Breaking News: Troubled Citigroup Says It Will Keep Naming Deal With Mets

In 2006, Citigroup agreed to a 20-year, $400 million contract to name the New York Mets’ new stadium Citi Field.

In November 2008, Citigroup announced it planned to eliminate 52,000 jobs.

Okay, I don’t claim to be an economics whiz.  All I remember about my economics course at NYU is the textbook was written by Paul Samuelson.  What the textbook taught, I have no clue.  So, that should put me on even footing with the CEO of Citigroup.

Let me get this straight… Citigroup laid off 52,000 workers.  That’s 52,000 families with a lot of worries.  And, even if some of them are Mets fans, I have a feeling they’re not worried about the Mets middle relief staff for next season.  At the same time, Citigroup is going to keep shelling out $20 million a year, for the next 20 years, to have their name in lights on the new ballpark in Flushing?

Flushing.  Quite appropriate.  I figure it’s only a matter of time before the current management team at Citigroup is flushed into the Hudson River.  Shortly thereafter, look for news that Citigroup will no longer have naming rights at Shea Stadium (oops, I mean Citi Field).

Given the state of the economy, maybe then I’ll jump into the bidding.  Bergino Field.  Sounds kind of nice.  My bid:  $3.77.  

Don’t laugh.  That’s the current price of a share of Citigroup.

Dads and Sons

I just happened to come upon an article in today’s New York Times.  The writer has penned some of the most beautiful songs of the past 40 years.

Without further adieu, I bring you the words of Paul Simon…

I was sitting on my father’s lap listening to a Yankee game on our old Philco radio. It was 1948 and I suddenly realized I was a Yankee fan. The team was headed for a dismal third-place finish. I was 7, and there was nothing to do but wait for 1949 and the new Yankee manager, Casey Stengel.

I was standing in a subway car, holding my dad’s hand when the train emerged from the tunnel, climbed the elevated tracks , and I saw Yankee Stadium for the first time. How beautiful! The emerald green grass, the old-fashioned white facade and the dots of color that were the fans in their seats .We were in the left-field bleachers and the colors seemed even more intense, the grass a bluer green, the pinstripes dazzling and the ball a white rocket that shot from the hands of the outfielders playing long toss.

We were playing the Indians and DiMaggio was returning to the lineup after an injury. As he approached the plate, the crowd was thumping. At the crack of the bat everyone around me stood to watch the ball’s trajectory. I couldn’t see a thing. It was a home run. I stood on my seat as Joe rounded third. I’d like to play in Yankee Stadium , I thought.

“Just lay it in there,” I told Artie. “I want to see how far I can hit it.” It was 1968, the year Mickey Mantle retired and “Mrs. Robinson” was nominated for a Grammy. Simon and Garfunkel had gotten permission to make a video at Yankee Stadium.. As an ex-high school baseball player (all-Queens second team), I was eager to test my left-handed swing against the fabled “short porch” in right field. After fouling off a couple of pitches I finally hit one on the screws, as they say. The ball arced gracefully and landed in what could be charitably called medium right field, about 250 feet from home. Porch not short enough. Stickball was really my game anyway.

•

1988. Would Mickey Mantle be willing to play stickball in a music video of “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard”? Calls were made. Feelers put out. Yes! The Mick would do it but was demanding $1,500 and a limo from his hotel. We met at a playground at 46th and 10th, and for a good hour I got to play stickball with Mickey Mantle. Did I thank him as he eased his aching knees into the limo? Profusely. Did I mention that I spent countless hours imitating his style of running? No, I was too embarrassed, but the photo of the two of us is one of my treasures.

•

A month after DiMaggio’s death I was standing in center field with Bernie Williams. It was a few hours before the unveiling of the Yankee Clipper’s monument before 53,000 fans. I asked Williams, the Yankee center fielder, how it felt to view the three-tiered majesty of the Stadium from his vantage point. He replied, “It’s a little like looking at the Grand Canyon.”

Two hours later I heard Bob Sheppard announce my name, and I walked from the old bullpen to center field and began to sing, “Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio?” but the roar of the crowd was muted in my earpiece and I was far away thinking of my father and that subway ride. After the ceremonies we were invited up to the Steinbrenner suite. I sat at a table with Phil Rizzuto, who introduced me to his wife, Cora. This was becoming a Yankee-dream-come-true afternoon. After an appropriate amount of time, I thought I ought leave, but Rizzuto said: “You can’t leave yet. You didn’t eat any of Steinbrenner’s chicken.” I said I had to pick up my son at a birthday party and, besides, I was a vegetarian. “A vegetarian?” Rizzuto said. “A vegetarian. Holy cow!”

My youngest son always says that his favorite moment is when you’re just coming out from under the stands and you see the players and the field. I know that pleasure will still be there in the new Stadium, but for those of us lucky enough to have known the House That Ruth Built, something special has passed

So, so long, Scooter, so long, Joe, so long, Mick, and since I never got the chance to say it, so long, Dad.

Paul Simon is a Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter.

Henry L. Aaron and Willie Howard Mays, Jr.

Last night, my girlfriend and I were fortunate enough to attend a live television show — HBO Sports’ CostasNow. The edition was devoted exclusively to the state of baseball.

Marci is far from a huge baseball fan, so I gave her a quick, introductory lesson about the topics being discussed and the Hall of Famers in attendance — Bob Gibson, Jim Palmer, Dave Winfield. Billy Crystal needed no such introduction. And, oh yeah, these two other guys were there, too. Henry L. Aaron and Willie Howard Mays, Jr.

It was fascinating to watch a live tv show from the first row. Next to Bob Costas, we had the best seats in the house. Hank Aaron and Willie Mays on stage together, just steps away from us. Where were we? The NYU Center for the Arts? Or heaven?

Marci was enamored with the skill and humor of Bob Costas. He’s a pro’s pro’s pro. Or whatever it is you call the best.

An amazing hour-and-a-half of live tv. When it ended, with Aaron and Mays on stage together, Costas asked the audience to please stay seated for another five minutes (at that point, Bob, I would have given you five years without a protest) so they could do some type of promo for HBO.com.

Then, as sometimes happens in baseball — and life — a first-rate curveball.

Willie Mays, simply, opened up. He went on and on and on. And Costas let him go. Five minutes turned into 30. But, I swear, it felt like seconds.

If you want something worthwhile to do with your time, I implore you to watch this show. I’m not sure how it translates to the screen, but, in person, it was enchanting.

I only wish that the person who introduced me to the pure beauty of baseball could have been there, too. It sure felt like heaven last night, Dad. Maybe it was.

Where have you gone, Casey Stengel?

Okay, I admit it. I’m a Mets fan. Still. But it ain’t easy.

No need to get into the entire Willie Randolph firing and how it went down. Let’s just say that I was a big Willie fan. Not so keen on the Shea suits.

Which got me to thinking…

Supposedly, the Mets are a Championship caliber team (at least according to GM Omar Minaya and owner Wilpon Family). But, if they’re potential Champions, how come they don’t have one legitimate All-Star? Take a look at their individual stats. With the possible exception of Billy Wagner, you’d have a difficult time making the case for any of the Mets being on this year’s National League All-Star team.

The 2008 New York Mets. Champions?

I can only imagine what Casey Stengel would have said about that.

America, 2008

Occasionally, you come across a story that brings it all together… Baseball. Life.

While reading through today’s New York Times, I came across the following. No need for additional commentary by me. But, if you’d like to leave a comment, we’d love to hear from you.

AROUND THE MAJORS. Jose Canseco, who made millions during his baseball career, has had his home foreclosed. Canseco told the syndicated TV show Inside Edition that he walked away from his $2.5 million, 7,300-square foot home in suburban Encino, Calif., because it did not make sense to continue making payments.

There are two kinds of people in this world…

The movie Scent of a Woman is filled with brilliant dialogue.  In one scene, Al Pacino’s character, Lt. Colonel Frank Slade, is imparting a lifetime of wisdom and lessons to the young Charlie.  The Colonel states:  There are two kinds of people in this world.  Those who stand up and face the music, and those who run for cover.

I think of that line quite often, because it’s dead-on true.  Rarely a week goes by when the line does not come to life in some experience.

Bergino.  I started the company in the spring of 2001.  We’re a small business, fighting in this world as all small businesses do.  Perhaps you can relate.  Perhaps you’re in similar shoes.

At the moment, we’re in a bit of a struggle with a run for cover guy. There’s this large, corporate mail-order catalog/internet retailer.  They’ve been around for about 15 years.  You’ve probably heard of them. For now, let’s keep their name hush hush.

They owe us about $2,000.  Obviously, not a king’s ransom, but for a small business such as ours, more than a princely sum.  They sold all of the items they ordered from us.  They don’t dispute they owe us the money.  In fact, they acknowledge it.  They just refuse to pay.  Nothing more to the story.  Sorry, pal, you’re not getting paid.  The President of this corporation is a run for cover guy.  He’s a small-town slicker.

At the moment, we have the Attorney General of Missouri and the Federal Trade Commission looking into their operation.  Stay tuned.  As time goes on, we’ll keep you updated and let you know exactly who they are.  You can then make your own determination as to whether or not you’d purchase items from them.

For every run for cover operator, there’s a stand up guy.  Well, not exactly.  From 48 years of lifetime experience, I’d say the ratio is about 10-1 against.  So, when you finally run into a stand up guy, it’s a pleasure.  And it was my pleasure to run into a stand up gal.

A small retailer owes us about $450.  The money was due in late 2007.  Just about the same time as the money owed us from Run for Cover in the Ozarks. But, on a snowy, grey February afternoon, a faxed letter appeared out of the blue from our stand up gal…

X has an outstanding balance with your company that is overdue.  I am writing you today to assure you that we have every intention of paying this off and doing more business with you.  As the economy has suffered, so have we.  Being caught at the end of the holiday season with less than we thought we would.  We are also in a resort area (east coast resort) and the first quarter does not afford us the ability to chip away at the balances as quickly as we would like.

But, we have been in business for fifteen years now, have seen a few ups and downs, and will weather this storm too with your help.  Please be patient with us, we are not running away — we will gladly speak with you — but may not be able to send a check right away.  And please do not turn our account over to a collection agency, it will not get the balance paid any sooner.  With patience on your part you will at least get the full amount.

So today I am writing to reassure you that all outstanding balances will be paid in full and that due to your patience we expect to be back to business as usual by mid summer, in spite of the slowing economy.

There are two kinds of people in this world…

That’s one who stands up and faces the music.  To our small retailer, thank you.

And, to our run for cover Goliath, you can run, but you can’t hide.

Those were the words of the great boxer, Joe Louis.  There was this other stand up fighter, too.  Known simply as David.  Later became King.  Everyone knows the story.  But a little known tidbit…

You know what David had in his slingshot when he faced Goliath?  A Bergino baseball.

The unanswered question

While watching the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform hearings about steroids in Major League Baseball, I was reminded of HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Larry David has an on-going gag where he stares into the eyes of someone when he can’t quite tell if they’re telling the truth.  At the end of the stare, Larry doesn’t have a clue about their veracity.

There’s no need to comment on whether Roger Clemens or Brian McNamee was telling the truth in front of Congress.  It doesn’t take a Larry David stare to figure out this one.

But one question remains…

Larry David could not be reached for comment, so I turned to a dictionary instead.  It is a question that has baffled ages of sages.  To help define the question…

Schmuck (slang): a clumsy or stupid person; an oaf.

Putz (slang): a fool; an idiot.

Congressman Dan Burton (R-Indiana), Congressman Darrell Issa (R-California), Congressman Christopher Shays (R-Connecticut).

The unanswered question:  Burton, Issa, Shays…  Are they Schmucks or Putzes?

Bush League

On February 13, baseball stars will testify under oath in front of Congress.  The Oversight and Government Reform Committee will swear in such names as Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte, Chuck Knoblauch.  Congressmen and ballplayers will talk about steroid use.  They will tell the truth.  They will lie.  Who knows?

The cameras will roll.  America will watch.  Congress, circa 2008.

You may have missed it, but a little report was just released about our nation’s leaders.  An exhaustive examination by The Center for Public Integrity has found that “President George W. Bush and seven of his administration’s top officials, including Vice President Dick Cheney, National Security Adviser Condoleeza Rice, and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, made at least 935 false statements in the two years following September 11, 2001, about the national security threat posed by Saddam Hussein’s Iraq.  The record shows that the statements were part of an orchestrated campaign that effectively galvanized public opinion and, in the process, led the nation to war under decidedly false pretenses.”

As my Dad used to say, there are lies.  And there are lies.

Clemens walked to the mound, picked up a rosin bag, threw a pitch, and never took steroids.  Bush strolled from his White House office to a podium in front of the world’s cameras, looked you in the face, and left the truth in his back pocket.

There are lies.  And there are lies.

On the road…

So, look for new postings after January 21st.

In the meantime, a happy, healthy, peaceful start to the New Year.

Winter Baseball

It’s holiday season in New York, which means it’s both beautiful and cold.

For whatever reason, my mind wandered to the words of Rogers Hornsby, one of the greatest ballplayers of all-time…

“People ask me what I do in winter when there’s no baseball.  I’ll tell you what I do.  I stare out the window and wait for spring.”