Whoops! I Goofed!

While I strive to get everything right, I can also goof things up.

Case in point: Not only did I unintentionally delete a profile of one of Barlow's captains, I misidentified two of them. Thanks to Barlow athletics secretary Cheri Lynn Scull for picking up on that. I have corrected their IDs within the blog, and will do the same with the YouTube page soon.

That means the video of Dan Mercede is the one I deleted. I will make it my mission to hunt him down at a Barlow scrimmage and do an in-depth interview with him. To Dan and the Barlow program, my most sincere apology.

Keep Diggy Happy!

Diggy is sad. He just reminded me that bills have to be paid. He doesn't know the value of a dollar, or which creditors are mailing those bills, but he's freaking out anyway.

Here's a few ways you can keep Diggy happy!:

If you're a business or an organization looking for exposure in Fairfield County, SPONSOR THE BLOGS. It can cost you as little as $2 a day, and you'll reach a targeted audience of high school athletes and their families.

If I shot one of your games last season, BUY A PHOTO. Take advantage of the AUGUST SPECIAL, with prices slashed on 4X6, 5X7, and 8X10 prints.

If you're none of the above, but you love the blog, visit the store and BUY A T-SHIRT or a sticker or a coffee mug.

And if you don't have any money to spend, click on any of the Google Ads you see on this page. I think I make about a penny for each click, and may top the $100 mark... and this is all-time, for sites and blogs I've had up and running since 2003!

I can tell you're thinking about it. You're clicking away. And Diggy is dropping those bills and doing a little dance! Wait, he just wants to go outside... But I do thank you for your support!

(NOTE: This has been an in-house advertisement for the FCIAC Football Blog and SWC Buzz. Neither the dog nor his master are about to be booted from his home. But the dog's mischief this led to a little creativity from its master. You can still buy all that stuff anyway!)

Video and Music: All-County Football Camp

I'm still learning Windows Movie Maker, and decided to add some music to this compilation. The action is this week from the All-Star Football Camp, which featured Staples, Weston, and Barlow. The music is alternative/grunge from a band I followed around the Danbury area in the early 90s, Monsterland. When I asked Greg Vegas if I could play some Monsterland to start off my radio show, he said, "play Crashing Teenage Crush - sort of relates to football."

When you're done with that, check out Monsterland's MySpace page.

Video: Greg Colby at Night

Okay, some people say that little LED light on the front of the Canon RZ850 works wonders. I say it doesn't. Watch this video interview with Greg Colby, a captain of the Barlow football team, and you'll agree.

But you can still hear what Colby has to say about the upstart Falcons, and the approach to football Barlow is taking this season.

Video: Jose Offerman Goes Nutzoid

I have to give credit where credit is due. Maybe it's because I'm a news-geek and am always intrigued when I see my journalism colleagues in action.

Big thumbs-up to Connecticut Post's Christian Abraham (top) and News 12's Bill Gonillo, who you'll see on SWC sidelines this fall. Their images -- still and video -- have been seen all over the world today.

Yep, they were there for the whole Jose Offerman incident that took place last night at Harbor Yard. Both were thrust into the spotlight because they were doing their job, but I give them the big thumbs-up because they did their job extremely well when they could have missed out.

Christian was definitely in the right place at the right time, and his still photos show Jose Offerman swinging the bat at Bridgeport Bluefish pitcher Matt Beech and catcher John Nathans. Bill got to the game after the incident, but went into investigative reporter mode, catching Offerman being taken away by policemen, and asked Offerman, "Is there anything you'd like to say?"

A journalists' job is not as easy as it looks, and I just want to congratulate them on a job well done. If you see either of these guys under the Friday Night Lights, give them a pat on the back.

Connecticut Post: Oxford Hoping For Stadium

High schools are always looking to improve their football facilities, and usually the booster club, or a private donor, comes through to help foot the bill.

But what if you are Oxford High, and your program is just starting off?

The can play at a junior high with no stands - like they will as a JV program. But they are hoping to get $4.1 million for something a lot of school have now: an artificial turf multipurpose stadium, lights, a stadium setting, etc.

Click here to read the latest on this from the Connecticut Post.

Off Topic Video: My Trailer Park Neighborhood

Here's the infamous neighbor across the street (Check the FCIAC Football Blog for the latest war), mowing the lawn about 15 minutes ago, when it's pitch black out. But it's OK - his John Deere has headlights! (Cue "Dualing Banjos") Welcome to MY North End of Bridgeport!

Video: 60 Seconds With Mike Laccavole

Mike Laccavole is a senior captain of the Joel Barlow football team, and a returning starter. But does that mean he is assured a starting position? Not quite, Laccavole says in this video. It's all about right-now for the Falcons, not back-then.

Post/News-Times: Lutrus Endures On-the-job Training

Chris Elsberry filed a column on former Brookfield linebacker Scott Lutrus who, as Elsberry co-worker Neal Ostrout wrote the other day, is fighting for a starting role on the UConn defense.

The Connecticut Post crew is now handling UConn sports for the News-Times, which makes some sense since they are now sister papers. But hopefully the News-Times' high school sports coverage will still be as thorough as it has been over the years.

I'll give a call over there (off deadline) to find out what's up.

Video: Barlow Captain Rob Fiore

If ever there was a need for lights at Staples, it would be for the press. Tough to do video interviews of players after the All-County Football Camp's 8 p.m. dismissal.

But if you can't watch Barlow captain Rob Fiore, you can at least listen in. Fiore, a linebacker, talks about the Falcons rise to 7-3 last season, and what the team needs to do to improve on that.

New Feature: Message Board Launched

Here we grow again! Please check out The FC, a new message board for users of the FCIAC Football Blog and SWC Buzz. Registration is required, but there is no charge to join. I have fed the board with some simple questions to start, so jump on over there and give your two cents. It's not the most glamorous thing you've ever seen, but it'll get there...

QUICK NOTE: if you haven't registered yet, and are trying to access the board, just hit cancel a few times, then a link to register will pop up.

The Buzz on Scott Lutrus: Battling at UConn

What's the buzz on former Brookfield all-everything Scott Lutrus? Right now he's locked in a tight battle for a starting role at UConn. The redshirt freshman, right now, is atop the charts as the team's "Husky" linebacker - a position played last season by Justin DeRubertis of Bethel.

UConn coach Randy Edsall pretty much has turned UConn's preseason camp into an every-man-for-himself competition. He was ticked off by last season's team effort, and is promoting and demoting players during practices. It will be interesting to see how this blue-collar approach takes off. Will it force the team to gel, or will it be total anarchy?

Anyway, here's an article about Lutrus and others that was filed by Connecticut Post UConn beat writer Neill Ostrout, The article also appears in The News-Times, which is now a sister paper of The Post.