And I was never more absorbed by pro basketball than I was during the epic

And I was never more absorbed by pro basketball than I was during the epic, seven-game Eastern Conference semifinal showdown between the Chicago Bulls and the New York Knicks in 1994.This one had it all: two teams that despised each other, fourth-quarter comebacks, a good old-fashioned brawl, last-second heroics, a questionable game-deciding call and the in-game mental meltdown of a star player. Even before all of that happened, the series? storylines were wildly compelling. (more?) This article is also featured on Razorback Expats. On Tuesday, June 17, 2008 the New York Mets cut ties with manager Willie Randolph. Willie Randolph was relieved of his duties as manager of the Mets after three season and sixty-nine games.

Randolph who was hired after the 2004 season replaced Art Howe as manager. Randolph in his first season as manager in 2005 led the Mets to an 83-79 record, finishing tied for third in the National League East with the Florida Marlins. For the first time since the 2001 season the Mets finished with a winning record and 83 wins marked a fifteen game improvement from theprevious, 2004, season. Following adisappointing end to the season, being in the playoff race for a good amount of time in September the Mets went out and acquired closer Billy Wagner and first baseman Carlos Delagdo.

In the upcoming season the Mets had probably the mostsuccess ever since the 1986 season where they beat the Boston Red Sox in the world series. In the 2006 season the Mets jumped out to a big first place lead in the first week of the season and finished with a national league best 97-63 record. They would go on to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in three games in the NLDS andeventually lose to world champion St Louis Cardinals in seven games. With the Mets down two and the bases loaded with two out Beltran would strike out in the bottom of the ninth on an Adam Wainwright curveball and end their season. In the 2007 season the Mets led in first place up until the last few games in September. All of a sudden in September everything went downhill, with a seven game first place lead and seventeen games left to play the New York Mets would go on to lose twelve of their last seventeen games, losing the division to the Philadelphia Phillies on the last day of the regular season. This marked one of the biggest collapses in MLB history as Willie Randolph faced a lot ofcriticism from the fans.

General manager Oman Minaya assured Willie would be the manager for thebeginning of the 2008 season. With theacquisition of ace JohanSantana in theoff-season, the Mets were the favorites to win the National League East once again But that would all change. As the season went underway the Mets lost Pedro Martinez again and were not able to overcome the collapse of 2007. The Mets would go on to get loss after loss and Willie Randolph’s job was injeopardy once again. Omar Minaya assured Willie that his job was safe but soon that would change. The Mets went on to get swept in four games by the San Diego Padres and the upcoming weekend would take two out of three from the Texas Rangers, beat the Angels and soon after the game Willie Randolph was fired.    Willie Randolph and the Mets parted ways in a very terrible situation. It may have seemed like the Mets werebeginning to hit the ball and make their pitches.

In my opinion this was not the right time to part ways with Willie Randolph. The Mets almost rallied from an 8-2 deficit against the Texas Rangers losing 8-7 in nine innings. The Mets would win game two of the doubleheader and also win game one in Anaheim. If it wasn’t for Billy Wagner’s three blown saves in one week, the Mets would have won more games. Willie Randolph in any way cannot be blamed for Billy Wagner unable to make his pitches. Willie Randolph was just a scapegoat, who had to take the blame for his team under performing.