... is a surprise.
And even though one member of our crew is a notoriously bad secret-keeper, he won't be telling this time around.
So on Friday morning, drop what you usually do -- whether that's a quick trip to the gym, a little fun with the lady/fella friend or a stroll with the dog -- and listen to the Pigskin Podcast.
It's the first of a two-part series, and you will NOT be disappointed.
See you here Friday morning!
It's a big week at Podcast Central, with respected play-by-play man Paul Keels stopping by to chat about the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Nick Seuberling and admitted Buckeye follower Erik Bell will grill Paul on the mood in Columbus after the team's second straight disappointing finish -- and the very good season they had up until that point, as well.
They'll also ask Paul why he thinks most of the Buckeyes' NFL-ready juniors, like linebacker James Laurinaitis and offensive lineman Alex Boone, came back for their senior seasons, how far OSU can go in 2008 and where we might see some Buckeyes go in April's NFL Draft.
Additionally, Andy Barch and Joel Hammond will debate some of the hot-button issues of the day, including Phil Fulmer's status at Tennessee, horsecollar tackling and the state of the Big East.
It's all this week on the Pigskin Podcast!
Big things are happening here at PigskinPodcast.com; don't be left out.
First, a reminder that, as we are daily adding to our stockpile of listener questions, you can get in on the fun, as well. If you have a question for the guys, e-mail us to have your voice heard.
Secondly, we have another special guest for this week's show: Shan Shariff, who is the program director and a sports show host at Delmarva, Md.'s ESPN Radio affiliate, 1240 AM. According to his bio, Shariff also fills in on ESPN's Baltimore affiliate, 1300.
An American University (that's big time, folks) graduate, Shariff has quite a self-deprecating sense of humor: His web site lists his greatest sports accomplishment as winning a state tennis doubles title - while being carried by a girl.
Shariff will let us know what the feeling is in the DC area on the Redskins' hiring of Jim Zorn (originally hired as the offensive coordinator, then elevated to head coach), and will also discuss any other Redskin- and NFL-related material we can throw at him.
It sounds like Shariff will fit right in with our motley crew, so please do tune in Friday morning for the latest episode of the Pigskin Podcast.
Also on Friday's show will be the latest installment of Stop the Presses, where our panelists find a column or story and tell you why it's bunk, and a listener mailbag segment, where we will take on the burning questions our faithful followers want answered.
We'll be back Friday morning. You should, as well. You never know what you'll miss.
(Additionally: Check in Sunday, where we'll announce a VERY special guest for NEXT week's show. Here's a hint: He's got a recognizable voice, at least to Buckeye Staters.)
We're excited. He's excited.
We're set to host the first guest in the Pigskin Podcast's history in Friday's show: Anthony Pilcher, who runs "Pilcher's Notre Dame football blog," a popular little ditty devoted to the Golden Domers.
Our producer, Nick Seuberling, is a big Irish fan, and he promises to talk about Notre Dame recruiting (did you hear Signing Day is Wednesday?), Charlie Weis and the hiring of Jon Tenuta, the former defensive coordinator at Georgia Tech and Weis' new assistant head coach.
As you'll see, Anthony also has a unique feature on his blog: the elite selection playoff.
In advance of the show, we asked Anthony to answer a few questions. He obliged (anyone who knows Joel well will know what part with which he and Anthony will disagree):
What do you do for a living? I work as an engineer for GE aviation assessing large compressor and turbine rotating part airworthiness lives. This mainly entails doing material low cycle fatigue, fracture mechanics, and probabilistic inclusion fatigue analysis. I have an undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering from Notre Dame, a Master's of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Notre Dame, and a Master's of Science in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Cincinnati.
How you ended up starting your blog? I started the blog mainly because I liked following, discussing, and, ultimately, writing about Notre Dame football. I feel very strongly that there is almost no impartial college football dialogue that takes place. Message boards seem to be ripe with knee-jerking and emotional commentary, following every rumor surrounding the program of interest with too much certainty. ESPN, Sports Illustrated, etc. are out to make money and sensationalize everything, many times unnecessarily and incorrectly placing blame at the feet of 18-20 year old student athletes. I wanted to try and provide an objective forum on which to discuss things relative to Notre Dame football. I try and remain impartial, fair, and honest, not too quick to praise or criticize. I really started the blog to respond to demand for post-game analysis e-mails I used to send out. The audience got so big it just seemed like a natural fit.
How long have you been doing the blog, and what kind of traffic does it get? I guess I've been doing it for about two years now. I typically post a few things a week during the season as well as some stuff about recruiting, spring practice, and fall camp during the off-season. I also comment on any "major" football news. I'd say I have several hundred readers if I had to guess.
