We're really trying to stay positive about the Mets' 2011 season. Sure, the front office situation is looking rather apocalyptic, Carlos Beltran's knees could give out at any moment, Mike Pelfrey has regressed, their own TV network has taken to mocking them, and Terry Collins' "intense" managerial style doesn't seem to have had the desired effect yet, as they've lost seven of their last eight games...but we're trying to stay positive. Aw hell, who are we kidding. You want a metaphor for the Mets season, for the front office mess, for the tales of a new era at a ballpark where no one can hit a home run? A metaphor for the sinking feeling that we've been hoodwinked every season since Beltran struck out in Game 7 of the NLCS in 2006? Well then here is a clueless fan in the bleachers whose friends are stuffing garbage in his shirt (some NSFW language): more ›

People tend to either love The Hold Steady or hate them, but even those in the latter camp don't really despise them in a 30 Seconds to Mars sort of way. Say what you want about frontman Craig Finn's half-spoken/half-sung vocalizations, it's hard to knock a group with such an affable lack of pretension. A couple years after the dissolution of his previous band Lifter Puller, Finn started The Hold Steady in 2002 with no greater ambition than to gig locally and bring the joy back to making music. Four albums and countless touring miles later (last summer they opened for the Rolling Stones), the band has still managed to preserve that casual yet exuberant spirit that's proven so infectious. Full length number four, Stay Positive, hit stores on Monday; we recently spoke with Finn about the album, the fans and the blogs. more ›