GOOD SEASON... SO FAR

It has been a great football season. The two teams I support, the Fightin' Tigers of Louisiana State University and the New Orleans Saints(Who Dat!!!), are a combined 9-0 this season. But that perfect record will likely sport a blemish by Sunday morning. Sure, my Tigers COULD beat Florida. They're at home, they looked better last weeked and Tim Tebow may not play. But even without their leading passer and jort-sporter, the Gators have to be favored to win. You can learn more about Florida fans and jorts at http://www.tigerdroppings.com/. It's a great forum for college football fans. I recommend the "SEC Rant".
Anyway, despite Vegas giving the Gators 7-and-a-half, I'm picking my Tigers to win: 27-17.

I've always loved football. The Saints started breaking my heart when I was about five years old. And though I never really was a big LSU fan till I went to school there, I alwasy watched college games. In fact, football is probably my favorite sport to watch, which is a little strange since it is one of the few sports I never played. I played baseball, basketball, golf, tennis, etc. But I've never so much as put on a pair of shoulder pads, much less played in a game.

I prefer college games. I think it's because I like upsets, and you just see more of those David topples Goliath games in college ball. Good college teams are more likely to play down to their competition. And home field advantage seems to be more of an advantage than it is in the NFL.

My experience at LSU reinforced my preference for college football. Saturday nights in Death Valley can be electric(when the Tigers are playing well) I worked in student media during my time at LSU and got the chance to be on the field for many games. Just imagine sitting at the bottom of a hot, humid, sticky concrete bowl, surrounded by 90,000+ crazy, sauced cajuns, when the Tigers intercept what would have been the winning touchdown pass on fourth down, on the final play of the game. That was my first experience covering college football. Troy Twillie picked off the pass right in front of the student section, and LSU held on to upset Auburn in 1995. I'm lucky I don't have permanent hearing damage.

That ranks as one of my favorite football games I ever attended. LSU's win over top-ranked Florida in 1997 also ranks near the top. And THAT win gives me some hope my perfect football season will last past this weekend.

Please, share with me some of your favorite college football memories. I'd love to hear them.

SWEET ANTICIPATION

One of the least painful, but most annoying aspects of radiation treatment, in my case, is loss of taste.
They radiated where my right tonsil used to be, and also the areas immediately around that. It messes with your salivary glands and taste buds. The dry-mouth is getting better, but a nurse told me it may take up to a month for my taste buds to start coming back. Then I read online it may take longer than that. Every case seems to be a bit different.
Anyway, I can taste a little salt in foods. I get even less of bitter and tart foods. And I taste no sweet at all. And love sweets!
So, I am making a list of sweet things I plan to devour once I can taste them again:

- M&Ms (peanut, not plain)
- Pancakes with real maple syrup
- The largest banana nut muffin I can find
- Smarties (Man, I hope I can taste sweets before Halloween)
- One bite from every kind of pie at Village Inn
- Caramel popcorn
- Coffee ice cream

And that's as far as I've gotten.

PLEASE, share any ideas you have. What are your favorite sweet treats??? And why should I add them to my list??? Convince me.