Is everybody OK? That was a tough week. We got everybody through it, right?

We just made it through the absolute worst sports week of the year. Thank goodness it is over. It honestly felt like it would never end.

The Major League Baseball All-Star Week is the worst sports week of the year, every year. Basketball and hockey are done, football isn't even on the horizon, and baseball takes four days off. It really is an awful week that I dread every year.

Yes, there is the homerun derby and the All-Star Game, but I probably watched less that 20 minutes of each. I really am not interested in exhibitions of any kind. Although, Bryce Harper winning the homerun derby at home was pretty cool.

ESPN puts on their annual award show -- the ESPYs -- during the week. Once again, don't care. Although, I watched enough of the ESPYs to learn about Team Rubicon and Jake Wood which was pretty cool.

Sports Illustrated published their "Fashionable 50" issue this week, too. It is impossible for me to care less about Odell Beckham's latest jacket, sweater, and pants combo. Although, Sports Illustrated is on its death bed and that is NOT pretty cool, but it is fact.

This week is still important. We got you set for the MLB stretch run last week. This week is the perfect week to start reading up on the coming football season.

I went out and grabbed college and pro football previews this week. I went with Lindy's for college football and Athlon Sports for the professional side. These tomes will be my initial guides as I try to decipher and devour the 2018 football season.

HOTPO headquarters reading for today...I can't wait to dig into the previews on the left, the Sports Illustrated in the center is declining dog poop, and I just didn't get to the Post today. 

I used to get the Street & Smith's baseball preview when I was a young kid. Around high school or early college, I started buying the football annuals. Now I have to have print edition previews for pro football, college football, pro basketball, college basketball, and baseball -- it is a security blanket I feel I need like the daily Washington Post.

You will see the product of my reading beginning in early-August when I will begin posting American Football Conference season previews by division. Each week that I publish, my buddy Dan Head will publish accompanying National Football Conference divisional previews on his blog. I will provide those links and short previews of his work here on HOTPO.

There is nothing going on this week and nothing much to talk about. So let's look at what we have in front of us.

Wednesday, July 25: This is the mean start date for most NFL training camps. Rookies for many teams have already reported, but the real business will start happening league-wide later this week. You should start checking the Twitter feed of your favorite NFL beat reporter now.

Saturday, August 25: College football kicks off with a slate of four awful games. Maintain your focus on family and household chores.

Thursday, August 30: Northwestern plays at Purdue for the first Power Five conference battle of the year. Not the greatest matchup, but probably worth of investment of a late week night and tougher than normal Friday at work due to lack of sleep.

August 30 is also the day of the last of four preseason games for each NFL teams. These games are crap, and the fourth is the worst. But, on this date, you will know you are soon to see real professional football.

Friday, August 31: Army goes to North Carolina to beat Duke. OK, now we are on! I love the Friday night start for the Sons of Slum and Gravy and assume the will be televised nationally (STOKED!).

Saturday, September 1: This is the first real weekend of virtually preseason college football. By "virtual preseason," I mean Power Five Conference teams playing non-Power Five Conference teams. Therefore, we aren't really "gettin' after it" yet, but it is still some football.

Texas at Maryland, West Virginia at Tennessee, Washington at Auburn, North Carolina at California, Michigan at Notre Dame, and Louisville at Alabama all look to be solid early season matchups on this first September Saturday.

Thursday, September 6: Atlanta Falcons at Philadelphia Eagles to kickoff the NFL regular season.

Sunday, September 9: The first full Sunday of NFL games. The Cincinnati Bengals will come to Indianapolis to play my beloved Colts, and the Washington Rednecks will travel to Arizona to play the Cardinals. Oh how I long for this day.

Hang in there. Football is coming soon. Start reading.

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