Most NCAA football teams report for practice this week, which marks the beginning of a very special time of year for A Free Man, and A Free Boy. While his Mum is not enamored of this photo, I’m pleased to see that Baby Z is working on his game face for the upcoming season. He’s even got a bit of drool there in the corner of his lip to indicate that he’s preparing for the 2008 season with just the right amount of rabidity.

Those of you who are relatively recent readers may not be aware that A Free Man’s Saturdays (now Sundays) in Autumn (now Spring) revolve largely around the exploits of the University of Georgia Bulldogs football team. You may not know that I take the goings on of my alma mater’s football team so seriously that I have been known to be reduced to tears after a tough loss and have woken neighbors on two (soon to be three) continents with glorious, though often untimely, shouts of victory. Even Baby Z has been, possibly unwillingly, caught up in the excitement of the college football season – sporting a different Georgia Bulldogs’ inspired ensemble every Saturday last Autumn. Well, almost every Saturday.

Well, the 2008 season is around the corner – a mere 26 days away – and a lot of the pundits have my Dawgs ranked at the top of their preseason polls. I tend to be a bit skeptical – the Bulldogs have big games at LSU, Auburn and Arizona State and a “neutral” site game against the loathsome Florida Gators. In addition, some members of the team are acting like they’ve already won a national championship.  Jinx potential aside and despite the tragic loss of our mascot earlier in the year, it looks like it could be a great year to be a Georgia Bulldog. And, yes, we’ll be taking wagers from anyone who has the stones.

You may be surprised to learn that Georgia Bulldogs gear is hard to come by in places like the south of England and South Australia. So, Baby Z and I have relied largely on family, friends, and blog readers to help us out. For example, the top he’s wearing in the picture at top comes from our friends at The Dawgcast. Now, I’ve got a little deal for you my readers. Georgia Bulldogs gear is remarkably hard to come by in South Australia. So, Baby Z and I are willing to reciprocate any gifts of kid sized Dawg kit* with a little something special that you may not be able to find in your neck of the woods**. Just one more think I need to say….

SIC ‘EM DAWGS!!! WOOF WOOF WOOOF!!

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* Other SEC teams’ kit are not welcome, Jamie.

** Kangaroo scrotum wallet, Jason.

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Elliott Smith’s posthumous “New Moon” is available from Elliott Smith - New Moon.

UPDATE

Jamie brought out the Gator smack talk early, so I feel justified in responding with a brief photo essay:

 

 
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