The Official Alabama Preview Magazine

As many of you know, the University of Alabama asked me to write stories for its game programs last year, and I'll be doing the same again this season.

However, they expanded it to include a season preview that's about to hit stores. I contributed four stories.

Here's the cover, but there's also a pretty cool digital preview as well: http://www.tide-digital.com/TheSeason/2011preview#&pageSet=0&page=0

Keep your fingers crossed

The Triviology books bring my total up to 17 authored, and as I mentioned before we may do more editions.

However, I've also pitched a series that I hope sees the light of day and start hitting stores next summer. My publishing house is all for it, but we're waiting word from a crucial person that determine its fate.

(Just to keep you all updated).

A little bit more on the books ...

Here's the writeup for one of the books on the site:

"When it comes to football, this new series is the mother-load of fun and information! You'll find questions ranging from the most basic to questions that will challenge even the most die-hard fans. Some of the chapters include: famous firsts, training camps, stadiums, records, quotes, postseason runs, jersey numbers, drafts/trades and, of course, the players and coaches. From the person who is getting ready to attend his or her first game to the fan who lives and breaths the sport and is always looking to get an edge on friends, Steelers Triviology has something for everyone."

Check out the new book covers

Even though college football teams don't report until next week, the season is already here at least in terms of workload. Last week's SEC Media Days may not have been the most thrilling, but I've basically been writing non-stop since then.

Anyway, I'm happy to report that Triumph has posted the covers for the Triviology books here's one of them.

The official release date is Sept. 15, but I expect to see my copies sometime in August. Here's hoping they sell, because it'll lead to more editions.

(Yes, Vikings fans, I'm working on it. Had the team done anything last year we would have done one already, but we switched to the Packers at the last minute and were rewarded with a Super Bowl title.)

Here's the link to Triumph's NFL books coming out for this season: http://www.triumphbooks.com/pages/nfl/12.php

I should do this more often

Back from vacation, and if you notice the picture I posted it's pretty obvious where my girlfriend and I went. We packed a lot into a week, like on one day we rode the cable cars, shopped in Fisherman's Wharf, visited the San Francisco Aquarium, went on a boat tour (again, the photo), checked out Pier 39 and capped the day with a pizza.

Some other top attractions included a wine tour, Union Square, the jazz festival, the Museum of Modern Art and a killer food trio of Pearl's burgers, Trattoria Contadina and the House of Prime Rib.

Good trip, even though I gained weight.

Anyway, July means it's time to gear up for the season (yesterday I wrote five stories, oh joy), and SEC Media Days is fast approaching. However, I hope to have a book announcement soon as my publisher and I are in discussions about how we want to reboot the Huddle Up series. It looks like it's going to happen, but I have a ways to go on the planning stages.