*Maybe I missed him both times, but Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman seemed to be conspiculously absent for the trophy presentations after the ALCS and World Series. The platform was crowded with Steinbrenners and team officials Randy Levine and Lon Trost, as well as Manager Joe Girardi and a handful of players (and platform-crasher Mayor Mike Bloomberg), but no Cashman. Odd and unfortunate, if an on-purpose snub from above.

*I know this is after the fact, but I couldn't figure out the angst before Game 6 about starting Andy Pettitte on three days rest. Sure, he couldn't go deep into the game - like beyond six innings. But he was barely doing that on full rest. A solid four or five innings were sufficient, given the strength of the bullpen. And that's what he provided.

*Also thought it was crazy that some people - including the prominent midday radio talker - had Mariano Rivera slated for three innings of relief in Game 6. Again, not with the Yankees bullpen depth - and the possibility of needing him again had there been a Game 7. As it was, Mariano required over 40 pitches to get five outs and save the game.

*The say the Yankees will keep either Johnny Damon or Hideki Matsui, both of whom have played out their contracts. The smart money is on Damon, since he plays the outfield and does more things. I'd prefer Matsui, even before last night's MVP performance. He's a full-time DH who fits the mold: aging slugger who handles lefties as well as righties. That said, if the Yankees let both go and started getting younger, it wouldn't make me mad. Damon, Matsui, Jorge Posada, Pettitte, Rivera are getting up there (so, too, is Derek Jeter, although he's showing no signs of slowing down). Better to start now, rather than wait until it's too late and too many expensive contracts have been doled out to senior citizens.

*When did Tim McCarver stop making sense? The veteran broadcaster used to set the standard for incisive comments in his early network days, as well as when he was behind the mike for the Mets and Yankees. In this postseason, he often sounded contradictory and off the wall. Sad, because Joe Buck has never been better.

*Watching the Phillies this week, I have to wonder how the Mets, even without their major injuries this season, figured to beat them out. That's quite a lineup in Philadelphia. A little more pitching, particularly in the bullpen, and that's a team without peer in the National League.

*Know how you could predict Mike Bloomberg wasn't going to win a laugher yesterday? When you saw the video of the dour New York City mayor showing up to cast his own vote. He was hardly a picture of a confident front-runner

*I know I wrote that the Ulster County Legislature campaign wasn't drumming up a lot of interest on a macro level. But it sure did within each district, witness the Republicans' stunning takeback of the majority from Democrats. So much for the Ulster County Democratic demographic balance of power. Add to that the landslide countywide wins for Judge-elect Don Williams and Clerk Nina Postupack of the GOP, and throw in huge victories by Republicans Jim Quigley in the town of Ulster supervisor race and (new Republican) Jeff Moran in Woodstock, among others. How to you spell momentum-breaker?

*So which Republican will be the Ulster County Legislature's new chairman? And what about the majority and minority leaders? (The GOP's current minority leader was ousted in a primary. And the Democrats' majority leader lost in the general election.) If you're into politics, the jockeying for position will be fun to watch.

*Speaking of a roadblocker of a result, voters in the 23rd Congressional District in Upstate apparently wanted no part of the Palin-Armey-Beck push to get an out-of-district Conservative into the House. Once the moderate Republican had been bullied out of the race, she endorsed the Democrat and, lo and behold, the latter won. (And Democrats never win in that district ... until last night.)

*New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine's negative advertising doomed him. Given Corzine's record, voters didn't much care of Republican challenger Chris Christie is overweight. What did that have to do with the real issues?

*Yes, I'm not a candidate, so I haven't had to knock on doors, raise money and participate in forums and media interviews. And tonight I won't have to sweat out election returns. So the following has to be put in that context. But I can't remember a more uneventful, quiet politcal campaign season. Maybe it's been contentious in some of the town races about which I'm less familiar. And I understand that as publisher I'm a bit removed from the day-to-day give and take our editors and reporters experience. It's just that from what I read in news stories and paid ads in print, and commercials I hear on the air, it's untypically calm. If you accept that analysis, you may agree that a big part of it can be attributed to the county executive form of government in Ulster County, which has rendered the Legislature election, shall we say, less pivotal in the grand scheme. Legislators are still important and the party power split is crucial. But with a county executive at the helm, the buck really stops at his desk. Then again, as comic Dennis Miller might say after a rant (the Dennis Miller of pre-Bill O'Reilly days), "I could be wrong."

*Speaking of the right-leaning Miller, I see left-leaning comic Bill Maher is coming to UPAC in a couple of months. Not to discourage ticket sales, but I'm guessing conservatives won't find him humorous.

*Long before George Steinbrenner became a beloved figure in New York and his fading health made the Yankees' quest for another title a rallying cry, winning the World Series was little more than the icing on the cake. Getting there was the prize. But in the Steinbrenner era, not capturing the World Series is considered a failure. Sad. The Yankees were by far the best team in baseball in this marathon season. Being eliminated in the postseason is easy, especially if you face hot pitchers in a short series, or if one or more of your best hitters encounters an inevitable slump. If the Yankees somehow lose the last two games against the Phillies - unlikely, but possible - it should be considered a disappointment, given how close the team is to winning it all. But a failure? Nonsense.

Save the cover story on sex for later, and make sure you read the fascinating behind-the-scenes piece on David Letterman. But first go to New York Magazine's feature on the new Hamlet on the Hudson, Rudy Giuliani.

The story will have local appeal since its scene-setter is Giuliani's recent appearance in Kingston (and quotes Ulster County GOP Chairman Mario Catalano). Even better, it tries to get into Giuliani's head in the wake of his poor showing in last year's presidential campaign and how it has impacted his political future and business ventures.

I came away from it believing Giuliani won't run for governor, given the quicksand atmosphere at the state Capitol.

One of the classic lines in the story involves Giuliani's favorable assessment of Albany because of its golf courses.

It's been nearly 35 years since I got out of the prediction business following a few years of picking high school football games under the name of Major Hoople. So I'm not about to start prognosticating now about next week's elections. But decades of observing the flow of campaign letters to the editor have taught me this: Rarely is there a correlation between the amount of favorable letters about one candidate over another and the actual number of votes each ultimately receives.

The two contests drawing the most mail this year are the Ulster County Court judge race between incumbent Democrat Deborah Schneer and former Republican District Attorney Don Williams, and the race for Dutchess County Legislator between incumbent Democrat Joel Tyner and GOP challenger Pat Dealy.

After an early "lead" for Williams, the letters in the last week or so have been heavily tilted towards Schneer. Tyner has maintained an edge over Dealy from the start, although it's close.

The problem with most of the letters on both sides is that they smack of an organized effort. Save for several letters from those who have had personal experience with Williams, the writers pretty much rehash the same themes: Williams tough, but fair; Schneer more judicial experience; Tyner a hard worker; Dealy a candidate who will listen to the constituents.

The Freeman typically provide a considerable amount of space to squeeze in as many letters from all sides as possible. As previously noted, we never use them all. But we do feel it's our obligation to publish plenty of letters. I must confess, however, each year I authorize the extra space, then I wonder if it's worth it, so similar are most of the missives.

Maybe I'm wrong. Perhaps readers are studying the letters closely and making a final decision based on their contents. We'll never be sure.

My advice to candidates and their supporters (although it's too late for this year): Say something unique. We'll take it as a given that they're honest and dedicated and nice to their parents. To paraphrase Chris Matthews from his Sunday morning TV program, tell us something we don't know.

Fifty years ago, if you were a kid growing up in New York City, Soupy Sales was the man.

If you never heard of him, you're forgiven for wondering how someone named Soupy could ever be considered the man. You're further forgiven if you scratch your head after learning that Soupy was an after-school children's TV show host who made his name by taking pies in the face (and tossing them at big name celebrities like Frank Sinatra).

But if you saw Soupy on TV, you know he was more than that.

Soupy had an adult patter that fit just perfectly into a young baby bommer's sensibility. He was a comic whose jokes, often filled with double-entendres, went over Mom and Dad's heads, but hit home with the kids.

Check him out on YouTube, where there are several clips of his work. In particular, look for the byplay between Soupy and his "pets" White Fang, Black Tooth and Pookie. Don't ask. Maybe he won't translate to those who don't know him. I say, just look back and enjoy.

Soupy Sales died last week. A part of my youth went with him.

*Word to the wise: If you haven't yet sent in your letter to the editor supporting the candidate of your choice, it's probably not a good idea to waste your time now. We already have many, many more letters than space will allow. And that takes into consideration plans to open more room for letters in the days ahead. That said, want to bet we'll get letters e-mailed as late as the day before the election (maybe even on Election Day itself)? It happens every year, as if we are waiting for 11th hour mail to fill holes in the paper.

*Yes, I did stick through the entire Yankees-Angels game last night, and I'm glad I did. It wasn't just that the Yankees won the pennant, something that this Bronx native grew up believing was the norm. But in the aftermath of the clincher, in the perfunctory trophy presentation ceremony in the clubhouse, Kenny Albert of Fox was brilliant. No kidding. He calmly did the introductions, deftly asked questions of the key people, didn't make himself part of the party, and, best yet, dispatched of New York City Mayor Bloomberg with nary a word. It's not that I dislike Bloomberg. But he obviously had no place on the podium in the midst of the celebrating players, manager and upper management. And after they stepped away, Bloomberg remained to Albert's left, obviously waiting to be interviewed. Sorry, mayor, this wasn't your moment. Bloomberg finally got the message and exited. The mayor will have his moment if there's a ticker tape parade and speeches at City Hall. Sadly for him, that likely will occur after next Tuesday's election.

*Speaking of Fox, Joe Buck was excellent behind the mike. No forced humor. Just first-rate play-by-play and, with Tim McCarver, solid analysis. The one who doesn't add anything to the Fox broadcast crew is Ken Rosenthal.

*If you don't catch CBS Sunday Morning each week at 9 a.m. you're missing one of television's most intelligent and informative programs.