Top Reasons Why It's Better to Be a New York Mets Fan Than a New York Yankee One

OK, this piece does come out of a sense of frustration. How can it not?

Fellow diehard Met fans know exactly how I feel and what I'm talking about. It's not easy being us. We're fans, first and foremost, baseball aficionados who wear our hearts on our sleeves and our allegiance on our backs, in the form of Reyes, Wright, Davis and Santana jerseys. There are a number of us with Seaver and Piazza shirts as well.

We can't help but get emotional about our team. And it's hard to think about them and not have that other team from New York enter out thoughts.

Not only do we have to confront Yankee fans everywhere we go—even on vacation—and it's hard to live in the shadow of the big bad bully on the block on a daily basis. Yankee fans are all around us and they aren't shy about reminding us how much better their team is than ours.

Yet, I think it's far better to be a Met fan. Maybe not now, but certainly in the long run.

How, you say, as you watch along with me as the Mets blow another late inning lead or late season lead, for that matter? Or when you read about how the owner lost a bundle in the Madoff scandal? Or when you hear how the farm system is an embarrassment?

I've thought long and hard about this and while not scientific by any means, there is some logic to that pronouncement. Here is why it is better to be a Met than a Yankee fan:

1. No Sense of Entitlement

A lot of Yankee fans—especially younger ones—have known nothing but winning. What kind of life lesson is that?

Yankee fans joke that raising my kids up as Mets fans is akin to child abuse. I say it's great parenting. What better character building exercise is there than that? Not to mention humility, good things come to those who wait, anything worth it takes time and effort, etc.

2. Eternal Hope

Maybe, just maybe, this will be the year for the Amazins'. Or next year. Or the next. What better feeling is there on a cold February day? Victory is much sweeter when it happens only once in a while.

In nearly 50 years of existence, with so much heartache, was there anything better than the Miracle Mets in '69 and the '86 team that the rest of the MLB loved to hate? Ya Gotta Believe!

3. Mr. Met

Mr. Met is one of baseball's all-time best mascots (c'mon, you're really going to vote for the Philly Phanatic?). He even visits children's hospitals when he's not busy getting the crowd at Citi Field on their feet.

The Yankees don't even have a mascot.

4. "Meet the Mets"

Bar none, the best baseball song out there. Sure I'm biased, but it is catchy.

Unscientific, yes. But also true.

Let's Go Mets!