The New Haven Road Race has been named the national Race of the Month by Runner’s World Magazine. The 32nd running of the Stratton Faxon New Haven Road Race takes place Sept. 7.

Runners can compete in the 20K, 5K or Kids Fun Run. The race field is limited to 6,000 participants, with nearly 3,000 already entered. The event will again host the USA Men’s & Women’s 20K Championship. This will be the 19th consecutive year a National Championship race has been held in New Haven . Last years winners James Carney and Jill Steffens-Swope return to defend their titles.

For race information call (203) 481-5933 or visit newhavenroadrace.org

While losing about five pounds today mowing the lawn, I had plenty of time to think about what will be a wild upcoming month.

PILOT PEN TENNIS

This is our biggest event of the year. No one's allowed to take vacation. All hands on deck. We even borrow the business editor and Register funny man and entertainment editor Patrick Ferrucci for the week.

We will have plenty of wild card news this week and special features and fan guides Friday.

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL

Sept. 16 will be our high school football preview section.

Once again we'll have schedules, 2008 results and capsules for every team in the state.

We have a photo shoot for our cover story set up for next week and questionnaires have been sent to each football coach in the state. Mike Pucci is already typing in the shells for each of the capsules.

We think you'll enjoy the topic: A look at how teams select their starting quarterback.

There will also be more online components so keep yours eye out for those.

In the meantime, check out Mike Pucci's high school football blog.

He's breaking down Top 10 topics pertaining to high school football.


COLLEGE FOOTBALL

This is right around the corner, with Southern Connecticut kicking off the season looking for its sixth straight trip to the NCAA Division II playoffs.

UConn opens at Ohio Sept. 5 and New Haven is back in the mix, with two road games before a season-opener at its "almost blue" field Sept. 19 against Bentley.

Word is Boise State is not happy the Chargers have a similar color turf.

Yale opens at Georgetown Sept. 26, but then has three straight home games (Cornell, Lafayette and Dartmouth).

And The Game is at Yale Bowl Nov. 21.

Already have the photo set for that special section. The captains get together each year in May at the site of the home team. And we've been lucky enough the past decade or so to join in and get photos.

Beginning Sept. 1, we'll also introduce you to some of the top homegrown talent in college football.

NEW HAVEN ROAD RACE

A Labor Day tradition and the national championship for the 20K.

We've reporters working on feature stories that will run the week leading up to the event.

Dick Conrad, an employee here, has once again volunteered to generate results so we can post them in the paper the day after the race.

For more information visit the Road Race Web site.

Here is a look at the Walter Camp preseason watch List


The Walter Camp Football Foundation has released its preseason Player of the Year Watch list. The 30-player list includes six who were on last year’s All-America team.
The watch list will be narrowed to 10 semifinalists in early November. The 2009 Walter Camp Player of the Year will be announced live on ESPN SportsCenter on December 10. The winner will then receive his trophy at the Foundation’s annual national awards banquet on Jan. 16, 2010 at the Yale Commons.

Jahvid Best, RB, Jr., California

Arrelious Benn, WR, Jr., Illinois

Eric Berry, DB, Jr., Tennessee*

Sam Bradford, QB, Jr., Oklahoma@

LaGarrette Blount, RB, Sr., Oregon

Dez Bryant, WR, Jr., Oklahoma State*

Daryll Clark, QB, Sr., Penn State

Jonathan Dwyer, RB, Jr., Georgia Tech

Mardy Gilyard, WR, Sr., Cincinnati

Jermaine Gresham, TE, Sr., Oklahoma@

Max Hall, QB, Sr., Brigham Young

Tim Hiller, QB, Sr., Western Michigan

Jerry Hughes, DE, Sr., TCU*

Kendell Hunter, RB, Jr., Oklahoma State

MiQuale Lewis, RB, Sr., Ball State

Taylor Mays, DB, Sr., USC*

Colt McCoy, QB, Sr., Texas*

Kellen Moore, QB, So., Boise State

Todd Reesing, QB, Sr., Kansas

Jacquizz Rodgers, RB, So., Oregon State

Evan Royster, RB, Sr., Penn State

George Selvie, DE, Sr., South Florida#@

Jordan Shipley, WR, Sr., Texas

Rusty Smith, QB, Sr., Florida Atlantic

Jevan Snead, QB, Jr., Mississippi

Brandon Spikes, LB, Sr., Florida*

C.J. Spiller, RB, Sr., Clemson

Golden Tate, WR, Jr., Notre Dame

Tim Tebow, QB, Sr., Florida#

Sean Weatherspoon, LB, Sr., Missouri@


@ - 2008 Walter Camp Second Team
* - 2008 Walter Camp First Team
# 2007 Walter Camp First Team

Got this release today.

I thought UConn might be higher.

The Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC), a division of IMG Worldwide, announces its annual list of top-selling institutions and manufacturers. These rankings represent royalties reported July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2009 on all collegiate merchandise sold.

UConn is 45th.

I bolded all of the Big East schools, including Notre Dame, which I understand gets the majority of its revenue from football-related gear.

Here is the list.

Top-75 Universities
(1.) The University of Texas at Austin
(2.) University of Florida
(3.) University of Georgia
(4.) Louisiana State University
(5.) The University of Alabama
(6.) University of North Carolina
(7.) The University of Michigan
(8.) The Pennsylvania State University
(9.) University of Notre Dame
(10.) The University of Oklahoma
(11.) University of Tennessee
(12.) Auburn University
(13.) University of Kentucky
(14.) University of Wisconsin
(15.) University of Arkansas Fayetteville
(16.) Florida State University
(17.) The University of Kansas
(18.) West Virginia University
(19.) University of Illinois
(20.) University of Nebraska
(21.) University of Missouri
(22.) University of South Carolina
(23.) Clemson University
(24.) University of California, Berkeley
(25.) Purdue University
(26.) Texas Tech University
(27.) University of Miami
(28.) Oklahoma State University
(29.) The University of Arizona
(30.) University of Minnesota
(31.) University of Washington
(32.) University of Louisville
(33.) Duke University
(34.) Oregon State University
(35.) University of Maryland
(36.) Kansas State University
(37.) Washington State University
(38.) The University of Virginia
(39.) Syracuse University
(40.) Georgia Institute of Technology
(41.) University of Pittsburgh
(42.) University of Colorado
(43.) University of Mississippi
(44.) Stanford University
(45.) UCONN
(46.) Brigham Young University
(47.) University of Utah
(48.) State University of New Jersey
(49.) Boise State University
(50.) University of Cincinnati
(51.) Fresno State University
(52.) Boston College
(53.) University South Florida
(54.) East Carolina University
(55.) The University of Memphis
(56.) The University of Montana
(57.) Georgetown University
(58.) United States Military Academy
(59.) Texas Christian University
(60.) Colorado State University
(61.) University of Central Florida
(62.) Vanderbilt University
(63.) University of Nevada
(64.) The University of Wyoming
(65.) Marshall University
(66.) The University of New Mexico
(67.) Villanova University
(68.) University of Houston
(69.) Gonzaga University
( 70.) United States Air Force Academy
(71.) Northwestern University
(72.) Texas State University San Marcos
(73.) Baylor University
(74.) University of Delaware
(75.) Marquette University

This is from Brian Baisley, a member of our staff through an Easter Seals program. Brian is a great help to us at the Register and has grown a great deal since joining us almost five years ago.

He has competed in Special Olympics and works for Special Olympics Connecticut now as well.

He wanted to share his thoughts about Eunice Kennedy-Shriver.

Thanks Brian.


Eunice Kennedy-Shriver, died today. She was 88 years old.

Mrs. Shriver wanted to help people with disabilities. She deciated her life into helping millions of people including me.

Forty years ago Shriver created the Special Olympics, which is an organization to help mental & physical challenge adults to compete in sports due to her sister Rosemary disability.

Mrs. Shriver will be dearly be missed in the Special Olympics. I just wish I had thanked her for all she has done for me and millions all over the world.