It's Finally Here!

If you are looking for something really spiritual, today's entry isn't for you. Sorry. The wait is over...the 2011-12 college football season begins tonight! And I am excited! The sound of the bands. The thousands of rabid fans packing the stadiums week after week. The traditions. The pageantry. The debate. I love it all. Here are some odds and ends from me to you about the upcoming season:

*First of all-Go Vols! There's no place like Rocky Top.
*I hope Joe Paterno and Penn State win the Big Ten. Maybe then the "Joe's Too Old!" crowd will be quieted...until next year. Leave the man alone; he's earned his keep.
*The toughest conference? The SEC. Toughest division? The SEC West. It could be scary.
*The NCAA needs to find a way to enforce rules and punish wrongdoers without making innocent parties suffer. A player today shouldn't have to live in the shadow of what the rule-breakers of a decade ago did to the program. Fine the universities...millions of dollars for the serious transgressions. That will go a long way to putting an end to the shenanigans.
*Cheer for the (used-to-be) little guy: Boise State. Although I'm an SEC man, I have always enjoyed watching the Broncos play, even when just a few years ago their games were relegated to late night showings. I'm not saying they deserve a shot at this year's championship, but I do wish them well.
*My least favorite conference: PAC 10. I'll watch them play, but only if nobody else is on TV.
*On a personal note: I have a friend who is a die-hard Mizzou man. He's convinced the Tigers will finish the season in the top ten. Let me go on record by saying that it ain't gonna happen!
*As always, I hope Michigan and Auburn lose every game. I guess it's my throwback to Woody and the Bear. And I don't want Florida State to succeed, at least not this soon after forcing out Bobby Bowden. See the above comments concerning JoPa.
*The eventual BCS champion? Tennessee. O.K. Maybe not. There are a handful that have the potential to win it all, but my pick is Alabama.
*In all seriousness, enjoy the season as a blessing from God; remember I Corinthians 10:31, "...whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."