I’m all suited up and ready to go. 

Good luck Yankees!

It must be hard to be a New York Mets fan today. 

The Mets’ hated rival, the Yankees, have advance to the World Series…where they will play the Mets’ hated rival, the Philadelphia Phillies.

What’s a Mets fan to do?

Just ignoring the World Series is not an acceptable answer. Mets fans are some of the most loyal, most passionate fans in all of baseball. And, they are baseball fans. They could never just ignore the World Series.

It’s mathematically impossible for neither team to win the Series. So, that option is out for Mets fans.

I know a bunch of Mets fans. Most of them say they will root for - get this - the Phillies. Yes, their hated division rival…the team that has kept the Mets out of the playoffs the past few years. These Mets fans so hate the Yankees, so despise them, that they will root for any one to beat them. In this case, that “any one” is the hated Phillies.

I don’t know who will win the World Series, but it must really be tough to be a Mets fan right now.

What IS a Mets fan to do?

(Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

What was DirecTV thinking?

I was watching the Yankees/Angels ALCS game on Fox last night…and was shocked by a commercial that I saw.

The ad is for DirecTV. It shows the actor David Spade…and, the late comic actor Chris Farley. Chris Farley, as you may know, was an alcohol- and drug-abusive man-child, whose addictions led to his death at age 33.

The  commercial showed Chris Farley at his stereotypical worst. With the help of modern technology, an archival clip of an obviously intoxicated Farley was mixed with a current version of David Spade. Somehow, this was supposed to convince me to buy DirecTV.

What a terrible message from from DirecTV.

The commercial glorified and mocked the very abuses that killed Chris Farley. And, it portrayed Farley’s intoxicated state as something fun and goofy. The message to kids watching last night’s game: “Hey, look at me! It’s pretty fun to get all f*cked up!”

As a journalist in Chicago in 1997, I covered Chris Farley’s drug-induced death. I was outside his home at the John Hancock Center when his body was taken from the building. I’ve seen the photos of Chris Farley’s body from inside his apartment. Google them. Serious, Google them and take a look. You’ll see that he died a horrible, horrible death.

Is this the lifestyle and behavior DirecTV wants to promote in its advertising? I don’t think so.

A friend of mine defended the ad…comparing it to ads featuring old clips of the late actor Humphrey Bogart. With all due respect to my friend…sorry, this is apples and oranges. The Bogie ads were cool and dignified, showing a dashing movie star from days gone by. The DirecTV Farley glorifies the very drug and alcohol excesses that killed Farley.

DirecTV should pull those ads…now! They should not air again…especially in a program with a large audience of kids.

What was DirecTV thinking?

Shame on you, DirecTV! Shame on you!

(Steve’s note: The above photo is not from the commercial. It shows Chris Farley and David Spade in happier times: Before Farley died his horrible death…bruised, with vomit coming out his mouth.)

Yes, the Yankees are in the ALCS. Yes, the Giants are 5-0.

So, it’s time to talk…basketball!

I did the public address announcing last night, as the Knicks played their pre-season home opener against Philadelphia at Madison Square Garden. Here’s a nifty picture taken courtside before the game! 

Something was different last night. No, I don’t mean the Knicks’ Nate Robinson changing his number from 4 to 2.

During the pre-game introductions, instead of announcing referees with names like Dick Bavetta, Jess Kersey and Joe Crawford…I announced Scott Twardoski, Mike Bobiak and Jaime Morales. The only Joe Crawford to be found was a reserve player on the Knicks’ bench.

The regular NBA referees are in the midst of a labor dispute with the NBA. They’ve been locked out, and replaced by…well, “replacement” officials. The replacements come from places like the WNBA and the NBA’s Development League. Last night, for the Knicks and 76ers at the Garden, it was Scott Twardoski, Mike Bobiak and Jaime Morales.

You know what? They did the best they could.

NBA players (and coaches) can be tough on the regular officials. When they get inexperienced replacements, it’s like a shark smelling blood in the water. They make catty remarks. They react with Academy Award-winning performances when a call goes against them. In short, they bait them as best they can.

A retired NBA referee sat courtside to counsel, encourage and rate the replacements. Some of the things he reminded them about seemed pretty basic compared to the NBA refs. But, I thought they did the best they could, and called a decent game. Sure, there were more traveling violations called than usual - NBA players are used to getting away with an extra step or two. And, they called the fouls a little tight. But, all in all, I thought Misters Twardoski, Bobiak and Morales did okay.

Neither team won nor lost because of the officiating. And, at the end of the game (especially a pre-season game with replacement refs) that’s all either team could ask for.

That said, I sure hope this labor dispute can be resolved soon. And, I hope that “other” Joe Crawford will be back at the Garden soon!

The brand new USS New York left Avondale, LA, this morning. She’ll be officially commissioned here in New York City on November 7th. 

The USS NY was built with 7 1/2 tons of World Trade Center steel, which was welded into her bow.

God bless the USS New York and her crew. Fair winds!

(photo courtesy ussnewyork.com)

Okay, I know this is not a real big deal. I shouldn’t be obsessing about it.

But, it kind of bugged me. 

I was watching the Yankees/Twins playoff game on TBS last night. Just about every time they came back from a commercial, they showed a lovely shot of Midtown Manhattan…including the Empire State Building, illuminated with red and green lights. 

Red and green?  Huh?

   I was looking at the Empire State Building last night…and, it was not illuminated red and green. It was plain white (the default lighting when colors aren’t being used for special occasions).

Red and green? Merry Christmas! I expected the TBS shot to pan down and show us ice skaters at Rockefeller Center! 

Okay, I’ll get off my soap box now. Like I said…not the most important thing in the world. But, it bugged me.

(By the way…my pics here are not from last night, either! They’re stock photos, courtesy of Getty Images)

So, it turns out the suspect in the David Letterman sex extortion case, Mr. Halderman, works for 48 Hours…and was arrested yesterday right here in (or just outside) the CBS Broadcast Center. 

Darn. I wish I had wandered down the elevator and stumbled upon that one!

I get the feeling that when Mr. Halderman’s mug shot is released, I’ll see and say…“Hey, I’ve seen that guy in the cafeteria!”

Seriously…what a story! Every one I’ve run into here in the Broadcast Center today is still buzzing about it.

And, I still think Dave handled it about as well as he could have, given the circumstances. Embarrassing for him, I’m sure…but, he was smart to get out in front of the story.

Okay, let me get this straight.

The Empire State Building was bathed in red and yellow light last night…to mark the 60th anniversary of Communist rule in China. What? China? 

I find it a bit odd that one of the great, iconic structures in the United States of America is paying homage to sometimes ruthless regime with a terrible history of human rights abuses.

I know some one probably paid some one else a whole lot of money to make this happen. And, I know we’re in a new era of cooperation with China.

Blah blah blah.

In the words of that noted social philosopher, Mike Ditka…“Who ya crappin’?”

I don’t recall seeing the ESB illuminated to mark the anniversary of many other countries…from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. Why China? Communist China? What’s next? Cuba?

I’m with the protesters who stood outside the Empire State Building last night. This was a bad idea.