. 'Nuff said...

Those Mets were supposed to be a dynasty... but they weren't, and largely because of the Cardinals.

This year's Met squad is largely devoid of "hate-able" players. Oh, Pedro's a headhunter, but he's hurt and won't pitch, anyway. Guys like Glavine, LoDuca, Delgado, Valentin, and Floyd are all hard-working pros who don't "show up" the opposition. I can't stand Beltran... but only because he's good, and not because of his personality.

But they still play in that dump of a stadium (I'm of the opinion that "Flushing, New York" would be a good idea on general principles...) and they'll still get all the pub, 'cause they're in Noo Yawk... so...

GO CARDS GO! BEAT THE POND SCUM!!!"

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I remember

my dad had a shirt with something about the Cards on the front and an image with the Mets are pond scum on the back. Can't remember the front though.

by Just Rope Ball on Oct 10, 2006 11:46 AM EDT reply actions

Lo Duca...

was cheating on his wife and the mistress posted all about it on MySpace. There's something there.

But again, that's the best I can do. I like all the guys you mentioned PLUS Wright and Reyes. Pedro is dissed for the same things we praise Gibby for doing in his prime.

Here's to a great series.

by Brock20 on Oct 10, 2006 12:06 PM EDT reply actions

Pond Scum

I've always been weary of the fact that the Mets play in Flushing and their stadium is a big toilet. You do the math.

"I only am who I am because I was born that way. I have a gift and I'm trying to not be selfish about it, but to use it, OK? Jealousy will get you nowhere!"

by I Bleed Cardinal Red on Oct 10, 2006 12:17 PM EDT reply actions

Mets Are Scum T Shirts

You can still buy a version of these shirts online. They are close to what I remember..Too good to pass up though..

http://www.cafepress.com/cletusbiscuit/1958803

This is the place I found them

by jdfsu78 on Oct 10, 2006 2:20 PM EDT reply actions

Howard Johnson

did use a corked bat. I believe it was eventually confirmed by Hernandez. Also Whitey once snuck into the Mets clubhouse and had HoJo's bats x-rayed. When hit a homerun later that (day?) series, he had the Cards cather,Pena I think, grab the bat. The Umps took it to be x-rayed, but it was returned to HoJo with x-ray.

The '06 Cardinals- The New '96 Cardinals? (Sorry, but I have to be real about our chances)

by Zubin on Oct 10, 2006 3:05 PM EDT reply actions

sorry, that should be

returned to HoJo without being x-rayed.

The '06 Cardinals- The New '96 Cardinals? (Sorry, but I have to be real about our chances)

by Zubin on Oct 10, 2006 3:06 PM EDT up reply actions

part

of the hernandez issue was also that whitey stuck out his neck and defended him when he was snortin' blow behind everyone's back.

by sdesserman on Oct 10, 2006 5:56 PM EDT reply actions

vince coleman

come you forgot about vince coleman. he was there on that fucked-up 1991 and 1992 team that had Bonilla, Saberhagen, and Murray. he threw a firecracker off a team bus in L.A. in 1992 after they lost to the dodgers.

Goodnight, Miss Candy, it's..........a.........Goner!!!-Doc Hancock

by thedocisin06 on Oct 11, 2006 2:31 PM EDT reply actions

brand new

mets are pond scum shirts will be sold outside of al hrabowski's on saturday and sunday courtesy of k-hits 96. and they're 5 bucks, the proceeds of which go to cards care.
incidentally, j.c. corcoran of said station originally coined the phrase

by The Butcher on Oct 12, 2006 5:58 PM EDT reply actions