The Good: The Sox made the playoffs, the first time they've done so three years in a row (with thanks to Cooch, as the first time noted that they'd never done this was the first time I'd been made aware of it). They even did so by taking 2 of 3 from the Yankees, and not relying on the Indians inability to get the job done at home.

Which, by extension, is problematic as it gives the White Sox some momentum going into their playoff series with the Red Sox. This is less problematic than not actually making the playoffs at all, of course.

The Bad: The alma mater lost what is at least their 15th straight football game on Friday. I've not looked at their 2003 schedule, but I'm pretty sure the streak starts with a loss to Martha's Vineyard in that year's Divison VI Super Bowl.

Tough times for Manchester-Essex, certainly the toughest in my memory. Hopefully they'll get things righted soon.

The Ugly was today's Patriots game, which I theoretically had tickets to but passed on to go visit the in-laws in Maine (as the tickets were to be had through the wife's work, they were very much only in theory). So, if I had to find a silver lining here, it's that I was saved the hassle of traffic and seeing an even worse loss than my lone Patriots outing.

We were listening to the Sox game in the car coming home during the worst of this - I'd seen the first half, which ended 17-17. I've not gotten any information on how the wheels came off the cart, but the score indicates another problematic day on defense.

Maine, on the other hand, would also qualify in the good category. Played another round of golf, this time at the Hampden Country Club, which unlike many country clubs has a public course and is only 9 holes. But it will always have a special place in my golfing memory for one reason.

I shot an honest to God par on the second hole.

If I were Cooch I'd have what happened down in precise detail. Instead, I can tell you I hit an iron off the tee, clipped the top of a tree but landed about 10 yards from the green. Used some sort of pitchy-putter looking club to get on the green, and rolled in an 8 footer for a par 3.

Note that the next time through I shot an 8.

For most of the day I had no consistent feel for any of my clubs. I'd have a good shot here and there, but it wasn't like Hilton Head where I was driving consistently. It also didn't help that, at one point, I was hitting at the wrong green (the 7th and 9th greens are very close).

But it was still fun, and a day golfing where it wasn't sub-tropical, which is always nice. The rest of the weekend was quiet, no complaints. Except for that work thing tomorrow, but I suppose that can't be helped.