"What You Do In Illinois Matters To Millions Of Americans"

I don't know about you, but I sure winced at the news stories from earlier this week that made mention of the fact that Michael J. Fox was "stumping" for double-amputee Illinois congressional candidate Tammy Duckworth.

Wait Till Next Year

After last night's crushing loss, it's going to be a long wait until next year. But wait we must. Mets in '07!

The Team. The Time. The Comeback

IF these 2006 New York Mets are a savvy bunch that has one eye cocked towards the history books, they will look to the team of 20 years ago that proved they could get it done with backs to the wall.

They will remember Game 6 against Houston, possibly the most thrilling League Championship Series game ever played, and realize that they, too are capable of coming back from elimination.

Then they will remember those 1986 Mets who came back from an even deeper hole - just one strike from being World Series losers - to win a championship against the Boston Red Sox under the most unbelievable of circumstances.

Let's get behind those Mets. I'm not thrilled at the prospects of a St. Louis-Detroit World Series.

Just a Few Quickies

• A reminder that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Please participate where possible and give to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Ladies, if you're of the age or inclination, schedule that mammogram. We've lost too many marvelous women to breast cancer, including my late wife Nancy who died a year ago this month. Chances are, someone close to you has been touched as well. So go do this.
  
• More October loss, and not of the baseball variety: one of my dogs, Princess, had to be euthanized yesterday with a potentially fatal condition. I did not want her to live and suffer, even though I felt she still had a lot of life and spunk left in her. My wife and I adopted Princess shortly after we got married. My yellow lab, Macho, remains with the household, which now stands at one man, one dog.
  
• Go Mets. Glavine pitched a great game last night and the Mets are poised to take the last game Saturday in Chavez Ravine, as the Yankees head for Tiger Town... good luck. My 40 years as a Mets fan have paid off very nicely in two world championships, but that 2000 loss to the Yankees still stings. Let's erase that stigma!
  
• Things We'd Like To See Department: Rudolph Giuliani at a Mets game.