Mad Men ended it’s third season this Sunday with some of the best drama so far, capping off a somewhat mediocre last few episodes, in which Betty falls for a lame City official, Don dallies with Sally’s school teacher (most annoying character so far, according to moi) and Joan’s rapist husband signs up for the Vietnam war. But, in a moment of complete redemption, Mad Men pulls its socks up and offers an explosive finale to the season.

But what are the management lessons to be learned from Mad Men? Check this out.

The piece was written at the beginning of season three, but now with the new agency in the wings, maybe the lessons still hold.

Jon Hamm as Don Draper in Mad Men

So much infidelity, so little time!

On Sunday, ESPN fired baseball analyst and former general manager of the New York Mets, Steve Philips, after he admitted to an affair with a 22 year old production assistant.  ESPN said Philipps ability to be an “effective representative for ESPN has been significantly and irreparably damaged.”  Last week, the New York Post  reported the affair between 22 year old Brooke Hundley, who was also booted by ESPN today and Phillips, creating a nation-wide story and causing a serious problem for ESPN.

The New York Times writes that a letter from Hundley to Phillips wife, Marni, also turned into salacious fodder.

When Phillips was the general manager of the Mets, he was forced to take a leave of absence in 1998 because of a series of affairs and an accusation of sexual harassment by a Mets employee. He entered counseling and returned to the Mets, but was eventually fired in 2003.

In other infidelity news, New York Magazine has a great profile of Late Night host- David Letterman. The article, “ The Devil in David Letterman“  chronicles the time before and after news broke of Letterman’s affair with his personal assistant Stefanie Birkitt. Check out the comments at the bottom of the page and most of the readers’ rage seem to target Birkitt, for cheating on her live-in boyfriend, with whom she was reportedly “over the moon” – with a married man , whom she was “great friends with.” You decide!

Last, but not the least! Mad Men! And perhaps the biggest cad, albeit a fictional one, of all time – Don Draper!

Is it just me, or were other people also rooting for him to be caught with the incredibly annoying and cloyingly sweet Miss. Farell? Honestly, I think no other woman Don has taken up with has annoyed me as much as Miss. Farell – what is with the raging idealism, the long curly hair “no one has anymore” and it’s quite nauseating to see Don, sappy eyed over her! Blechh.  So, I was hoping Miss. Farell would actually walk through the door to check on why Don’s taking so long. No such luck! But if she had done so..Betty would have been done too! No way Jose!

I would rather see more Betty and Don’s dysfunctional, limping “love” than anymore of Sally’s teacher shacking up with Don. I am glad Don got rid of her! Good riddance to idealistic rubbish! Go cynical, self loathing, depressive relationships!

And Roger Sterling, as always, being smooth skinned and brilliant! why don’t they have more of Roger anyways?

Two more episodes to go before the season ends and I can only wonder what’s going to become of Don and Betty

( chewing nails! Sitting on edge of couch, mouth open!)

Here is a preview of next week’s show “The Grownups”