Metallica's Enter Sandman Part of New York's Major League Debate

Opening day came and went last week, and baseball fans worldwide rejoiced as their favorite teams started hitting away in what is sure to be an exciting 2006 Major League campaign. So why is everyone in the New York area up in arms? How could a decade old song by Metallica fire up such a heated debate on both sides of the Hudson River?

When new NY Mets closer Billy Wagner took the mound in the ninth inning of a 3-2 game, the same song blared over the loud speakers as it had in his prevous stops in Philadelphia and Houston for nearly the last ten years. A huge Metallica fan, Wagner had made "Enter Sandman", the metal outfit's seminal hit, his personal theme song. As an Astro and a Phillie, Wagner had saved 238 games over the span of his eleven year career; a great portion of which accompanied by the pounding guitars and drums of Metallica. So what's the big deal?

The big deal is that the best closer of all time and, more importantly, New York Yankee Mariano Rivera has been using the same song for nearly as long. The following controversy went on to spark a monumental debate, custom made for the fervent listeners of all the various Gotham area sports radio shows.

By all accounts, Wagner was the first to use the song; Rivera's association with Metallica is apparently only seven years old. But try telling this to the MLB fans of New York City. For what it's worth, lead singer James Hetfield has said publically that he thinks both pitchers should be able to use the song. But what rock star wouldn't want more exposure for his band?

The argument that Rivera's fanship of the metal band doesn't compare to that of the Mets' Wagner is not a valid. On numerous occasions Rivera has made it clear that the song pumps him up and that he's a fan of Metallica's music. In 2005, the Yankees even went as far as arranging a pre game meeting between the closer and Hetfield, ironically enough, before a subway series matchup with the Mets.

The real debate here is this: Is the Yankee fan who wishes Wagner to stop using the song just typifying the selfish Bronx Bomber mindset that has plagued the team and the MLB for years; or is the Met fan who wants Wagner to keep it, ignoring the fact that it just adds to the lack of identity problem that the NY Mets have suffered through in the Yankee's shadow since their inception?

I have no idea. But it's sure going to be fun watching this thing play out. Personally, I think that the two should have a televised match of rock, paper, sissors; they could make this a charity event and invite Metallica to play. The loser would not only give up the "rights" to the song, but would have to use The Chordette's 1954 tune "Mr. Sandman" instead.