Several N.J. Mets fans tailgating at Citi Field on Friday night before Game 3 of the World Series waxed nostalgic about 1986.
QUEENS -- As N.J. Mets fans had fun tailgating in the Citi Field parking lot on Friday night before Game 3 of the World Series, many waxed nostalgic about 1986, when the Mets started behind, too.
A young Ryan Burkowitz, who is 10 and lives in Cresskill, recited the history by memory when asked if he believed in a come back.
"They've just got to play hard," he said. "In 1986, the Mets came to the World Series. In the first game, they lost by one (run). In the second game, they lost by six. The same thing happened in 2015."
WATCH: The Mets won the World Series on this day in 1986
For other New Jersey residents, the answer was also 1986.
"Of course. They did it last time. Didn't they do it last time, '86?" said Melanie Vandervalk, of Denville. "We got married in '86. They were supposed to play Game 7 (the same day) but it was rained out. They had it the next day."
"Sure there could be a come back," said Tim Sullivan, of Marlboro. "We did it in '86. I'm sure everyone says that, right? The series isn't over until the home team loses... If they lose its gonna be a long ride home."
Christina Arce, of North Bergen, could even trace her fandom back to 1986, when her dad introduced her to the Mets, as they listened to games together on the radio on car rides on Saturdays and Sundays.
"I had no choice," she joked as she decorated a fan sign before the game.
Mets fans like Middlesex resident Todd Nicolay focused on taking the season game by game: "We're gonna do this. We're gonna stick together."
"You gotta believe," said James Dinsmore, of Morristown. "(Noah) Syndergaard is starting and he's a good pitcher."
Asked if the Syndergard's Avengers nickname suits him, Bobby Hajjar, who said he would have confidence in Syndergard's pitching "if" his first pitch strikes, joked that "instead of Thor for Noah Syndergaard, it should be Fabio."
Scott Collins, of Wayne, said he's down with the Mets' Avengers nicknames; "It's a little corny, but I like it."
Despite the generally overwhelming optimism, not every Jersey fan preached as much belief.
Max Edelsack, of Westfield, said he was protecting himself by hedging his bets.
"Obviously, you hope, but..." he trailed off. "If we can beat them today, it'll obvously give everyone more hope. Just hope for the best."
"It's possible, except Kansas City is a very good team," said pragmatic 13-year-old Eric Offer, of Summit. "Their pitching would have to be better, and they'd have to score a lot of runs."
But Offer, like so many Mets fans, thrives on uncertainty. He said he independently decided to become a Mets fan in 2009, since the Yankees "won a lot."
"I wanted something more interesting than that," he explained.
Laura Herzog may be reached at lherzog@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @LauraHerzogL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.