Every year I say that I am going to cut back on my purchases of the various college and NFL preview annuals that assault the bookstores each June. Once again I have failed.
All the new shiny books were on display last night, and of course I had to get Phil Steele’s 2005 College Football Preview. While I do not bet on sports, I love all the junk Mr. Steele crams in his annuals. This is one of my favorite reads every summer, even if they never have the SEC cover version in our bookstores; PAC 10 cover always makes a yearly appearance. I tried to stop at just this one annual; honest. But then it happened …
Lindy’s 2005 Southeastern Football annual had D.J. Shockley on the cover; and all good Dawg fans know that our season is going to be in the crapper if D.J. does not figure it out in a hurry. I wish Richt would just go wishbone; with all the HBs and D.J., I think Georgia could easily manage 9-10 wins in they do not put the ball in the air. Speaking of all the good HBs, Athlon Sports 2005 Southeastern annual had Danny Ware, Kregg Lumpkin, and Thomas Brown on the cover – as these guys go, so will UGA’s season. OK, I admit that I could not show any restraint, so three annuals were no in hand. But wait, there is more!
Yes, I am a college football annual whore, but as I said I cannot help myself. The SportingNews SEC preview was also on the newsstand, and while I could care less about the Auburn and Alabama cover, I love the SportingNews, so I had to add this one to my stack. You would think that would have been enough to put an end to my shopping spree, but nope, four annuals would just not do my summer reading program justice. Enter the Pro Football guides …
The SportingNews 2005 Pro Football Preview made it into my grubby hands, as do the Pro Football Weekly 2005 NFL Preview. As if I am going to have time to read all the coverage; as if I do not get enough NFL coverage each week in the SportingNews. It is a disease my friends, a very sick one indeed.
Fantasy football? I am trying to give that up, but no, oh no, the publishers have to keep tempting me! Somehow (and I am really not sure how), the Pro Football Weekly CBS SportsLine.com Fantasy Football Guide 2005 also ended up at the checkout counter.
“Hi, my name is Jonathan, and I am one sick, broke bastard, but I have a big stack of football magazines to read, so everything is going to be just fine, thank you very much.”
