Labor Day: Odds and Ends

Originally Posted on Foxsports on August 29, 2007.



Ah, Labor Day.  The final fling of summer.  So many things to do each summer, so little time left to do them.  Here are a few of the end of summer traditions I like to take part in...

Kruse Auctions holds its annual bash in conjunction with the Auborn (Indiana) Duesenberg Days during the Labor Day weekend.  If it has wheels, it will be sold here.  Pick a year, a manufacturer and a color.  They have it.  Want a car owned by AJ Foyt, Carroll Shelby, Elvis? Get the garage ready.  Want your own Mark Martin Cup car?  Franchitti IndyCar?  Transfer money to the checking account.  I love going to the auction to see cars and manufacturers I've never heard of, along with everything I have heard of.  Plus, where else are you going to get a look at a million dollar tour bus?  Oh, yeah, they have a parade of Duesenbergs through town too, which is worth the trip by itself.

Local track racing.  It is the end of the season for many of the local tracks.  Despite weeks of racing, most tracks have points races close enough to make one race determine the winner.  That will happen near you this weekend.

IMCA Boone SuperNationals.  SuperNationals, sanctioned by IMCA, begin on Monday at Boone Speedway.  Several hundred teams (yes, you read that right) will sign in for the chance to become SuperNational Champion.  It will take all week, Monday through Saturday night, to qualify cars and run the final races in each of six different divisions.

The Southern 500.  Oops, forgot we modified this to California because the racing's better there.  No, that's not right.  The crowd is a sell-out.  No, no.  Californians dig stock car racing way more than South Carolinians.  Hmm...maybe not.   Well, for whatever reason, Nascar decided it would be better.  Parade starts sometime Sunday afternoon and may end under the lights.   Wake me if something exciting happens.

Labor Day signals the start of the college football season.  And tomorrow night, the Iowa State Cyclones take on the Kent State Golden Flashes.  I plan to be there.  Let the tailgating begin.

NFL seasons officially start immediately following Labor Day.  The placeholders can now sit the bench while starters like LaDainian Tomlinson take the field.  The Quest for Super Bowl Championship begins.

Is It Time for College Football Yet?

Originally Posted on Foxsports.com on July 17, 2007

It happened tonight. I actually checked my calendar to see if I had a free Saturday to do something other than watch college football.

And the answer is: No, I really don't have time to do anything each weekend between late August and, well, January 5th or so.

The last guy I dated didn't really understand my fascination with college football. He had the audacity to COMPLAIN when I flipped between the Richmond race and the South Carolina game. I love racing, but I can watch it and football on TV at the same time.

Why is a girl in Iowa watching a South Carolina game? Because I"ve attended a game at William Bice Stadium and LOVED it!

Besides, he should know that racing commercials take at least 5 minutes, and the crash replay is just as good, if not better. This lack of understanding is probably why the door hit him on the way out.

And, his remarks forfeited him the pleasure of hearing me cheer "Go Cocks!" during a particularly fantastic play (get your mind out of the gutter).

But this year, Gamecocks viewing aside, I have season tickets to Iowa State's games. You live in the town with the stadium, you go.

I'm looking forward to: Tailgating. Sunburns. Slight Hangovers (I do have church the next day). Wearing cardinal & gold. and Cheering loudly.

Can't it start this weekend? Sigh...