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Slices of the Big Apple

By MARC TOPKIN, Times wires

© St. Petersburg Times, published October 21, 2000

Vote for me, I like your team

The World Series has become a political football.

New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani makes no secret of his support for the Yankees, though he occasionally allows deputy mayor Rudy Washington, a Mets fans, to step into the spotlight.

But what's really entertaining is the spin on the U.S. Senate race. Rick Lazio, a lifelong Mets fan, is using every opportunity to connect with his constituents and plans to be at the games. His opponent, Hillary Rodham Clinton, claims to be a Yankees fan, but a representative said Clinton was trying to find time in her schedule for a game.

At a playoff game, Mets pitcher Al Leiter tossed Lazio a ball on which he reportedly wrote:

"Rick, kick Hillary's a--."

Giuliani's top 10

Giuliani was on the Late Show with David Letterman with a top 10 on why it's great to have a Subway Series.

10. We're gonna add a Mike Piazza-style mustache to the Statue of Liberty.

9. City ordinance says in a Subway Series, the mayor bats cleanup.

8. Regardless of who wins, it's just great to sit in the stands and watch sweaty guys hug each other.

7 Finally, New Yorkers have something, something to help us get over the loss of Cats.

6. Just think what this is doing to John Rocker.

5. It's more proof that New York City is the greatest city on earth.

4. It's easy to get cheap applause by saying crap like this.

3 I won't have that uneasy feeling I get when Don Zimmer's out of town.

2. It's so exciting, even people who just moved here and are now running for the Senate can enjoy it.

1. More business for the city's illegal knockoff T-shirt factories.

Seinfeld speaks

Jerry Seinfeld's thoughts on the Series, from an article in the New York Times:

"Bragging rights," they call it. Like anyone in this city waits to be given the right before they start bragging.

The instant hook line every interviewee grabbed onto was, "It's great for the city." So true. New York needs this. "Finally -- some spark in a city so obviously lacking in any kind of overt competitiveness," I thought to myself as I washed the bicycle messenger tire marks off the side of my face before dinner.

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Gary Shelton