Apparently, upper class families in Alaska cannot afford birth control. I read online about how Sarah Palin's daughter, Bristol, broke of her engagement (again) to wannabe hockey player Levi Johnston. According to the story, Levi, who is the father of Bristol's child, has impregnated another young woman, and this triggered the demise of their engagement, on the same day it was rekindled. I don't give a shit about this story AT ALL. I am not sure how it made it to cbsnews.com, and frankly, I don't care. I am sure it has something to do with Bristol's now barely-relevant mother. But the story of a girl being pissed at her ex-boyfriend/father of her child because he got some other girl pregnant is hardly newsworthy. Their's is a story that plays out in every corner of the country. Therefore, devoting an entire article to one instance of this very common phenomenon seems like a waste of resources.
By stark contrast, I am VERY interested in anything relating to the upcoming football seasons, college and professional. August is one of my favorite month, if only because NFL training camps commence and college football programs begin their fall practices. I get to evaluate the talent on the Virginia Tech roster and develop high hopes for the Hokies in the upcoming season. On the other hand, I get to watch daily reports about how Albert Haynesworth cannot seem to pass the Redskins' conditioning test. This story would be completely comical if it weren't for the fact that this is a player in which the Skins invested $100 million over the next 7 years. He has already been paid $32 Million of that money, and for doing nothing but being a constant pain in the ass of everyone in the Redskins Organization. He has done nothing but bitch and complain about how playing Nose Tackle in Defensive Coordinator Jim Haslett's 3-4 defense because it doesn't cater to his skill set. Damn, Albert, for $100 million, wouldn't you say you should be making the adjustments your employer is asking of you? Just a thought.
But the main reason I know the NFL season is upon us is the now traditional Annual Brett Favre "Will he or won't he retire?" saga. I love Brett Favre as a player. His grittiness and brazen approach to the quarterback position is something I respect greatly. But his constant retiring and unretiring is getting, well, tiring!
My expectations for the Redskins this year are not high, like they EVER really are. Having a new coaching staff in place means needing at least one season to adjust to new offensive and defensive systems, new terminology, and development of team chemistry. Is Donovan McNabb the QB who will take the Skins to the Super Bowl? I am not fully convinced that he is, mostly because he has not been able to play a full season for the past six years due to injury. I think skillwise, he still has the talent to lead a team deep into the playoffs. But his durability has always been his Achilles' Heel. The Skins are also relying on a trio of aging tailbacks to produce in the running game: Clinton Portis, Larry Johnson, and Willie Parker, all of whom are at least 30 years old. All in all, I am not expecting a whole lot from the Redskins this year.
On the other hand, I am very optimistic about the Hokies. They are absolutely loaded on offense this year. This starts with their running game. When you have Ryan Williams as your starting running back, you are in great shape. The kid ran for over 1,600 yards last season. Backing him up is the 2008 starter, Darren Evans, who rushed for 1,200 yards that season. He would have been the starter last year, but had a season ending ACL injury. He has looked great in practice. So the running game is solid with those two in the backfiel, not to mention David Wilson and Josh Oglesby, who are pretty good runners themselves. The O-line is much more athletic than last year. The wide receiving corp are all Juniors now, and will only continue to improve. The only question about the Hokies this season will be how effectively they can replace all the starters they lost on defense. But with Bud Foster as the Defensive Coordinator, I wouldn't worry too much. Plus, if the offense can run the clock down with their powerful running attack, the defense may not have to be on the field a whole lot. Any questions about the Hokies will be answered the first game of the season when they host Boise State on Labor Day.
Football season is by far my favorite time of the year, although I doubt my wife would say the same thing on her own behalf. I am hopeful that I will be able to go to at least one Hokies game this year, in Blacksburg. Not only does football season excite me because of the game itself, but it also symbolizes the commencement of Autumn, my favorite season. At this point, I am sick of hot weather. 90 degree days with high humidity are fun no longer. I am ready for October, when the temps drop to the 60's and you can golf without constantly having to mop the sweat of your brow. So yes, I am ready for some football!
