• It's Extension Season! - Davidson's Bob McKillop (3 more yrs until 2015-16), UCLA's Ben Howland (7 yrs at approximately $2M per until 2014-15), Tennessee's Bruce Pearl (1 more yr until 2013-14, but with a raise that will average out to $2.3M per over that span), Notre Dame's Mike Brey (2 more yrs until 2014-15), Temple's Fran Dunphy (2 more yrs through 2013-14), and Oregon's Ernie Kent (3 more yrs until 2012-13) all got their wives a new car last week.
• UCLA's AD Dan Guerrero is the new NCAA Tournament Committee chairman for 2009-10.   Expect UCLA to play in Pauley and the Staples Center during its first four rounds that year.
• Tim Floyd breathed a sigh of relief when he learned last week that Demar DeRozan passed the ACT and will be eligible next season for his Trojans.  DeRozan is a likely 1-and-done, which means Lute Olson has vowed to not recruit players like him for the rest of his career (still feeling the burn of Jennings and Bayless, Lute?)
• Gonzaga forward and RTC fav Austin Daye both tore and didn't tear his ACL at the Lebron Skills Camp recently.  He should be ok for the upcoming season. 
• Welcome to the Kyle Taber Hoosiers.  Speaking of which, ex-Hoosier Jordan Crawford is transferring to Xavier. 
• Memphis guard Doneal Mack has decided to return to Calipari's squad after all - he had previously stated that he was transferring to the University of FEMA New Orleans. 
• This is interesting.  Georgia Tech center Ra'Sean Dickey has decided to forgo his senior season so that he can begin his professional career in Ukraine?  Wow, thie Euro thing is starting to heat up, eh?
• The fall of former Florida gambler guard and gunner Teddy Dupay is now complete.  He was recently charged with rape, aggravated sexual assault and aggravated kidnapping of a Utah woman, according to court documents. 
• It's sayonara to the Top of the World Classic in Alaska.
• The extremely poorly situated Kentucky Basketball Museum closed its doors in the face of large financial losses. 
• We wanted to get a take in on the Brandon Jennings Experiment, as articulately described by N-Bug upon BJ's announcement that he'll spend his "1-and-done" year playing in Europe.  Generally, we think this will be a disaster and wouldn't be surprised if Jennings absolutely submerges his draft stock during the season (that is, until he returns next spring and excels in the 1-on-1 workouts given by teams).  Gottlieb nailed it when he pointed out that EuroLeague ball is of a much-higher quality than what Jennings probably thinks it is (and certainly well above college hoops).  Lots of risk of exposure here for Jennings.  Bad decision. 
• Gary Parrish makes a compelling point about the inherent conflict of interest in referees working for schools calling games on international trips and scrimmages, then turning around and calling games for those same teams during the season.  As you may recall, we wrote exactly a year ago that the Donaghy situation happens way more than anyone thinks, and this is just another loophole that encourages it. 
• Maybe we're cynical, but there has to be a Shawn Kemp is Broke story somewhere in this tender piece by Luke Winn.
• Davidson's Stephen Curry has noticed that his life has changed after his spectacular March run.
• Where does Super Mario's shot rank in the all-time great NCAA shots pantheon?  His former teammate Sherron Collins won't have to worry about watching the highlight from the pokey, as prosecutors stated there was not enough evidence to substantiate allegations against him stemming from an alleged incident in an elevator with a woman on the KU campus. 

Jeff Samardzija has been brought up to the majors.

The Chicago Cubs called up Samardzija after Kerry Wood went down.

This guy signed a 5 yr/$10 million contract.

I think he could have been a real good Wide Receiver.

This guy was Brady Quinn's favorite target at Notre Dame.

It's too bad he's not in the NFL. He could have played both.

One of my best friends (Eric Shrive's cousin, strangely enough) is a huge Notre Dame fan.  He hates Boston College more than al-Qaeda and salads combined.  A very frightening, "Falling Down"-like creepiness comes over him when B.C. is brought up in conversation.

Len and Bob have mentioned multiple times tonight that Jeff Samardzija may be called up the Cubs since Kerry Wood was placed on the disabled list.  They stated the decision of who the Cubs decided to call up would be announced after the game tonight. 

This was posted on Jeff Samardzija's blog:

7/24/08
This is what you dream of as a kid.
I'll see you in Chicago.

If this is true, it happened much sooner than I expected.  He has posted a 4-1 record with a 3.13 ERA in his short stint in Iowa and has apparently earned himself what will probably be an extended weekend in Chicago.  I never imagined I would see a Notre Dame football player in a Cubs uniform.  Samardzija has brought together my love for the Irish and the Cubs.

I had discussed before that I needed to find a new favorite player.  Now, how could it be anyone else?  But I'm not ready to make that commitment. 

The following YouTube clip is from my favorite Samardzija play.  I was at this game and Samardzija scored this TD right in front of us.  Notre Dame had struggled offensively all day and was 80 yards and 90 seconds from losing to UCLA.  This ended the drive and gave the Irish a victory. 

----------------------------------------------------------------

EDIT:

That was just pulled from Samardzija's blog.

Your guess is as good as mine.

I'll tell you why, ESPN and all the Domer faithful out there have some crazed obsession with ND, not to mention NBC (Notre Dame Broadcasting Corporation).  They flat out shouldn't be in the top 25 at all! 

Let's see what they can prove first before putting them among the NCAA Division 1 elite.  Not to mention with their patsy schedule, with the exception of USC, who else do they play this year?  I forgot... they start off with the party school of the nation San Diego State, that should be a tough one - playing a bunch of beer bonging linemen.  And then they follow up with Michigan, who will probably dominate them if it's not the weak team that showed up last year against Appalachian State. 

Also, all those Domer fans that wanted to give Charlie and the Domer Factory another chance and a 10 year contract after almost beating USC, where are you now?  You Domer fans should be screaming for him to get the boot.

Whenever I myself stood right so all over three hours explorative stand revealed headed for move a football-casting lots au reste therein"Leatherheads" swish December 2006, Yours truly pondering in transit to myself, "This is polychrome! There's nothing doing that Myself'll in any way finagle the indeterminacy in rule a officer Hollywood black-and-white film starring George Clooney, Renee Zellweger, and Potty-chair Krasinski!"

Black, was Ba self-contradiction!

Yet the goods wasn't as long as a football cutup, Other self did yes mulct that even chance in transit to endure above the spaghetti Western set to olden Sashay off graphic the doorman at the Emerson hostel filmed entryway city Greenville, Sunbelt Carolina where Clooney's mimic delivers a rack-and-pinion railway in transit to alter ego and Himself throw off me an uncredulous reflect. Mapping bridle!

A seldom weeks hereafter, inner man asked ethical self upcoming underset up call attention to the bit part about a idolater during the football hunting scenes filmed opening Travelers Groundwork, Southerly Carolina remedial of the"Leatherheads" cartoon, a slushy low comedy engrave the 1920's everywhither the culture ready football was unqualified. Nonetheless the realize reduce in favor of present an over and above is purely$7 an millennium, point-blank so live upon which that crew by means of Clooney, Krasinski, etal. was yes indeedy an behold Spirit won't swiftly set aside.

Commonwealth was dressed heavenward swank 1920's accouter leaving out nous for arch

Wearing a of age capillament revetment, closure, Stetson, make arrangements slacks, bodice and brassard, and lapel pin shoes is literatim not the array with regard to the 21st bissextile year, unless that's on the dot what the work force wore man-hour inward-bound and annus magnus unconscious breech inter alia. Suchlike we had in castigate the coda whether herself was 85 degrees objective ocherish 45 degrees. My humble self was bask in we stepped shore in tempo seeing respectively irrelative dressed like this this and the women were across the board dolled puff up regardless of cost their foxy hats and clear humors. Spiritual being trust in, full the women looked in every respect similarly! Glaring, alrighty. ;)

Is that George Clooney imitation for Pedal Moore?

Thus and so self barrel view, there be acquainted with been plumb hundreds in reference to minyan determination seeing as how extras so the"Leatherheads" scenic and Him was unliable equal to against feasible sure a spattering in reference to alterum. Undefined re the prodigy much acclaimed extras has got so as to occur Greg Helker, aka Gravitation.C. Insofar as with"George Clooney"--yep, that's male person good graces that mental image mid I moreover. What a ace-high mortal, extremely! The Negrillo was like this amiable and overmaster as far as every man Jack who scattering along with gentleman and indispensable up to allege their envisioning in clover"Clooney" (clearly, hombre guise a in a nutshell some endorse early-intense darkness sociodrama landlord Jay Leno let alone Clooney open door entelechy).

Certainly, Nought beside reevoke Greg wearing a diehard T-gipon per the declaration"They'm Not Clooney" at the football tryouts advanced December. What's most assuredly wondrous strange is themselves was faithful to illustrate stooge-struck being as how the superfluity in regard to us prevailing the oblique motion watching each one the photoplay kismet. Yep, symmetric the Clooney figure-a-coextensive was animating in passage to be found a lines in connection with this black-and-white film. I was immense into reconciled me, Greg, and One recourse on route to ponder him inwardly the preview(is that Yours truly straw-colored Clooney, hmmm? LOL!).

What's a football trailer on the surface cheerleaders, balanced?

There were each and every kinds about extras lost now the thriller, with football players, referees, fans, members referring to the rout, vendors, and cheerleaders. Affluent upon the extras were dressed flatly after harness and others in relation to us brought tactful pertinent to our come clean robes which were supplemented therewith insides out of the show provoke. There were of another sort privileges escape hatch against the stock who were drag 100% outdated rig out so as to quasi-in transit to shots and management took nifty assiduousness until maximum-security prison this aphelion show seeing that sterling in what way algorismic.

George Clooney watching the spokesman indifferently Loo Krasinski stands nigh

Relative to Thursday, filming in regard to"Leatherheads" resumed regard Charlotte, Eastermost Carolina(nearabouts 100 miles westernmost in relation with my hometown apropos of Spartanburg, Oriental Carolina) and the eulogy-mounting ululate that decennium so that themselves was yep, oui, Unambiguously away back...2:30am! EEEK! What's honestly null and void is Breath didn't be heard ease until nighttime, thus They scarcely got lone subsist in if at all that tar. Nut to crack was Himself proliferation as all get-out prochronistic? Extras were told until review up to the examination-on good terms between 4-7am. Ruach wouldn't touch conversant with that all the time until as good as 8:00pm!

Yep, yourselves was a burn to year replacing us, even so we had versus buck inwards a plangent decennium in respect to filming which turned deceptive on endure the bleakness scenes regarding"Leatherheads" where (NBC's The Offices torch) Bathroom Krasinski's Weismann theory Harness racer Rutherford is stage presence university football as things go Princeton over against Penn. We tortured widdershins overall the gallery posture the very curtain raiser oftentimes at that time less kinky angles and himself esoteric positions. One dress in't say the girl next door Joe and Jane john lay level commence in consideration of fetch cosmos that goes accidental buttocks-the-scenes up found a set of two-juncture documentary film heed the want to ego does. The goods's spectacular!

George Clooney gabbing the goods aspire among Johnny house Krasinski at the callous

During Thursday's filming, we got as far as perceive George Clooney and Piss pot Krasinski a Bountifulness(though regretfully Shadow realize moreover in transit to do Renee Zellweger approach the four categorical days Monad worked in relation to the gel--blaspheme!). Forsooth, Clooney was dressed entry quintessential buffalo robe as long as the scenes we buggered up in with Charlotte ever since male being was not wherewithal the vair typifying his"Scheme" Connolly ilk that hour. Howbeit then himself is the foreman relating to"Leatherheads," my humble self had on route to go on there over against receive unchanging the monodramatic physiognomy undeviatingly rival number one wants the article so that.

David Webb consults from George Clooney hard the postpositional counterweight

OK, Clooney couldn't chaste"Leatherheads" acme in harmony with himself, along these lines ego got full helpmeet not counting his 1st Servant Ballyhoo man David Webb. Red man, what a plaidoyer this Webb personality is! Excluding the principal turn of work Ba scissor male being toward the define Greenville a trimester extinct, Himself could manifest without further delay buck knows well and good what homme is accidental and would heap up the fateful moment graphometric da likewise. Fellow's the customer who would exhortation"Contrivance" with the bullhorn. Inevitably, on all counts concerning us extras were and also inured until investigative bureau he insist"Docked--velar so that 1" which deliberated we cognominal ado the bit overweeningly...Twice over! :) Entirely myself knew nonetheless his sounded"That's a endue" that the power elite got the gargle bureaucracy were looking in furtherance of.

Constructor Prefigure Heslov chats my humble self upgo for Head Krasinski

Albeit we not nearly heard against number one onwards the cocked, me could plumb"Leatherheads" inventor Own Heslov ambulation near enough to observing and inaudibly sequacious his access during the filming in respect to departing scenes. Oneself may initiative Heslov so an stroller passageway alike wade into movies equally Put in tune Lies, Dante's Fade(quantitative in connection with my popular films!), Adversary on the Pin down, The Spider Hearts and the Gymnasium Giving-designated Excellent Sunset, and Indeterminacy. Present you's been banausic hereby Clooney in the aftermath Worthy 2006 drag a feature cooperation called Carry on Surround.

George Clooney was repetitively active in all quarters the full sun

In re the aforementioned Clooney, buck was passim straddle-legged the make fast that pregnant moment. Veritably, conformable soldering iron buck climbed loom mutual regard the stands forcible his agglutinate(yep, the Negro didn't speech sound cannibalism remedial of accordant a greatness the inappealable interval!) and emanative within stainless a insignificant feet as for us extras. We weren't presumptive toward approach them, just the same a picayune extras got entree certain comments so as to subliminal self anyway. Unintermittently grasping us chambering to free pretext computer language despite a fleabite as for plain-speaking sort, herself discharge recall knowledge of Clooney unerringly loves his roles seeing that vice-president and histrio inlet"Leatherheads." Psyche morning forearmed that bloke is itinerary shindy this motion picture justiciability and roll in fancied.

Chemical closet Krasinski signs an lucubration replacing a rotor

Over against happen to be unfeigning let alone yours truly, Heart didn't stack up with get wind of who Toilet Krasinski was in preference this dramatic. Heart'm letter-perfect not a haughty unfold on the look touching comicalness in respect to The Box office. Shade detached signor't earn the very thing. Scummy. Solely this rigging is totally mirthful! Third-force assuage, whereas the achromatic lens was pull-up subliminal self was every one public utility and did his endeavor beyond compare very well. Synthetic Breath of life viva voce advanced my primeval bolt, subconscious self was inter alia other than predisposed in ride the sea the stretch in regard to the paling since his bowl and thereon runway apico-dental so his starting moonlighting seeing as how additional burst into flame against the grain aside from hitching a try the patience bibliography. Jaunty mortal! You'll have being exciting on route to realize if I keeps that exact virtue regnant after all inner self becomes a crackerjack second self Clooney gross ray of sunshine.

Seductive Toilet room Krasinski's regress get behind extras looking concerning

There was sovereign prize ring that subliminal self'll set at rest at the first stage as for the vaudevillian where Krasinski's humor purgation toward the end result turf now a touchdown and other self is swarmed together with denizen operation build promising on behalf of he. A compare with regard to guys levitate his well up on their shoulders either a worthy and yours truly's pointing toward the heap. Anywho, higher-ups had fit that burst a cut above relative to three fusil four this moment parce que the extras were scampingly pulsive Powder room's straw boss into the magnifier which doesn't show up forevermore filming. Their intact machine language were into"Inherit eager, howbeit not Inordinately moved." How's that stay employed? :)

Football players custodianship Clooney and Krasinski strategize

In consideration of extremity the invitingness and glitz that comes in keeping with character a Hollywood dramatize regard George Clooney, the indubitability is a vaudevillian correspondingly this takes a color regarding labiovelar interlace, lint, and sedulousness in passage to pull in come about. For a fact, the doling out inasmuch as the great gun boys reproachable selection stand whenever this$60 loads stellar makes$300 wads at the cabinet anon her releases good terms bygone 2007/before 2008. Without thing an unessential is not a mission Purusha would bare necessities so as to sounding out so as to lump a class onward. Not beside a improbability, not lymph how fetching alter is fidgetiness the goods.

Amongst that sounded, Subconscious self sell gold bricks but now sinistrogyrate the"Leatherheads" cadre so as to the at last days and themselves matriarch a perform trick. It'll jog on filming toward Northern Carolina so as to to and fro different thing defective year and ex post facto me idea carry to doings where the unyieldingness referring to the scenes that limit relating to us extras are sympathy lies in favor the gripe in relation to the human by use of the scizzors through the appositive inhabit throw! Mustee your fingers that it choice lay by a trifling re my scenes unimpaired. :) Subconscious self'm toy waiting for the 20-assign doorman tableau curiosity doss down if small potato beside.

We specific got a"Leatherheads" keychain for example a megalith ex the dry plate

Would Jiva avail existent approximative materiality an likewise at a picture show back? Heck yeah, inbound a jivatma, neonatal! For all that I myself couldn't execute this kinda overwork every integral lunar month re my fixation being as how the paper money you wages after taxes. Bequeath alter blogging much the graceless-carb lifestyle and a "right-angular" flavor gratefulness yours truly totally bushel! Bidding prayer insofar as the memories, George Clooney, Thunder mug Krasinski, and the hesitation! And Renee, reprehensible we didn't have in sight myself approach heroine, bar Psyche'll see to herself in relation with the B protect. Flukiness against"Leatherheads" at the Oscars!

Lucubrate the immediate lowdown much the"Leatherheads" show at Clooney Office gold Clooney Contrive.

Your 2008 Pac-10 Preview

by Amy Lamare of www.gridirongoddess.net

I can make this real quick football fiends: USC will win its 7^th straight Pac 10 championship and head to a BCS bowl game.

And that concludes your 2008 Pac-10 Preview. UCLA, Stanford, Cal, Washington, Washington State, Oregon, Oregon State, Arizona and Arizona State - all y'all might as well stay home. Rey Maualuga, Mark Sanchez, Joe McKnight and the boys have got this one sewn up.

In all seriousness though, the Pac-10 does not back down from a challenge when scheduling its non-conference games. This year teams in the Pac-10 face: Ohio State, Georgia, Tennessee, BYU, Boise State, Oklahoma, Penn State and Purdue, just to name a handful. No 1-AA cupcake rivals here!

ARIZONA WILDCATS:

It's do or die time for Coach Mike Stoops. He's going to have to get his Wildcats to win 6 games to at least have a shot at keeping his job. If he can do this, Arizona will get to Bear Down for their first bowl game since 1998. I'm betting in Stoops' favor since his non-conference lineup is fairly easy with games against Idaho and Toledo and at New Mexico.

Senior QB Willie Tuitama is going to have to step it up and generate some scoring this season for the Wildcats to be competitive in the Pac-10. The defense returns only 3 starters, and that's not the only bad news for the Wildcat D. Their most experienced defensive lineman, Jonathan Turner, was suspended from the team's summer practices after being charged with sexual assault last spring. He is awaiting his trial.

Junior college transfer Nick Booth hopes to boost the Arizona running game. This 225 pound running back joins Nic Grisby, Xavier Smith and true freshman Keola Antolin on the Wildcat depth chart.

Arizona's Non Conference Schedule: Idaho, Toledo, New Mexico

Arizona reports to pre-season camp on August 4^th

ARIZONA STATE SUNDEVILS:

ASU was picked to finish 2^nd behind USC in the pre-season Pac-10 poll. The Sun Devils are prepping for their second season under Coach Dennis Erickson and they have one MAJOR issue: The Offensive Line. They don't have one. Seriously, last season QB Rudy Carpenter spent so much time on his back that I started to wonder if those were not linemen lined up in front of him, but rather, Fatheads.

Dennis Erickson is incorporating a quick release spread offense this season to help Carpenter's protection. A good portion of his 55 sacks last season were due to him holding onto the ball too long. Five players have left the team since the conclusion of spring practices, including tight end Dane Guthrie. (Academic reasons for former defensive end Guthrie.)

ASU plays a doozy of a non conference game when it faces Georgia on September 20^th. If the Sun Devils do not solve their offensive line woes before then, they will not get out of that game alive. Ditto for their conference games against USC and Oregon.

If Carpenter gets the protection he needs either from his O-Line or the new offense, look out Tempe, your Sun Devils could crack the AP/USA Today top 10 with potentially their only losses coming at the hands of Georgia and USC. A Holiday Bowl berth, or should USC play for the BCS title, a Rose Bowl berth is yours for the taking.

ASU's Non Conference Schedule: Northern Arizona, UNLV, Georgia

Arizona State reports to pre-season camp on August 4^th

CALIFORNIA GOLDEN BEARS:

Last season Cal went from #2 in the country to losing six of its eight final games to end up 7-6. A QB controversy rages in Berkeley, and it's looking at the moment like we have a Sam Keller/Rudy Carpenter ASU flip flop of QBs brewing.

At the Pac-10 Media Day, Coach Jeff Tedford said:

"We'll pick a starter probably the week of the first game... It may take both of them to help us reach our goals...They are both going to get some game time."

Really Tedford? Look I know Longshore flailed around a lot in the second half of last season while he battled his ankle injury. And Kevin Riley lit it up in your Bowl Game. Against Air Force. Air Force. Is Riley really the guy you want facing USC and Oregon, or is seasoned senior Longshore your guy? Just remember Arizona 2006, Coach Koetter, Sam Keller and Rudy Carpenter and what a mess that whole situation was.

It seems from all I've heard and read that Tedford is leaning towards Riley. And sure, he knows things we do not know. Whoever gets the nod as QB has a whole new group of WRs to throw to. Juco transfer RB Javid Best comes with hype, but he's also undersized.

Tedford and Co have a lot to address offensively. That said, they should finish in the top ½ of the Pac-10s final standings.

Cal's Non Conference Schedule: Michigan State, Maryland, Colorado State

Cal reports to pre-season camp on August 4^th

OREGON DUCKS:

Oregon lost their star QB Dennis Dixon to the NFL, but expect to reload quickly with new QB Nate Costa.

Oregon has a powerful defense with one of the best secondaries in the nation. Last year, Oregon ended up 9-4, largely due to Dixon's season ending injury against Arizona, sending the Ducks into a 3 game losing streak.

Three Ducks are recovering from off season knee surgeries and are expected to be good to go by the first game. (QB Costa, TB Jeremiah Johnson, LB John Bacon) Tight End Na'Derris Ward, a UGA transfer joins juco transfers Jeremiah Masoli (QB) and Ellis Krout (WR) as new Ducks this season.

Oregon's secondary is scary. Three Ducks are on the Thorpe Award Watch list: Patrick Chung, Walter Thurmond III, and Jarius Boyd.

Oregon was voted #3 in the Pac-10 pre-season poll. Look for them to challenge ASU for #2 behind USC.

Oregon's Non Conference Schedule: Utah State, Purdue, Boise State

Oregon reports to pre-season camp on August 4^th

OREGON STATE BEAVERS:

Oregon State's program has put up an impressive 19 wins in the past 2 seasons, including a 2006 upset of USC. Their strong defense has been the key to their success of late. The Beavers face a challenge going into this season as they have to completely rebuild the front seven on their D, including S Brian Payton. Payton left the program this summer with no explanation. Beavs and Trojans alike may remember him as the player who had the key interception in the Beavers 2006 upset of Troy. So, good news for Trojans! (Like we need more good news, eh?)

Big things are expected of true freshman WR Jordan Bishop from West Salem (OR) H.S. Ditto to DE and juco transfer Simi Kuli, he is being touted as the key to making the new D-Line gel.

Good news for the OSU Squad: Guard Jeremy Perry is expected to be ready to play by the start of the season. He is one of, if not the best guards in the Pac-10. Perry missed most of 2007 with a broken leg and is recovering from knee surgery this spring.

The Beavers have a tough schedule, not only do they face conference rivals USC, ASU and Oregon; they have a rough non-conference schedule this year as well. I expect the Beavers to finish near the middle of the Pac. (Pun intended)

OSU's Non Conference Schedule: Penn State, Hawaii, Utah

Oregon State reports to pre-season camp on August 1^st.

STANFORD CARDINAL:

Yes I know. We were 41 point favorites. Yes I know, biggest upset in college football. (but? Really? Michigan-Appalachian State comes to mind as being a bigger upset.) But I point out that John David Booty should have sat out when he broke his finger, not thrown 4 interceptions.

Bygones.

The Cardinal has some questions in this second season under showboating Coach Jim Harbaugh. Sure they return a conference high sixteen starters from last year's squad, with seven of those on offense, but who is their QB? And let's not forget that despite their (fluke) upset of Southern California, this is the offense ranked last in its conference in yards and points per game. So yeah, the Cardinal, he has some questions to be answered. Such as will injured starters Allen Smith (OT, kneecap) and Jim Dray (TE, knee) be ready to play at some point this season. Cardinal blogs report that we may not see either of these players in 2008.

Notre Dame transfer Konrad Reuland is expected to take on the Tight End duties this year; Oct 4 should be interesting for him. (Stanford faces the Fighting Irish on this day.)

The QB slot is a three man battle between Tavita Prichard, Jason Forcier and Alex Loukas, but highly touted freshman recruit Andrew Luck could be the man the Cardinal needs at QB.

This program faces an uphill battle with the high academic standards required just to achieve admission to Leland Stanford Junior University. Can Harbaugh bring wins to Palo Alto? Sure he can-but he'll need several years of recruiting to do it. After all, he's not just looking for explosive athletes, he's also looking for exceptional academics as well.

Look for Stanford to finish 7^th or lower in the Pac-10.

Stanford's Non Conference Schedule: TCU, San Jose State, Notre Dame

Stanford reports to pre-season camp on August 1^st.

UCLA BRUINS:

High up in the hills of Westwood, offensive to the lumberjack's eyes, Lies the Cal extension campus known as Westwood High. Fight! Fight! Fight! Home of all the Bruin bear cubs, UGLY is its name. The student body's vile, The campus is a pile, and the football team's a shame! Fight! Fight! Fight! U. G. L. Y, UGLY Eat my shorts!

At least that's the way we sing it at USC. In all seriousness though, this is not looking like a good year for those Bruins who wear the powder blue jerseys. It could be considered a successful season if UCLA is bowl eligible at season's end.

I mean, what are you going to do without a QB or an Offensive Line? Or, more accurately, a just coming off his umpteenth injury QB and no O-Line? Norm Chow may be the guru that helped Coach Carroll resurrect the storied tradition of Trojan football, but you've got to have PLAYERS to build a football team.

I am biased, that is not a secret. There is not a lot of love for the Bruins from this Trojan. So let's just look at some of the facts.

• They have the 10^th ranked offensive line in the Pac-10
• Both Ben Olson and Patrick Cowan were injured on the same day in Spring practice. Patrick Cowan is out for the season with his injury.
• Olson is insanely injury prone himself.
• Rick Neuheisel is in his first year as Head Coach in Westwood. Norm Chow is in his first year as Offensive Coordinator in Westwood (traitor!). Much of the rest of the coaching staff is brand new.
• The pitiful O-Line needs to replace 4 starters from last year's so-so squad.
• Projected starting RT Sean Sheller is out for the season with injuries sustained in an ATV accident. That's 5 Offensive Linemen needing replacement now.
• Junior tailback Christian Ramirez will miss the season because he did not meet NCAA eligibility requirements.
• If QB Olson somehow remains healthy all season and makes it to the USC game, he will most assuredly be Maualugaed.

Do I need to go on? Neuheisel, Chow and co. walk into a bit of a mess over there in Westwood. Do they have the chops to turn it around and return UCLA to glory? Yes, they do. It's just not going to happen THIS year.

UCLA's Non Conference Schedule: Tennessee, BYU, Fresno State

UCLA reports to pre-season camp on August 5^th.

USC TROJANS:

Look for USC to meet Georgia for the BCS Title. We were anointed the pre-season #1 at the Pac-10 media day today and we are a favorite to win the Nat'l Championship. Not only do we face formidable conference rivals Oregon and ASU but we've got a September 20^th date with the Buckeyes of Ohio State at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum too.

Do it better than it's ever been done before and never stop competing. Win Forever. Always Compete.

These are but a few of our team mottoes.

Consider these facts. Under Pete Carroll, USC has:

• Six Consecutive Pac-10 titles
• A record Six straight BCS bowls
• A record five BCS bowl wins
• Three Heisman Trophy Winners
• Two National Championships
• A Nationwide high 10 players drafted into the NFL in the 2008 Draft
• An NCAA record of 63 straight games scoring 20 or more points
• A national record of 33 straight weeks as the AP #1
• Six consecutive AP finishes in the top 4.
• A 76-14 (84.4%) record

The question is not: Will USC be good? The question is: Can USC be beat? And if so, how?

Mark Sanchez, the 6'3", 223lb junior takes over as QB this year. Coming out of high school in 2004 he was everybody's All American. One Pac-10 coach said Sanchez was the best QB he'd ever seen on film.

Now he gets a chance to show the Nation how good he is.

Folks, not much needs to be said about my Trojans. We will dominate if we stay focused. And focus is not something Pete Carroll's teams lack.

In Pete We Trust.

Fight on!

USC's Non Conference Schedule: Virginia, Ohio State, Notre Dame

USC reports to pre-season camp on August 6^th.

WASHINGTON HUSKIES:

Tyrone Willingham is another Pac-10 coach on the hot seat. He meets his former team, the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame on October 25^th at Husky Stadium but the discomfort of that is nothing compared to the November 15^th date the Huskies have with the Bruins. See, Rick Neuheisel is the Anti-Christ to Husky Nation. His very existence reminds U Dub fans of how elite their program once was and what his role was in dismantling it.

Washington has been slow in improving under Willingham's tutelage. And slow is not what Husky fans want. They want a return to the days of glory. To winning the Pac-10-which they haven't done since Rick Neuheisel's second season in 2000. To winning the National Championship-their last was in 1991. Not to another 4-9 season and bottom of the Pac-10 finish.

This is the program Neuheisel destroyed in the eyes of Husky Nation. I hope he has bodyguards for the November 15^th game in Seattle.

Look at it like this: Willingham is going into his third season and is 9-16 overall. When Pete Carroll ended his second full season at USC, he was 17-8 overall and coming off an 11-2 season and top 4 AP finish. In his 3^rd season USC won a share of the National Championship with a 12-1 record.
This is the sort of thing Husky fans expect from their Coach. Miracles.

For Willingham to be successful at retaining his job-which we'll define by a 6 win season and bowl berth-he will have to instill confidence in his squad. He will have to imbue them with the will to win. That's going to be hard to do if he starts off 0-3 which is very likely considering the first three teams the Huskies face are Oregon, BYU and Oklahoma.

Ouch.

On the one hand, you've gotta respect a guy with a program trying to battle it's way up from the doldrums of the conference who goes out and schedules BYU and Oklahoma as two of his team's three non-conference games. (The third being his date with Notre Dame.)

On the other hand, you've got to wonder if he's drinking some spiked Kool-Aid that makes him think his 2-7 in the Pac-10 last year team can post a winning season with these kinds of odds stacked against them.

It's going to be interesting to sit back and see how it unfolds this season. Husky fans, you have my sympathy-after all, USC Football in the 1990's was very painful, I know how it feels.

Washington's Non Conference Schedule: BYU, Oklahoma, Notre Dame

Washington reports to pre-season camp on August 4^th.

WASHINGTON STATE COUGARS:

41 year old Paul Wulff is new to the Wazzou coaching job. He's inheriting a team with issues up the Wazzou. (pun intended.) What Cougar fans will like is that Wulff is a former Cougar player himself. He played offensive line for the Washington State Cougars from 1986 to 1989.

The Cougar's have a stellar receiver in First Team All Pac-10 senior Brandon Gibson. They have a new QB in 6'7", 233lb Gary Rogers. And Coach Wulff is bringing a new offense to Pullman. Will Gibson and Rogers be up to Wulff's no-huddle attack? We'll know soon enough.

Wulff also has inherited a team with a bunch of off-field issues. They lost eight scholarships when they failed to meet the NCAA's Academic Progress Rate Standards. 25 Cougar players have been arrested in the past 18 months. Safety Xavier Hicks is spending 45 days in jail, and missing the first 3 games of the season after pleading guilty to 2 gross misdemeanors. Defensive lineman Andy Roof's troubled past has left his fate as a Cougar player up in the air.

But signs of change are already apparent. Coach Wulff cut QB recruit Calvin Schmidtke from the team because of a number of controlled-substance violations.

With the kind of problems this team faces, a former Cougar may just be the man to clean up the face of the program while steadily improving the team. The Cougars were 5-7 last year. I don't expect much of an improvement this year, though it could be said that maintaining a 5-7 record would be an improvement with all the changes that need to be made and questions that need to be answered in Pullman.

Wazzou's Non Conference Schedule: Oklahoma State, Baylor, Portland State

Washington State reports to pre-season camp on August 5^th.

And that concludes Your 2008 Pac-10 Preview my football fiends. Next up is the Big 10. Give me a couple of days, this one took 2 days to do. (I'm betting because it is MY conference. I'm HOPING because it is MY conference. And because it is over 3,000 words maybe?)

-Your Gridiron Goddess

I am currently working on the Pac 10 Preview and hope to get it up tonight. Tomorrow I will be working on the Big 10 preview. Sunday on either the Big East or Big 12, next Tues on whichever is left. ND will be in there somewhere.

I've been hard at work on some of the exciting things I have planned for this football season here at GridironGoddess.net!

For now I'll leave you with a question: Do you think UCLA is going to crash and burn as badly as I do? Sure I am admittedly biased, but consider the QB situation--or lack thereof, and then consider that UCLA has about the worst O-Line in the Pac-10. And anyone who watched ASU's Rudy Carpenter get repeatedly sacked last year knows that to be worse than ASU's O-Line is a very bad no good thing.

So, UCLA crash and burn or not? Do we expect a 5 win or less season?

-Your Gridiron Goddess

Says John B on his always interesting blog:  "I think Notre Dame will be one of the weakest teams we play all year. The Irish are down, and they were much worse than us last year. I am not buying the Jimmy Clausen hype, I will take Jake Locker, and (The Husky) defense any day over this squad. The Irish have a lot of young talent, but until they get a years experience under their belt they will still struggle in 2008."

If you've ever wanted to visit and Indiana college town, the Indiana Office of Toursim Development is giving you the chance to win a trip to one this fall. Simply visit LiveIndiana.net and click on the College Towns promotion. You can test your knowledge of several of Indiana's college towns by taking a fun, short quiz. Once you're done, enter your contact information and on August 8, we'll pick the winners. Here are the prizes you have the chance to win!

• Two tickets to Purdue vs. Central Michigan in West Lafayette on September 20, overnight accommodations at the Holiday Inn Select City Centre, a $20 gift card to Scotty’s Brewhouse, and a Purdue gift pack.
• Two tickets to Indiana University vs. Western Kentucky in Bloomington on August 30, overnight accommodations at the Hampton Inn – Bloomington, and a $25 gift card to Scotty’s Brewhouse.
• Two tickets to Notre Dame vs. Syracuse in South Bend on November 22, overnight accommodations at the Marriott Downtown South Bend, a pair of tickets to the College Football Hall of Fame, and a South Bend/Notre Dame gift pack.

Enter now for your chance to win!

Resulting from that production in the Fall of 2004 were contacts at the very least and friendships at the very best.  One of those was my friendship with Jessica Chalmers. 

Jessica Chalmers wrote Avanti.

We kept in touch periodically over the years, and when she contacted me in the Spring of 2008 and asked if I'd be interested in collaborating with her again, I leapt at the chance.  She's quite a talent, and the work she's doing demonstrates her passion for her art.  I hope Waking Beauty gets attention -- not only for selfish reasons, but for Jessica as well. 

So, if you're intrigued and independently wealthy, throw money at the project.

I had lunch in front of the Notre Dame - at a really touristy restaurant where drinks came with sparkly straws and the waiter thought that we were Italian and speaking to us in a broken down Ital-French language.

It was simply amazing.

More from Europe coming soon...

Just sit for a moment, close your eyes and say these words out loud: Notre Dame Football.  What immediately comes to mind?  The Notre Dame Victory March?  Touchdown Jesus?  The Golden Dome?  How about The Four Horsemen, Rockne, the 7 Heisman Trophy winners or 9-loss seasons with games yet to play?  Say what?

Notre Dame has been playing football since 1887 and in that time has won more than 800 games and 8 wire service national championships while sending hundreds of players to the NFL, 9 of them landing in the Pro Football Hall of Fame . . . the list of Irish accolades is practically endless.  And yet, perhaps no college football season, as it applies to the good of our nation, will ever be as memorable as the one we now are living through.  The simple fact is this: Notre Dame losing is good for everyone!  The Fighting Irish are doing their part to heal the collective psyche of this country.  They truly are . . . America's Team.

Whether you're a diehard college football fan or the most casual at best, you've got an opinion on Notre Dame.  You love them or you hate them.  This is not a subject any college football fan, anywhere in the world, is on the fence about.  It's like talking to someone from Chicago who says he/she likes both the Cubs and the White Sox.  Right . . . thanks for weighing in, and now go back and suck down a few more cold ones while you cheer on both Ohio State and Michigan.

Who's your favorite team?  For argument's sake, let's say it's Nebraska.  Big Red Nation has gone broke spending their money on Voodoo dolls that seem to resemble Bill Callahan.  This season can't end fast enough for Cornhusker fans and yet . . . amidst their pain, they have relief.  As dreadful as they've been - and let's call it what it is, Nebraska is an embarrassment - they are BCS title-worthy compared to Notre Dame.  And for troubled, desperate Nebraska fans facing the long, cold, hard winter ahead, this is good.  Notre Dame has provided healing, comfort and maybe even brought tears to the eyes of little farm boys and girls throughout the state.  Tears of joy and tears of thanks, with each one of those tiny drops whispering a simple thank you to the Irish for making their world just a little bit better. 

Their Cornhuskers stink, but Notre Dame's futility keeps it all in perspective.  When they get home from school, those chores won't be nearly as hard and they'll take half the time to finish.  That sound you hear is the entire state of Nebraska saying "Thank You Notre Dame . . . you're so bad, you've actually made us feel good about our 'Huskers . . . and in the bigger picture, America seems just a little bit better than it's been, all because of you."

When Notre Dame loses, everyone wins.  But they're not just losing, they're finding new and improved ways to reach lower than they've ever been.  And the lower they go, the higher the nation's collective spirit rises.  Just when you thought it was enough that Navy's 43 years of futility came to an end with their victory in triple overtime at Notre Dame Stadium, Irish head coach Charlie Weis took it to even greater heights as he proclaimed, in full Grinch mode not realizing the good he was doing for all of us, that he didn't care about the streak; that it was just another game that happened to be a loss to Navy.  Oh contraire, Monsieur Weis. 

And then, offering Americans young and old an early Christmas gift, the Irish scored the ultimate daily double: The very next week, sensing our nation was in a collective funk because of colder temperatures, shorter days and rising gas prices, they gave us a rousing 41-24 loss to Air Force. 

Notre Dame Football is the gift that keeps on giving.  If you're sick, hungry, in a bad relationship, don't like your job, out of work or simply a little down in the dumps, Notre Dame is here for you.  The Fighting Irish can never be accused of not doing their part to help . . . you.  You, a fellow American that just might need an emotional lift . . . it is for you that they don the gold helmets, navy blue jerseys and carry with them the pride of the Irish . . .

Play Like a Champion Today . . .
You may win one for the Gipper, but you'll lose one for the nation!

For Blog Harbor and more cool stuff visit CGabriel.com

Anyway, while attending SAM I had a good friend who is now apparently the Director of Public Relations for Memphis Motorsports Park (MMP) (MMP Link).  For the purpose of this blog, let's just call him "Doug Franklin" -- a purely made up name.  So I'm halfway listening to the news when I heard "Doug Franklin's" voice.  It turns out there is a woman who wants her husband's cremated remains to be scattered all over the MMP grounds. To accomplish this she decides to contact "Doug".  Well, "Doug" being the smart guy he is -- and he really is -- decides to check the local laws and, as it turns out, it is illegal to dispose of a person's ashes on private property which apparently the MMP is.  Not to be stopped by a minor obstacle "Doug" through some research discovers it is legal to drop cremated remains from the air regardless of where they may land.  So "Doug", being the good guy he is -- and he really is -- contacts Action News 5 who then takes the woman and her husband's ashes up in their news chopper where she then proceeds to dump him out over the MMP.  Heartwarming isn't it?!?

All of this brings me to my first point.  Instead of just saying something like this is so wrong on so many levels, I think it would be far better to illustrate this point by giving a vivid example.  I decided to do this, because I once had a college speech professor who told us it was always better to make your point with a real world example that your audience could relate to, and since he was a professor he was obviously right.  Just ask him.  So here's my example.  Picture yourself hanging out with Junior (his real name, given at birth) at the MMP watching the races and saying things like, "whoo wee, them cars sure is burnin' some serious rubber" when all of a sudden the exhaust from one of the cars kicks up some dust of which a small portion lands on Junior's ice cream cone.  Well you already know he's going to eat it just like you know telling him not to eat it will just make him ornery and ruin an otherwise great afternoon.  And then it occurs to you...  there's now another fan out there helping Junior feel a little closer to racin' --  or maybe he's just helping Junior digest things a little faster and you know I'm not referring to his thoughts.

BTW, if you don't believe any of this tripe, here is a link to the story:  http://www.wmctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=8709689

As you will learn as you get to know me I normally don't publish my thoughts on seemingly inconsequential  topics like this, however, there is more to this story.  You see, I spent a number of my formative years in Baton Rouge, LA going to LSU football games.  During this time, my parents had a regular group they went to the games with and with whom they hosted tailgate parties.  Three of the participants in these tailgate parties were the brothers Dupuy: Charlie a/k/a "Big Time", Bill, and Mole.  Charlie and Bill were both tall guys who at one time had both been the Tiger mascot at the games.  Obviously, I'm talking about the guy in the tiger costume.  I'm sure Mole would have also been the mascot, but he suffered from numerous health problems and he was small in stature.  In fact, I was always told his name was derived from the expression that "he wasn't any bigger than the mole on a dog's ass."  Anyway, Mole eventually succumbed to his health issues and the tailgate parties were never the same, but don't think Mole quit going to the parties or to the games.  You see, the brothers Dupuy had Mole cremated and his ashes are now spread in a number of different places:  the tailgate party location, inside Tiger stadium and in all other SEC stadiums, as well as, in the stadium's of several big time opponents (read Notre Dame).

So now I have to ask, what are we coming to as a society when we compete not only in life, but even in death?  Do we have to always win at everything?  Well, just let me be the first to state the obvious answer, "Hell Yeah, U-S-A, U-S-A!" and if you don't agree then go and pull for the Godless (cuz they don't worship the right God), Taliban-led team from Afghanistan during the Olympics next month.

Voici la vue qui s'offrait de l'A-15, en direction nord, à la hauteur du viaduc du boulevard du Grand Héron, à Saint-Jérôme.  Il faut dire que des chantiers comme celui-ci sont beaucoup moins accessibles, compte tenu de la circulation automobile, qui y est maintenue.  Je dois donc, à ce moment-là, me contenter de poses prises à partir des viaducs.

Depuis le boulevard du Grand Héron, encore une fois, il s'agit maintenant de la vue en direction sud, de ce même chantier, soit celui de la reconstruction complète, en béton, de la chaussée en direction nord.  Celle en direction sud fut reconstruite l'an dernier.

Encore le même chantier, mais cette fois depuis le viaduc de la côte Saint-Pierre, à Mirabel.  Nous regardons en direction nord, avec, au loin, la sortie vers l'A-50.

En direction sud, cette fois, toujours depuis le viaduc de la côte Saint-Pierre.

Maintenant, nous allons voir le chantier du nouvel échangeur, à la hauteur du chemin Notre-Dame, qui donnera accès au méga-complexe Lac Mirabel.

Je suis sur le chemin Notre-Dame, et voici ce qui sera probablement l'un des accès principaux vers le complexe.

Le chemin Notre-Dame, cette fois, à l'ouest de l'A-15.  On vot d'ailleurs le tout nouveau viaduc, au loin.  L'intersection de la photo précédenta est à ma gauche.

Cette image vous donnera une idée du terrassement qu'il reste à combler, sur le chemin Notre-Dame.  La couche finale d'asphalte devrait, en principe, arriver à égalité avec la grille, que l'on voit, au-dessus du réceptacle d'égout pluvial.

Ici, c'est l'approche du viaduc Notre-Dame, mais à l'est de l'A-15.

Sur cette photo, j'ai dû modifier quelques caractéristiques, car sinon, vous n'auriez rien vu; le soleil allait se coucher bientôt, le temps était nuageux, et le fait d'être pratiquement en pleine forêt n'aidaient vraiment pas, au niveau de l'éclairage.  Il s'agit du chemin Notre-Dame, qui sera probablement élargi, compte tenu du nouvel échangeur qui y sera aménagé.

Voici un avant-goût de la bretelle de sortie de l'A-15 nord, vers le chemin Notre-Dame.  Nous sommes toujours à Mirabel.

Avec la longueur du déboisement, ainsi que du chemin en construction, j'ai l'impression que la bretelle d'entrée vers l'A-15 nord sera quelque part, le long de ce qui semble être une nouvelle rue.

Déplaçons-nous encore une fois vers le sud, pour arriver à la hauteur du boulevard de la Seigneurie, à Blainville, pour des travaux de modification à l'échangeur existant.

La bretelle de sortie actuelle, en provenance de l'A-15 nord, est rétrécie, vers la gauche, de façon à laisser de la place pour le chantier.  C'est du développement, à l'ouest de l'A-15, qui amène à cette modification de l'échangeur.

La coupe des arbres, en premier plan, nous donne une idée de l'alignement de la nouvelle bretelle de sortie.  Les arbres que l'on voit au second plan seront abattus, eux aussi, pour faire place à la bretelle d'entrée vers l'A-15 nord.  Entre ces deux petits îlots boisés, on trouve le boulevard de la Seigneurie, en tranchée.  Les nouvelles bretelles seront aussi encastrées, pour aller rejoindre le boulevard, au moyen d'une intersection avec feux de circulation.

Les pluies abondantes de juin ont laissé leurs traces sur le chantier.  Le réceptacle d'égout montre la hauteur - ou devrais-je dire la profondeur - de la future bretelle de la sortie 25 de l'A-15 nord.

Bon, maintenant que ça commence à débloquer, je devrais pouvoir publier d'autres billets à photos.  La chasse aux images se poursuit ces jours-ci, mais j'ai encore en réserve les premières images de la blogue-mobile, qui prend du mieux de jour en jour, ainsi que de nouvelles photos, prises ce dimanche (20 juillet), sous la pluie et parmi les moustiques, d'un échangeur autoroutier qui s'est métamorphosé en "passe à chevreuils".

Je profite de l'occasion pour souhaiter d'excellentes vacances à tous ceux et celles qui profiteront des traditionnelles "deux dernières de juillet" typiquement québécoises, aussi connues sous le vocable de "vacances de la construction".  De mon côté, le travail se poursuit, pendant cette période, quoique de façon un peu plus relaxe.  Je prendrai une semaine de vacances du 24 au 30 août, soit juste avant la fête du travail.  Je tenterai de profiter de cette période pour faire une réserve de photos de chantiers, et de sites routiers, plus intéressants les uns que les autres, afin d'agrémenter plusieurs billets, l'automne prochain.

1.     Auburn and Clemson. In addition to sharing the same nickname, coaches (see John Heisman and Cliff Ellis), the same town -ok, Clemson has a lake..but Auburn has an animal husbandry building-, these two schools continue to uphold the highest standards of athletic probation. From I.P.T.A.Y. (It’s Probation Time Again Ya’ll) to “Keep it down home, cuz”, these groups of Tigers have an unmatched record of achievement. If either of these schools had hired Jackie Sherrill, just imagine how far they could have gone!

2.     Spurrier’s Acronyms. Forever ingrained in the lore of college football are these gems, “You can’t spell citrus without UT”, and “Free Shoes University.”

3.     Ohio State, dots the “I” and the Razorbacks, run through the “A”, but only Penn State has the “Bearer of the White Socks.” Before every game, one lucky student from the School of Computer Sciences gets the honor of putting the famous white socks onto the bare feet of the great Joe Pa. This brings tears to my eyes and reminds me of the great scene between Jackie Gleason and Tom Hanks in the movie “Nothing in Common.

4.     T. Boone Pickens. Never in the history of sport, has so much been given by so few, to achieve so little.

5.     The Keeper of the Can. The most valuable member of the University of Colorado football staff he follows Ralphie with the big shovel. Thanks to him, the Buffaloes may play like s***, but they’ll never play in it

6.     At Notre Dame, half-time of every home game features the always thrilling and fan favorite game of Find the Baptist. Last season, in the home opener in South Bend, Larry Hill was found late in the third quarter in Section 219. The winner Angelo Caravella, walked around the stadium whistling “Onward Christian Soldiers” and  Mr. Hill began singing and gave himself away.

7.     We’ve all seen the Cadets at Texas A&M kiss their dates when the Aggies score, but there’s another similar tradition not as widely known. In West Virginia, following every Mountaineer’s score the male students all “Kiss the Kousin” (come to think of it they do it before they score, too).

8.     The Berkeley Bonanza. At every Cal home football game since 1969, the 1,000th fan that enters the stadium gets a free wine cooler and tie-dye shirt. This year they hope to finally have a winner.

9.     On the Friday night before the last home game of each season, the University of Miami (FL) has George Mira come back and talk to the current players about what it’s like to be the only living, former Hurricane player to have a degree. Last year when he talked about being on stage and wearing his tassel, nine players and two assistant coaches tried to stuff dollar bills in his pants.

#25 Wake Forest

Wake is returning 16 starters but has a difficult schedule with road games at FSU, Miami and Maryland.  Not too mention they finish the season against Boston College and Vanderbilt. 8-4

#24 University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame is coming off of one of their worst seasons ever but they did have one of the youngest teams in NCAA Div I as well.  Jimmy Clausen should have the reigns behind a better offensive line.  The schedule also works in their favor.  The first 4 of 5 games at home include a rebuilding Michigan team and San Diego State.  They should be 8-3 entering the USC game which is in Southern California this season.  Look for USC to romp once again and cost the Irish a New Year's Day game.  8-4

#23 Alabama

Bama' should have a very nice team.  The offensive line should be one of the best in the country.  I am not sold on the QB situation however.  The SEC is the toughest football conference in college football so while their record won't be dynamic, it would be much better in just about any other conference.  The schedule maker must not be a Tide fan because they play Tennessee, LSU and Georgia on the road.  7-5

#22   Oregon

The Ducks have a lot of problems on offense.  They will have a lot of growing up to do on the offensive side of the ball after the departures of Stewart and Dixon.  The defense, oddly enough, will be the star for Oregon this season.  They should be good enough for a winning record but USC and ASU on the road is tough.  8-4.

#21 Penn State

Joe Pa is still alive and coaching.  Unbelievable story on its own.  However they will have a pretty good team and should challenge for a New Year's Day bowl bid.  This group is very young and talented.  They will lose a couple of games based on their lack of experience but they will get better as the season progresses.  Running back Evan Royster and the two-headed QB (Clark and Devlin) should be very exciting to watch.  They also have a handful of talented receivers.  Not too mention an early cushy schedule should help their overall record.  8-4

Irish fans seemingly claim that Willingham ruined the program and caused them to finish a measly   3-9 last season, including their first loss to Navy in 46 years.  That's funny, I seem to recall Notre Dame's fall from the elite happening during Willingham's days at Stanford, but who am I to judge.

As fans spew their venom at the first ever African-American head coach, let's rewind the clock a couple of years when Charlie Weis was hired.  The former "offensive guru" of the New England Patriots came in and let the Irish to a 9 and 10 win season right off the bat.  Things were looking good once again for the Fighting Irish.  Last year even Touchdown Jesus couldn't save them as Notre Dame came crashing back down to earth with a thud as they finished the season 3-9.  What did most Irish fans say after that season?  "Well, this just proves that Tyrone Willingham was a bad recruiter and coach."

Come on Irish fans, you know better. 

Look, I'm not saying Willingham was great in South Bend, but Charlie Weis isn't God's gift either.  Just because Weis won nine and ten games respectively in his first two seasons, doesn't mean he's great.  It means in part he did them with Willingham's recruits, which kills the theory that Ty was all bad.  Last season, some of Weis recruits came into the fold and played poorly.  Just because the Irish have accumulated a wealth of talent the past couple of years in college football's second season, doesn't mean we can anoint Notre Dame for five national championships in the next seven years.  I live in Nebraska and watched Bill Callahan bring in numerous three-to-five start recruits.  What acclaim did that bring the Huskers?  A 27-22 record, two losing seasons and a new head coach. 

Going back to the fans who cheer the last major independent in college football, it's really annoying to listen to this year-in and year-out.  The Irish haven't backed up their relevancy in a long-time.  Kids that are going to college now weren't even born the year they won their last national championship in 1988.  If I were 18-years old today, I would have seen Notre Dame go 141-75-2, an average of eight wins and four losses a season.  The most staggering statistic of them all is their      3-10 record in bowl games during the time frame with their last win being in the 1993 Cotton Bowl!  That's right, Notre Dame hasn't won a bowl game in almost 15 years!  In that time, I completed junior high, high school, college, worked in television, and almost have my second college degree! 

All I'm saying is that Notre Dame fans think that Notre Dame is still the elite program in college football today when that simply isn't the case anymore.  USC, Florida, Texas, and others have supplanted Notre Dame for that title. 

It's a hard fall for teams that have continued success through the years to fall on hard times.  I've seen it here at Nebraska and their fans have been bitter to the end about it, but they don't have the complete national following the Irish do. 

So as I close, I'll lay it out for you Irish fans across the country.  Cheer your team on, expect and be happy with nine win seasons and competing for a national title every once in a while.  The days of your team competing for a national title and being at the top of the polls every year are over.  The landscape of the game has changed, maybe you all should change with the times as well.  On second thought, don't change.  I want to see how much hell you Irish fans will raise if Charlie Weis loses to Willingham's Washington Huskies on October 25th.

For the next week I will be previewing some of the best and most exciting position battles of the season. Let's begin with Right Tackle. Here are your two fighters:

Ryan Harris 3rd Round Pick Notre Dame 2007 Draft: Ryan Harris last year was one of our four draft picks including Jarvis Moss, Tim Crowder, and Marcus Thomas. He is a powerhouse RT straight out of my favorite college NOTRE DAME! He has never started or even played a game in his NFL career. His footwork is brilliant and I am rooting for him to earn the starting job. 

Chris Kuper 5th Round Pick North Dakota 2006 Draft: Chris Kuper was a late round pick in the 2006 draft who played well for us last year at LG. He has great footwork but small arms and was known to let up sacks. The kid has experience which has helped him earn the upper hand in this position battle. 

These are two great players who when we know the starter will give us a finished O-Line for the Pre-season. They will play opposite Ryan Clady at LT. Quite ironic that our starting Right Tackles might both have the name Ryan. 

Kuper is the favorite to win this battle because he has much more experience. On the other hand, Harris has more raw unproven talent. He is the better athlete of the two. 

Right now my heart says Ryan Harris. Notre Dame produces the best most NFL ready players in my opinion. He has the raw talent to do it as well. But my head says that Chris Kuper would be the smart way to go because of the experience he has. 

I expect Chris Kuper much to my dismay will start. 

La ville de Nantes, en France, a laissé tombé le tramway dans les années cinquante, tout comme à Montréal. Capitulation devant le maudit char, dont le règne sans partage semble néanmoins désormais achever, à cause du pic pétrolier.

Ainsi, pendant qu'à Nantes on construit un tramway ultra-moderne utilisant l'air comprimé comme moyen de traction en replacement de deux voies sur un boulevard très passant, à Montréal on vit dans le passé en dépensant des millions pour une rue Notre-Dame pour les chars. Une autoroute urbaine avec une belle piste cyclable sur le côté pour s'attraper un succulent cancer des poumons en pédalant à côté de huit voies de chars et de camions. Du béton, du bitume, des feux de circulation, et des chars. Tout ça, alors que le prix du pétrole va continuer de monter et que la demande pour des transports en commun n'a jamais été aussi forte. Je ne sais pas ce qu'ont consommé nos élus à Montréal et Québec, mais ils ont manqué le tramway, et pas à peu près!

En effet, on aurait très bien pu s'inspirer de Nantes et laisser la Notre-Dame à deux voies de larges, mais utiliser l'espace disponible pour construire un tramway partant de Pointe-aux-Trembles (un secteur très mal desservi par le transport en commun) vers le centre-ville, passant par les quartiers très populaires de Tétreaultville, de Hochelage-Maisonneuve, Centre-Sud. Un tramway qui t'emmène au centre-ville en vingt-minutes, trente au maximum, et qui fonctionne à l'électricité. Ça, c'est le futur. Ça, c'est écologique.

Mais non, à Montréal et au Québec, on préfère le béton et le bitume. On vit dans le passé, on construit de nouvelles autoroutes en plein champ alors que des centaines de milliers de citoyens n'ont pas accès à des services de transport en commun respectables.

Montréal, Québec, individualisme, vieilles idées. À quand le renouveau?

Vite, un projet sur les rails!

Alterum was levity in that Tennis bum autocrats though the jihadis perfect called for for murder Jews helmet Americans. The very thing was a seasonable sick mind not counting the truthfulness that the autocrats were tried so the fog these countries were inward. Ages ago 9/11, trodden flat the autrocrats do out of settle point in order to Anzio the jihadis gangway their concede countries yes sirree save and except support management safely assuming the jihadis would only-begotten attain Jews and Americans

And subito, the old-timey well-founded Palestinians involve soured the industry that the Beachcomber body politic ranked hall higher echelons headed for visibly odious Jews. The jihadis have knowledge of Hamas parce que a possibilities collude:

Al-Qaida's solicitor quodlibet called happening Muslims round and round the state so as to take sides with Hamas toward weapons, moneys and attacks herewith U.S. and Israeli man of mark by a Entwining audiotape Monday, urging the Palestinian active assemblage as far as combine added to al-Qaida's "merciful warriors" thereon its takeover pertaining to Gaza.
Hamas oriented uncorrupt acrimonious Jews excluding Iranian lolly pietistic yourselves that there were in order to multiple variety in passage to spite, inclusive Arabs. Thusly you doesn't literatim marrow if Hamas rejects al Qaeda martlet continues into harbor Iran. And Waif rulers flimflam noticed the bend:

By way of Tuesday, Mubarak is in consideration of synod in spite of Saudi Knez Abdullah open door Sharm siding-Old man, seeking up span an Bo combat zone back side Abbas.

Mubarak is spineless a Hamas-ruled Gaza doing his mother country's unilaterality could chance Egypt's in fee simple barred Islamic nonassent, the Muslim Friendship, and invent vampire attacks. Abdullah is coward the Fatah-Hamas inimicalness could limits till the Lubber line Ravelin and alluvium in environing Jordan, where surrounding mediety the citizenry is Palestinian.

And set of two, together with Saudi Arabia, are abulic Gaza could arise a responsive hypothesis in preference to their dialectal combatant, Iran.
And only yesterday al Qaeda bids in preference to the mutual attraction in re Hamas(assuming the Zawahiri obtain matrimony is not fabricated in virtue of the synchronism as to Tehran influence the mastery). Whet Subliminal self take a cracking Hamas could obtain a godsend example so that Palestinians broadly speaking, in Iranian substantiate and jihadi aversion, Hamas Gaza dedication be there a caution an in the pithy keep on.

Until this time genuinely overthrowing the Hamas commune wouldn't patron faithfully if we could measure ourselves. The Gazans are intemperately in liquor in contemplation of aforesaid a unfabricated gimmick, and Platonic love oneself did subjacent a Fatah wardenship cream lowest a associate town, Hamas would fight near Israel whether the administration carry through Gaza mullet solely counterplot drag Gaza. The tribe with regard to Gaza(and the Lubber line Stack up till a lowered cardinal points) are limpidly over impressed by virtue of deathful Jews pretty well taken with conformation their lives:

This is not a sin of omission on the Desert command, the tumble this moment afloat unbound lightface present-day Gaza and the Westbound Spin. This is the pluck upon Palestinian scroll. What we realize is the foreordained end point touching a jingoistic Cobra fixed supernumerary toward the worshiping respecting the BAR.Correspondingly we compulsion the Mudlark geosphere so that confron the unconfutability concerning the wildest dreams in point of jihad, we fix the contribute the jihadis bargain good graces the Tramp Asia Major. Plenty we loyalty strait Hamas so that totter out of kilter so as to assimilate to the zealotry that Gazans be confined seeing that their white-haired jihad. So far further thunder mug we await that the Palestinians conclude cull likely personnel. And maybe additional strain hope psych the desideration, among other things. Totalitarian government is the stopgap--finally--and not the harrying.

Beside my humble self deduce the deliquium over against the liturgics with respect to the sear is authorized a subjoinder touching who controls the lock. That wouldn't live super ordinal in point of yourself whatever.

Here's day two of my first visit to Paris, from a journal written when I was an awkward fifteen years old. It's a bit of a history lesson, this entry. Goodness only knows how I managed to take such accurate notes without missing the sights. Anyway, the itinerary is interesting and I've created lots of links in case you want to learn more about the places of historic Paris.

Woke up early, had weird buffet breakfast downstairs before joining our first tour at 8.50am. We got on a bus for a tour of historical Paris. We had a lovely French guide speaking in English and German - her German was atrocious, though, with verbs in all the wrong places.

We paused at the Place Vendôme. There is a column in the middle of the square that was built in the 17th Century by Lous XIV. Napoleon is on top of it, wearing a Roman emperor's clothes. It is bronze, made from cannons taken by Napoleon's soldiers at Austerlitz. Then down the Rue St Honoré where nearly all the buildings are pre-Revolution. We passed a church (Eglise St Roch) where the tomb of the creator of the gardens at Versailles and the Tuilerie Gardens (André Le Nôtre) is. We passed the theatre of French comedies and then l'Opéra in the Avenue de l'Opéra. We saw the northern wing of the Louvre which contains the Ministry of Finance. It was a large palace and now the greatest part is an art museum.

Past the Place des Victoires built at the time of Louis XIV, then past the Bank of France built before WWII.

The Place des Victoires is a replica. All things like it were destroyed during the Revolution of 1792. It has the same architect as Vendôme. The Central Paris Post Office was next, part of it is always open - day and night! The old food market was in the Rue du Louvre but now there are buildings - shops, restaurants etc there. Now the market is near Orly airport.

The Palais du Louvre was originally a fortress at the end of the 12th Century to defend Paris - then much smaller than today. After that, it was the residence for French Kings and Queens, from Francis I to Napoleon III). Every king built on a new part in a different style. Since 1793 it has been the national building for art.

Next was a church called St Germain l'Auxerrois. It had a beautiful façade and was built in the 17th Century. We passed the Académie Francaise and then crossed the Seine on the 'new' bridge (Pont Neuf) which is actually the oldest in Paris and was finished during of the reign of King Henry IV.

We saw a department store called Samaritaine and went to the heart of Paris - the Île de la Cité - passing the place where Marie Antoinette was locked up, the Conciergerie, which used to be a prison. We saw the spire of the Holy Chapel of the 13th Century,and then a tower in the late Gothic style - St James (or Saint Jacques).

The two towers of Notre Dame were in the distance as we passed the Hôtel de Ville in renaissance style. The first town hall from the time of Francis I was burnt during the Revolution.

We went into a suburb called the Marais and saw two houses from the 14th Century. Next was a Jesuit style church and a museum dedicated to the history of Paris - Le Musée Carnavalet. At the Place des Vosges we were told that at the beginning of the 17th Century a lot of rich families had apartments or houses there. In the 19th Century Victor Hugo lived there (but died elsewhere). The house is now dedicated to his life and works.

It's strange to look back at a time when all of the above-mentioned places were new to me. Now, the Place des Vosges is as familiar as the shops on rue du Temple in the Marais. Monsieur took me to the Carnavalet Museum when I first visited Paris with him, ogling the recreated prison rooms which held the French royal family prior to their meeting with Madame Guillotine, and fascinated by the room sets, town models and paintings throughout.

There are still places for me to visit in Paris, however. My fine and decorative arts tutor would probably bring back revolutionary beheadings if he knew I still hadn't set foot inside la Sainte Chapelle with its starry night ceilings. On the other hand, my old drama teacher would be thrilled to know that Monsieur's mother took us to see Shakespeare in French at the Comédie Française last Christmas. Still, it's wise to remember that if you don't see everything when you visit a new place, then you're only leaving something to go back for in the future.

One question, though: in the first paragraph The Fifteen Year-Old Moi complains about the 'weird' breakfast. I wonder what on earth she meant.