This Saturday at Wantagh Martial Arts in Wantagh: The school’s 4th annual KICK-A-THON to raise money for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. The school has raised several thousand bucks the last three years in an effort to stamp out childhood cancer. You DON’T have to be a member of WMA to take part. Come on down and sign up to kick, or volunteer to encourage the kickers, count up the total number, or sell raffle tickets. They’ll be prizes and gift cards from several area businesses and a 50/50 raffle.

For more information, call Wantagh Martial Arts at 516-783-1489.

I have to admit, I hope so. I’m getting tired of trainer Rick Duptrow’s act and arrogance, promising q win. Problem is, on the surface there isn’t a horse in the rest of the field good enough to get the job done. There may not even be an ‘Alydar’ to ‘Big Brown’s ‘Affirmed role. But here’s hoping that ‘Casino Drive’ can get it done.

VIDEO OF JOCKEY KENT DESORMEAUX ON THE CW11 MORNING NEWS AFTER THE JUMP >>>

Apparently Pedro Martinez’ return helps the Mets in more ways than one. Not only did Martinez win Tuesday night. He spent yesterday working with inconsistent Oliver Perez. That speaks volumes for a team that has been labeled as divided by the NY press. Pedro also claims he feels great after this 6 inning, 109 pitch start. Every day Pedro is healthy is AWESOME for the Mets.

Johnny Damon hinted to the Daily News what we already knew: Joba Chamberlain is better off helping the Yanks win in the bullpen. Damon was smart enough to NOT mention Joba by name, but said “I just felt like our bullpen was our strength. You move a guy like that (Joba) and everybody’s looking for a role…. We could have been 5-2 (on the club’s last road trip. Instead. We went 3-4.)

Last night and this morning before the afternoon matchup with the Jays, Damon claimed the News Headline, “It’s Bull” was an over hyped attempt to sell papers. No kidding.

Still, it’s no secret that vets like Jeter, Posada, Mariano, Damon, A-Rod and Mussina:They know the window for teams to win championships can be a small one. You think Jeter isn’t BURNING that the Yanks haven’t won a title since 2000? Yankees fans are spoiled. Players like Jeter realize winning is hard, no matter what the expectations. I have no problem with Joba being a starter-NEXT year. As I’ve said, to have a young guy come out of his great role DURING the season to be a starter because Hank Steinbrenner is upset about NOT getting Johan Santana is foolish. Now, Joba is only available one day a week-and the pen in front of Rivera isn’t great. To ask Joba to grow as a starter AND the team to win-that’s asking for trouble.

Outside of the Mets, the most disappointed people in sports are ‘Big Brown’s’ handlers. Turns out the horse couldn’t cut the mustard Saturday at the Belmont. Trainer Rick Dutrow had to eat some major crow as ‘Datara’ led from start to finish.

I still thought jockey Dent Desormeaux played it smart, pulling up the horse when he felt something was wrong. You just never know in sports. It’s not like ‘Big Brown’ will be on Letterman tonight saying, “The oats and apples I had for lunch really bloated my stomach and slow me down. “

Oh well, the horse will make more money in stud fees than you or I will ever see in our lifetime. Next time, Dutrow will know to keep his big mouth shut.

Just when I thought I’d heard it all, Ramon Castro with a new one. Seems the Mets backup catcher showed up late for yesterday’s game in San Diego because he thought the game was at 4:05-not 1:05 West Coast time. This excuse goes right up there with Duaner Sanchez making a food run at 3:30 am in Miami two years ago.

Chances are Ramon did a little too much partying Saturday. How else to explain how Castro could forget he’d be catching Pedro Martinez? Day game after a night game, when Castro knows he’ll sub for Brian Schenider. A catcher needs to be more ‘in tune’ with his pitcher and on time than anyone else on the field.

Well, Castro’s not the only one that needs to wake up. HOW this team could manage three runs in three games against that ‘vaunted’ Padre staff is beyond me. Oh, there’s another inning the Mets left runners on base. They had big opportunities to take control of all four of the games. Watching Billy Wagner implode and surrender a three run shot to 98 year old Tony Clark was the ‘coup de grace’ for a lovely weekend in San Diego.

READ MORE AFTER THE JUMP...

Speaking of greatness, for my money Tom Seaver is one of the top 2 righthanded pitchers of all time. Take your pick between Seaver and Greg Maddux. Sorry Roger Clemens-steroid cheats need not apply.

Monday night, Seaver spoke with our Sal Marchiano about his favorite memories of Shea Stadium.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO

Lawrence Taylor is clearly the best defensive-and no doubt the best overall-player in NY Giants history. Michael Strahan is in the top ten. Today, Strahan retired after 15 years in the NFL, number 5 on the all time sack list. A seven-time Pro Bowler, and a Super Bowl Champion. Big Blue will clearly miss Strahan’s leadership and ability. But today was a day to reflect on Strahan’s greatness.

CLICK HERE TO HEAR STRAHAN TALK ABOUT HIS RETIREMENT

What a way to jump start our blog after a week off. Willie Randolph is out as Mets' manager. Fine. Rick Peterson gone as pitching coach. Great. But THE WAY it was handled—awful, and a disgrace to the Mets and their fans. Minaya must have known that he was going to do this BEFORE the team left for L.A. Sunday. WHY would you have Randolph, Peterson and Nieto fly 3,000 miles, win a game, and then fire him in a hotel room at 3 am New York time?

Omar had many opportunities the last few weeks to let Willie go—he's been twisting in the wind the last several weeks. I'm not disputing the idea of letting Randolph go. He's lost several guys, most notably Carlos Delgado & Jose Reyes, and the team is clearly under performing. So the IDEA of letting him go, no problem—you could have done it a while ago. It's clear Minaya—assuming it was ALL his decision—struggled with this. For all we know, Fred and Jeff Wilpon stepped out of outward character and made the decision for Omar. SportsNet New York reported Tuesday morning that the decision was made Monday, yet Randolph and his coaches were allowed to plan—and then win—last night's game against the Angels.

What I don't get—why fire Randolph after a long distance flight, after a win, after taking three out of their last 4 games? Did the Wilpons and Minaya think that a 3 am New York time firing, with the possibility of a Johan Santana win tonight, think that this gutless move would be smoothed over and forgotten quickly? Like everything in life, we'll all move on. Perhaps Jerry Manuel, a former Manager of the Year, will right the ship. The long term question is whether the ship is good enough to sail. Right now though, Met fans should be angry with this classless move—right up there with the worst of George Steinbrenner. Randolph, a good guy, deserved a better exit. Hard to believe, but the Mets made Randolph look even better in the eyes of their fans and the press.

Read Jim Baumbach's great Newsday column for more insight on the firing.

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK: How do you feel about the firing of Mgr. Willie Randolph? Was it brutal or fair? POST A COMMENT

Last night’s Game 6 of the NBA Finals was so anti-climactic, Kevin Garnett had time to compliment Michele Tafoya’s appearance. A 131-92 victory will do that, also proving that defense really does win championships. Boston’s Gang Green put the clamps on Kobe for big chunks of the series, including a 3-for-18 shooting stretch Tuesday. Paul Pierce (phony injury in Game 1 notwithstanding) was named MVP

CLICK HERE TO SEE K-G CHAT WITH MICHELE TAFOYA AFTER THE GAME

As if the Mets didn’t have enough PR issues with their hideous handling of Willie Randolph’s dismissal, Jose Reyes wasted no time making trouble for new manager Jerry Manuel.
Reyes led off last night’s game against the Angels with a single, but strained a hamstring.

Manuel, not wanting to lose his igniter long term his first day on the job, RIGHTLY told Reyes to get off the field. Reyes threw a temper tantrum a 3-year-old would take pride in.
Manuel and Reyes both laughed it off after the game, but this ain’t a good sign. Reyes had his problems with Willie Randolph - now he does this? To Manuel’s credit, he followed Jose down the tunnel of the dugout and into the clubhouse. Hopefully the Mets players-who should all be ashamed of their play this season-will show Manuel more respect than they-and the team’s management and ownership-gave Willie Randolph.

READ MORE ON JOSE REYES’ ANTICS HERE

Turns out Tiger Woods was in more pain than we realized this weekend. He played the U.S. Open with a stress fracture in his ailing left knee, and will miss the rest of the year for more surgery.

Not only does this point to Tiger’s greatness, but makes you wonder: does Golf have any meaning the rest of the year? Woods is so dominant, as many people tune in hoping to see the giant taken down as they do to root the juggernaut on to victory.

THE QUESTION NOW IS: WILL YOU CONTINUE TO WATCH GOLF THIS YEAR?

POST A COMMENT AND TELL US.

The Mets’ dismissal of Willie Randolph was about about as comfortable as watching the final two weeks of Hillary Clinton’s doomed presidential campaign.

Sadly, unlike Hillary, Willie will soon disappear in the minds of New Yorkers. It’s Jerry Manuel’s club now.

So far, you like what you see. Manuel wasted no time putting prima donna Jose Reyes in his place Tuesday night. Reyes has been hot for a while-three hits last night. The Mets actually rallied to win a game after entering the 9th trailing. Easley hit a go ahead homer in extra innings and the Mets take two out of three from the Angels.

If Manuel can right a ship stirred by dissension and media overhype, MAYBE the Mets can make a playoff run. Manuel’s playing with house money: Win and he gets a contract next year. Show improvement and even if the Wilpons and Minaya don’t want you back, other teams take notice.

Even more so than time, winning heals all wounds. While the Mets have dominated the headlines with the Willie Randolph fiasco, the Yankees are rolling faster than a stone that gathers no moss.

I still think he should be in the bullpen, but Joba Chamberlain is showing he’s pretty good as a starter too. Joba still has yet to win as a starter, but he kept the Yankees in the game, and the Bombers scratched out a 2-1 victory over the Padres, sweeping the three game series at the Stadium and win number 7 in a row for Joe Girardi’s bunch. Suddenly, Yankee fans are as giddy as an eight year old with a new Barbie doll, sensing playoffs straight ahead. I offer the same sage advice I did weeks ago: The baseball season is a marathon, not a sprint, There’s more than three months to go, and the Red Sox, Rays and Yankees could all be battling for two playoff spots-the A-L East title and/or the Wild Card.

After today’s win, Chamberlain stood tall as topic A in the postgame.

Ok Mets fans. Time to move on, past Willie Randolph and his comments to a New York tabloid.

Forget even about the long distance flight to L.A. and jet lag -not to mention the high altitude in Denver. The press conferences are done, the in-house bickering should be too. Time for the Mets - an AMAZIN’ disappointment this season - to get going.

As my friend Mary Ann 'the Yankees fan in Centereach' says, “The Mets have a high payroll too. Why can’t THEY win?" Of course, keep in mind that this beautiful lady is a Steelers and Redskins fan! But, still, it’s time for more bang for the buck from the stars of As Omar, the Wilpons, and Flushing’s Finest Turn. Can you see some of the plotlines:

• Will the aging first baseman (Delgado) revitalize his career?

• Will the talented me first cry baby (Reyes) harness his talent for the new, steady hand in the dugout? (Manuel)

• Why does the team, for its big payroll, have so many players (Tatis, Anderson, Cancel) that don’t belong in the major leagues?

• Is the stressed out commander-in –chief (GM Minaya) also readying for a fall-the loss of his job?

• Can’t they all just get along?

Tune in starting tonight - John Maine on the hill. Remember Mary Ann, your team, though on a roll- ain’t out of the woods yet. Unfortunately for Mets fans, Boss Junior (Jeff Wilpon) doesn’t seem to have the same drive or ability to win and lead as the Baby Boss, Hank Steinbrenner.

You don’t need to read Wally Matthews Newsday column (but you should) to know that the Mets themselves are shoveling more fertilizer on their season.

Another lackluster loss in Flushing just goes to show: It wasn’t all Willie’s fault. This team is still struggling, even wth Jerry Manuel at the helm. Sure, the Wilpons and Tony Bernazard and Carlos Delgado and Jose Reyes are glad Randolph is gone. But it has made about as much difference to the team as Christie Brinkley’s high priced divorce means anything to the TV newsies that think Brinkley is a story worth the attention of viewers.

Alright, Hernandez is a talented pitcher and would have possibly beaten the Mets if he’d not hurt his ankle in the 5th inning. The Mariners should try to lock him up for a long time. But even Felix the Great shouldn’t be launching grand slam home runs off 137 million dollar man Johan Santana. Just ask Hank Steinbrenner. Santana, according to Newsday, had the gall to indirectly blame David Wright, who made an error on a routine grounder just before the blast. BUT-should your ace be able to handle a pitcher-any pitcher-not just one with EIGHT major league AB’s prior to his difference making grand salami? Let’s face it, Santana has NOT been all as advertised. No complete games-no effort (yet) that says, “Follow me guys.” Good? Yeah. But great? This ain’t Steve Carlton, Sandy Koufax or Randy Johnson. Hey, in terms of big game performances, I have yet to see Jerry Koosman or Al Leiter.

Those of you that know me understand that I am NOT a big fan of inter-league play. Having the AL and NL play one another during the season cheapens the All Star Game and the World Series. Old timers remember the days when the Big Apple had three teams and you could argue ad infinitum who was better: Hence the song, 'Willie, Mickey & The Duke.' I loved the idea of mystery that matchups you can only imagine never actually happen except on the diamonds of our minds. It keeps the game fresh and the anticipation worth it IF your team is lucky enough to reach the Fall Classic.

That idea of mystery is really gone with the Mets and Yankees. Did you know that Andy Pettitte is 7-4 lifetime against the Mets? An AMERICAN LEAGUE pitcher has faced the Mets 19 times. (yes, that includes Andy facing the Mets in the last REAL Subway Series in 2000) By definition, a Subway Series is:

A World Series competition between two teams in the same city, most notably in New York, where subways dominate transportation. Since the modern Series began in 1903, 14 times the Yanks have played the Brooklyn Dodgers, New York Giants and in 2000 the Mets for baseball's world title.

The modern use of the term "Subway Series" is a media and MLB created term to generate excitement in the city. Like hating the DH, I will always be in the minority here. Why should the Mets face the Yankees 6 times when the rest of their divisional opponents don't? You don't think Terry Francona would love to see his Red Sox face Mets pitching 6 times?

The object of a team's season is to win its division or league's wild card to reach your league's playoff format. Now, the Pirates and Cardinals are in NL Central. Why should the Cards face the Red Sox but NOT the Yankees in 'inter-league' play? By doing that, two teams fighting in the same division DON'T face the same competition. Not fair.

The way Gotham's teams are playing WHO wants to see the Yankees and Mets play? If you get to the Bombers starting pitching early, their relief core has the soft underbelly of a fluke. Just gut, grill and eat. The bloom has come off the rose of Darrell Rasner, who suddenly looks like the career minor leaguer he most likely is.

As for the Mets, Jerry Manuel can be touchy feely and everybody's friend and all the fiery stuff Willie Randolph wasn't, but the team continues to go through the motions of baseball's version of the Death March to Baatan. Douglas MacArthur would have sailed away from this group long ago, and NEVER returned.

Really, is there any confidence or certainty that either team will see October baseball? Especially on the Mets side, no. There's a good chance that the Mets next 12 games or so against the Yankees, Phillies and Cardinals will seal the coffin on the Mets' season. Unless Pelfrey and Perez (UGH!) pitch and there is more consistent hitting, they are done. The Yankees staff is not quality outside of Rivera as the closer. Did you know that in nearly a third of their games this season the Yankees have scored two runs or less?

The saving grace for both teams: Parity. But the Mets better hope they don't lose pace with the Phillies. Yankee fans are praying the Twins, Rays and BoSox fall back a bit. Otherwise, the Hot Stove League could start while there are still leaves on the trees in NewYork.

Just because I hate the over hyped, mis-named 'Subway Series' doesn't mean I can't get you to try to watch. The CW-11 has bills to pay-and that doesn't include the cash they dole out to me for writing this blog.

On Friday at 7:30, we'll preview Game 2 of the Yankees/Mets doubleheader: The Jeep Showdown At Shea, sponsored incredibly, by Jeep. Next up, the Yanks and Mets battle at 8 pm.

Sunday, the FINAL (too bad it really isn't the final) regular season game between the two teams, set for 1 pm.