I Don't Disagree With Costas

Bob Costas caused a bit of an uproar with Mets fans on Sunday when he reported on the Mets four-run ninth inning, capped by Kirk Nieuwenhuis' three-run game-winning home run.

He was a bit over the top with his "ongoing decline of western civilization" crack, but he wasn't wrong about saying the Mets had just acted "like they won the 7th game of the World Series."

As my loyal readers know, I have ranted for years on this blog about those silly, stupid home plate "celebrations" every time a team wins a home game in the bottom of the ninth or later. Everyone seems obligated to act like wild idiots every time they win an ordinary regular season game in their last home at-bat.

I believe that was Costas' contention. Back in 2010, I thought the horrific leg injury that Kendrys Morales of the Angels suffered at home after hitting a game-winning (I don't use that made up term "walkoff" any more, as it's a misnomer) home run would finally put a stop to the abject lunacy, as it cost him over a year and a half of his career. I clearly didn't.

The "celebrations" are getting wilder and stupider. Pies in the face, Gatorade buckets, punching teammates, ripping off jerseys. (If no one remembers Morales, then no one will remember Chris Coghlan, who tried to "pie" a teammate being interviewed on TV after a marlins win in 2010. Coghlan fell in the attempt and blew out his knee, missing the remainder of the season.) Come on, guys, it's a regular season game. Act like you've been there before, as a wise old NFL coach once said.

Mets fans took exception to Costas' comments, as they took it to mean that a team as bad as the Mets have no right to celebrate the win. The fact is is that EVERY MLB team does this silliness, no matter where they are in the standings. To me, it seems as if they are all in competition with each other to see who can act crazier after an ordinary regular season win.

I promise you there will be another serious injury in these dumb pig piles, it's just a matter of when, not if. (I always hold my breath when the Red Sox are involved in of these moronic things. I'd be REALLY angry if one of theirs got hurt in this needless nonsense.)

Nobody remembers Kendrys Morales. or Chris Coghlan. MLB will only put a halt to it when a major star gets injured in one of them. Count on it.