Before we go camping, allow me to send along a thanks for the email that some of you have sent about the blog.  THANKS!

And On The Third Day ~ Still no word from Patriots Coach Bill Belichick as to why Tom Brady missed his third day of practice.  It’s good to see that it’s only training camp but Coach Belichick is already in mid-season form with his game face on his injury list.  Let me guess, were it the regular season, Tom would be listed as probable.  In the meantime, Matt Cassel is getting in some work with the first team.  Now that 56 year old Doug Flutie retired, Matt’s one play away from being ‘the man’.

Bush’s Approval Ratings Soar ~ As in Reggie, who’s poll numbers rate a $26 million… and bring him to camp having missed only the first three practices. The Saints practice?  Yea, I know, I was surprised too.  But these are the new and improved Saints.

Who Can It Be? ~ Word out of East Rutherford is that Jets Coach Eric Mangini is waiting for his starting Quarterback to show himself.  Asked when will a decision be made on a starter, Mangini replied, “As soon as someone distinguishes himself, that will be the date.” Dude, go with ‘Paper, Rock, Scissors’ or something!  We’re talking Chad Pennington, Brooks Bollinger, Patrick Ramsey and Kellen Clemons here.  Remember, the last coaching staff ran down octogenarian Vinnie Testaverde at a retirement home last season.

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back ~ News out of Atlanta this past weekend was that WR Brian Finneran was lost for the season to a knee injury.  Although he didn’t start, Finneran was Michael Vick’s favorite target among his wideouts, catching 60 balls last year.  Make no mistake about it, this is not what the league’s 27th rated passing offense needed to improve their output.

Hail To The (Next) Chief ~ The NFL announced the five finalists for NFL Commissioner: ROGER S. GOODELL, 47, New York, N.Y. Executive Vice President and COO, NFL ; GREGG H. LEVY, 53, Washington, D.C. Partner, Covington & Burling law firm; FREDERICK R. NANCE, 52, Cleveland, Ohio. Partner, Squire Sanders & Dempsey law firm; ROBERT L. REYNOLDS, 54, Concord, Mass. Vice Chairman and COO, Fidelity Investments ; MAYO A. SHATTUCK III, 51, Baltimore, Md. Chairman of the Board, President and CEO of Constellation Energy… Imagine that, not a preacher on the list!