The new season arrives at last It’s here. The 4-12 in 2006 is in the past. The 3-1 preseason in 2007 is in the past. This coming Sunday, 9.15pm BST sees our Tampa Bay Buccaneers travelling to Washington to face the Seattle Seahawks and it’s about time! This off-season has made me realise how much I actually love the game of Football – be it roster changes, preseason games, training camp, the draft, spring ball, recruiting (the latter two are part of the college game) and, for the first time ever, fantasy football preparation. (Incidentally, I’m presuming Paul will read this and add an oh-so-funny edit about how I’ve destroyed his team – if he does, he’s lying) Never before has a sport rather than a team hooked me so much – in part, thanks to Bucpower.com and Paul Stewart – and for that I’m eternally grateful. (Unlike my partner – she’s not too keen on the prospect of Monday Night Football!) The vast bulk of the roster has been set, Cannon and Ball are in the Glazers’ sights; Kenneth Darby is farcically ONLY on the practice squad, we’ve a guy with gammy knees replacing a guy with a gammy head, a shotgun (aimed at our beloved Coach & GM?), 1 Pro-Quarterback, 1 Pro-Clipboard holder, 1 Pro-Pop Gun, and 1 guy wandering around (and throwing) aimlessly without a spleen make up our quarterbacks. A WR who passed out at the wheel (good muscles though – he knew to keep his foot on the brake), media coverage STILL claiming we’ve an old defense (Adams, Jackson, Piscitelli and June surely bring the average down a bit? Even Ol’ Gammy Knees Trotter is four years younger than our perennial all-pro and sure fire 2nd HoFer Derrick Brooks), people (me) already looking at next years draft (DeSean Jackson if he comes out early?), people still talking about kick-off returns, and a Defensive Coordinator who’s a point to prove after our D caved last year. (If the D caved, what the heck did the O do? Avalanched?) Finally, The Malicious Penguins are GO! NFL Watch Mike Vick is now being called He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named in various strands of the media. Why? He’s not lethal (unless you’re a Pit-bull. Incidentally, I wonder what Georgia University fans felt seeing as they’re called the Bulldogs?), and “Vick” is easier to say. Michael Strahan finally showed up to camp, now $200k lighter. He may have had to pay the Giants a hefty sum, but he escaped the dreaded control-freak claws of Tommy Coughlin for 2 months AND will be the starter shortly. Maybe Tiki should have done the same – after all, Brandon Jacobs and Reuben Droughns? Good luck with that… JaMarcus Russell? Meet Bo Jackson. And ha-ha to Al. (And Norv) Planet Simeon is now in Denver’s’ sights, and will be used solely as a pass-rush specialist on 3rd/4th down. So basically the way it was thought Gaines Adams was to be used? I’m presuming that means a) Gaines is better value for money, b) Someone (The Glazers probably) had some common sense in realising that an aging veteran and a fresh-faced rookie competing for the same spot was pointless, and that only the rookie could improve. (It helps he at least appears sane) Richard Lowe, September 2007