Howdy,

Word came down late Thursday afternoon that the CIAC's Board Of Control hit Naugatuck High School with a $7,500 fine and put the football program on two-year probation due to three recruiting violations committed by former football coach Rob Plasky and football booster club president, Frank Johnson Jr.

Naugatuck Board of Education Chair David Heller told the Citizen's News that the penalties wouldn't affect students, but also said that the board isn't sure how they'll pay the fine.

School budgets are stretched thin, so here's hoping that those responsible for the mess will pay up. Kids shouldn't have to pay for the folly of adults.

The BOC also ruled that David Coggins, Javon Martin and Xavier Woods from Sacred Heart of Waterbury are ineligible to play the first four games of this season. Plasky had paid for the trio to attend a football camp with his team over the summer. Johnson also gave $1,000 a check to Meme Martin, mother of Javon and Coggins' foster mother, so that she could pay outstanding tuition bills to Sacred Heart. The school was withholding Coggins and Martin's transcripts, thus preventing them from transferring to Naugatuck

* * * *

On paper, this isn't a very stocked weekend. We'll still find you a nice place to go to, though.

Note the text that's both and blue where the team names, date and time are located? Those are called "hyperlinks". Usually, they'd take you to music by Steely Dan, Meshuggah, Buddy Guy, etc., but not this time.

No, those hyperlinks will magically take you to Google Maps with the destination being the home team. All you have to is plug in your address to get to said destination.

That's just how we cater to YOU, good reader

No. 3 Hand of Madison (1-0) at Hillhouse of New Haven (1-0), today, 4 p.m.: Things generally don't go well whenever Division II teams from the Southern Connecticut Conference play the Division I programs. Since 2004, D-I has a commanding 149-32-1 edge in those matchups (thanks for taking care of the math, Pooch). So a D-II team has got to be pretty good for folks to pay attention to an SCC interdivisional game. Hillhouse has gotten those folks' attention.

Montville (1-0) at New London (1-0), today, 6:30 p.m.: A bellwether game here in the Eastern Connecticut Conference. Uber-sized Jake Basilica (6-foot-4, 305 pounds) and fellow road grader Ryan Murtha (6-0, 260) give Montville a sizable advantage up front over what is a lean Whalers team. Linebacker Isaiah Holloway made quite an impression on Watertown last week, too. New London has the speed advantage and wants to play at ludicrous speed. New QB Ackee Barber completed 15 of 19 passes for 152 yards and three touchdowns in last week's 39-6 win over Killingly. Caleb Camacho caught for passes for 44 yards and two touchdowns, and linebacker Lamont Waites had a team-high 12 tackles.

Naugatuck (1-0) at Derby (1-0), today, 7 p.m.: We'll let folks embedded in The Valley break this sucker down. We're feeling sorta' lazy, too

Woodland (1-0) at No. 2 Ansonia (1-0), today, 7 p.m.: Woodland's offensive prowess is a big reason why folks consider it an NVL contender. It's going to need all the points it can get to keep up with the Chargers.

Coventry/Windham Tech/Bolton (1-0, 1-0 Pequot Uncas) at Avon (1-0, 1-0), Saturday, 1 p.m.: CWTB cleared a major hurdle last week when it beat Gilbert/Northwestern Regional. It's not going to face many more challenges after Avon, so a win here gets it closer to a Class M berth. CWTB has UConn-bound Tommy Myers (tight end-linebacker). The Falcons have Colin Moore, who ran for 2,206 yards last season.

* * * *

Sean over at Team Hearst saved us the hassle of hyperlinking a bunch of football scribblings.

Dave Ruden, Stamford Advocate: "Continuity, strong youth programs central to the success of FCIAC's best football teams"

* * * *

We'd be remiss — and cads — if we didn't acknowledge the passing of Steve Sabol of NFL Films.

Football, for all of its ills, is the most magnificent game in the Milky Way. And no one ever presented it better than Sabol, his father, Ed, and NFL Films.

In a land before cable television, NFL Ticket and the Innernets, one's exposure to the NFL wasn't as infinite as it is today. So when you stumbled upon one of NFL Films syndicated shows, it was akin to giving a starving person filet mignon. You were getting your football fix, and you were getting it presented to you in the most wonderful way imaginable.

The images. The elegance. The slow motion. Hank Stram miked up at Super Bowl IV. Willie Brown chugging for a touchdown. Clips scored by Sam Spence. And narration by "The Voice Of God", John Facenda.

Steve's death was made crueler because the cancer attacked his mind. And what a mind it was. The dude was an artist and a genius. He has 35 Emmy awards that back up that claim (he deserved that and more for writing "The Autumn Wind"). Ron Howard and Sam Peckinpah both noted his influence.

Sabol was the face of the NFL for a generation of fans, and it feels as if we've lost a dear friend.

Adios, Steve, and thanks for all the memories.

Vaya con dios....