I Hate Front Runners

I was at Professor Thom's last night, waiting out the rain delay at Fenway. The game ended up getting rained out, and at that point the bar switched over its main TVs to the Mets-Nationals game. About midway through the game, the Mets TV reporter was seen interviewing that noted loudmouth/showoff/publicity-hound film director Spike Lee. The sound was off on the game, so I had no idea what he was saying (but I bet he was probably yapping about his latest movie). But what set me off was what he was wearing on his head: a Mets hat.

I remember back in 1986 when Lee first became famous, he was shown at Shea a number of times with his Mets hat on. OK, he a Mets fan. But by the time the Yankees won the World Series in 1996, there he is at Yankee Stadium wearing a Yankees hat. And throughout the Yankees run of success later in the decade and into the 2000s, he was seen frequently there. That automatically puts people in my doghouse. In my book, you either root for one New York team or the other. (You don't have to hate the other. I've known many people who were dedicated fans of one without being a sworn enemy of the other.) People who say, "I'm a New York fan, so I support both teams" are generally either casual fans or "fair-weather" fans, and will support whichever team is on top.

So there's Lee last night, taking in the Mets game with his Mets hat on. And what place are the Mets in? First, last time I looked. Lee has never been one of my favorite people, as I find his act rather tiresome. His "crazy man" act at Knicks games, especially back when he was going at it on the floor of the Garden with Reggie Miller, was really embarrassing. And in real life, a friend told me his dealing with him on a personal level was nothing short of excruciating, and how he pulled a real prima donna act and treated people around him like dirt.

In the book "One Day At Fenway", Lee was interviewed for it and went out of his way to not only badmouth not only the city of Boston, but the Red Sox and their fans as well. (I've never read that book and never will.) You can guess the reasons why. But, one of my favorite pictures from the historic Game 7 win by the Red Sox over the Yankees in the 2004 ALCS was a glum-looking Lee (adorned in his Yankee gear) standing with his buddy P.Diddy and together they stood watching their "beloved" Yankees pull the biggest choke in the history of American sports.

I can't comment on any of his movies, as I've never seen even one of them, either in the theater, home video or on TV. And I'm proud to write that.

I have more respect for people who stick by their teams, in good times and in bad, then those who root for whichever team is currently on top. I know many good Yankee fans, and many good Mets fans. I guess if the Mets have a great summer, we'll be seeing more of Spike Lee around Shea Stadium.