It may be a cliche to say Thank God It's Friday, but I don't care. The end of the work week brings special satisfaction because I am taking a four-day weekend. The highlight of it will be on Monday when I attend the U.S. Open in Flushing Meadows Park. (They painted the tennis courts blue. Blue!) And then on Tuesday night I will be co-hosting Tuesday Night Trivia at the Baggot Inn. Come one, come all.

So... how about that Dwight Gooden. Oy. I cringe when I think about how I used to idolize and cheer for that guy. Darryl Strawberry too. They were my two favorites from the 1986 Mets team. Now when people ask me who my favorite was, I have to lie and say Gary Carter. Because Gooden and Strawberry have become shameful figures. Drunks, drug abusers and now each has been a fugitive from the law. In case you haven't heard, Gooden's case was especially sad. He was pulled over for driving erratically, gave the cop his drivers licence, and only after he was asked to step out of his car, did he zoom off leaving the cop holding his licence. Three or four days later he finally turned himself in to the police.

But on the bright side, the 2005 Mets have been playing very well. A decisive four game sweep of Arizona with stellar performances from the kids - Reyes, Wright, Diaz, Castro and Jacobs. And Pedro Martinez has been as dominant as Gooden used to be back in 1985. Now they're only one and a half games out of the wild card lead! Which will make it even more exciting before they eventually blow it.