So Bon Jovi is back on tour and here are Jon and Richie back at it again.  Richie is off the tour...........again........ but this time who knows if he's coming back! 

Richie has had his bouts of drinking and has had to sit out gigs before while heading off to rehab but this departure seems to have a darker tone to it.  From Richie's camp you hear it's about "show me the money" and not getting the respect he deserves as the twin big time issues. 

From a blurb in today's Post Page 6 you hear that he was pushed off tour for too much boozing and too many hangers on hanging on. 

It's near to impossible for any of us looking from the outside in to know what the real truth is.  If Richie is boozing big time, you hope he finds a way to get it under control because as we've all seen and read in band bios a billion times: No Good Can Come From It.

I keep my fingers crossed that Jon and Richie find a path here to make things work......somehow, someway.  They've already done band psych 101 so that train probably left the station a long time ago.  I just hope like you that there's a path for everyone to get what they need to be on stage for 2 hours or so comes July at Metlife.  Maybe an old fashioned "sit down" is what's needed.  Whatever it is, I have my fingers crossed that Jon and Richie find a way to coexist on stage together so we can have that magic between them and the rest of the band this summer.

The more of the band tell alls and documentaries about are favorites we read and watch, is there anything harder then trying to be in a band?  I just hope that Richie isn't heading towards being the Don Felder of Bon Jovi.

Very sad news yesterday that the legendary and one and only Phil Ramone passed away.  Phil had an aortic aneurysm last month and I know many of you had joined me in hoping and praying that he'd recover.

14 time Grammy winner!! 3 of those were for album of the year!!  Impressive stuff to say the least!  The look at the titans he'd worked with all of whom were the better for having worked with him!  It's like a Who's Who!  Amd pretty diverse too!  Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Dylan, Paul McCartney.

Phil had great success with Billy Joel who commented "I always thought of Phil Ramone as the most talented guy in my band".  "The music world lost a giant today.So much of my music was shaped by him and brought to fruition by him.  I have lost a dear friend and my greatest mentor".

Phil's classic touch is all over Billy's The Stranger and 52nd Street.  Glass Houses too.  And though he was born in South Africa he was raised in Brooklyn so he was one of us!!!

I am going to go back and re read his autobiography from 2007 "Making Records: The Scenes Behind The Music"

So next time you've got a cold one in hand, raise your eyes to the sky and toast one of the greats who'll be sorely missed! 

Opening Day!  Just saying those two workds makes you smile and you get the feeling that winter might actually really be over!  March was cruel.  Both The Yankees and The Mets will make some history on Monday April 1st as both teams will open at home at the same time with the first pitch of the season and virtually the same time, 1:0 something!

With the really sad news about Johann santana this week, there are just a few things I want to go right for the Mets.  Number one is Matt Harvey picking up where he left off last year and showing you how special he can be.  Niese and Gee?  Sure, but Harvey must look like a true number one guy.

Ike and David Wright have to look like guys who you'd vote for on the All Star ballot.  You just have to have those two guys playing at a very high level.

I have no expectations for Murph at 2nd base.......I have no idea what you'll get from Tejada.  That outfield?  Yikes!  Though I DO like how Cowgill goes about his business in center but the guy just can't hit right handed pitching.  Duda?  Byrd?  We'll see but I'm not holding my breath.

The other thing you have to see is catching prospect D'Arnaud and pticher Zach Wheeler both come up in late July early August and look like difference makers!

Where that's going to take the Mets?  Maybe the thing is to just really be  bad and get the first pick in the draft next year!  But let's just have these few guys you need to show you the way playing well!   Harvey, Niese, Wright, Ike, Parnell in the bulllpen and D'Arnaud and Wheeler wehn they come up!  November? December? Maybe we get to buy an outfielder or two!  

Practice your Zen breathing and keep your expectations low and root for the youngsters to show you something and that's about the best you can do Mets fans!  And have a cold one for me on Opening Day!