Next Weekend - College Football officially kicks off

Sorry for those who follow Division II or whatever, but Labor Day weekend will be the official kickoff of NCAA College Football '07.

Remember the days of the Kickoff Classic and Pigskin Classic.

Those days are of course long gone. The Big Ten, the Unversity of Iowa, Big 12, Iowa State, Gateway and Northern Iowa... the action will return.

My wife celebrates her birthday next Saturday, so we will not be in Chicago. Soldier Field should see plenty of Black and Gold hit the Windy City next weekend.

On the TV front, the Big Ten Network will debut at the end of the week. Plenty of Big Ten action will be on the tube.

Will Mediacom here breakdown and launch the network. We'll have the wait and see. I haven't joined the DirecTV crowd yet, but I know others that have.

Less than 7 day! I guess the weather today wasn't the only sign that Fall is coming!

peace

Interesting Attendance Rules at 'Bama

Don't get drunk attending the University of Alabama football games... you may cost you your seat and the right to have season tickets.

Could you imagine, if our world required such state of affairs?

peace

Who's #2 through 5 in College Football in '07

We all know who #1 should be entering the '07 College Football Season, right! The USC Trojans (11-2, last year) are clearly the choice for opening the season at the top spot!

But, I can't say any team deserves an automatic slot in the Top 5 other than the Trojans.

The 2007 USAToday Preseason Coaches Poll is out and USC is #1, with LSU, Florida, Texas and Michigan rounding off the Top 5. I see the Iowa Hawkeyes picked up 12 votes coming off a disappointing 6-7 season in '06, including a 24-26 loss to Texas in last year's Alamo Bowl.

Is the Defending Champions ready to rebuild defensively and with a new QB under center to finish in the Top 5 again? Like Florida, LSU will have a new QB at the helm in '07.

Michigan returns plenty on offense, but must rebuild their defense. Does defense win championships? Will that theory be tested in '07?

The media's AP Top 25 Poll is out. West Virginia and Florida swap places from the AP and USA Today positions. The Montaineers are #3 in the AP Poll, while the defending national champs are outside the Top 5 at #6. The media isn't giving any props to Iowa this season!

Interesting from the AP Top 25... the runner-ups from '06, Ohio State, are outside the Top 10 at #11. All 25 teams in the coaches poll made the AP Top 25, though some positions are flipped or different.

Another great season will unfold again in under two weeks!

peace

14 days to the Kickoff of Labor Day Weekend!

Wow, where has the year and summer gone in '07?

Colleges are getting started next week, such as UNI in Cedar Falls! The Cedar Rapids Community Schools here in Cedar Rapids start on Tuesday.

It's been a fast summer with plenty to look back on and smile about.

Kickoff of the Iowa Football Season in '07 is only 14 days away!

Soldier Field will be the venue for the '07 opener, as the Iowa Hawkeyes face the Northern Illinois Huskies in Chicago, IL. Followed up by the home opener, Saturday night, September 7th, with the Syracuse Oragemen.

peace

Becoming a UNI Parent this August '07

The dog days of Summer end quicker and quicker each year. Or is that just due to schools starting there school years earlier and earlier each year?

This week we helped get our oldest child started at her new destination, the University of Northern Iowa. One of the three outstanding regent institutions here in the State of Iowa.

I am happy for her to begin her college experience. The University of Northern Iowa is an excellent choice. I hear plenty of good past experiences from former students and parents of students.

Most of her friends are off to the University of Iowa, Creighton, Iowa State, Drake and elsewhere. Always good to hear my alma mater mentioned!

I greatly enjoyed my college experience back in the 1980s. Here's to all starting and enjoying their college experience this fall!

peace