This colorful (in more ways than one) companion book to the four-part ESPN “30 for 30” sports documentary series is a bittersweet reminder of what was for the New York Mets and their fans, but also what could have been.

ONCE UPON A TIME IN QUEENS mirrors the televised version faithfully so it might strike some as the standard documentary these days: talking heads offering their recollections of events, interspersed with photos and video of the time. But for those of us who experienced the Mets' ups and downs, it's more than that.

"Knowing the outcome does not detract from the fun. But for every cheer, there seems to be a tear as we revisit Gooden and Strawberry's slide into addiction. Both were quite candid about their failures and our disappointments."

It features the before and after of that 1986 season and the state of mind in New York. The Big Apple was dealing with some serious issues: crime, racism and economic hardship. Then the new, brasher Mets came along --- under the leadership of manager Davey Johnson and with veterans like Keith Hernandez and Gary Carter, as well as exciting rookies like Dwight Gooden and Darryl Strawberry --- to give us something to look forward to.

Author Nick Davis, who also directed the series, follows the program closely. In fact, just as the TV version comes with a “viewer discretion” advisory, so should this book. As one who knows the players from that bombastic ball club would expect, Lenny Dykstra comes across as either a foul-mouthed buffoon or a breath of fresh air, depending on your point of view.

A number of other Mets from that team are happy to share their thoughts, including Mookie Wilson, Bobby Ojeda, Ed Lynch, Ron Darling, Ray Knight, Kevin Mitchell, Syd Fernandez and Wally Backman. Non-ballplayers also weigh in: baseball writer nonpareil Roger Angell, who just turned 101; authors Jeff Pearlman (THE BAD GUYS WON), Erik Sherman (KINGS OF QUEENS: Life Beyond Baseball with the '86 Mets) and Greg W. Prince (FAITH AND FEAR IN FLUSHING: An Intense Personal History of the New York Mets); tennis legend John McEnroe; championship boxer Mike Tyson; singer Cyndi Lauper; former Mets PR director Jay Horwitz, who had a unique perspective; and some others I apologize for blanking on. (I would like to have heard more from Game of Thrones author George R. R. Martin.)

Knowing the outcome does not detract from the fun. But for every cheer, there seems to be a tear as we revisit Gooden and Strawberry's slide into addiction. Both were quite candid about their failures and our disappointments.

As a lifelong follower of the team, I suffered through the decade-long decline of the post-Miracle Mets of 1969, as well as celebrating when they won their second “Amazin’” championship. As the ’70s turned into the ’80s, the vibe changed from the altruistic Woodstock generation to the “greed is good” philosophy of the movie Wall Street: more was better, and image was more important than reality.

I don't know if baseball fans who did not experience that era can enjoy or understand it as much as my contemporaries and me, but nevertheless they should invest the time to watch it. I can't think of any franchise since then having the same impact, but then again I'm speaking as a New Yorker.