For Mets fans this conference was a golden opportunity to be shown appreciation in a time when the Mets organization struggled with financial issues connected to the Bernie Madoff scandal, as well as coped with an injury list that seemingly required a triage tent. The attendees were treated to a good natured and overwhelmingly positive venue to consider the Mets from a cultural and historic perspective after fifty years as the National League team in New York City. If there was ever a time when Mets fans needed something like this, it was now.
I think Hofstra University, the co-directors, and everyone else connected to the conference should be praised for honoring the Mets; furthermore, I commend them for including bloggers in the program and showing the world that what they write about matters a great deal. Long after this conference has ended that will be a legacy not forgotten by Mets fans or anyone else.
Bloggers are here to stay and are gaining more and more respect as this conference makes evident. Now the rest of the world better get used to it.
Photo Credit- Hofstra University
Article comments
1 - Greg Prince
This conference was the vision of Dana Brand, one of the most eloquent bloggers in all of Metsdom. Dr. Brand, a professor at Hofstra, worked with Dr. Puerzer to make this conference a reality and was clear from the start that the blogging community would be an intrinsic element of the event. Sadly, Dr. Brand died last May, but his vision -- with a great assist from Drs. Puerzer and Uruburu and many others -- became reality, bloggers and all. (The box score would read BRAND 6 IP and our collective bullpen by committee getting us through the ninth.)
The three days at Hofstra reminded me of the existing dichotomy between Mets fans who are aware of Mets blogging and immerse themselves in it (as contributors as well as readers) and those who have no idea it exists. I've blogged about the Mets almost every day for seven years and tend to forget that what seems like the norm to me is news to others. In a retail politics fashion, it was gratifying to bring new readers into our world one at a time during the conference. Seven years from now, no matter how established we are in some minds, we'll probably still be telling people we exist.
2 - Victor Lana
Yes, Greg, Dana Brand was the inspiration for this event. He wrote two great books about the Mets as well. It is a shame he was not there, but I'm sure he was in spirit!