Here at least, life can go back on hold.

...and I sort of wish it wasn't.

I woke up at 6.30am yesterday, I had a round of golf booked for the morning and I can never sleep when I'm looking forward to something like that. I took the time to cast my eye over my Fantasy league team, agonised over the inclusions and then decided to leave it well alone (much to my later chagrin as Drogba bagged a brace).

So I finished up at the 18th halfway through the Chelsea game and the first thing I did was run into the bar to see the score. 1-1 at that point. Gerrin. Next stop was the golf shop as my brother pondered new clubs. I was supposed to be moral support as he spent more money than he should on "shiny metal sticks" but I found myself dandering around the shop, eyes glued to the internet on my mobile and generally being a moving obstacle for all other patrons in said shop, checking all the scores. Bent for Sunderland? More points for me.

So we get home about 4.30pm, just in time to put on Soccer Saturday and see the full times rolling in. Then the Everton v Arsenal game comes on (Arshavin, Neville, Cahill. POINTS! Or not, as it turned out.) so I watch most of that.

I was tired last night, so I didn't watch Match of the Day in the end. So I got up this morning to watch it. Wasn't it funny seeing Tevez start on the bench and then City play fairly poorly? Ireland scored though. Didn't pick him this year. Amateurish mistake.

Now it's 9am and I've got a few hours before the game starts. Might go to the driving range in a bit to kill some time. I'll be thinking about the game the whole time though. Sigh.

I'm not going today. I've scudded them on the last two opening days to lacklustre draws so at least I'm out of the equation. My first game this season isn't until we play Arsenal. Didn't they look poor yesterday?

So yea. Football's back and it will dominate everything for another ten months. My mobile bill will surely rise as I can't not know scores when I'm out.

Why do we do this? Why do women put up with this? I don't know. I really hate it, I think. Probably not in all honesty. I wouldn't change it though, not for a second. I was at the Middlesbrough - Sheffield United game last Friday night. The home fans soon got stuck into a rendition of "One Bobby Robson". I must admit, I felt a tear in my eye. I met the big man at Newcastle train station a while back. He took a few minutes to stop and talk to us. Absolute gent of a man. He shared something with many of us. He loved football. Certain things transcend rivalries and bring everyone together. Football is one of them. For example, I hate Liverpool but I can't imagine a world without them and they'd surely admit the same.

So. Where to from here? Ranting, elation, despair, ridiculous outflow of money and then a two month break (World Cup season though!) before we do it all again.

One game at a time though, eh?