THE HUGE SPORTS WEEKEND

I got my sports weekend off to a great start with some local football on Friday night. The Immokalee Indians from Collier County took on my hometown Charlotte Tarpons in nearby Punta Gorda. Immokalee is a powerhouse for football here in Florida. They were state champs in their class as recently as 2004 and are the alma mater of NFL star Edgerrin James. Not surprisingly, the Indians dominated the game by outgaining the Tarpons in total yardage 463 to 166 on the legs of stud running backs Brian Rolle and Carl Elie. Look for these guys playing D-1 college ball. The final score was 20-0 as turnovers prevented the game from becoming a laugher. But a good time was had by all, including my son Jimmy since it was his first ever football game!


A hearty cheer begins the game as the Tarpons kickoff.


The Indians pound one for a TD from the 1 yard line.


My first football game, 1 hamburger, 2 juice boxes, and some candy - not too bad for a 4 year old!

This will be a great weekend for sports. I'm very interested in the Saturday night NASCAR race from Richmond which will decide who makes the Chase for the Championship. The IRL wraps up its 2006 season with a race from Chicagoland Speedway that will crown 1 of the 4 remaining contenders as 2006 champ. The US Open concludes with its Mens and Ladies Finals, including an appearance by the "pretty" Maria Sharapova. The Manning Brothers inaugurate NBC's Sunday Night Football in a family affair that pits the Colts and Giants. And you know I'll be rooting for the Ole Ball Coach as the Georgia Bulldogs play the upstart Gamecocks in their SEC opener in South Carolina. However, as dramatic as all these sporting events may prove to be, they didn't make the One to Watch cut.

Saturday, September 9 - COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Ohio State at Texas - This rare early-season matchup of the 1st and 2nd ranked teams in the nation should be a heckuva game. Ohio State has the better offense. Texas has the better defense and is playing at home. The winner of this game will be a favorite to play for the National Championship, but the loser will certainly not be eliminated from consideration. I think OSU QB Troy Smith will be the difference. He reminds many of....Vince Young. My pick: Ohio State.

Sunday, September 10 - PRO FOOTBALL: Atlanta at Carolina - I'm going with this one because I think the NFC South may be the best division in football. I realize I'm nearly alone in this thought. But I'm bullish on the Panthers, Bucs, and Falcons. And while I don't expect as much from the Saints, it will be interesting to see the impact of RB Reggie Bush. As to this game, the Falcons traditionally play the Panthers tough, as its the closest thing each team has to a rivalry. Carolina WR Steve Smith is expected to miss the game due to injury and I'm reminded that the Panthers often start off slowly. My pick: Atlanta.

This one's for my brother Russ, an Austin resident who already started his tailgating on Friday night, and also for Francase and his wife Kim. Hook 'em Horns!