I tried, really hard this time, but once again I failed.

I am optimistic about our upcoming football season. Yes, I am aware of the danger involved in having optimism for an Aggie football team. Damn it if this does not happen to me every year.

It started with the stories about our defense cutting loose and was sealed when I read that J-Train had dropped to a svelte 268 (down from 282 in the Holiday Bowl) and is looking to up his production to 1,000 yards and 24 TDs. Last year the Train put in 19 scores and had 725 yards on the ground. Our last G Pack rusher was Courtney Lewis in 2003. That was his (red shirt) Freshman year... f-ing injuries.

Another reason to be optimistic is the number of new guys who are challenging the old guys for starting spots. Sophomore Michael Shumard is locked up with senior Chris Yoder at guard and freshman Billy Chavis is vying for a spot at safety. This is perfect. You always want this kind of internal competition. The obvious reason is that it is good to have a bunch of talented/game-ready players. The added benefit is that the competition will also make these guys play better and practice harder.

Congrats to McGee for graduating with two years of eligibility left.