THE BULLPEN

     Play ball! That cry will ring out tonight as the Fall Classic gets under way in Kansas City. The AL Champion Royals battle the NL pennant winning-New York Mets. As is customary, Mrs. Black-N-Gold has her preview of the Fall Classic. Take a look with her to see who will win, KC or NY.

1)FOOD-Of course, New York is renowned for it's pizza. People come from all over the world to fold up their pizza and scarf down a slice of New York's finest. Kansas City is no slouch in the food department, either, as the purveyor of some of the world's best barbecue. The pizza is typically covered in a light tomato sauce while the BBQ usually has a rich, thick tomato base. Mrs. Black-N-Gold did get to sample some KC BBQ while on her business trip to "The BBQ Capital of the World". Not bad, not bad at all. However, Mrs. Black-N-Gold has to go with her Italian roots.

ADVANTAGE-NY

2)MUSIC-Let's see here.....Both cities have eponymous songs. There's "Kansas City" as in "Kansas City here I come". There is also "New York, New York". You know. If you can make it there, you'll make it anywhere. Kansas City has given us Puddle of Mudd (thanks, a lot), Pat Metheny, Burt Bacharach and Big Joe Turner. New York has produced The Ramones, RUN DMC, The Beastie Boys, Anthrax and Billy Joel (Stranger era BJ, NOT Uptown Girl). New York runs away with this one.

ADVANTAGE-NY

3)FAMOUS FANS-It seemed like many celebrities jumped on the Royals bandwagon with last year's World Series run. But actors Paul Rudd, Jason Sudeikis and Eric Stonestreet were all fans of KC before they burst back onto the baseball scene. New York boasts a bevy of A-list celebrities: Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock, Jim Breuer (ok maybe Breuer isn't "A-list" but he was in "Half-Baked") and Jimmy Kimmel. New York steals another.

ADVANTAGE-NY

4)MLB HALL OF FAME-Wikipedia shows 15 players in the MLB Hall of Fame have worn the Orange and Blue of the Amazin's. It's quite a roster, too. Yogi Berra, Tom Seaver, Nolan Ryan, Gary Carter, Willie Mays and Warren Spahn to name a few. Did any of them actual go in as Mets? The Royals have 7 in the Hall. Gaylord Perry, Whitey Herzog, and Harmon Killebrew are some of the former Royals that join George Brett in Cooperstown. Since Brett played his entire Hall of Fame career in Kansas City, this one has to go to the boys in the powder blue and white.

ADVANTAGE-KC

Now it's time for some useless information. Hall of Famer Casey Stengel was born in Kansas City, MO. Hence the nickname "Casey" for "KC". He was also manager for the Mets from their inaugural season in 1962 to 1965. Coincidence? I think not.

Mrs. Black-N-Gold is no mathematician nor is she clairvoyant but it looks like the Mets win in a landslide. She expects it to be a good series. She's extremely happy that the Mets did eliminate the Chicago Cubs from the playoffs, considering they took out our Pittsburgh Pirates in the Wild Card. And really, what difference does it make who wins it this year. Everyone knows the Pittsburgh Pirates will win the World Series next year. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!