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Denizens, today we’ll take a quick look at the teams I’m following this year in the Perfect Football Weekend&#153.

MERLIN:&#160 Quick?&#160 You?

KORRIOTH:&#160 When have you ever&#160 done anything “quick”?

VENOMOUS:&#160 How about that time I doubled your salary?

KORRIOTH:&#160 Twice nothing is still nothing.

VENOMOUS:&#160 Precisely what Cyrano Jones said.&#160 Now shaddup or I’ll throw you in a pool of tribbles.&#160 Head first.

KORRIOTH:&#160 (grunt)

Okay, let’s get on with it.

High school:&#160 The (Fort Worth) Arlington Heights Yellow Jackets

Ged Kates returns for his second year at the Jacket helm, and his job this year will be slightly tougher than it was last year.

Last year he inherited a full cupboard of talent from predecessor Steve Hale.&#160 This year, that cupboard may or may not be empty.

Going off last year’s roster, we see that Omar Valadez will be a senior, but he won’t have all-universe do-everything back Marquis Jackson to make plays for him this year.&#160 Looks like his best bets will be Jesse Lenz & Dennis Brooks, to assist a running game led by junior Adrian McKenzie.&#160 Nate Guidry, Hallante Edwards & Kameron Holmes look like they may be seniors that will help anchor the defense.&#160 Again, these are just guesses.

Besides, like I said last year, I never know from one season to the next whether Heights is going to be any good or not.&#160 Guess we’ll find out after “Week Zero’, won’t we?

College:&#160 The Texas Christian University Horned Frogs

With the exception of the national championship years, last season for the TCU Horned Frogs could arguably be considered the best ever.&#160 13-0, a Rose Bowl victory over a bigger & stronger Wisconsin opponent – how do you top that?

Gary Patterson, Dickie Bumpas and company will attempt to do just that this year.&#160 With a new quarterback (Casey Pachall) replacing Andy Dalton, and Phil Boyce, Antoine Hicks & Skye Dawson replacing Jeremy Kerley, Jimmy Young & Bart Johnson, an undefeated season appears unlikely.

But then, that’s what I said last year.

Ed Wesley & Matthew Tucker will continue to anchor a running game that wore down opposing defenses last year, though Pachall’s early inexperience will cause teams to load up the box & dare him to throw.&#160 Wesley’s healthy this year – and when healthy, he’s a bona-fide 1,000-yard back.&#160 They’ll run behind a line that, despite losing Ryan Cannon & Jake Kirkpatrick, is well stocked with game-tested talent.

The defense may need time to round into shape.&#160 The line is a bit thin in depth, but will start with a front four of Stansly Maponga, DJ Yendrey, Braylon Broughton & Jeremy Coleman.

Tank Carder & Tanner Brock will once again kick major ass at linebacker, and Greg McCoy leads a secondary that will have to grow up fast.

This will be TCU’s last go-round in the Mountain West Conference, and the MWC has repaid all TCU’s done for their newfound credibility by giving them a fuck-you schedule – all the tough games on the road, especially having to play on that POS Smurf Turf.

The Froggies will grow up pretty fast this season, I’d imagine.

NEXT:&#160 Of coaches & short leashes…

As you know by now, we lost 30 troops (over 20 of them Navy SEALS) yesterday in Afghanistan.&#160 The Realm&#153 mourns these heroic servicemen, and sends its condolences to their families.

Patterico is floating the idea that Vice Perpetrator BiteMe, not being able to keep his “big fucking” piehole shut about it, should somehow be held responsible.

Not that I’d necessarily mind seeing Captain Gaffetastic’s skanky blowhole (either of them) sewed shut with bamboo wire, but I tend to discount this theory, and here’s why:

If anyone in Al-Obambi were ever to have been conclusively tied to such an event as this…it would be over.&#160 And I mean.&#160 Fucking.&#160 Over.

You wouldn’t even have to wait for the gathering of the torches & pitchforks.&#160 The military would turn on them so fast it’d make your head spin.

Remember the Lame Plame Blame Game&#153?&#160 The outrage amongst Demoscum when analyst-nee-agent-wannabe Val Plame was supposedly “outed”?&#160 Multiply that by a factor of 100,000, and then add…well, draw your own conclusions there.

They’re stupid, yes – but they’re not that&#160 stupid.

Are they?