The 2008 season starts tonight with the Baltimore Ravens beginning their pre-season schedule in Foxboro, Massachusetts against the New England Patriots. Don't read anything into this game, from Kyle Boller starting to the possibility that the Ravens can actually win the game. A win and the Ravens faithful will be talking playoffs and Super Bowl by next week, even though the Pats really just want to get their reps in and not much else beyond their few rookies who want to make a good first impression. On the other side of the ball, most of the Ravens are already playing for their roster spots, and certainly pecking order on the depth chart. So who do you expect to be playing harder? Any emotional victory the Ravens can earn will do them good after the year they had last season. So whether or not any or all of the Ravens QB play well, it doesn't mean jack-squat (can I say that in public?). Let's see what some of the new guys can do, start getting a rhythm and some chemistry, and most of all, stay healthy. I'm going up to Training Camp this Saturday, so I hope to see a little more spring in their steps after a successful opening game to the pre-season, when they can finally start hitting in earnest.

However, this is not the big story of the day for me and my family. This afternoon, we are welcoming our new addition, pictured here.

Murphy, is an eight week old Miniature English Bulldog, on his way to Baltimore from a breeder in Florida. Isn't he way too cute for these pages!?