That being said, isn’t this fantastic news?!

Excuse me while I twirl around singing “The Hills Are Alive with the Sound of Romo….”

Now, our highly paid, dimpled one can spend ALL of his free time working out, studying and strategizing, getting acupuncture on his pinky, breaking golf clubs over his knee (not too hard now!), ignoring that tape recorder under his bed that utters “Superbowl” over and over again in a soft whisper (Thanks, Garrett. Check’s in the mail).

Of course, it’s been reported that Romo was out and about recently with 14 close friends, Grey Goose and several female hangers on. I toss this up to your standard post-breakup partying. It won’t last long. There is business to be done. The first preseason game is in exactly one month (August 13th at Oakland).

The Hills are alive…. I can’t type. I’m twirling.

Romo and Simpson - how very cute....and, yet, not so

First order of business, the Falcons Training Camp schedule was released on AtlantaFalcons.com, but here are some FREE fan events that might just pique your interest!

Falcons Friday Night Lights
Aug. 7, 2009 at 6 p.m.
Brookwood High School (directions)The second demonstration of its kind, Falcons Friday Night Lights promises to be bigger and better than the inaugural event from 2008. The program features a live scrimmage between the Falcons offense and defense. Head Coach Mike Smith has developed a scoring system to allow the defense to tally points in a game atmosphere. The scrimmage will begin around 7:30 p.m., followed by a 15-minute autograph session and a fireworks display.
Roam the Dome
Aug. 8, 2009 at 10:30 a.m.
The Georgia Dome (more information)

Roam the Dome will feature on-field drills. But this time, fans will see the team — and the 2008 Falcons NFL Films Highlight — on two, new video boards. At Roam the Dome, fans will experience a simulated game including a performance of the National Anthem, a coin toss and player introductions. After the simulated game, fans can participate in skills games on the field. The scrimmage is set to begin around 12:30 p.m. Parking will be available to the general public in the Georgia Dome Orange Lot.

Now looking on the site I’m looking for how exactly I can best stalk Tony Gonzalez meet some players, especially New Falcons. There are autograph signings after the open practices which that schedule can be found HERE. Let me know if you guys and dolls will be at either of these events. I’m going to be at both (FALCONS CHICK DOESN’T PLAY) and the August 1st practice *fingers crossed on this one* I’m also in the process of figuring out how I can sneak my Black.Berry into Flowery Branch (shhhhhh anything with a flash camera, or video capabilities is illegal ) but surely they didn’t mean for me? right?

A DJ named Steve Porter has cleverly mashed up, auto-tuned, and “funkdified” some of your favorite awkward news conference moments. Bust-a-move to Iverson’s “We talking about practice?”. Do the stanky leg to Denny Green’s “They are who we thought they were!” And slow grind on the one you love to Jim Mora’s “Playoffs?!!”

Confused? We’ll let the video speak for itself.

In other couples news, kudos to Kiggie a.k.a Kim and Reggie for teaming up for a good will mission in Africa. They’ve reportedly made plans to visit South Africa to raise awareness for the Diamond Empowerment Fund. The organization raises money for the development and empowerment of communities throughout Africa where diamonds are a natural resource.

Hmmm..probably not the best idea to take a woman itching to get married to the land of diamonds…unless of course Reggie’s ready to pop the question. Our spies will keep a close eye on this one.

Thing is, this is a new dilemma for me. Over the past few years, there have been very, very few Buccaneers worth drafting. Sure, the defense was always solid, but the team hasn’t exactly been an offensive juggernaut. I remember scouring last year’s mock drafts for a Buc—any Buc—and the top prospect tended to be Earnest Graham in the fourth round followed by Joey Galloway in the eighth or ninth round. Not great. But this year the Bucs have a few potentially decent fantasy prospects, including tight end Kellen Winslow (who may also be the team’s third receiver), wide receiver and last year’s comeback kid Antonio Bryant (who is playing for a long-term contract), and Giants-transplant running back Derrick Ward.

So do I draft one of these guys if the opportunity arises? My head says it could work out, but my heart says be careful when mixing church and state. What to do? Pros and cons list!

If I draft Bucs for my fantasy team…

Pro: When the Bucs win, and my fantasy players play well, I am doubly happy.

Con: When the Bucs lose, and my fantasy players play poorly, I am doubly miserable.

Pro: I can always root for my fantasy Bucs, because they will never play against the real Bucs.

Con: I can take no glimmer of happiness from a bad Bucs loss. (e.g. I can’t believe we lost by 35! But if someone had to score 5 touchdowns, at least it was Adrian Peterson…)

Pro: I will feel like my fantasy team is a loving reflection of my loyalty to the Bucs.

Con: The Bucs will never see my fantasy team, and thus won’t care about said above-and-beyond loyalty. (Except there was that time when Gruden called to thank me for taking Dunn and Garcia off of waivers. Or, oh, wait, that was the manager of the fantasy team I was matched up against.)

Pro: I feel really entitled to call my team something fun like Buc’n Great!

Con: I already have a go-to team name. (It’s Exalted Mediocrity. Which fits, because I usually lose.)

What about you guys? Do you fill your fantasy team with members of your real team? Or do you just pick the best player available? And does the fact that I even have to ask explain my perpetually losing record?

How many of these fancy TDs can we expect from Antonio Bryant this season?

We look forward to “The T.O. Show” premiering July 20 on VH1! Check out this preview of what is supposed to show us the REAL (family oriented, grandma-lovin’, livin’ it up in LA) Terrell Owens. He looks cute, he acts humble, he looks sexy, he parties with hot chicks, he looks cute, he cries (yup!) and he looks sexy. His two best friends have pretty big roles as well, and from what I’ve seen of them, they’ve got T.O. beat in the annoying, obnoxiously loud department.

And we can also enjoy these scrumptioussssly delicious (I know that’s redunant but it’s a necessary description) photos from rookie Aaron Maybin’s Kings and Queens White Affair–the Aaron Maybin Foundation’s first annual event raising money for Baltimore’s inner city youth.

Ok, this wasn’t from his party but I couldn’t resist it.

This off-season is one of the longest I can remember. Perhaps it’s because I’m super-excited to blog about games every week, or maybe it’s because I can’t wait to see how the Steelers will react to their Super Bowl win. There haven’t been that many changes in the starting lineup, and pending injury, it’s pretty much the same guys who won it for us last season.

Isn’t it crazy how different your week is when it’s football season compared to when it isn’t? I usually come to work on Mondays (or Tuesdays) ecstatic or murderous depending on what the Steelers did the day before. I scour blogs and the Post-Gazette and Tribune Review and ESPN and SI for half the week about the previous game, then do the same thing for the upcoming game, all while I’m at work. Who has the best reviews of the game? Who has the best predictions? Who has the best interviews? Will the experts ever get over the problems with our offensive line? Hello, experts, did you win a Super Bowl last season? I can occupy myself for hours searching for these tidbits during football season.

SportsCenter is a lot less entertaining without football reports on games from the previous week. What about my NFL Live? What about my sports radio in the morning? How come life got so boring all of a sudden?? It’s amazing how much free time you get when you have nothing to obsess over week after week. There hasn’t even been very good Tony/Jessica news lately. Of course the McNair story is super-tragic and awful, but I’m trying to keep the focus on more happier/more trivial football news.

So what about July, one of the worst off-season months for us fans? What are we supposed to do at work? Actually work? Very funny. How in the heck can you keep yourselves entertained?

I tried to brace myself for it this time around and had been doing an adequate job. Then came the ultimate offseason downer: Steve McNair, found dead in a condo. That’s not the kind of football-withdrawal distraction I had in mind.

Steve McNair was that rare breed of stunning talent and heartwarming humility. He was a superstar by many accounts but didn’t walk around with that superstar chip on his shoulder. He carried the offense and wore down the defense. And he did it with a baby-faced smile that would make even the burliest beer guzzler want to pinch his cheeks.

In light of the circumstances surrounding his death, McNair’s talent has, for the time being, been overshadowed by gossip, rumors, and speculation. His dirty laundry is being aired for fans and the media to sift through as they please. And all I keep thinking about is what if Kevin Dyson could have picked up that 1 yard. Would winning the Super Bowl have changed McNair’s career and perhaps his destiny? Probably just more speculation not worth dwelling on…

Within days, possibly hours, we may have sorted out the mess that lead to the untimely death of Air McNair. But the pain for many fans will remain raw. They saw him as his teammates saw him: as that guy who you want at your backyard barbecue.

We all knew July would be a low point for football fans. But who could have seen this one coming?

- When Stephen Andrews from the College of New Jersey puked his guts up after a vicious turn on the treadmill against the “home” team. My first reaction was EWWW (I am still a girl, after all). But, when he got back on the treadmill to win the chance to get the ball at the start of the 1st and 3rd quarters (no coin toss) for the “rival” team, I have never been so proud to be from New Jersey. Go, Stephen Andrews! Miles Austin and I are proud of you!

- When Steve “Speedy” Gonzales scored a touchdown and did a victory roundoff back handspring. That was awesome. Go, Speedy! Mary Lou Retton and I are proud of you!

- When Preston McGann (who I wrote about previously in Move over Donald Trump…Meet Michael Irvin and “4TH AND LONG,” May 28th, 2009), scored two touchdowns, one with only 48 seconds left in the game. Go, Preston! I’m proud of you!

But, to make a 4th and long story short (sorry), the “home” team won in the end, despite a weak start. None of the previously cut players were restored to the roster.

It was quite anticlimactic, really. I love a good comeback story and I thought Preston McGann was the comeback kid, for sure. Bummer. 4th and Long needs better writers. (Reality Schmeality. Let’s be honest.)

Doesn't he look poised for a comeback? Come on!

As QB for the Titans for 11 seasons (his last 2 seasons with the Ravens), McNair was part of a team loathed by Bills Chick since that 2000 playoff game that was stolen from us with a kickoff return in the last 16 seconds of play. No personal vindetta against McNair, he didn’t have anything to do with the winning TD, but as long as he donned that not-so-macho powder blue jersey he was a rival in my book.

It’s time to put all that aside and focus on the fact that while he most likely arrived at his untimely demise by fiddling around with a 20-year-old (Sahel Kazemi was the female found dead with one  shot to the head and is suspected to be his girlfriend), it’s still a tragedy that I think any football fan can respectfully acknowledge. He recently retired after a total of 13 NFL seasons and is one of only three QBs to pass for more than 30,000 yards and rush for 3,500. McNair leaves behind a wife and four children.

Read more about this tragic and unfolding story here.