All but one ...

I'm happy to tell you all that my copies of the Alabama, Notre Dame and Oklahoma versions of Huddle Up have arrived, and I really like how they came out. That's leaves just Michigan, which is due out in a couple of weeks.

My publishing house is about to send me some prints of all the covers (Alabama, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and the New York Giants) so I can autograph them and send them to some of my favorite establishments around the country.

If you know of a bar/restaurant that loves memorabilia from one of those teams and would like one, drop me a line --- especially if they may want to sell copies as well.

The Huddle Up series has only just begun

So here is what's coming up:

1) Between now and the end of August I'll be promoting the books, and enjoying the release of the final editions (Michigan and Oklahoma -- although I haven't seen the Notre Dame book yet).
2) The list of additional versions won't be decided for a few months, probably late fall. At the top of my list are Auburn and Georgia, followed by Southern California and Nebraska. The book I'll really be watching is the New York Giants, because if it does well we'll do more NFL teams.
3) I'm already working on expanding the 2009 versions.

Feel free to send me any and all suggestions.

Alabama edition is out

This is Megan. She's very international, awesome and pretty darn amazing ... and if you act the wrong way around her I'll break your arm.

Anyway, Megan was in the Barnes & Noble in Tuscaloosa today and came across three versions of the Huddle Up series: Ohio State, New York Giants and ... drum roll please ... Alabama.

Not only is that the first sighting I've head of the Alabama book being for sale, she's also the first person I know to buy one. She had a good reason, though, the book is dedicated to her.

P.S. I think that means Notre Dame is also out, but don't quote me on that.

To quote Mel Brooks, "He's dead"

While Auburn and Georgia editions will be next up for the Huddle Up series, yes, I've started doing some preliminary work on Southern California.

Did you know that USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university?

See, there really is more to the Trojans than the Song Girls.

Feedback

As I await news of the next books to start hitting stores, and I begin preliminary work on the 2010 editions, I want to encourage any and all feedback on the series.

Feel free to post a comment, or there's an email address along the right-hand column.

Your vote matters

Interesting little development here, I've been asked to be on the voting committee for the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award.

There's like 75 people or so on the committee, but I'm honored nonetheless.

From the award's website (http://www.daveyobrien.com/):

The National Selection Committee, a panel of journalists, broadcasters, reporters, etc., is asked to evaluate each candidate on the following criteria:

Quarterback skills/athletic ability
Academics
Reputation as a team player
Character
Leadership
Sportsmanship

Fans across the country can make their voices heard by participating in The O'Brien Fan Vote. The Fan Vote opens at the beginning of the season and accounts for 5% of the overall vote during each round of voting.

We have a winner!

I promised myself I would do this.

My friend Katherine Gillespie (yes, that's really her on the right), was the first person I knew to come across one of the Huddle Up books in a store. She was telling Patrick McDonald about how she saw copies of "100 Things," "Who's No. 1?" along with some others, and then asked, "Hey, did Chris do a book on the Giants?"

How about that?

With the Alabama version about to come out, I expect to hear from a lot more people, but since she was first Kat gets a shout out.

P.S. The first friend to actually buy one will get similar treatment.

Back at it ...

After a nice relaxing (for the most part) vacation in Brazil, I'm back at work today. Considering the books are expected to start hitting stores today (I've been too busy to check) and I closed on my house, it's been a pretty eventful day.

Can't wait to see what's next.

Meanwhile, some old business. This just came across the wires. Someone should get these guys a copy of "Who's No. 1?"

WASHINGTON – The Senate plans to hold a hearing next week looking into antitrust issues surrounding college football's Bowl Championship Series.
It will be the second hearing on the BCS held on Capitol Hill this year, following a contentious one in the House in May.
The Senate Judiciary Committee Web site says the hearing will be next Tuesday in the committee's subcommittee on antitrust, competition policy and consumer rights.
Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah, the subcommittee's top Republican, had sought the hearing. His office did not immediately return telephone and e-mail messages.

Some 14 months later, I'm finally finished

I'm happy, pleased and relieved to announce that I'm now completely finished with this year's version of the Huddle Up series. While having something checked out in my car, I finished the final proofs for the Michigan book.

While it's a little strange to be making final changes one day before the first four editions are due to start hitting stores, so be it. Nothing about this project seemed to go as expected, but nevertheless we're all thrilled with how the books have turned out.

For for the big question: How long before I start working on the 2010 versions? My guess is two weeks.

P.S. Yes, those are real Wolverines, and not the "Red Dawn" kind.

First contact

The first books have arrived and I couldn't be more pleased. They really look great.

Last night I was particpating in the "Crimson Literacy: Up Close and Personal," fund-raising event benefiting the West Alabama Literacy Council and while signing books just laid these four editions before me. Just about every person was, "Oh, what's that?"

I think we have a hit on our hands, even if my friend Aaron did find a scoring error in one of them (which will be fixed for next year's edition).

Included are a couple of size references, and each is 312 pages.