*Whether or not you agree with Barack Obama's ideas, you had to come away from watching his "60 Minutes" interview last night with the feeling that the guy has a plan and plenty of smarts. We haven't often been able to say that of the lame duck president.

*The New York team in professional soccer has qualified for the championship game as, get this, winners of the Western Conference. Get these people a map!

*The parlor game is who will be named permanent host of NBC's "Meet the Press"? Logical favorites are Andrea Mitchell, Chuck Todd and David Gregory. I'd go with a dark horse: Katie Couric.

*Mike Francesa no longer has to deal with Christopher Russo on his daily WFAN radio show. Now if he'd only stop taking calls and interviewing guests. After all, what's the point? He has little patience for callers. And when he chats up an "expert" like Phil Simms, he frequently interrupts them with his point of view. Just make it an official monologue and cut out the charade.

*There was a time when I went out of my way to watch National Hockey League games, especially the New York Rangers, who I've followed for nearly 50 years. Yet here it is, a quarter of the way through the season, and I'll bet I haven't seen more 10 minutes of any game, if that much. I don't know if that says more about me or the current game of hockey.

*They're still counting votes in Senate races in Minnesota and Alaska. Same with the comptroller's contest in little old Ulster County. What's taking so long? This is the 21st century, no?