I have to weigh in here. While Gerard Cosley’s Can’t Stop The Bleeding is among my favorite blogs, I think he’s making a mental leap here that needs to be addressed.

The content of this blog is influenced by one thing and one thing only. How happy or completely pissed off the Mets make me or my fellow writers. This is a fan site, always has been, always will be. If anyone thinks the content has changed because of access (which I don’t have much of anyway) then they’re not paying attention. I don’t want to speak for others, but I think the same can be said. Read our sites, nobody is pulling punches, and nobody at SNY or affiliated with the Mets has ever asked me to, thats for sure.

The day the integrity of this site is compromised is the day I pull the plug. A few hot dogs in a suite isn’t going to change that. I thank SNY for being gracious hosts, and also for being great people in general. SNY has done more to build relationships with bloggers than any media outlet I know of, New York or otherwise. They should be praised for it, and their forward thinking is rewarding them by showing fans that they allow independent voices into the fold. I can’t really say that for some other outlets here in New York. I don’t see how that changes how I criticize or praise the team, which I do both of in bunches and will continue to.

End rant. Say something funny, Mikey!!!

I recently had the opportunity to join Matthew Cerrone, Jordan Zakarin, Regis Courtemanche, Mike Nichols, Brandon Eddy and Joe Janish of Mets Blog, Ted Berg of SNY as well as Greg Prince and Jason Fry of Faith and Fear in Flushing, Mike Steffanos of Mike’s Mets, Taryn “Coop” Cooper of My Summer Family, and Zoe Rice of Pick Me Up Some Mets at Blogger Day at Shea.

You can check out the event on Mets Weekly airing this Wednesday at 1:30PM and again on Friday at 12:30am.

Thank you SNY and Matthew Cerrone at Mets Blog for inviting me to what was a really great day, despite the Mets getting crushed.

The Godfather of sports blogging, Bill Simmons has been expressing his displeasure with ESPN.com of late, citing that there were “promises made that were not met”

Today, The Big Lead noticed that Simmons is conspicuously absent from the ESPN.com front page.

Simmons had been updating his “Sports Guy” blog on ESPN with less frequency due to his frustration with ESPN. Word is Simmons is a free agent after this year.

Hey Bill, any interest in joining us at Hot Foot? I’ve got a very attractive incentive package, fully stocked snack closet, and I will even give you carte blanche to use the company go cart.

When you’re in an abusive relationship, where you are constantly making excuses for your other half, and how much you love them unconditionally, even though they keep breaking your heart, its tough to admit you’re wrong.

Well no more, check out the new banner at Mets Geek…

I’m not yet ready to convert, but you’re really testing my patience, Metropolitans. Those Rays are playing some inspired baseball.

After another frustrating loss, the Toasty one, Toasted Joe, gives a rousing State of the Mets Union address to fellow fans, promising not to stop taking pot shots at various underperforming players until change occurs.

I shed a tear reading it. I’m mad as hell and I am not going to take it anymore. Go get em’ Joe!!!

For those interested in sports media there is a must watch on HBO’s Costas Now tonight at 10pm. Bob Costas will host a live 90 minute town hall meeting with variety of different panels from the entire sports media spectrum. It will be broken up into five segments:

• Sports talk radio: A mix of video taped interviews then a live panel with among other’s WFAN’s Chris “Mad Dog” Russo and New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan.
• The Internet and the Impact of Bloggers: Video interviews: deadspin.com editor Will Leitch, TV writer and media critic Michael Schur and Washington Post columnist and “PTI” host Michael Wilbon.
• Sports Television: Live panel: Fox Sports broadcaster Joe Buck, ESPN broadcaster Mike Tirico and Sports Illustrated’s Dan Patrick.
• Athletes and the Media: Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling, Miami Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor, former NBA star and Turner Sports analyst Charles Barkley. Live panel: NBC’s Tiki Barber, Sports Illustrated columnist Selena Roberts and tennis analyst and former tennis star John McEnroe.
• A Discussion on Race:Video interviews: Washington Post columnist and “PTI” host Michael Wilbon, former NFL star Kellen Winslow, Sr. Live panel: former NFL star and current ESPN commentator Cris Carter and Kansas City Star columnist Jason Whitlock.

Looks mighty interesting and the fact that it’s on HBO commercial free for 90 minutes is great. This is something crunched down to say an hour with commercials would just be a waste of time. FYI there are more guests than listed above. For more info check out HBO.com

Tomorrow, Thursday, April 17, 7:30pm, Jon Springer, author of Mets By The Numbers: A Complete Team History of the Amazin’ Mets by Uniform Number with be speaking at Brooklyn’s “Word” along with Spike Vrusho, author of Benchclearing: Baseball’s Greatest Fights and Riots. The event will be moderated by Caryn Rose of metsgrrl.com. Beer and snacks will be served.

Word, 126 Franklin St., Brooklyn 11222 [map]

It is a 5 minute walk from the Greenpoint Ave. G stop or a 15 minute walk from the Bedford L. Be there or be square.

Today, D.J. Short launched what is sure to be my favorite new Mets website called MetsTumblr.com

What is Tumblr, you may ask? Tumblr is a unique blog platform that allows folks to easily post the seven essential elements of any blog and gives anyone with their own Tumblr the ability to “reblog” any post to their own Tumblr.

You’ll have to check it out to really get a feel for it, and I think you’ll enjoy it.

Nationals blog, Capital Punishment, has some fun with Paul Lo Duca and the infamous Mitchell Report notes he wrote on Dodgers stationary.

Hat tip to Can’t Stop The Bleeding for the link.

Very clever, and very funny.

I petitioned hard for Paulie, and I still love the guy, but I must admit, I think we may have dodged a bullet.