What a day (and an early leader in the clubhouse)

So my first day on the new job, I wrote a depth-chart story, a long notebook, a feature on Mark Ingram, had a two-hour insurance run-around, and then covered, oh, a shooting.

Defensive end Brandon Deaderick was shot outside an apartment building, supposedly after a would-be carjacker tried to hold up his girlfriend. Thankfully, there wasn't a whole lot of blood and I believe he's going to be ok.

Not bad considering I can't even figure out where the spell check is on my new laptop.

Anyway, I got some advance sales figures for the books, before July (pre-release). No figures, but here's the order:

1. Ohio State
2. New York Giants
3. Texas
4. Tennessee

Thank you Buckeyes, because it's not just a small lead.

All good things ...

As some of you have probably heard, I've accepted a job with Rivals affiliate BamaOnLine.com, and I'm actually working on my final story for the Tuscaloosa News. It will run in Thursday's edition.

It's a terrific opportunity and I'm excited, but at the same time a little on the terrified side. I've been working for a newspaper for nearly 20 years and I'm trying something new and different on the electronic side of things. Wish me luck.

Oh, and I get to keep writing books, so the Huddle Up series will continue.

Bucket List plug

The website EDSBS (Every Day Should Be Saturday) has taken note of the "100 Things" series and had the following suggestions regarding Alabama:

- Pick three random years out of the past century and make a case for Alabama deserving a share of the national title in each of those years in a letter to the editor, comment on a rival blog, or graffito spray-painted on an opposing team’s stadium.

- Get a houndstooth-patterned prosthesis or medical implant (i.e. hip replacement, pacemaker, or IUD).

- Cut off an Auburn fan’s ear whilst listening to Stealers Wheel’s “Stuck in the Middle With You.”

I'll definitely consider those if we ever update the book. Thanks!