Now, I was not at the ballpark when it happened, and like most people, I first became aware of it when it was posted on Twitter.  But like everyone else, I was surprised to see Mr. Met flipping everyone off.  You know who wasn’t surprised?  The people sitting in the section as they were ready with their phones:

@Mets ??? pic.twitter.com/tYuSIp8gCG

— Tony T (@tonyt3535) June 1, 2017

Unless you are a little kid, why are you filming Mr. Met heading into the tunnel?  It makes no sense unless you are waiting for Mr. Met to flip you off.  The most likely scenario was Mr. Met was being heckled to a certain degree, and everyone was waiting for the reaction.  Much to their delight, they got that reaction . . . on film.

Now, the person who took the video claims there was no provocation.  In a New York Post article by Adam Rubin, the person who took the video said, “I just asked for a high-five.  Nothing provoked it.”  While he might not have been the provocateur, someone in the area must have been because it is hard to believe a professional mascot flips over a request for a high five.  One thing I do find suspicious about the take is if you re-watch the video, you don’t hear anyone asking for a high five.  All you see is the mascot flipping the bird.  This is either a conspicuously cropped video, or terrific timing.

In fact, in a Zach Braziller’s New York Post article paints a much different picture.  A fan in the area, who was also a friend of Mr. Met said, “Mr. Met was being heckled all night from those fans, and security spoke to the fans about it after Mr. Met’s handler spoke up.  I do know that the fans were cursing at Mr. Met with the F-word and saying derogatory things about Mr. Met’s mom …. which led to the gesture because of a personal matter with his mom.”

Basically, people were there antagonizing a mascot.  To what end, who knows?  If reports are true, they’re awful people who could have potentially played a part in that person losing their job.  Instead of getting talked to by security, they should have been removed from the game.  There’s not place for badgering someone and cursing at someone until they snap.  There’s fun and games, and there’s crossing a line.  Clearly, people went well over the line.

Sure, the person playing Mr. Met deserved whatever discipline was coming their way.  He has to be better than that especially knowing people are always armed with their phones.  More than that, he’s there mostly to entertain children.  You have to be better than that.  You’re a professional.  Fortunately for him, he was reassigned instead of fired leaving someone else to take play the part.

Hopefully, whoever that person is now, they get treated better by fans.  At the very least, hopefully that person has a longer fuse.