It's tough to say this, considering we're talking about young athletes, but tonight's home-opener against Minisink will go a long way in determining what kind of football season Kingston will have.

At 0-2, to say the Tigers need this win is an understatement.

After two games, Kingston biggest challenge could be its defense, which has given up 73 points. It's offense, after scoring six points in a 31-6 season-opening loss to Cornwall, rebounded to score 34 last week in a 42-34 loss to Warwick.

Zach Chilcott and Jake DeCicco have become quite the prolific quarterback-receiver combination, but the Tigers won't be able to outscore the likes of Monroe-Woodbury or Newburgh.

The Tigers open their Class AA season next week at home against Pine Bush. An 0-3 start could make for a long season.

So I guess you could say the football opener was a bag of mixed results for the metro-New York teams.

The Jets had a thrilling come-from-behind 27-24 victory, albeit at home against a very mediocre Dallas Cowboys squad, while the Giants were pathetic against and even-more mediocre Washington Redskins team in a 28-14 loss.

Let's start with Jets. On the surface, Gang Green fans must be doing back-flips after their team rallied from a 14-point deficit to stun "America's Team." But the fact they did trail a team many experts predict to win 5-7 games this year shows the Jets still have some growing to do.

But the Jets are a Super Bowl-ready team and fans should expect the team that has reached the last two AFC title games to greatly improve as the year wears on.

As for the Giants, Eli Manning was sacked four times against a defense that ranked near the bottom last season. Big Blue was held to 315 total net yards, 102 after halftime. The defense, meanwhile, allowed Rex Grossman to throw for more than 300 yards.

The Giants are far from a Super Bowl-ready team and if opening week was any indication, Big Blue might be in for a long season.

You think Major League Baseball wanted the Yankees and Orioles to play that game last night?

Four-hour rain delay. Rain still falling at first pitch at 11 p.m. Rain falling heavy at times throughout the game, which doesn't end until after 2 a.m. The two teams then had to play a 1 p.m. game today.

I know scheduling can be tricky sometimes, but, seriously, MLB couldn't find a day for these teams to play? I'm concerned as much for the fans as the players. I know the Yankees did a good job — as they always do — in offering free 2012 tickets for those who had tickets to last night's game, but MLB making these fans wait in the rain for seven hours is indefensible.

Money is one thing. Common sense is another.

After one full week of college football, what have we learned.

LSU and Boise State are the real deal. Defending champion Auburn, as well as Notre Dame and USC aren't.

As someone who would love to see a college football playoff system, my biggest hope is we finish with three top-tier teams — say Oklahoma, LSU and Florida State — finish with undefeated records (sorry Boise State, but as good as you've been in recent years, the BCS will NEVER recognize you as a "top-tier team").

The BCS will once again be hit with the "we need a playoff system" and HOPEFULLY we'll be one step closer to a playoff format.

But, knowing the BCS, I wouldn't bet my house on it.

Last night Mariano Rivera notched his 595th career save. Assuming eveything goes according to the Yankees' plan, the Bombers' closer should earn his 600th by season's end.

Earlier this summer, Derek Jeter collected his 3,000th hit — the first Yankee in the team's illustrious history to reach that milestone.

So, I wonder, what mark is actually the bigger milestone.

Reaching 3,000 hits is the standard when it comes to Hall of Fame induction. Of the 28 who have reached that mark, only Jeter, Pete Rose, Craig Biggio and Rafael Palmeiro are not in the Hall. Jeter and Biggio are not yet eligible for Hall consideration, Rose remains banned from baseball for betting on the sport and Palmeiro tested positive for steroids.

Only one other closer, Trevor Hoffman, has saved more games (601) than Rivera. And Hoffman figures to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer when he is eligible.

Both marks are historical, but I'll take the saves milestone over 3,000 hits. 600 saves equals 600 victories and, in the end, isn't that what team sports is all about?