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Tuesday, February 28, 2012

David Wright is unimpressed with Jeff Wilpon’s ‘Underdog’ T-Shirt motivational tactics

Hiring crazy-eyed Suzanne Muldowney to sit behind home plate and roll her arms is a bit much.

Can even Underdog save the Mets?

David Wright seems to have his doubts.

COO Jeff Wilpon on Monday presented each member of the team with an orange T-shirt depicting the “U” symbol from the 1960’s TV cartoon “Underdog.” While most Mets, including manager Terry Collins, appeared to enjoy the stunt, Wright wasn’t thrilled.

“I don’t really like using the whole underdog thing. I don’t really like playing that card,” Wright said. “I think it’s just a way to remind everybody in here that the outside expectations aren’t the expectations that we have for ourselves.

“But we in here kind of have to rally around that and get it going,” Wright continued. “I guess, at the end of the day, that is kind of an underdog theme, but we shouldn’t view ourselves as that. We’ll let everybody else view ourselves as that, because I think we kind of know what we’re capable of doing.”

Repoz Posted: February 28, 2012 at 11:14 AM | 27 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: mets

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1. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: February 28, 2012 at 11:21 AM (#4070256)

David Wright looks more like the Great Gazoo than Underdog.

2. ??'s Biggest Fan! Posted: February 28, 2012 at 11:31 AM (#4070264)

When you share in the largest media market in the US, if not the world, can you be an underdog baseball org? Isn't it an indictment of your managerial incompetence rather than an ironic and wry take on your team's financial distress? The more the ownership and front office try to make fun and exploit their financial situation, the less Wilpons appears sympathetic. These guys can't shoot straight.

3. Dale Sams Posted: February 28, 2012 at 11:32 AM (#4070266)

Hey grumpy-puss, just play baseball.

4. bobm Posted: February 28, 2012 at 11:36 AM (#4070271)

COO Jeff Wilpon on Monday presented each member of the team with an orange T-shirt

Well, it worked for John Franco...

5. Fancy Pants Handle doesn't need no water Posted: February 28, 2012 at 11:39 AM (#4070273)

Hey grumpy-puss, just play baseball.

Well he can't, that's why he's grumpy. He needs the season to start!

6. Gotham Dave Posted: February 28, 2012 at 11:42 AM (#4070274)

Wright is showing a surprising amount of passion for say-the-right-thing cliches. He must just be a genuinely boring guy.

7. Heinie Mantush (Krusty) Posted: February 28, 2012 at 11:46 AM (#4070280)

You can feel Wright's attitude towards the Mets turning. If the Mets are flailing in midseason, I can easily see Wright asking for a trade. Frankly, it makes sense. He's 29 and looking for one more big score and a ring. Neither of those things is happening with the Mets while he's still reasonably close to his prime.

Related: I think the neoShea dimensions of Citi will lead to a Wright rejuvenation and we'll be able to get the haul Reyes should have brought.

8. Lassus Posted: February 28, 2012 at 11:51 AM (#4070286)

When you share in the largest media market in the US, if not the world, can you be an underdog baseball org?

I dunno. The Yankees have won 26 World Series, not 112 or whatever.

9. WhoWantsTeixeiraDessert Posted: February 28, 2012 at 12:05 PM (#4070297)

Hey Dave, more El Kabong, less Quick Draw McGraw, please.

10. DiPoto Cabengo Posted: February 28, 2012 at 12:06 PM (#4070300)

Dufo, what a crazy owner.

11. The Piehole of David Wells

Posted: February 28, 2012 at 12:32 PM (#4070316)

I think the real question here is: how did the Mets pay for the t-shirts?

12. RB in NYC (Now Semi-Retired from BBTF) Posted: February 28, 2012 at 01:14 PM (#4070352)

I think the real question here is: how did the Mets pay for the t-shirts?

Somewhere there's a guy who owns both a t-shirt shop and one quarter of one percent of the New York Mets.

13. Gonfalon B. Posted: February 28, 2012 at 01:21 PM (#4070356)

Headline on Baseball Think Factory, February 2013:
Newsblog: The undeniable idiocy of baseball's Underdog Super Energy Pill "crisis"

14. bigglou115 Posted: February 28, 2012 at 01:28 PM (#4070363)

It doesn't sound like Wright's having much fun anymore. Beyond that, I'd be really, really surprised if the Mets' players actually have higher expectations of themselves than to be average, which makes them an underdog in the East. Having high expectations is one thing, but it strikes me as a bad road to go down for that team to really expect themselves to play on the level of the top teams in the east.

15. thetailor Posted: February 28, 2012 at 02:19 PM (#4070399)

What #7 said.

It's hard to read too much into short interviews, but for Wright to say ANYTHING aside from the most uppity, company-man, generic quotes seems like an indictment.

16. Bob Tufts Posted: February 28, 2012 at 02:52 PM (#4070415)

Isn't it an indictment of your managerial incompetence?

"The issue here is not whether we broke a few rules, or took a few liberties with our finances — we did. [winks at Picard] But you can't hold a whole team responsible for the behavior of a few, sick perverted individuals. For if you do, then shouldn't we blame the whole major league baseball system? And if the whole MLB system is guilty, then isn't this an indictment of our sports institutions in general? I put it to you, ??'s Biggest Fan: isn't this an indictment of our entire American society? Well, you can do what you you want to us, but we're not going to sit here and listen to you badmouth the United States of America. Gentlemen!"

17. Run Joe Run Posted: February 28, 2012 at 02:56 PM (#4070416)

2x post

18. Run Joe Run Posted: February 28, 2012 at 02:57 PM (#4070417)

"The issue here is not whether we broke a few rules, or took a few liberties with our finances — we did. [winks at Picard] But you can't hold a whole team responsible for the behavior of a few, sick perverted individuals. For if you do, then shouldn't we blame the whole major league baseball system? And if the whole MLB system is guilty, then isn't this an indictment of our sports institutions in general? I put it to you, ??'s Biggest Fan: isn't this an indictment of our entire American society? Well, you can do what you you want to us, but we're not going to sit here and listen to you badmouth the United States of America. Gentlemen!"

Brilliant. Thank you

19. Select Storage Device Posted: February 28, 2012 at 05:41 PM (#4070511)

Wright is showing a surprising amount of passion for say-the-right-thing cliches. He must just be a genuinely boring guy.

The only non-press conference/on-the-field interview I have seen with him was his spot on The Daily Show a few years ago, and boy what a snooze. He even had the biggest Mets mark asking him the Q's.

20. Bob Tufts Posted: February 28, 2012 at 05:56 PM (#4070516)

Saul: Fred's right. Psychotic, but absolutely right. We gotta take these bastards. Now we could do it with conventional weapons, but that could take years and cost millions of fans. No, I think we have to go all out. I think that this situation absolutely requires a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody's part.

Fred: And we're just the guys to do it.

21. pthomas Posted: February 28, 2012 at 06:43 PM (#4070530)

Looks like Wilpon could have used Underdog while being robbed blind by Madoff.....

There's no need to fear! Underdog is here!

when criminals in this world appear
and break the laws that they should fear
and frighten all who see or hear
the cry goes up both far and near
for Underdog! Underdog! Underdog! Underdog!

speed of lightning, roar of thunder
fighting all who rob or plunder
Underdog. Underdog!

when in this world the headlines read
of those whose hearts are filled with greed
who rob and steal from those who need
to right this wrong with blinding speed
goes Underdog! Underdog! Underdog! Underdog!

speed of lightning, roar of thunder
fighting all who rob or plunder
Underdog. Underdog!

22. Moe Greene Posted: February 28, 2012 at 07:06 PM (#4070543)

Isn't it an indictment of your managerial incompetence?

Why would a Wookiee, an 8-foot-tall Wookiee, want to live on Endor, with a bunch of 2-foot-tall Ewoks? That does not make sense! But more important, you have to ask yourself: What does this have to do with the New York Mets? Nothing. Ladies and gentlemen, it has nothing to do with the Mets! It does not make sense! Look at me. I'm a lawyer defending a major league baseball team, and I'm talkin' about Chewbacca! Does that make sense? Ladies and gentlemen, I am not making any sense! None of this makes sense! And so you have to remember, when you're in that jury room deliberatin' and conjugatin' the Emancipation Proclamation, does it make sense? No! Ladies and gentlemen of this supposed jury, it does not make sense! If Chewbacca lives on Endor, you must acquit! The defense rests.

23. dejarouehg Posted: February 28, 2012 at 07:41 PM (#4070577)

21 - That's awesome.

24. Something Other Posted: February 28, 2012 at 08:00 PM (#4070590)

Lassus--are you live-blogging the Michigan and Arizona primaries?

25. Lassus Posted: February 28, 2012 at 09:58 PM (#4070628)

TOO AFRAID OF JOEY

(But, really, debates are way more fun than primaries anyhow.)

26. Lassus Posted: February 28, 2012 at 10:26 PM (#4070650)

27. The Keith Law Blog Blah Blah (battlekow) Posted: February 29, 2012 at 06:59 PM (#4071429)

You can feel Wright's attitude towards the Mets turning. If the Mets are flailing in midseason, I can easily see Wright asking for a trade. Frankly, it makes sense. He's 29 and looking for one more big score and a ring. Neither of those things is happening with the Mets while he's still reasonably close to his prime.

But I hear a call of a lifetime ring
Felt the need to get up for it
And cut out the middle man
Get free from the middle man

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Tuesday, February 28, 2012

David Wright is unimpressed with Jeff Wilpon’s ‘Underdog’ T-Shirt motivational tactics

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