Well it's been a lot of years in coming, but it's finally happened . . . I am a football coach.  The football bug bit me at a young age and I'd always been a big spectator fan.  I went to football camps in elementary and high school and really enjoyed them, but for whatever reason I just never committed to playing football (although I tried unsuccessfully a couple times).  I have been the owner and head coach of Benyamen's Bears of Reginas Best Fantasy League for five years now, but now I finally get my chance at the real thing.

I got a call with a contract offer this past Friday night (the pay's not great but it's a great opportunity), and I went to training camp on Saturday.  I had read my coaching manual by Bob Stoops (if you're a college football fan you'll know him), and I went in expecting to be working as the line coach for the Swift Current Golden Gophers of the Swift Current Minor Football Association, but by the end of only my first day I had been promoted to defensive              co-ordinator; not bad for my first day on the job.

Given my football affiliations you might be thinking that I would obviously opt for running a 46 defence in honor of the '85 Bears, but alas, there is no blitzing allowed in this league.  You have to remember my players are only 12 or 13 years old.  I would go into more of my strategy of how I hope to create pressure on the offence if I can't blitz, but I wouldn't want to give away my secrets in such a public forum where opposing coaches might be able to see them.  Suffice it to say though I'm hoping to get pretty creative.  If you need more details you can email me and I'll let you know what I'm planning on . . . after you sign the confidentiality agreement.

Anyways, I think it's fair to say that coaching the most fun that I have had in an awful long time.  After only a couple minutes out on the field it felt like I was just made to do this.  I'm looking forward to my rookie season as a coach, and the only thing that I'm a little disappointed with is the shortness of the season (5 games and 2 potential playoff games) as it's all done by thanksgiving.

Hopefully this is the first of many posts over the next few days to help get you all up to date on the many goings on in my life recently.  Until next time . . .

 P.S. I'm trying to decide whether I need to grow a moustache now (ie. Ditka) or whether just sticking with the goatee is enough facial hair to be a successful football coach.

I'm not dead, but I'm thinking.  I'm not dead, I just haven't had computer                                                  access lately.  I'm not dead, I'm just on  vacation.

I haven't had a lot of time lately to get to blogging it out, but I should have some worthwhile stuff to post in the near future . . . once I'm home from vacation.  I've been doing a lot of thinking, a lot of living, and a fair amount of reading.  I'm looking forward to letting you all into my head again in the near future.

For those of you loyal readers (you know who you are and I'm sure you have your reasons) don't fear, there will be posts worth reading in the near future.