Dig it bitches, it's hockey season!

I danced a jig in the kitchen today. Well, not really a jig because I can't dance, but I did shuffle from side to side with a stupid smile on my face and an erection. That can mean only one of two things and I'm pretty sure they're not letting me go to another prom! Finally, after eight (ish) long weeks of waiting, hockey has returned to our lives! Since there's obviously nothing else going on in the world of sports these days, I figured I'd whet everyone's appetite with a little something something from a minor league preseason hockey game. CAN YOU FEEL THE EXCITEMENT?!?!

There is one less Manuel in the NL East

Much to the surprise of no one the Mets parted ways with manager Jerry Manuel and general manager Omar Minaya today following their second-consecutive 4th place finish despite a monsterous payroll. Manuel was a decent enough teacher of the game, but seemed baffled by bullpen management and pinch hitters. He is perhaps best suited for the American League where he won manager of the year in 2000. There he can simply fill out a lineup card then catch the highlights of the game on Sportscenter.

It was not all Manuel's fault. He was constantly saddled with an incomplete roster due to Minaya's inability to handle minor league transactions and injuries, as well as his ill-fated decision to hand contracts of 3 year, $36 million to Oliver Perez and 4 years $24 million to Luis Castillo. For the bulk of his final two years as manager, Manuel was fielding a team of 23 players and 2 living paper weights against rosters with 25 actual baseball players on them.

We Mets fans now turn our eyes to a hopefully rosier future while stubbornly pretending to ignore the fact that the team ownership somehow manages to be frugal while weilding a payroll in excess of $130 million. Maybe next year the team can invest some of their riches in a fully functional training staff after injuries to stars Jason Bay, Carlos Beltran, Jose Reyes, and Johan Santana once again decimated the team's chances of finishing the year above .500. Also, maybe next year the team can set loftier goals...