It is a tradition like many others.

Script Ohio.

12th Man.

Rocky Top.

“Another . . . Cards . . . First Down!”

My silly, borderline annoying propensity for alliteration.

And this. Early July. Eschewing the local, family owned bookstore just a few blocks walk away, I drive to the big box emporium in the burbs for the year’s Phil Steele College Football ‘zine.

The 376 page cheat sheet in hand, I then return to my screen and announce in these spaces that, yes, another collegiate football tradition of long standing, shall arrive each Wednesday of autumn.

Seedy K’s Peerless Pigskin Prognostications.

It is here where I annually genuflect before Steele’s obsession with the sport he covers.

There are 138 top level teams. Steele advises he interviewed 133 head coaches for at least an hour each prepping this year’s preview.

He sits in front of 12 screens on football Saturdays.

You get the idea. He’s a junkie.

During the season, I couldn’t regale you with as much specific anecdotia without his tome.

Danke schoen, Mr. Football.

 * * * * *

Steele ranks the Louisville Cardinals at #18 in his Top 40.

Tied for second in the ACC with #17 Clemson and #12 SMU behind #7 Miami.

 * * * * *

Far from the only college-covering sports scribe scrambling for summer reading fodder, I bow my head to legitimate expert Heather Dinich for the following info, which I am expropriating to explain my story why and how the Greeks came to name their God of College Pigskin, Bronconagurskius.

In a summer filler article, the ESPN crew listed the best players ever to wear each numbered jersey from 1 to 99.

For #72, Dinich astutely dubbed as best, Minnesota Golden Gopher, era 1927-1929, DT/FB Bronco Nagurski.

Charter member of college pigskin HoF. Only player in history to make All American in same year at two different positions. His name is inscribed on the trophy awarded annually to the best D player in the land.

And, his prowess and grit was on full display more than once. One season against Iowa, he lined up at five different positions during a game. Against rival Wisconsin in ’28, he carried six Badgers across the goal line for a go ahead TD. While wearing a steel corset because of cracked vertebra he suffered weeks earlier.

Further research — into nooks and crannies of my 1970s mind — reveals that said corset was fashioned by none other than Hephaestus* himself, whom the scholars among you will recognize as the Greek God of Metalworking. As well as Stonemasonry, Fire and Volcanoes.

*Multitasker that diety. Step aside, Arthur Brown.

 * * * * *

Which nonsensical shtick about ancient Gods allows me to transition to the other football.

Futbol.

Starting with my new main man, Erling Braut Haaland.

Who dazzled again on Sunday during Norway’s upset of Brazil.

If you didn’t see his two unbelievable scores, tsk tsk.

They were utrolig.

Plus Haaland’s into ancient Gods. Viking of course.

Such that he purchased and donated a rare 1594 edition of “Norse Viking Sagas” to his hometown library in Bryne.

The book is based on 13th C chronicles of Snorri Sturluson. The “Heimskingla” or something like that.

Guess the equivalent of the King James Bible, I surmise.

Anyway, the other Sunday battle — England surviving Mexico a man down — was also boffo.

 * * * * *

As for the Folarin Balogun mess, it just makes me sad.

It has turned the USA from one of the feel good stories of the World Cup into the Ugly American Bully as many around the world view us.

 * * * * *

Anyhow, my usual coverage of Football American Style is on its way. In due course.

— c d kaplan