On-Hudson.com

Hiudson Highlands Nature Museum LetterBoxing WorkShop Sunday May 3rd 10:AM

www.hhnaturemuseum.org

SUNDAY FUN DAY LETTERBOXING WORKSHOP! Sunday,May 3-10am at the Outdoor Discovery Center This Sunday, May 3, 10am the Hudson Highlands Nature Museum presents: ALetterboxing Workshop at the Outdoor Discovery Center, entrance on Muser Drive, across from 174 Angola Road, Cornwall. Come find out about "letterboxing", the newest outdoor adventure activity that is fast becoming a popular family pastime! Letterboxing is an intriguing activity that consists of "treasure-hunts" in parks, forests, and cities around the world. Participants seek out hidden letterboxes by cracking codes and following clues. The prize: a miniature piece of rubber stamp art-usually a unique, hand-carved creation. Letterboxers stamp their discoveries in a personal journal and then use their own rubber stamp, called a signature stamp, to stamp into the logbook found at with the letterbox. Workshop participants will learn the basics of letterboxing, make a simple letterbox stamp and actually find a box at the Museum’s Outdoor Discovery Center. This activity is not one to miss; it is fun for all ages. Recommended for adults with or without children and children ages 5 and up Cost: $5, Members: $3. Pre-registration requested. For information and registration, call 845-534-5506, ext. 204. Visit the museum’s website at www.hhnaturemuseum.org

Palisades Park New Jersey Presents "Spring Nature Walk " & "Scavenger Hunt " Sunday April 26th

"Hooked on the Hudson" event 2008. Photo: Anthony G. Taranto Jr.   Palisades Interstate Park Commission New Jersey Section  "Spring Nature Walk"  and "Scavenger Hunt"  Sunday, April 26, 2009 Spring Nature Walk There will be a guided hike with Nancy Slowik on Sunday, April 26 meeting at 11 AM at the pavilion at the Ross Dock Picnic Area on the Hudson in Fort Lee (access from PIP Exit 1 or southern park entrance at Edgewater-Fort Lee border). The hike, which is free and open to all (no dogs, please) with no advance registration needed, will cover about 2 miles round-trip distance over easy trails in about 2 hours. The hike will be held "drizzle or shine" - heavy or steady precipitation may cancel. For more information: 201 784-0484.  Scavenger Hunt! There will be a guided hike and activity for children (and their parents!) with Christina Fehre on Sunday, April 26 meeting at 2 PM at the pavilion at the Ross Dock Picnic Area on the Hudson in Fort Lee (access from PIP Exit 1 or southern park entrance at Edgewater-Fort Lee border). The hike, which is free and open to all with no advance registration needed, will cover about 2 miles round-trip distance over easy trails in about 2 hours. The hike will be held "drizzle or shine" - heavy or steady precipitation may cancel. To confirm on the day of the hike if conditions seem questionable, please call 201 768-1360 and enter extension 107. PLEASE DON"T FORGET! The NJ Chapter of the Hudson River Fishermen's Association will hold its annual fishing contest, with exhibits, displays, activities, and more, on Saturday, April 25 from 8 AM to 2 PM at the Ross Dock Picnic Area. For more information, please visit: http://www.njpalisades.org/  The New Jersey Section is part of the Palisades Interstate Park Commission, which administers 29 parks, parkways, and historic sites for the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation in New York as well as the Palisades Interstate Park and parkway in New Jersey. For more information about New York State parks and historic sites, please visit www.nysparks.com and for more information about the Palisades Interstate Park parks and historic sites, please visit http://www.palisadesparksconservancy.org/ The Palisades Parks Conservancy, Inc., (dba Friends of the Palisades, Inc.), the charitable partner of the Palisades Interstate Park Commission is a free-standing federally registered non-profit corporation exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Donations may be made over our secure Web site at palisades.exhibit-e.com/donate/ or by mailing to Palisades Parks Conservancy, Bear Mountain State Park, Administration Building, Bear Mountain, NY 10911. For more information, please call us at 845-786-2701 or send email toadmin@palisadesparksconservancy.org.

Prospect For Empire State Games Look Bleak

http://www.newsday.com/sports/highschool/ny-skesg0402,0,765773.story

Empire State Games likely to be canceled

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Empire State Games officials have told coaches their services won't be needed this summer, even though there's been no formal announcement from the state parks department that New York's premier amateur athletic competition has been canceled.

"From our perspective, you just can't turn on a dime and create something in three and a half months that usually takes a year to plan," Fred Smith, executive director of the games, said Wednesday. "We've been scrambling to try to find a new host but haven't been successful there. The writing seems to be on the wall."

Athletes and organizers have been left hanging since January, when state officials said huge budget deficits forced elimination of funding for the games and required participants to pay fees to play. That led the ESG's Hudson Valley organizers to drop out as hosts in protest.

An Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Department spokeswoman said Wednesday an announcement would be made later in the week. Carol Ash, the department's commissioner, was not available for comment.

Funding for the Olympic-style event, which began in 1978, was cut by Gov. David Paterson and was not restored in the budget negotiated this week by the state's Democratic leaders, according to the state budget division. The state's previous annual contribution was $1.7 million, Smith said.

He said the parks department is seeking private sponsors and contributions in hopes of holding the Winter Games in February 2010 and reinstating the Summer Games in July 2010, which are slated for Buffalo.

"They're looking to move forward, restructure the program, get funding so it will never happen again," said Louis Vazquez, the ESG's regional director for New York City. "But I think it's going to have a major effect. It's going to take a lot of work to get coaches back into it. Unfortunately, it's going to hurt a lot of seniors who have been working hard to showcase themselves to get into a college and get some scholarship money."

New York will hold scaled-back versions of the Empire State Senior Games and Games for the Physically Challenged, but the impending cancellation of the Summer Games was difficult to accept.

"I really thought we would have gone ahead," Vazquez said. "Just like everywhere else, there are a bunch of cuts that we all have to deal with. Everybody's dealing with it. You still get the job done. To cancel the whole program is kind of shocking. The kids suffer."

The Summer Games, which hopscotch around New York, originally were scheduled for late July at venues throughout the Hudson Valley region. The games were to be linked to celebrations marking the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson's voyage to America, but the organizing committee pulled out after the parks department announced the funding cut and the $285 fee to be levied on athletes.

"Nobody likes the situation, but continuing the Senior Games and the Games for the Physically Challenged will keep the name out there," Smith said. "I know Buffalo is very excited and I'm optimistic Buffalo is going to go ahead. How this will affect it in the long run, I don't know."

Smith said he wanted to get away from the $285 participants' fee, adding that one of the goals was to structure the Empire State Games so athletes who can't afford to pay any fees won't be affected.

Spend A Day In The Country FahneStock State Park Picnic SaturDay May 16th 12-4 PM

Newly Formed Friends of Fahnestock and Hudson Highlands State Parks Hosts Picnic

Come and meet the Friends of Fahnestock and Hudson Highlands State Park (FoFHH) at a picnic Saturday, May 16^th, 12-4pm at the Canopus Lake/Winter Park area in Clarence Fahnestock Memorial State Park.

 

·        The picnic is a family-friendly event and will include a barbeque lunch and live music by Dana Edelman, Stacy Labriola, and friends.

·    Carol Ash, Commissioner, New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) will be speaking. Bill Bauman, Manager of Fahnestock and Hudson Highlands state parks, will host behind-the-scenes tours of park facilities. Proposed plans for renovations to the facilities will be on display.

·    Information about various groups which are involved with the parks will be available, along with information on how to get involved as a volunteer.

Admission is free, but pre-registration is required by April 25^th on our website, www.fofhh.org/picnic. The event will be held rain or shine. It is being underwritten by a generous donor and your tax-deductible contribution of $10 per person or $15 per family is welcome.

The Friends of Fahnestock and Hudson Highlands State Parks is a new organization, formed by individuals who use, enjoy and wish to support the largest area of land in our region protected by OPRHP.

Come find out more about what we are doing and how you can get involved! For more information about FoFHH, go to www.fofhh.org. Membership in FoFHH is free, just sign up on the website.

Contact:  Michael Gibbons, press@fofhh.org

Westchester Gaming & Racing : Empire City Casino @ Yonkers Raceway

http://www.yonkersraceway.com/

Must be 18 years of age or older to play video gaming machines or wager on horses. Please play responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling  problem, help is available. Call the 24-hour toll-free help line at 1-877-8HopeNY. Any patron may be voluntarily excluded from gaming and racing activities at Empire City at Yonkers Raceway. For complete details, click on our Self Exclusion Information link.

Bear Mountain Easter Egg Hunt Saturday April 4 10:AM

Spring Egg Hunt 2008   Palisades Interstate Park Commission Bear Mountain State Park SPRING EGG HUNT CHILDREN AGE 12 OR UNDER Saturday, April 4, 2009 10:00 AM TO 3:00 PM Rain or Shine With Help from our Local Artist Decorate a Bag to Collect Your Eggs AT THE MERRY GO ROUND 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM EGG HUNTS BEGIN AT: 1:00 p.m. - CHILDREN AGES 2-4 1:20 p.m. - CHILDREN AGES 5-7 1:40 p.m. - CHILDREN AGES 8-10 2:00 p.m. - CHILDREN AGES 11-12 (Please note: Times may vary) FREE PRIZES & LOTS OF FUN! FOOD AVAILABLE AT THE MERRY-GO-ROUND While you are at Bear Mountain, ride the Merry-Go-Round's hand-carved wood animals and visit our resident black bears Reba, Pal, and Sadie at Trailside Museums and Zoo. Individual Merry-Go-Round rides: $1.00 Admission to Trailside: FREE PARKING FEE: $7.00 PER CAR FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL 845-786-2701, Ext. 245 Bear Mountain State Park can be reached via Exit 19 of the Palisades Interstate Parkway or from Route 9W. For more information or special access needs, contact the Bear Mountain Office at 845-786-2701. TDD users should call the NY Relay Service at 1-800-662-1220. A complete calendar of all park events may be requested from the Park Office at 845-786-2701 between 8 AM and 4:30 PM or go on-line to www.palisadesparksconservancy.org or www.njpalisades.org. Bear Mountain State Park is part of the Palisades Interstate Park Commission, which administers 29 parks, parkways, and historic sites for the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation in New York as well as the Palisades Interstate Park and parkway in New Jersey. For more information about New York State parks and historic sites, please visit www.nysparks.com, for information about the New Jersey section of the PIPC please visit www.njpalisades.org, and for more information about the Palisades Parks Conservancy and the Palisades Interstate Park parks and historic sites, please visit www.palisadesparksconservancy.org. The Palisades Parks Conservancy, Inc., (dba Friends of the Palisades, Inc.), the charitable partner of the Palisades Interstate Park Commission is a free-standing federally registered non-profit corporation exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Donations may be made over our secure Web site at palisades.exhibit-e.com/donate/ or by mailing to Palisades Parks Conservancy, Bear Mountain State Park, Administration Building, Bear Mountain, NY 10911. For more information, please call us at 845-786-2701 or send email to admin@palisadesparksconservancy.org.

Holland America"s Eurodam Has Maiden Voyage Down Hudson River

http://www.philly.com/philly/travel/20090301_A_stylish_first_sail.html?viewAll=y

A stylish first sail

The maiden U.S. voyage of Holland America's Eurodam brought high-end pleasures at less than high-end prices.

Anne Chalfant

The most romantic moment of a cruise is sailing away - that Hollywood moment when the ship leaves the dock and sets off for distant shores.

And the sail-away to top them all was setting off from New York City on the maiden U.S. voyage of Holland America's Eurodam.

All hands were on deck on this brilliantly beautiful September afternoon as the ship edged down the Hudson River past the city's landmarks. Hundreds of passengers leaned against the rail, taking in the shape of a skyline so iconic, it gives you chills. The ship eased onward, passing shoulder-to-shoulder buildings wedged in a tight nest of humanity and commerce.

Then, suddenly, there she was - the majestic lady with torch held high.

It took my breath away.

I hurriedly clicked some photos, then dashed to the ship's spa, where I had an appointment for a massage. I found Elvira, my Filipino masseuse, wiping away a tear.

"I just saw the Statue of Liberty," she said.

Ahoy, Eurodam.

The sail-away was a splendid start for this 10-day cruise of New England and Canadian ports. And it was a fitting salute to the Eurodam, which was launched in Europe in April. It's a splendid ship, accommodating 2,104 passengers and 925 crew members.

This midsize ship is a people-pleaser of masterly design. Laid out in an intriguing maze of pocket bars, lounges, and inviting public areas, it also scores well by offering three alternative restaurants, two swimming pools, a well-run spa, and a Culinary Arts Center for cooking demonstrations and wine-tastings. Although Holland America cruises are mid-priced, Eurodam competes well in swank appeal with high-end lines such as Regent, Silversea, and Crystal.

Eurodam is geared for Holland America's main age group - 50 and older. Children do sail on this line, but you won't find rock walls, skating rinks, and late-night parties. There's a Club HAL for kids. But on this sailing, the kids had just gone back to school, so the adult playground was all ours.

I liked the well-equipped, spacious gym, with plenty of treadmills and elliptical trainers looking out over the sea, and few people using them. The serene Greenhouse Spa is more expansive than most ship spas.

If massages, pedicures, and facials aren't your thing, you could buy a $150-a-week membership in the Hydrotherapy Suite, which was just the ticket for my tired muscles. The hydrotherapy pool, with back-soothing water jets, is the size of a small swimming pool. Membership also included steam rooms, the sauna, and my favorite - an ingenious ceramic lounge that conducted heat right into my poor ol' bones. I often nabbed one of these meltdown lounges to gaze out the window as the ship set sail.

Evenings came with lively offerings. The casino is flashy, with five blackjack tables, 126 slot machines, and plenty of elbow room. At the big Mainstage, passengers filled three tiers of seats to watch the entertainment crew launch tunes, taps and rib-ticklers.

The itinerary is a good pick for Indian summer and fall relaxation, especially with the paintbrush of fall color on sailings later than my Sept. 1 departure. This is a slacker's cruise - no one will quiz you on details of ports such as Newport, R.I., or Halifax or Sydney, Nova Scotia.

But I was apprehensive about the size of the ship and and sailing with more than 2,000 passengers. Sure enough, I got lost frequently at first - but on a ship, how far can you go? Soon I worked out my shipboard routine, including an afternoon stop at the Hydrotherapy Suite before heading for my sail-away spot - the Crow's Nest bar on Deck 11. I'd nestle into a comfy chair facing the panoramic windows to toast that day's port with the superbly mixed drink-of-the day. Lemon drops, mojitos, margaritas - the Filipino bartenders were masters.

I didn't even look for the main dining room until Day Three. Instead, I lazed my way along with casual dining in the Lido restaurant without having to get dressed up - now that's the sailor's life for me.

When I finally joined friends for dinner - yes, I did wear heels and a classy dress - I enjoyed it. The Rembrandt Dining Room is set on two levels, with a dramatic central atrium hung with wavelike sculptures. White tablecloths, comfortable contemporary chairs, well-spaced tables, and soft lighting made for pleasant dining and conversation.

Although it was fun discovering the ship's offerings - the Ocean Bar and its daily afternoon Trivia match, and the screening room where movies were shown daily - its size and design did not suit everyone. Older passengers complained about the long walk to "everything" and about getting lost.

On the Promenade decks, hallways zigzag around lounges, bars, shops, the Culinary Arts Center - it's a maze. But it's a handsome maze that artfully keeps people in small groups. I never had the sense that I shared the ship with more than 2,000 passengers.

Sailing on a new ship also meant upholstery and carpets were new and clean, and the decor was snappy, hung with contemporary art plus historic cruise photos on gangway walls. Equipped with the latest in stabilizers, Eurodam is the steadiest ship I've been on - even the night we caught some mighty swells off the Canadian coast.

My stateroom was also new and spiffy, with one of the best mattresses I have ever slept on. The bathroom had the nice surprise of a bathtub along with the shower. Overall, the cabin was slightly smaller than those I've had on high-end cruises.

The ship also upholds Holland America's reputation for paying attention to passengers who need assistance, including 30 wheelchair-accessible staterooms. I was impressed to see wheelchair-assisted passengers boarding ahead of the pack in New York. Marjorie Tripp, a pediatric cardiologist from Asheville, N.C., traveling with her 82-year-old mother, called that treatment "a wonderful bonus."

"Once we arrived, we were assigned someone who helped us until we were not only registered, but on the ship and seated in the Lido for lunch," Tripp said.

Many passengers, including Holland America regulars, were conscious of the line's value pricing. (Prices for the September 2009 10-day cruise start at $1,499 plus tax for an inside cabin). Sailing on the higher-end lines costs two to three times as much for a 10-day cruise.

Only the Eurodam's cuisine fell short of the mark. Frequently overcooked and sometimes served with odd sauces, it was inconsistent.

In the Rembrandt Dining Room, I was disappointed to be served a soggy taco shell on my Southwestern salad. But I could always count on the breakfast options in the Lido restaurant - yummy waffles; tasty muffins and bagels; fresh, cut-up fruit; and an omelet bar, plus the traditional egg-and-bacon options.

The Asian-themed Tamarind restaurant was superb and worth the extra $20.

No trip along the Canadian coast would be complete without grappling with a whole lobster, but that experience was available only on shore. I tackled mine on an excursion to Peggy's Cove, a picturesque, seaside village in Halifax, with help from the friendly Canadian guide.

I like taking excursions and seeing as much as possible, and this cruise was full of them - some better than others.

In Boston, I had a morning drink at the original Cheers bar, then trudged up Beacon Hill for the sights. The Cliff Walk along the water at Newport was crashing-coastal lovely. The Bay of Fundy, famous for tides that can rise as much as 55 feet, was a good side trip from the port of St. John. And two days in charming Quebec City gave me plenty of time to explore its curving streets and European style.

The crew was enthusiastic and helpful. They were proud of the ship, which was new to them, too.

Only one complaint resounded with a number of passengers - no passenger laundry rooms. So, on a 10-day cruise, you either have to hand-wash your clothes or pay them to do it. It costs $9 to dry clean a dress and $4 to launder slacks.

Unless, that is, you adopt the sartorial style of one interesting passenger, who wore an olive-green tarpaulin all 10 days. He belted the tarp, adorned it with an array of ascots, and kept his lower drapes mannerly with a small padlock fastened at knee level.

His explanation of the attire: "It keeps me warm."

It also kept his packing problems to a minimum.

 

---

Cruising for Fall Colors

Holland America's Eurodam is scheduled to sail Sept. 16 from New York on a 10-day Colors of Canada and New England cruise, with stops at Newport, R.I.; Boston; Bar Harbor, Maine; Halifax and Sydney, Nova Scotia; Prince Edward Island; and Saguenay, Quebec. The cruise disembarks in Quebec City. Costs start at $1,599 per person, plus tax, for an inside cabin.

Other Eurodam fall-colors cruises include a 10-day sailing from Quebec City on Sept. 6, ending in New York. Prices start at $1,499 per person, plus tax, for an inside cabin.

On Sept. 26, the Eurodam will set sail from Quebec City on a 14-day Atlantic Coast cruise, with prices starting at $1,599.

Holland America's Maasdam is scheduled to sail the New England and Canada coasts in October, including a seven-day cruise from Boston to Montreal on Oct. 3, starting at $1,399, and a 13-day Atlantic Coast cruise departing Montreal on Oct. 10, disembarking in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., starting at $1,199. The Maasdam is an older ship, so prices are slightly lower than on the Eurodam.

More information

www.hollandamerica.com 1-877-932-4259

- Anne Chalfant

Kids Week 2009 February 14th - 22nd 2009 Aboard The Intrepid

http://www.intrepidmuseum.org/Intrepid-Kids-Week-2009.aspx

Intrepid Kids Week 2009

Kids Week aboard Intrepid is an exciting winter break adventure you and your kids will never forget. With dynamic, interactive exhibits in our new, innovative Exploreum hall and a host of fun-filled, hands-on activities from our partners –including the New York Knicks, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Madame Tussauds, Mr. Met, Broadway Performances, NASA and more – Intrepid is the IN destination for kids of all ages. February 14-15 (Saturday - Sunday) Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus &  Madame Tussauds Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus visits the Intrepid with special performances and displays. Children will join The Greatest Show on Earth to learn circus skills and more! Madame Tussauds will be featuring some of there most popular wax figures, photo opportunities will be available with some of your favorite celebrities! Face Painting will also take place from 12-3pm. February 16 (Monday) Meet Mr. Met! Calling all Mets fans! Here’s your chance to meet, and take photos with, Mr. Met when he climbs aboard Intrepid from 1 pm to 3 pm. Special giveaways and prizes will ensure his visit is a home run! You’ll also have a chance to participate in the many interactive activities our educational staff has planned for the day.     February 17 (Tuesday) NY Hall of Science Think A-Maze-ing fun as the NY Hall of Science fills Intrepid with a giant maze. Plus there will be cows’ eye dissections, fun make-it and take-it activities and their always popular bubble-making interactives. There’s never been a better, or more fun, way to learn science.   February 18 (Wednesday) New York Knicks/Liberty Sports Day! Get in the game and join us for Intrepid’s Sports Day! Intrepid welcomes the Garden of Dreams Foundation, past and present players of the New York Knicks, Liberty and Knicks City Dancers for a special Black History Month program and interactive games. Dress in your favorite team’s apparel and show your spirit! February 19 (Thursday) Broadway Performances! Intrepid proudly hosts the cast of “Rosie’s Broadway Kids” performers who will take the stage at 1 pm. Exciting, educational demonstrations will also be held throughout the day along with face painting from noon to 3 pm.   February 20-22 (Friday-Sunday) NASA NASA sets up interactive exhibits displaying equipment and technology used to send astronauts into outer space. Quizdom Trivia contests will take place at 12pm & 3pm, expert demonstrations and talks from astronauts will stimulate children of all ages! Please join us as we welcome a real Astronaut on Friday the 20th at 2pm.

Joe Willie Namath The Enduring Star Of Super Bowl History

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/2009/01/31/2009-01-31_forty_years_later_joe_namaths_still_supe.html

Forty years later, Joe Namath's still Super

AP

Joe Namath embraces his father after the Jets win Super Bowl III on Jan. 12, 1969.

TAMPA - Forty years later the biggest star of the big game is still Joe Namath of the Jets.

It's not because he was the best quarterback to ever play in the Super Bowl because he wasn't. If you are looking at everything, the best quarterback in the history of the game is Joe Montana, who played four Super Bowls and won them all and threw 11 touchdown passes in those games and still hasn't thrown an interception. If you want to talk about one game, then it is probably Phil Simms, who was 22-for-25 one time in Pasadena.

Still the biggest star is Namath. Terry Bradshaw won four Super Bowls, Montana had his four. Troy Aikman had three. So does Tom Brady. Namath only had the one.

And somehow it remains the one.

For one Sunday at the Orange Bowl 40 years ago, Namath was Ali and Babe Ruth combined. Nobody ever proved that Ruth actually called his shot in that World Series against the Cubs. Namath called his. People have been making predictions like Namath's ever since. His is the one people remember. He had so much help that day, from his running backs and receivers and the guys blocking and all the forgotten heroes of the Jets' defense. But he dominated the day with cockiness and style, the way Ali could in those years.

And all this time later, it is the only game worth talking about for the team he played for, the New York Jets. January 12, 1969 has now become what 1940 was for the New York Rangers.

The Giants have won three Super Bowls now, played in another. The Jets, who won as an important game for their sport as the Colts did in that sudden-death championship game against the Giants in 1958, have not been back. Even though the Cardinals are not a huge underdog against the Steelers, we still talk about the other unlikely champions today. It is always part of Super Sunday and the conversation always starts with the Jets of Super Bowl III, who shocked the world that Sunday in 1969, if not themselves.

Because the more Namath and the rest of them looked at the film, the more they were sure they could win the game.

"Weeb wasn't happy with me," Namath told me one time in Miami, when the big game had gone back there and Dick Schaap and I went and sat with Namath one afternoon.

Namath smiled then and said, "But I'd been raised to tell the truth."

He is as much "The Franchise" as Tom Seaver is with the Mets. He is still the greatest quarterback in Jets history. There were others who had some years. Vinny Testaverde had a huge year for Bill Parcells and was as much an MVP as anybody in the league the last time the Jets made it to a championship game, against the Broncos. But there was just the one Super Bowl. Even Namath never made it back before his knees were completely shot.

Now the Jets are starting over again. They do that every few years. A few years ago there was great excitement because they had gotten Eric Mangini, a young guy off Bill Belichick's staff, and when he took the Jets to the playoffs his first year, he was exactly what the Jets needed: A young Belichick! Super Bowl here we come! Even if Belichick had quit on them after being the "HC of the NYJ" for one day.

Only then Mangini went 4-12 in his second year and this year his team fell apart after being 8-3, and his departure became so vicious it was as if Woody Johnson and Mike (Not My Fault) Tannenbaum had fired Isiah Thomas. Now Rex Ryan is exactly what the Jets need, meaning he's exactly not Mangini.

It has gone this way for a long time. They do not just correct, they over-correct. They went from Walt Michaels, who was supposed to be too tough, to Joe Walton, who was supposed to be a players' guy. They thought Rich Kotite was a huge upgrade over Pete Carroll. Bruce Coslet was in there somewhere. The only time they really looked like a Super Bowl contender was when Parcells came back and somehow got the season of Vinny Testaverde's life out of old Vinny and it didn't fall apart for them until the second half of the championship game at old Mile High Stadium.

They didn't make it. They are the Jets. They watch as the Patriots become great in this decade. They kick a quarterback like Chad Pennington to the curb and watch Pennington become Comeback Player of the Year again and make the playoffs when the Jets can't. They are the Jets.

Watching another Super Sunday in another season when they were supposed to have a chance. All this time later, they are one game.
One guy.

Now the Cardinals make it to the Super Bowl and the Jets still can't make it back. Maybe Joe Namath can give us a prediction about when they will.

***

Rex Ryan looks to be a real tough guy, and he'll need to be if he ever gets pistol-whipped on his way out the door the way Eric Mangini was.

It was reported the other day that the Yankees, because of Joe Torre's book, now might want to have a "non-disparagement" clause written into all their contracts.

Considering the way they operate sometimes, I think they should just stick with the unwritten law of "omerta."

But think about it:

A "non-disparagement" clause for a team that was run for all those years by George Steinbrenner?

The Knicks get the Lakers and the LeBrons and the Celtics at home this week, and everybody is saying this is the toughest stretch of opponents, record-wise, in the history of the franchise.

But even if the Knicks get boxed around for three straight games, this recent stretch of theirs has been the most entertaining in nearly 10 years.

Which ought to tell you exactly what has happened to their brand in that stretch.

If it is only a one-year deal, the Mets ought to think about Bobby Abreu.

For one of the very best pieces yet about the way the whole deal between Caroline Kennedy and our wacky governor played out, read Chris Smith this week in New York magazine.

Forget about everything else with Roger Federer, maybe the most extraordinary thing he's done is make the semifinals of 19 straight major championships in tennis.

I always thought Pete Sampras was the best player of them all, even if he never won the French.

Then came Federer, who has more talent for the game than anybody I've ever seen.

But when you talk about the greatest player of them all, you always have to remember something, because sometimes it's too easy to forget:

Rod Laver won the Grand Slam twice.

He won it when he was an amateur and then turned pro and went all those years without being allowed to play the majors, and then when tennis became truly open, Laver came back and promptly won the Grand Slam again.

So how can you talk about his record in the majors without mentioning that he missed a total of 19 of them over nearly five years.

Ken Rosewall?

By turning pro when he did, he missed, oh by the way, eleven years of majors.

And there is no telling how many majors Pancho Gonzales would have won if he hadn't turned pro as a kid.

Federer is something to see, the same as Pete was.

But the more you remember what Laver missed, this conversation still has to start with him.

And as Mary Carillo always points out, how can Federer be the best player of all time if he's still got a losing record, in HIS time, against Nadal?

We are now being told that the Cardinals are the same kind of lock to beat the Steelers today as the Giants were a couple of weeks ago to beat the Eagles.

It was interesting to see how the fever to burn Torre's book subsided once people began to actually read it.

If your kids liked "Hoot" and "Flush" by my friend Carl Hiaasen, they're going to love his new one, called "Scat."

One of the reasons the Yankees say they're worried about people writing mean future books about them is that they don't want anybody stealing their business "model."

What, you think people need to read books on how to spend money?

If Bruce Ratner scales down his own business model on that great, big, change-the-skyline plan for the Nets and Atlantic Yards, it's going to resemble a model train set.

You think Nick Swisher is as excited to play for the Bombers as he originally was?

It is still astonishing how the City Council, and big media in this city, completely played dead for Michael Bloomberg when he changed the rules on term limits.

There's nothing better to spark a good debate about books than hearing the literary criticism of Prof. David Wells.

If you asked Wells about Harry Potter, he'd want to know which team the guy played for.

Or maybe where the guy liked to party.

When that Wall Street idiot John Thain redecorated his office, it should have been in orange.

To match the jumpsuit he ought to be wearing.

New York Metro Area Sports Bars

http://www.sportstavern.com/newyork/nyc.html

Manhattan Sports Bars

Bar XII 206 East 34th St (Between 2nd & 3rd Ave), New York, NY 10016

Blondies Sports Bar & Restaurant (Two locations)

Blackfinn 218 East 53rd St (Between 2nd Ave & 3rd Ave), New York, NY 10022

The Blue Seats 157 Ludlow St (Between Rivington St & Stanton St), New York, NY 10002

Boss Tweed's 115 Essex St (Between Delancey St & Rivington St), New York, NY 10002

Bounce Restaurant & Sports Lounge 1403 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10021

Bourbon Street 407 Amsterdam Ave (Between 79th St & 80th St), New York, NY 10024

Cafe 31 220 W 31st St (Between 8th Ave & Fashion Ave), New York, NY 10001

Central Bar 109 E. 9th St (Between 3rd & 4th Ave), New York, NY 10003

Dalton's Bar & Grill 611 9th Ave (Between 43rd & 44th St), New York, NY 10036

Dewey's Flatiron 210 5th Ave (Between 25th & 26th St), New York, NY 10010

Dorrian's Red Hand Restaurant 1616 2nd Avenue (Corner of 84th St), New York, NY 10028

Down the Hatch 179 W 4th St (Between Barrow St & Jones St), New York, NY 10014

East Side Billiards 163 E 86th St (Between 3rd Ave and Lexington Ave), New York, NY 10028

ESPN Zone 1472 Broadway (42nd St & Broadway), New York, NY 10036

Fiddlesticks Pub & Grill 56 Greenwich Ave, New York, NY 10011

The 40/40 Club 6 W. 25th St, New York, NY 10010

1849 Restaurant-Bar-Parlor 183 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10012

The Gin Mill 442 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10024

The Hairy Monk 337 3rd Ave (Corner of 25th St), New York, NY 10010

Harlem Lanes 2116 Adam Clayton Powell Blvd (Corner 126th & 7th Ave), New York, NY 10027

The House of Brews (Two locations)

Jack Demsey's 36 W 33rd St (Between 5th Ave & Broadway), New York, NY 10001

Jake's Dilemma 430 Amsterdam Ave (Between 80th St & 81st St), New York, NY 10024

Jeremy's Ale House 228 Front St, New York, NY 10038

Keats Restaurant 842 Second Ave (Corner of 45th St), New York, NY 10017

Kelly's Sports Bar 12 Avenue A (at 2nd St), New York, NY 10009

Kettle of Fish 59 Christopher St (Between 4 St & 4th St), New York, NY 10014

Kinsale Tavern 1672 3rd Ave (Between 93rd & 94th St), New York, NY 10128

Landsdowne Road 599 10th Ave (at 43rd St), New York, NY 10036

Latitude Bar & Grill 783 8th Ave (Between 47th & 48th) New York, NY 10019

Mad River Bar & Grille 1442 3rd Ave (at 82nd St), New York, NY 10028

McCormack's Pub 365 3rd Ave (at 26th St), New York, NY 10016

McFadden's Restaurant & Saloon 800 2nd Ave (Corner of 42nd St), New York, NY 10017

Mercury Bar (Two locations)

Metro 53 307 E. 53rd St. (Between 1st Ave & 2nd Ave), New York, NY 10002

Mickey Mantle's NYC 42 Central Park North (59th St Btwn 5th & 6th Ave), New York, NY 10026

M.J. Armstrong's Public House 329 1st Ave (Corner of 19th St), New York, NY 10003

Mr. Dennehy's 63 Carmine St (Corner of 7th Ave South), New York, NY 10014

Mustang Harry's 352 7th Ave (at 30th St), New York, NY 10001

Mustang Sally's 324 7th Ave (at 28th St), New York, NY 10001

Nevada Smith's 74 3rd Ave (Between 11th & 12th St), New York, NY 10003

Off the Wagon 109 MacDougal St, New York, NY 10012

123 Burger Shot Beer 738 10th Ave (Between 50th St & 51st St), New York, NY 10019

Overlook Lounge 225 E. 44th St (Between 2nd & 3rd Ave), New York, NY 10017

Phebe's Tavern & Grill 359 Bowery (Corner of East 4th St), New York, NY 10003

The Press Box 932 2nd Ave (Between 49th & 50th St), New York, NY 10022

Professor Thom's 219 2nd Ave (Between 13th & 14th St), New York, NY 10003

Public House 140 E 41st St New York, NY 10079

Red Sky 47 E. 29th St (Between Park & Madison), New York, NY 10003

Saloon 1584 York Ave (Between 83rd & 84th St), New York, NY 10028

Ship of Fools 1590 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10028

Smith's Bar 701 8th Ave (W 44th St), New York, NY 10038

Social 795 8th Ave (Between 48th and 49th St), New York, NY 10019

Standings Bar 43 E 7th St (at 2nd Ave), New York, NY 10003

Still 192 3rd Ave (Between 17th St & 18th St), New York, NY 10003

Stout NYC 133 W. 33rd St, New York, NY 10001

Strike 110 University Pl (Between 12th & 13th Sts.),New York, NY 10003

The Stumble Inn 1454 Second Ave, New York, NY 10021

Third and Long 523 Third Ave (Corner of 35th St) New York, NY 10016

Tonic Bar 411 3rd Ave (Between 28th St & 29th St), New York, NY 10016

Turtle Bay 987 2nd Ave (Between 52nd St & 53rd St), New York, NY 10022

Village Pourhouse 64 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10003

Whiskey Trader 71 W 55th St (Between 5th Ave & Avenue Of The Americas), New York, NY 10019 Bronx Sports Bars Riverdale City Grill 3541 Riverdale Ave, Bronx, NY 10463 Stan's Sports Bar 836 River Ave, Bronx, NY 10451 Sports Plus Cafe 1161 Castle Hill Ave, Bronx, NY 10462

Brooklyn Sports Bars

Floyd, NY 131 Atlantic Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11201

Mulholland's 312 Grand St, Brooklyn, NY 11211

Oceans 8 at Brownstone 308 Flatbush Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238

Plan B 626 Vanderbilt Ave (Between Park Pl & Prospect Pl), Brooklyn, NY 11238

Red Star Sports Bar 37 Greenpoint Ave (Corner of West St), Brooklyn NY 11222

Salty Dog 7509 3rd Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11209

200 Fifth Restaurant, Bar & Grill 200 Fifth, Brooklyn, NY 11217

Queens Sports Bars

Break Bar & Billiards 32-04 Broadway (at 3nd), Long Island City, NY 11106

McCann's Pub 3615 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria, NY 11105

O'Neills Restaurant 64-21 53rd Drive, Maspeth, NY 11378

Racks Bar-Lounge-Billiards 19-26 Steinway St, Astoria, NY 11105

Staten Island Sports Bars

Showplace Entertainment Center 141 E. Service Rd, Staten Island, NY 10314

Lion's Den Sports Cafe & Grill 17 Page Ave, Staten Island, NY 10309

Long Island Sports Bars

B.K. Sweeney's Parkside Tavern 356 Broadway, Bethpage, NY 11714

Garden City Pub- B.K. Sweeney's Uptown Grille 636 Franklin Ave, Garden City, NY 11530

Global Sports Cafe 2016 Route 112, Medford, NY 11763

Grumpy Jack's Sports Bar & Grill 28 Oakland Ave, Port Jefferson, NY 11953

J&R's Steak House (Several locations)

Legends Restaurant, Spirits, & Sports 835 First Street, New Suffolk, NY 11956

McCann's Pub 5590 Merrick Rd, Massapequa, NY 11758

Mulcahy's (Several locations)

The Nutty Irishman (Two locations) Bay Shore & Farmington, NY

O'Neills Restaurant 64-21 53rd Drive, Maspeth, NY 11378

Play 77-17 Queens Blvd, Elmhurst, NY 11373

Raxx Pool Room, Bar & Grill 510 Hempstead Turnpike, West Hempstead, NY 11552

RJ Daniels 279 Sunrise Hwy, Rockville Centre, NY 11570

Rookies Sports Club 70 Gerard St, Huntington, NY 11743

Smokey Bones Bar & Fire Grill 5012 Express Drive South, Ronkonkoma, NY 11779

Strike 1350 Union Turnpike, New Hyde Park, NY 11040

Tom McBrien's Restaurant & Pub 174 E Montauk Hwy, Hampton Bays, NY 11946

Yogi's All American Grill & Sports Bar 1730 W Ocean Ave, Holtsville, NY 11742 Westchester County and Metropolitan New York Sports Bars Black Bear Saloon 166 Mamaroneck Ave, White Plains, NY 10601 Burke's Restaurant & Bar 645 Bronx River Rd, Yonkers NY 10704 GW's Sports Grill 78 Brookside Ave, Chester, NY 10918 Kelly's Irish Pub 199 E. Post Rd, White Plains, NY 10601 Rory Dolan's 890 McLean Ave, Yonkers, NY 10704 The Stadium 1308 Route 9, Garrison, NY 10524 The Thirsty Turtle 201 E. Post Rd, White Plains, NY 10601 Black Bear Saloon 166 Mamaroneck Ave, White Plains, NY 10601 Burke's Restaurant & Bar 645 Bronx River Rd, Yonkers NY 10704 GW's Sports Grill 78 Brookside Ave, Chester, NY 10918 Kelly's Irish Pub 199 E. Post Rd, White Plains, NY 10601 Rory Dolan's 890 McLean Ave, Yonkers, NY 10704 The Stadium 1308 Route 9, Garrison, NY 10524 The Thirsty Turtle 201 E. Post Rd, White Plains, NY 10601 Sports Bars in Hoboken (NJ) Black Bear Bar & Grill 205 Washington St, Hoboken, NJ 07030 Carpe Diem Pub & Restaurant 1405 Grand St, Hoboken, NJ 07030 The Dubliner 96 River St, Hoboken, NJ 07030 Green Rock Tap & Grill 70 Hudson St, Hoboken, NJ 07030 Liberty Bar & Grille 61 14th St, Hoboken, NJ 07030 McMahon's Brownstone Ale House 1034 Willow Ave, Hoboken, NJ 07030 McSwiggan's Pub 110 First Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030 Mulligan's Pub 151 First St, Hoboken, NJ 07030 Oddfellows Restaurant 80 River St, Hoboken, NJ 07030 O'Donoghues On First 205 1st St, Hoboken, NJ 07030 The Shannon 106 1st St, Hoboken, NJ 07030 Texas Arizona 76 River St, Hoboken, NJ 07030 Willie McBride's 616 Grand St, Hoboken, NJ 07030