Amazin' what a new blue fence can do.
The Mets are 3-0 after sweeping the Braves to start the season, but I'm still supressing my optimism in favor of the more natural pessimism the Mets have instilled in me as a fan over the last 25 years.
I swore I wouldn't give the team a dollar until they turned things around and put a product on the field (and did the right things off the field) that New York fans could be proud of. I stayed away from Citi Field for the first two years of its existence, then caved last year and attended three games.
I planned to revert back to my boycott, but a 3-0 start coupled with $2.50 tickets for Santana vs. Strasburg on Wednesday has me folding just six games into the season.
Maybe they are doing something right.
I'm still not optimistic about the season, I just don't think the talent is there. The division is strong and the Mets are still the Mets. Something goes wrong. It always does, at least since 1986.
When will my optimism return? I think they need to be over .500 at the All-Star break, but some Mets fans, at least the ones who call WFAN, are caving already and saying they have a good shot at the second wild-card spot.
They must be new Mets fans, or at least suffer from amnesia. The Mets are not making the playoffs this year. No chance.
It doesn't mean I won't enjoy the wins. It just means I won't be drinking Kool-Aid while I'm watching.

Don't be fooled, the Mets always win on Opening Day.After going 0-for-the 1960s in the first game of the season, the Mets are 33-10 since, including Thursday's 1-0 victory over the visiting Atlanta Braves.
Why a southern team travels north on April 6 I'll never understand.
I'll have more to report after I get home and watch (fast-forward through) the game, but I'm not fooled. The real Mets will show up soon.
Even before the excitement of having the entire starting lineup intact for the opener could die down, Andres Torres pulled up lame and landed on the disabled list.
Now those are the Mets I know. Can't have a win without a loss.

I approach every Opening Day with blind optimism that my beloved Mets are gonna make some noise. Most of the time that noise ends up being a booing crowd, a crying child or the pop of a ligament.
So I'm going pessimistic this year — last-place, 2-16 against the Phillies, 0-6 against the Yankees, David Wright gets traded, Jason Bay completes his transformation into a left-field Rey Ordonez pessimistic. It's all gonna happen. This team is doomed.
But even as I write this, optimism is trying to creep back in like a 17-year-old who's been kicked out of the strip club. Johan Santana is healthy, the starting lineup is intact, the fences are closer, the Madoff situation is kind of in the rear view. There are legit reasons to be optimistic.
But those reasons will fade like the velocity on Mike Pelfrey's fastball.
The Mets will be out of it by the all-star break. By August the empty seats will outnumber the taken ones and throughout September individual voices will be audible on TV broadcasts.
And being the sucker that I am, mine will be one of them.
Meet the Mets. The Mets are Meat.

What better time to divulge my final Register Top 10 football poll picks than halfway through basketball season? I'm the worst blogger ever.

Xavier had to be the No. 1 team, and it was unanimous, but in a head-to-head situation I think it would be great to see Hand and Ansonia take their shots. If Hand is at its best and Xavier has an off day, isn't at least possible the Tigers would come away with a win? Isn't it possible that, with Arkeel Newsome at his best behind that dominant Charger offensive line, Ansonia catches Xavier off guard?

The biggest question was how far to drop Masuk. The Panthers were tied with a one-dimensional North Haven in the fourth quarter before pulling away in a monsoon and then got beat by Hand. I had been voting Masuk No. 1 all year. I couldn't vote them ahead of the LL and L finalists, Staples and New Canaan, but sixth is as far as they deserved to fall.

1. Xavier (13-0) Def. Staples 42-7 to win Class LL title
2. Hand (13-0) Def. New Canaan 34-10 to win Class L title
3. Ansonia (14-0) Def. Ledyard 38-0 to win Class M title
4. Staples (11-1) LOST to Xavier 42-7 in Class LL final
5. New Canaan (11-2) LOST to Hand 34-10 in Class L final
6. Masuk (11-1) LOST to Hand 35-14 Class L semis
7. Windsor (11-1) LOST to New Canaan 27-24 in Class L semis
8. Holy Cross (12-2) Def. Cromwell 34-27 to win Class S title
9. Notre Dame-West Haven (8-3) LOST to Windsor 14-7 in Class L quarters
10. New London (9-2) LOST to New Canaan 27-26 in Class L quarters
11. Newtown (9-3) LOST to Staples 44-20 in Class LL semis
12. North Haven (9-2) LOST to Masuk 28-14 in Class L quarters
13. Norwalk (9-2) LOST to Xavier 55-14 in Class LL semis
14. Ledyard (11-2) LOST to Ansonia 38-0 in Class M final
15. Valley Regional/Old Lyme (10-2) LOST to Holy Cross 23-14 in Class S semis

In the Register preseason poll, I voted Masuk No. 1 because they had gone undefeated, won the Class L state title and were returning their two best players in Gatorade state player of the year and UConn-bound quarterback Casey Cochran and running back Colin Markus. Both were all-state picks last year as juniors. It was announced today that Cochran was a repeat winner.
I picked Xavier No. 2 because while they went undefeated and won the Class LL state title, all three of their all-state picks (Graham Stewart, Eric Mischke and Kosi Broderick) graduated.
The regular season is now complete and we're on to the semifinals of the state tournament.
And as long as Xavier wins the Class LL state title, I will be switching my vote regardless of what Masuk does from here on out. Xavier dominated in the tough SCC. The Falcons beat an 8-3 Notre Dame Class L playoff team 36-7. They beat a 5-5 Cheshire team -- which lost all five of its games to teams with a combined record of 45-8 -- by a final score of 42-20. They beat an 8-2 Shelton team 27-0 and a 5-5 Fairfield Prep team 35-0. They beat defending Class M champion Hillhouse (7-3) 35-7. They called off the dogs to avoid 50-point wins over Foran, Amity and Hamden. But they also called off the dogs to avoid 50-point wins over 7-3 West Haven (up 40-6 at halftime) and 6-4 Middletown on Thanksgiving.
And then they destroyed Glastonbury in the Class LL quarterfinals (up 34-0 going into the fourth quarter).
So while Xavier was giving everyone every reason to vote them No. 1, Masuk was doing nothing to lose its supporters. Granted the Panthers' schedule of Oxford (3-7), New Fairfield (3-7), Stratford (2-8), Barlow (3-7), Notre Dame-Fairfield (1-9), Immaculate (0-10), New Milford (5-5), Pomperaug (8-2), Weston (7-3) and Newtown (9-2) combined for a 41-60 record, features four Class S schools and just one of the other 30 playoff teams, but Masuk still won every single game by at least five touchdowns.
All you can do is beat the teams on your schedule, and that's what Masuk has done all year. It still is a pretty incredible stat that the five teams Cheshire lost to combined for four more wins than the 10 teams Masuk played.
Then Super Tuesday came, along with torrential rain and wind to slow down Cochran. But North Haven was tied with Masuk in the fourth quarter without completing a pass. I understand the weather was not conducive to throwing the ball, but how many points would North Haven put up on Xavier without a completing a pass? I'll give you a hint. It would be the same as the number of completions.
North Haven is a very good team. They are hard-nosed, athletic and physical. But I don't think they would hang with Xavier. The Indians' only loss before Tuesday was to Notre Dame, and the Green Knights got blown out by Xavier. But so has everyone else. And I think Masuk would join that club, but the schedule and class breakdown will leave that up to debate forever.
Looking back, I should have voted Xavier No. 1 in the first poll. Masuk finally gave me a reason to vote Xavier No. 1 in the final poll.
Unless, of course, Norwalk, Staples or Newtown go out and prove me right all along.

Here's my Week 12 poll picks with Week 11 results:

1. Masuk (10-0) Def. Newtown 46-7
2. Xavier (10-0) Def. Middletown 48-6
3. Ansonia (11-0) Def. Naugatuck 49-14
4. Staples (9-0) Def. Greenwich 31-27
5. Hand (10-0) Def. Guilford 40-15
6. Windsor (10-0) DNP
7. New Canaan (9-1) Def. Darien 42-21
8. Notre Dame-West Haven (8-2) Def. Hamden 42-14
9. Hall (9-1) DNP
10. Conard (9-1) DNP
11. North Haven (9-1) Def. Amity 27-10
12. New London (9-1) Def. NFA 37-17
13. Valley Regional/Old Lyme (9-1) LOST to H-K 6-0
14. North Branford (9-1) Def. Hyde 34-13
15. Ellington/Somers (10-0) Def. Conventry/Windham Tech 27-14

Here's my Week 11 poll picks with Week 10 results:

1. Masuk (9-0) Bye
2. Xavier (9-0) Bye
3. Ansonia (10-0) Def. Holy Cross 33-0
4. Staples (8-0) Bye
5. Hand (9-0) Bye
6. Windsor (10-0) Def. Waterford 42-13
7. Valley Regional/Old Lyme (9-0) Def. East Hampton/Vinal Tech 41-12
8. New Canaan (8-1) Bye
9. ND-WH (7-2) Bye
10. Hall (9-1) Def. Conard 20-0
11. Conard (9-1) Lost to Hall 20-0
12. North Haven (8-1) Bye
13. New London (8-1) Def. Griswold 15-0
14. North Branford (8-1) Def. Lewis Mills 58-20
15. Ellington/Somers (9-0) Def. Housatonic/Wamogo 28-6

Here's my Week 10 poll picks with Week 9 results:

1. Masuk (9-0) Def. Weston 56-14
2. Xavier (9-0) Def. West Haven 47-22
3. Ansonia (9-0) Def. Wilby 51-22
4. Staples (8-0) Def. Westhill 42-21
5. Hand (9-0) Def. Hamden 42-7
6. Conard (9-0) Def. Newington 61-13
7. Windsor (9-0) Def. RHAM 27-6
8. Valley Regional/Old Lyme (8-0) Def. Cromwell 24-21
9. New Canaan (8-1) Def. Trumbull 49-13
10. Notre Dame-WH (7-2) Def. Fairfield Prep 56-22
11. Hall (8-1) Def. Glastonbury 21-14
12. North Haven (8-1) Def. Lyman Hall 54-6
13. New London (7-1) Def. Bacon Academy 34-6
14. North Branford (7-1) Def. Nonnewaug 45-0
15. Ellington/Somers (8-0) Def. Avon 14-5

Here's my Week 9 poll picks with Week 8 results:

1. Masuk (8-0) Def. Pomperaug 49-3
2. Xavier (8-0) Def. Hamden 56-7
3. Ansonia (8-0) Def. Wolcott 48-14
4. Staples (7-0) Def. Fairfield Warde 35-17
5. Hand (8-0) Def. East Haven 42-0
6. Windsor (8-0) Def. Maloney 33-6
7. Valley Regional/Old Lyme (7-0) Def. Lewis Mills 48-0
8. Conard (8-0) Def. East Hartford 47-0
9. New Canaan (7-1) LOST to Stamford 36-29
10. Notre Dame-West Haven (6-2) Def. Cheshire 28-7
11. North Haven (7-1) Def. Foran 49-20
12. Bunnell (7-1) Def. Barlow 43-20
13. Hall (7-1) Def. Newington 55-28
14. New London (6-1) Def. Montville 48-0
15. North Branford (6-1) Def. Coginchaug 19-16


Here's my Week 8 poll picks with Week 7 results:

1. Masuk (7-0) Def. New Milford 55-6
2. Xavier (7-0) Def. Hillhouse 35-7
3. New Canaan (7-0) Def. Wilton 28-14
4. Ansonia (7-0) Def. Crosby 42-6
5. Staples (6-0) Def. Darien 42-23
6. Hand (7-0) Def. West Haven 28-14
7. Windsor (7-0) Def. Farmington 35-14
8. Valley Regional/Old Lyme (6-0) Def. Coginchaug 32-0
9. Conard (7-0) Def. Manchester 20-14
10. Bunnell (6-1) LOST to Bethel (5-2) 56-46
11. Notre Dame-West Haven (5-2) Def. Wilbur Cross 27-6
12. North Haven (6-1) Def. Bridgeport Central 53-28
13. Hall (6-1) Def. Southington 22-6
14. New London (5-1) LOST to Fitch 14-0
15. North Branford (5-1) Def. Cromwell 41-33

Here's my Week 7 poll picks with Week 6 results:

1. Masuk (6-0) Def. Immaculate 56-8
2. Xavier (6-0) Def. Shelton 27-0
3. New Canaan (6-0) Def. St. Joseph 43-14
4. Ansonia (6-0) Def. Watertown 51-14
5. Staples (5-0) Def. Trumbull 38-16
6. Bunnell (6-0) Def. Brookfield 32-26
7. Hand (6-0) Def. Wilbur Cross 36-0
8. New London (5-0) Def. Windham 49-13
9. Windsor (6-0) Def. Middletown 41-13
10. Valley Regional/Old Lyme (5-0) DNP
11. Darien (6-0) Def. Wilton 35-34 (2 OT)
12. Cromwell (6-0) Def. Morgan 61-16
13. Conard (6-0) Def. New Britain 29-14
14. Norwich Free Academy (5-0) Def. Montville 32-22
15. Notre Dame-West Haven (4-2) Def. North Haven 27-12

Here's my Week 6 poll picks with Week 5 results:

1. Masuk (5-0) Def. ND-Fairfield 61-18
2. Xavier (5-0) Def. Fairfield Prep 35-0
3. New Canaan (5-0) Def. Norwalk 28-14
4. Ansonia (5-0) Def. Seymour 41-6
5. Staples (4-0) Def. Danbury 31-12
6. Bunnell (5-0) Def. Pomperaug 34-21
7. Hand (5-0) Def. ND-WH 24-14
8. North Haven (5-0) Def. East Haven 47-6
9. New London (4-0) Def. East Lyme 20-0
10. Windsor (5-0) Def. Simsbury 45-0
11. Valley Regional/Old Lyme (5-0) Def. Hyde 41-7
12. Darien (5-0) Def. Trumbull 21-0
13. Cromwell (5-0) Def. Nonnewaug 49-0
14. Conard (5-0) Def. RHAM 38-6
15. Norwich Free Academy (4-0) Def. Woodstock Academy 35-0

Here's my Week 5 poll picks with Week 4 results:

1. Masuk (4-0) Def. Barlow 55-12
2. Xavier (4-0) Def. Amity 49-7
3. New Canaan (4-0) Def. McMahon 36-33
4. Ansonia (4-0) Def. Holy Cross 45-13
5. Staples (3-0) DNP
6. Bunnell (4-0) Def. Weston 28-7
7. Hand (4-0) Def. Cheshire 31-14
8. North Haven (4-0) Def. Sheehan 41-7
9. Montville (4-0) Def. Windham 43-30
10. New London (3-0) Def. Ledyard 33-14
11. Windsor (4-0) Def. Hartford Public 46-0
12. Middletown (4-0) Def. Wethersfield 34-10
13. Pomperaug (4-0) Def. Newtown 16-9
14. Valley Regional/Old Lyme (4-0) Def. Morgan 41-0
15. Berlin (4-0) Def. Weaver 43-0

Here's my Week 4 poll picks with Week 3 results:

1. Masuk (3-0) Def. Stratford 56-0
2. Xavier (3-0) Def. Cheshire 42-20
3. New Canaan (3-0) Def. Fairfield Warde 28-14
4. Ansonia (3-0) Def. Derby 55-19
5. West Haven (3-0) Def. Hamden 32-31
6. Staples (3-0) Def. McMahon 24-21
7. Bunnell (3-0) Def. Oxford 55-20
8. Hand (3-0) Def. Amity 40-7
9. North Haven (3-0) Def. Branford 21-6
10. Montville (3-0) Def. Bacon Academy 25-3
11. Trumbull (2-0) Def. Fairfield Ludlowe 35-8
12. New London (2-0) Def. Greenwich 51-33
13. Windsor (3-0) Def. Bristol Eastern 48-7
14. Middletown (3-0) Def. Maloney 47-13
15. Pomperaug (3-0) Def. Immaculate 43-6

Here's my Week 3 poll picks with Week 2 results:
1. Masuk (2-0) Def. New Fairfield 64-14
2. Xavier (2-0) Def. Foran 48-0
3. New Canaan (2-0) Def. Trinity Catholic 41-14
4. Ansonia (2-0) Def. Woodland 36-6
5. West Haven (2-0) Def. Guilford 40-6
6. Staples (2-0) Def. Bridgeport Central 48-8
7. Bunnell (2-0) Def. New Milford 46-13
8. Hand (2-0) Def. Lyman Hall 41-20
9. North Haven (2-0) Def. Hamden 28-25
10. Montville (2-0) Def. Waterford 35-2
11. Trumbull (1-0) Def. Westhill 47-13
12. Cheshire (2-0) Def. Hillhouse 30-6
13. New London (1-0) Did not play
14. Windsor (2-0) Def. Bristol Central 47-20
15. Middletown (2-0) Def. Bristol Eastern 68-20

That went downhill fast.
Built up a little momentum at the start of the high school football season, had a two-week business trip to Pennsylvania and that was all she wrote. Or all I wrote.
I'm going to post the way I voted each week in the Register Top 10 poll just so it's on the record, and hopefully get back on track with this blog.
And since its intention was to be a blog about the NHR sports department as well as high school football (and fantasy sports when I'm so inclined), I hope to continue this blog throughout the year. But I've said that before.
Most people familiar with the NHR and New Haven-area sports know about the death of our columnist and friend Dave Solomon back in August. We still feel the effects of that, professionally and personally, every day. And now we've lost another.
Brian Baisley was a good guy. He came to the NHR through the Easter Seals program (he had Down Syndrome and a host of other medical issues) and was sort of an intern, but mostly just a guy who hung out for a few hours a couple days a week and watched the first hour of Red Sox games before the bus came to get him at 8. In recent years, he watched the first hour of Yankees games thanks to a sort of brainwashing courtesy of Bob Ehalt.
I called him Benedict Baisley.
I would ask him all the time, "How could you switch from the Red Sox to the Yankees?!" I think it was mostly influenced by schools editor Joe Morelli taking him to Yankee Stadium after the new incarnation of the Cathedral opened in 2009. Brian was a lifelong Sox fan but because of his medical issues, and because Fenway Park was built in 1912, going to Boston games wasn't that easy for him.
The new Yankee Stadium had ramps and more handicap-accessible features.
Brian appreciated that. I don't think he had to switch teams over it, but he did.
He was big into the Special Olympics, as a participant, advocate and even as a writer for the NHR.
He had a million things to complain about, but never did. And he had the biggest, goofiest smile you've ever seen. And it made you smile too.
He'll be missed.