Are you ready for some football?

School buses are on the road, so fall must be on the way. We look forward to cooler days and more time outside. Labor Day is around the corner, the official end of summer. Most of us are ready to say goodbye to the seemingly endless hot days of summer. When fussing about the heat, we need to remember we will soon be enjoying the months we love. Friends and family up north are anticipating cold weather, eventually ice, and snow. We Floridians accept the incredible heat of summer, knowing that the rest of the year we enjoy warm, gentle weather and no snow and ice.

This time of year is traditionally one of fresh starts. Who doesn't remember the excitement of going back to school at the end of the summer? New clothes, fresh supplies, a whole new start, and a chance for the best school year ever. There are lots of chances for new experiences. Sign up for the band, a sports team, take a language or an art class — possibilities are endless. Those who are long out of school have chances to start something new as well. Commit to a new exercise regime. Take a class at the island's Council On Aging or with Amelia Lifelong Learning. Volunteer.

At our house, this time of year means football time. The Big Guy and I are football fans, both college and the pros. Fans and teams are looking forward to their fresh starts. This could be the year! It is not difficult to pick out the most avid fans. Just look at their colorful affinity apparel. Jaguar teal rules in northern Florida. The familiar jaguar head logo can be seen on clothing, bumper stickers, and everything in between. Jaguar fans have been through a lot but remain loyal and determined. We all look forward to a new season, a new coach, a talented quarterback, and even a Heisman-winning player who plays both sides of the ball.

College school loyalties? To know the Big Guy is to know he is a Georgia fan. His three kids all went to Georgia, and his son played for Vince Dooley's last team. My apparel tends to be black and gold, the colors of the Iowa Hawkeyes. For nearly 10 years, I worked for the University of Iowa athletic department and was lucky enough to be there for the glory years of Hayden Fry.

Living in the Midwest, where Big Ten football ruled, was a great experience. The world stopped on a football Saturday. Before I moved to Florida, I couldn't imagine there was anything that could match Big Ten football mania. A Georgia or Alabama fan can match any Michigan or Ohio State fan when it comes to die-hard enthusiasm. My first Georgia/Florida game rivaled any Big Ten contest I have ever attended — even the schedule-ending traditional Ohio State/Michigan game. Southern hostesses nervously check calendars for dates that do not conflict with key football matchups. Weddings and, probably, funerals are planned around football schedules. You can even purchase caskets in team colors.

So Jags, Bulldogs, and Hawkeyes start your engines! Those of us who love football look forward to some great wins and, yes, some maddening losses. So fall here we come — kids back in school, football teams taking the field, and fresh starts.