Spring Break
Mets hoping to "Rickroll" their way through the Phils
Shawn Gauby
Issue date: 4/11/08 Section: Sports
The Mets organization could not have even imagined that they were going to squander a seven-game lead with 17 games to play last season, and they had to be just as surprised when they found out they were "Rickrolled" by 5 million people, many of whom are Phillies fans. This insult to the Mets' fans attending the final home opener at Shea Stadium led off what is sure to be a season-long war between these bitter rivals.
The Mets apparently have a tradition of playing a "sing-a-long" song in the eighth inning of every home game. This year, they gave fans a chance to vote for which song they will play during that time, giving five choices and a write-in option. Within hours of the poll being posted, websites like fark.com linked to the site, asking readers to vote for Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up."
I found out about this from a number of Phillies fans through Facebook and via e-mail. If there is any way to take a stab at the Mets and their fans, the Phillies faithfuls will do it. Voting for the '80s pop-singer is one thing, but actually getting the Mets to play it as their sing-a-long song is another. I did not think it was possible for the entire Mets staff to be dense enough to ignore the whole "Rickrolling" phenomenon and play the song.
The Mets happened to be battling the Phillies in their home opener April 8 in front of a sell-out crowd, and the home team led for most of the game, but the Phillies scored three runs in the top of the seventh and two more in the eighth.
With the Mets fans already irritable, the sing-a-long results were announced in the middle of the eighth inning, and the impossible happened. Mets Public Address Announcer Alex Anthony announced the winner of the fan voting was "Rick Astley's 1988 chart-topper 'Never Gonna Give You Up.'"
The Mets were Rickrolled, and to show their displeasure, the fans booed louder and louder throughout the course of the song. This added necessary insult-to-injury to the Mets supporters attending the Opening Day game as the Phillies ended up winning, 5-2.
The Mets apparently have a tradition of playing a "sing-a-long" song in the eighth inning of every home game. This year, they gave fans a chance to vote for which song they will play during that time, giving five choices and a write-in option. Within hours of the poll being posted, websites like fark.com linked to the site, asking readers to vote for Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up."
I found out about this from a number of Phillies fans through Facebook and via e-mail. If there is any way to take a stab at the Mets and their fans, the Phillies faithfuls will do it. Voting for the '80s pop-singer is one thing, but actually getting the Mets to play it as their sing-a-long song is another. I did not think it was possible for the entire Mets staff to be dense enough to ignore the whole "Rickrolling" phenomenon and play the song.
The Mets happened to be battling the Phillies in their home opener April 8 in front of a sell-out crowd, and the home team led for most of the game, but the Phillies scored three runs in the top of the seventh and two more in the eighth.
With the Mets fans already irritable, the sing-a-long results were announced in the middle of the eighth inning, and the impossible happened. Mets Public Address Announcer Alex Anthony announced the winner of the fan voting was "Rick Astley's 1988 chart-topper 'Never Gonna Give You Up.'"
The Mets were Rickrolled, and to show their displeasure, the fans booed louder and louder throughout the course of the song. This added necessary insult-to-injury to the Mets supporters attending the Opening Day game as the Phillies ended up winning, 5-2.
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