8 days until football...

The countdown is officially on. I just wanted to update everyone and answer some of the questions I have received thus far.

1) I have $$$ from 4 of the 8 thus far. Still waiting on STEEL CURTAIN, BOMB, JG, KOBS...everyone else is in. Once again, shoot me a check in the mail or get me cash - whatever works.

2) From the giant list of games I sent out we will only be picking 15 games. You are allowed the freedom to pick whichever 15 you want from that list.

3) The point spread I send out (typically on Monday) is the spread that we will be measuring against. Lines will change if you look them up on-line, but we rate everything off of the opening line in USA TODAY, which I send out to you on Mondays.

Hope this clears up some of the confusion. We're just over a week out until a Thursday packed full of action. I'll be doing a little blogging throughout that evening, so please feel free to join in if you'd like.

Not a lot of comments on the Gophers practice session from Saturday. Hard to take anything away from that - it was extremely basic and vanilla. It was nice to see Michael Carter make some big plays - he should end up being our 5th DB this year. Hageman has been playing a lot of DE in practice this week - I love the idea. A guy that's 6'6" and 240 as a freshman with freaky athletic ability is made for DE. Brewster had the novel comment that was something like, "we need to get some of our better athletes on the defensive side of the ball." Sounds like something Mase would say. IALTO. For me, the highlights were the special teams - Orseske, the freshman punter, can mash the ball! 60+ more than once in the game is a nice little weapon to have. Also, Stoudamire will take at least one back to the house this season...the guy is electric as a returner. I've heard lots of QB and RB complaints coming out of Saturday, but honestly, I'm really not worried. Weber still has a man-crush on Decker, but hopefully he'll grow out of that soon as he is a junior now. The RB by committee approach will be whittled down to 2 in my opinion. Bennett and Whaley are the clear favorites...I'm just not much of an Eskridge fan. Overall, a nice little pacifier for us all until the 5th.

Let me know if you have any other questions on the Football Challenge. I'll send out the game list again on Monday morning for week 1.

PJ shuts us down for Wednesday with one of my Top 10..."Thumbing My Way" in its entirety


i have not been home since you left long ago
i'm thumbing my way back to heaven
counting steps, walking backwards on the road
i'm counting my way back to heaven
i can't be free with what's locked inside of me
if there was a key, you took it in your hand
there's no wrong or right, but i'm sure there's good and bad
the questions linger overhead
no matter how cold the winter, there's a springtime ahead
i'm thumbing my way back to heaven
i wish that i could hold you
i wish that i had
thinking 'bout heaven
i let go of a rope, thinking that's what held me back
and in time i've realized, it's now wrapped around my neck
i can't see what's next, from this lonely overpass
hang my head and count my steps, as another car goes past
all the rusted signs we ignore throughout our lives
choosing the shiny ones instead
i turned my back, now there's no turning back
no matter how cold the winter, there's a springtime ahead
i smile, but who am i kidding?
i'm just walking the miles, every once in a while i'll get a ride
i'm thumbing my way back to heaven
thumbing my way back to heaven
i'm thumbing my way back to heaven...