The New Orleans Saints, my old team, will be playing the Indianapolis Colts beginning at 6 p.m. The game will be played at Memorial Stadium.
What makes this pre-season game an exception is the fact that the Saints are under a new coaching regime. New coach Sean Payton seems to have put a renewed emphasis on winning and that has even me excited.
The Saints won their first pre-season game last weekend, defeating a backsliding Tennessee Titan team that is breaking in a new quarterback, as are the Saints, which is another reason the 2006 pre-season is a little different than most as for as the New Orleans franchise is concerned.
The Saints also have another new player that will make every Saints game exciting this year. Running back Reggie Bush will be out to disprove the theory that Heisman Trophy winners never succeed at anything in the National Football League.
Another reason next Saturday's game might be an exception to my rule is Colt quarterback Peyton Manning. The son of Mississippi folk hero Archie Manning will draw even the non-football fan to the game and, at game's end, that fan might be a football fan because of the experience.
So, next Saturday's game in Jackson might be worth the trip.
But, I'll pass, thank you.
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I hesitate to comment on Barbaro, the majestic race horse who suffered a career ending and life-threatening injury at The Preakness this summer, who is still recuperating.
Every time I get excited about somebody's improvement, they seem to suffer a setback and I don't want to jinx the horse.
However, I am excited to read that Barbaro is allowed out of his stall now and is exercising (walking) around the hospital grounds.
Horse aficionados know what this means. Simply, it is nothing short of a miracle.
Barbaro's original injury was bad enough, but then he developed another condition caused by placing too much weight on another hoof while taking weight off the injured hoof. This placed the animal in imminent danger.
But, he seems to have overcome all odds, which even his doctors said were 50-50 at best.
However, even as he is walking again, his doctors won't say he is out of the woods yet. There is still a danger of a setback, even the smallest of which could be life threatening.
But, I am encouraged and am committed to continue my prayer vigil for Barbaro, who is a courageous, life-loving athlete who has refused to succumb to injury and illness over the past three months.
Won't you join me in praying for this fellow?
Is Landis Guilty?
Here we are, months after the Tour de France, and we are again in a quandary over the winner's use of an illegal substance.
When will it end?
Last year, charges were aimed at the winner, Lance Armstrong, whose cancer-foundation bracelet I wear every day in loving memory of my grandmother, aunts and uncles who have died from cancer.
The difference, as I see it, between Armstrong and Floyd Landis, is this: Armstrong won it six years in a row and no one claimed he was on drugs until he won last year's event and it couldn't be proven. Landis won it this year and I believe it was proven that his tests were dirty.
Many factors enter into a drug test, folks, and it is not as cut and dried as it might appear.
However, when a secondary test proves dirty, there is little room to squirm.
Landis may be as innocent as Armstrong, but he hasn't got the clean bill of health he needs to be able to categorically deny the charges.
It is sad that Landis' father committed suicide this week. Sometimes, when it rains it pours and, unfortunately, this is what seems to be happening to Landis.
Hopefully better days are ahead of him.
Personally, I'd like to see him compete again next year and win and have a clean drug test.
Whether that is going to be possible at this point is up in the air.
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Larry Liddell is a former Managing Editor of the Clarksdale Press Register and is Public Information Officer for Tunica County. He can be reached at larry.liddell @tunicagov.com.
