Weasel of the Week: Fred Wilpon

Last month, New York Mets owner Fred Wilpon was interviewed by The New Yorker for their current issue. At the time, the Mets weren't playing as well as they have been of late, but once the tabloid media got hold of the story, they had a field day.

Wilpon declared that All-Star 3rd baseman David Wright is "not a superstar", although the media has tried to treat him as such. Wright is presently on the disabled list with a back injury. Wilpon wasn't too kind to outfielder Carlos Beltran, who may be making a bid for Comeback Player of the Year, considering how well he's performed in the first two months of the season, adjusting to his new position in right field, and shortstop Jose Reyes, who could leave either via mid-season trade or as a free agent after the season is over. Wilpon believes that despite the stats Reyes is putting up now, he's not getting the same kind of money that Boston threw to outfielder Carl Crawford in the offseason, citing Reyes' injury history. Understandable, yes, but then you also consider the Mets' muddled financial picture.

The Mets have a potential minority partner in David Einstein, who was chosen by the team on Thursday. The influx of cash coming in from Einstein can be of help to the franchise, trying to resolve the crisis created by being fleeced by con artist Bernard Madoff, but exacerbated by greedy trustee Irving Picard, a previous Weasel. Because of the money crunch, the Mets don't believe they can retain Reyes beyond this season, even though he is putting up All-Star caliber numbers and is, like Wright, a fan favorite.

After the Wilpon interview was published, however, the Mets dropped 2 of 3 to the Chicago Cubs, then came home and lost the first two games to front-running Philadelphia before laying the smack down on the Phillies earlier today. Reyes led a 17-hit attack with 4, including 2 triples. And they want to trade him? Ri-freakin'-diculous! Wilpon, of course, had to defend his remarks in meeting with the team, because the last thing he wants to do is destroy morale in the clubhouse, which would only make things harder for manager Terry Collins, GM Sandy Alderson, and assistants Paul DiPodesta, JP Riccardi, & John Ricco.

The media thought Wilpon was trying to channel the spirit of the late George Steinbrenner, whose negative comments on certain Yankee players served as a form of reverse psychology that seemed to work more often than not. Instead, Wilpon's comments had no adverse affect whatsoever. As they say, Reyes has been unconscious at the plate of late. What has done the Mets in, especially against the Phillies, is a tendency for the bullpen to implode at the wrong time. Wilpon is lacking faith in his own organization to retain their star players, perhaps thinking that he can't roll against the tide of the team's history. Past ownership has made some bad decisions (trading Tom Seaver in 1977 comes to mind immediately), but Wilpon's worst decision was planting seeds of doubt, not in the players' minds, but in the fans. Hope you like the weasel ears poppin' on your head, Fred.

Musical Interlude: Modern Girl (1984-5)

Meat Loaf is better known for hits like "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" & "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad" from his 1977 album, "Bat Out of Hell", and to most people, he made a comeback at the end of the 80's with "Bat Out of Hell II". In truth, Meat Loaf released the album, "Bad Attitude", in 1984 overseas, before it reached American stores, where it ultimately landed in cutout bins (don't ask).

"Modern Girl", not to be confused with the Sheena Easton song of the same name from a few years earlier, was the second track on the album, and the lone video (that we know of).

Jeff Conaway (1950-2011)

He was best known as cab driver Bobby Wheeler on Taxi during its first 3 seasons, and as Kenickie, Danny Zuko's best pal in the feature film adaptation of "Grease". Today, Hollywood mourns the passing of actor Jeff Conaway at 60.

Today's generation probably only knows Conaway from what they've read in the papers about his battles with substance abuse, made public during a stint on VH1's Celebrity Rehab. Post-Taxi, Conaway returned to television with a brief run on the soap, The Bold & the Beautiful, in 1989, then tried science fiction by joining the cast of Babylon 5. Conaway had lapsed into a coma a few days ago, and almost immediately, one of the tabloids declared him brain dead, claiming that "Grease" co-star John Travolta had tried to help him, but failed. Premature declaration? Of course. It was only yesterday that the actor's family had chosen to take him off life support.

Rest in peace, Jeff. You will be missed.

Musical Interlude: Learn to Fly (1999)

Foo Fighters brought the funny with this video for "Learn to Fly", the 1st single from their 1999 CD, "There is Nothing Left to Lose". All 3 band members play multiple characters, most notably singer Dave Grohl, who plays 2 women, a pilot, and a swishy male flight attendant.

Framing the clip is a storyline involving Tenacious D (Kyle Gass & Jack Black) as drug smugglers posing as airline maintenance. And this was before Black ("Kung Fu Panda", "Gulliver's Travels") really hit it big. From the band's VEVO channel......

Armageddon isn't ready yet.......

Undaunted by failure, or perhaps unable to ascertain that his theory holds no more water than a leaky bucket, California radio evangelist Harold Camping, 89, is now claiming that the world will end on October 21, claiming that his earlier forecast of May 21 was off by 5 months.

While we still don't know how Camping has come to his conclusions in the first place, we do know that October 21, a Friday, won't be the day of the Rapture. Only God knows when that will happen.

In unrelated news (sort of), comedienne Lisa Lampanelli made news the other night at a tour stop in Kansas. Ms. Lampanelli promised to donate $1,000 for every Westboro Baptist Church parishoner who protested at her show to a gay-rights charity. By the time the night was over, $50,000 was donated to the charity, a bit of an in-your-face to Rev. Fred Phelps and his haterizers.

Maybe, for his next stunt, Rev. Phelps can make a bet with Camping about when the world will really end, and whether or not Phelps will be taken to Heaven......

Weasels of the Week: "Armageddonists"

Back in January, radio evangelist Harold Camping, based out of California, made the bold claim that the Rapture foretold in the Book of Revelation would take place on this day. Fellow blogger Sam Wilson took note of this over at the Think 3 Institute on January 3, and I responded to his post then by noting that Camping and his followers were off base.

During the week, the press picked up on the story, but, judging from the letters pages in the New York Daily News, few were really buying into Camping's prediction. After all, he'd similarly declared the Rapture would take place 17 years ago, and of course it didn't.

How Camping even came to any sort of conclusion about the Rapture is an even bigger mystery. Allow me, however, to quote from the Gospel according to St. Matthew, chapter 24, verses 32-36. Jesus is teaching a parable to his disciples.

"Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:

So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.

Verily I say unto you, this generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

Heaven and Earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of Heaven, but my Father only."

From the King James Version.

More than one reader of the Daily News referenced the last verse in their letters after reading the articles and interviews with Camping's followers. The Pastor at my church never once discussed this matter with our congregation, perhaps deeming it unnecessary.

Only God knows when the Rapture will happen. Will it be in our lifetime? We do not know for sure. Harold Camping and his followers thought they did, and thus are bestowed weasel ears for misreading the scriptures, and misleading the public.

"Macho Man" Randy Savage (1952-2011)

My Long Island pen pal tipped me via e-mail earlier today. Since said pen pal is factually challenged a large amount of the time, I had to do some fact checking myself, and got the proof from Yahoo!.

Wrestling icon "Macho Man" Randy Savage passed away earlier today as the result of a heart attack while driving with his new wife, Lynn. Savage lost control of the car as a result of the heart attack, and crashed into a tree. An autopsy is scheduled for tomorrow, which may reveal a lot more than just the heart attack.

Savage, nee Randall Poffo, went into pro wrestling after a shoulder injury cut short his baseball career. Savage was a catcher in the minor league chains for the Cincinnati Reds & Chicago White Sox, among others, during the 70's. His big break came when he signed with the then-World Wrestling Federation in 1985, where he won the Intercontinental title and 3 WWF titles, the last coming in 1992. He also wrestled for TNA and World Championship Wrestling.

Aside from the ring, Savage ventured into acting, appearing in "Spider-Man" and a number of cartoons, including guest appearances on Family Guy, Dial M For Monkey, & Space Ghost Coast-to Coast. However, most people will remember him as a long-time pitchman for Slim Jim beef snacks. Here, in tribute to the "Macho Man", is a classic Slim Jim commercial:



Savage also took a chance on music, and cut a rap album in the 90's, largely because he couldn't sing. Then again, long-time rival/frenemy Hulk Hogan can't carry a tune, either, but that's another story for another time, brother.

Rest in peace, Randy.