If it wasn't for those 17 years in New York City, I'd probably be a Brewers fan full-stop. But I can't -- and don't want to -- erase my childhood memories of pretending to be Tom Seaver and choking up on the Wiffle Ball bat like Felix Millan.
However, there have been seasons in Milwaukee in which I've gone to 30 games (at County Stadium, mostly) and I was an intern with the Crew for a semester, too, while in college. So, after 25 years in Milwaukee, I'm now a combined Mets / Brewers fan. And I can live with it; I like having two teams, actually.
As I told Andy Tarnoff this morning, 51% of me is sad and 49% is thrilled. But considering how important this is to Milwaukee (and to him!), I'm happy that if the Mets had to lose, at least their inability to beat the darn Marlins helped usher in a new October experience for Brew City.
And as a Mets fan, I can't complain. In 46 seasons, the Mets have won two World Series (1969 and '86) and have played in two others (1973 and 2000). They've made the NLCS on three other occasions (1988, 1999 and 2006), too, and have a 29-21 postseason record. Sure, they've had some real stinker years, too, but seven postseasons in less than 50 years ain't bad.
Still, people know me. So, Jeff Sherman came in this morning and asked, "how are you?" A publicist on the East Coast that I know sent me an e-mail a few minutes ago. In its entirety, it read: "Geez..."
A friend since high school -- despite being a Yankees fan -- asked if I was OK today, too.
I will take today to mourn the downfall of my life-long team. Starting tomorrow, I will root, root, root for the home team, because, you know, if they don't win now, it will be a real shame.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
