Where in Fairfield County is Tim Parry?

Well, today I will be at Notre Dame-Fairfield, covering the Bethel-ND game for the News-Times. Tonight, if I make my early deadline there, I'll head over to either Joel Barlow to watch them take on Stratford, or to Bunnell to see them against New Fairfield. Heck, I may even try to hit both places, though that's unlikely... Everyone, enjoy opening day!

Listen To Sean: The Post's SWC Preview

Growing up, the Bridgeport Post's high school football preview was the biggest thing to me. Even though I played deep in the Stamford Advocate coverage area, I lived in the Post coverage area. So the New Canaan-Greenwich regular season game would get some serious column inches and a byline (which reminds me, you guys spelled my name wrong... twice! Got it right in the police blotter though!).

But the Connecticut Post's preview is still huge to me. Sean Patrick Bowley has to wrestle down, I don't know, 60 coaches to get them to do their prospectuses, juggle eight features -- either writing or assigning them, leaping tall buildings in a single bound, etc.

Then he has to shoot video, do podcasts (dude, he's on iTunes now!), go on radio shows (Hey, Sean, while I'm asking...)

So here, I bring you his SWC Preview, as well as his first podcast of 2007. This year, based on the file name, it looks like the post is doing it right, and will store these things. Last season was kinda frustrating, if you forgot to listen one week, it's like you ignored everything he said.

And while I'm at it, here's his Week 1 matchups.

Lights, Camera, Action... Enter The DSV Sports Video Clip of the Week Contest

Got a video camera? A camera on your cell phone? Then you have a chance to win the DSV Sports Video Clip of the Week contest.

Submit your clip to the FCIAC Football Blog or SWC Buzz. If your video is voted Clip of the Week, you win a t-shirt and, well, bragging rights for a week!

No purchase or experience shooting video is needed. Just shoot, mail, and tell people to vote.

Here are the rules, and a sample blooper clip that could be considered for submission:


Digital Sports Video Clip of the Week

RULES:

1. Contestants may submit individual clip files from the prior week’s FCIAC or SWC football games. For example, clips of games played Sept. 14 and 15 may be submitted only during the first contest period, Sept. 21 and 22 during the second contest period, and so on.


2. Clips must be less than 25 seconds in length.


3. Submissions must be e-mailed via e-mail to clip@fciacfootballblog.com. The submission must also be a file. We will not download from a website.


4. The e-mail must include the submitters name, address, e-mail address and telephone number.


5. Submission must be received by 11 p.m. eastern time Monday of the contest week. Submissions may also be mailed to Joe Bouffard, DSV Headquarters, 111 Marcroft St., Stratford, CT 06614


6. Copyrighted material may not be submitted without written consent of the copyright owner.


7. The FCIAC Football Blog and SWC Buzz reserve the right to air submitted material online.


8. All decisions made by DSV Sports Video, the FCIAC Football Blog, and SWC Buzz are final.

VOTING:

1. Voting will be conducted online at fciacfootballblog.com and swcbuzz.blogspot.com. The ballot will be housed at pollhost.com.


2. Voting will begin Tuesday of the contest week, and run through 10 a.m. eastern time Friday of the contest week.


3. Only one vote per IP address will be permitted.


4. The submitter of the clip with the highest vote count at the end of the voting period will be declared that week’s winner, and receive a t-shirt courtesy of Digital Sports Video, FCIAC Football Blog, and SWC Buzz.

Pain in the Neck: Part II

That's me. Or at least that's my neck during Thursday's MRI.

See what looks like train tracks running down the middle, and something that looks like a highway next to it? The train tracks are my discs, and that highway is a nerve.

That track that's bumping into the highway? Yeah, that's not good. In fact, two of the disks may be bumping into the nerve.

So what does that mean? No strenuous activity at least until I see a neurological surgeon on October 1. Which is fine because I will be on vacation in Florida from Sept. 22-30 (Scouting Naples... yeah, that's it!).

It also means I have to heal with pain in my shoulder, my back, my left elbow, my arm... tingling in my left fingers, numbness down the left arm.

Hey, life could be worse, right?

The Hour's Preview of Weston

Weston is looking to snap a two-season long winless streak, and head coach Joe Lato is hoping it happens soon. Click here to read Matt Doran's preview from today's The Hour.

Green Wave Preview Posted at New Milford Times

I only got to see New Milford run one drive at the Wilton Jamboree two weeks back. And I liked what I saw. Even though the team will be inexperienced this season, I think they will compete. Click here for Laura McCusker's preview.

Weston Preview Posted at Weston Pilot

And Rocco Paul Valluzzo is a busy man. The sports editor at both the Redding Pilot and the Weston Forum, he breaks down the 2007 Trojans in the Forum. First goal for Joe Lato's team - break into the win column.

Barlow Preview Posted to Redding Pilot

The Barlow preview written by Redding Pilot sports editor Rocco Paul Valluzzo is in cyberspace. Valluzzo writes that while the Falcons are supposed to be in a rebuilding year, the team could surprise a few foes along the way.

Are The 127 Voters Right?

Decide for yourself. Squint to read who the voters chose as its preseason favorite to win the SWC.

Or simply click on the results to make it bigger.

It's "Be Nice To Your Local Sportswriter" Week...

... and I just made it up.

But really, be nice to your local sports writers and sports editors this week. They've been writing and editing and chasing down dozens of high school coaches to get their previews done.

Right now all sports writers and sports editors are sleep deprived. They may be jacked up on caffeine.

And if your or your kid's name is spelled wrong, or is omitted from a preview, let it slide. He or she did the best possible job.

I'll be ticked off if the high school previews, which should start rolling out tomorrow, aren't online, but it's out of my control. But I won't take it out on these guys.

And neither should you.

Enjoy the season.

Order Up: Former Post Writer Running Family Diner

I was on the phone last night with Sean Patrick Bowley of the Connecticut Post, talking about The Fifty Yard Line, a show that will be streamed in live video Tuesday evenings starting next week.

I was telling him that Matt Levine, the creator, found out the manager of the restaurant he was working with to be the show's home was no longer there, and I started thinking aloud about alternative sites... just in case.

So Sean says, "[Former Connecticut Post lead high school writer Dave] Agostino and his family own a diner in Stamford. That could be a good place."

And I seriously considered it, until I got to Route 22 Restaurant & Bar and saw that Matt had secured an even better corner of the place to shoot from.

But then I picked up The Advocate today, and what's on Page B-1? A feature on the Bedford Street Diner, the one Agostino and his sisters own. It's a very good story, and a must read. And I think I'm going to have to take in lunch there some time soon.

The Day's State Coach's Poll

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

The Day of New London Top 10 state coaches football poll

First-place votes in parentheses, last year’s record, points tabulated on a 30-28-26-24-22-20-18-16-14-12-11-10-9-8-7 basis and last year’s final ranking:

1. Ansonia (10) 13-0 384 1

2. Greenwich (3) 12-1 356 2

3. Staples-Westport 10-2 270 8

4. New Canaan 11-2 260 5

5. Shelton 8-3 224 NR

6. Southington 11-1 205 6

7. Bunnell-Stratford 12-1 196 4

8. West Haven 9-2 191 9

9. New London 7-3 133 NR

10. Masuk-Monroe 10-2 127 NR

Dropped out: Holy Cross-Waterbury (3), Hillhouse-New Haven (7) and Windham (10).

Also receiving votes: Bloomfield (10-2), 90; Cheshire (6-4), 81; Stratford (9-3), 80; Maloney-Meriden (10-2), 74; Berlin (8-3), 73; Ridgefield (6-4), 67; Holy Cross-Waterbury (12-1), 64; Fairfield Prep (8-3), 53; Newington (6-3-1), 52; tie, Bridgeport Central (8-2) and Windham (11-1), 45; Ledyard (8-3), 35; Hand-Madison (4-6), 29; Tie, New Britain (7-3) and Woodland-Beacon Falls (6-4), 28; Hillhouse-New Haven (11-1), 22; Northwest Catholic-West Hartford (9-1), 19; tie, Conard-West Hartford (7-3) and Wilbur Cross (5-5), 14; Seymour (7-3), 12; Hartford Public (6-3-1), 11; Weaver-Hartford (5-5), 10; Rocky Hill (5-4-1), 9; tie, North Branford (9-2) and Norwich Free Academy (6-4), 7.

The following coaches voted: Chris Anderson, Woodland-Beacon Falls; Jim Buonocore, Fitch; Dave Cadelina, Bridgeport Central; John DeCaprio, Notre Dame-West Haven; Chuck Drury, Pomperaug-Southbury; Steve Filippone, Hand-Madison; Tanner Grove, Montville; Jude Kelly, St. Paul-Bristol; Tim King, Valley Regional-Deep River; Bill Mella, Southington; John Murphy, Masuk-Monroe; Marce Petroccio, Staples-Westport; Bob Zito, Maloney-Meriden.