The 1990’s Jerry Seinfeld just got a new dog, and immediately lumbered the poor pooch with a name that in no way passes the Park Test™ . Yes, Seinfeld called his dog Jose Reyes. Yes, it’s named after the former New York Mets shortstop of the same name. No, I don’t really get it either.
Naming pets after sports heroes is not a new trend – I have personally encountered more than one dog called Ali – but ‘Jose Reyes’? It’s odd, and not just because not many dogs are called Jose Reyes.
It’s odd because Reyes has been a free agent since leaving the Mets, the team Seinfeld holds so close to his heart, immediately after the 2011 World Series. He’s currently a free agent looking for a gig elsewhere in MLB.
Is the 57-year-old comic desperately behind on his sports news then? Well, no. Reyes’ departure is why the dog got its name, says the comedian. As he told David Letterman last week:
“You want to know why the dog is named Jose? … The dog is named Jose because I feel like we may lose Jose Reyes, and we’re trying to keep a Jose. Because I’m a Met fan. It’s actually my wife’s idea, which is why I love my wife — she comes up with ideas like this. That’s a marriage right there, a wife that says, ‘Let’s name a dog after the Mets’ outgoing shortstop.’ That keeps the love alive.”
What do you reckon, readers? Would you ever name a pet after a favorite sports star?
