(l-r : fighting the good fight against anti-Bomber bias, instant messaging with “a Mets fan”)

Earlier this year, Chris Mottram accurately described genetic lottery winner Hank Steinbrenner as “the blogging gift that just keeps on giving.” How lucky for all of us then, that amongst Mottram’s new colleagues at the Sporting News is none other than….drum roll….Hank Steinbrenner.

Today’s NY Post reports that in the Sept. 1 edition of TSN, Hank makes his editorial debut with the curious claim, “most of the national media is full of Yankee haters.”

“That’s why I have to point out the injuries,” Steinbrenner writes in his column in the magazine’s relaunch issue. “Because the media sweep that under the rug and say we’re playing poorly.

“But next year, in a new stadium, we’ll be much better.”

Scribbling with similar aplomb in his first entry at the revamped WEEI.com, Will Leitch — thankfully untroubled by any new association with Ron Borges —- gets things off to a tremendous start by quoting an unnamed person in his third paragraph for the Boston media giant.

A friend of mine, a Mets fan, told me that he feels sad about how poorly the Braves are playing this season. œThey™ve been such a great and proud franchise the last umpteen years. I do not understand this sentiment, and suspect you don™t either. If the Cubs lost 100 games, this Cardinals fan would be doing backflips.

Far be it for me to call bullshit on this paragon of serious journalism.  But I’m gonna do so anyway ; even if we somehow believe Stephen Glass Will Leitch has a friend (or a friend who is a Mets fan), the unattributed quote is far too fantastic to hold water.

With all due respect to my (imaginary) friends who root for the Braves, there is not one Mets fan on the fucking planet that would describe Atlanta as “such a great and proud franchise the last umpteen years”.  More likely, if Leitch really had such an acquaintance, he or she would be quick to summarize the Braves as a blight on the entire southeast, with their wife-beating skipper, the Hooters-waitress-fucking Chipper and sickeningly racist tomahawk chop.

Seriously, of those who attended the Mets’ sweep of Atlanta at Shea this week, how many of you felt even a twinge of sympathy for the club that currently employs Tom “The Mole” Glavine, public education advocate Mike Hampton and at one time, made a millionaire out of social critic John Rocker?  That’s right, ZERO.

In slightly related news, I’m happy to hear Deadspin’s traffic is up considerably since Leitch’s departure. You know, with the blog having been such a great and proud franchise all these years.