As the first weekend of International soccer is about to start, the English PL first tomorrow, then the Spanish Liga and Bundesliga in a week and the Italian Serie A in two, I can't help but ask a cliche' question? "What the heck did happen to the summer?!"

It seems just yesterday that Inter Milan swept away the competition and won its first Scudetto in eighteen years; Real Madrid prevailed in an incredible photo finish race with Barcelona to win the Spanish Liga; Stuttgart upset season leaders Shalke 04 and Werder Bremen and sprinted pass them in the last two games of the season to win the Bundesliga. AC Milan regained the European throne by conquering its seventh Champions League trophy.  Considering that AC Milan won five titles, plus three additional final appearances in the last eighteen years, no one can argue against the fact that the Club has been and continues to be the major force in European soccer for the past two decades.

Once the domestic leagues have initiated their competition, the European countries will re-engage the first week in September in the qualifying rounds of the European Nation Championship that will be held in Switzerland and Austria in the summer of next year.  Italy will play France on September 8 at the Milan Stadium Giuseppe Meazza, the temple of Italian soccer, where 80,000 plus Italian fans will try to push Italy to defeat France one more time and jump ahead of the cousins on the other side of the Alps on the group table.

Many super stars have changed teams and some more will do the same in the last three weeks before the August 31st international player transfer dead line.  Tierry Henry left Arsenal for Barcelona, Robben left Chelsea for Real Madrid, Torres went to Liverpool from Athletico Madrid, and Manchester United acquired the services of Tevez, Nani and Anderson. AC Milan signed up Paco from Brazil, a seventeen year old sensation who is destined to have a great future. Inter Milan snatched Chivu from Rome and Suazo from Cagliari, thus adding two great players to an already loaded cast of superstars.  My dear Juventus has come back to Serie A after a year in the second division as a result of a big referee scandal that shamed the Italian soccer last year.  Buffon, the best keeper in the world, has stayed, and so have Del Piero, Nedved, Camoranesi and Trezeguet. Together with three or four great youngsters, Nocerino, Palladino, Crescito, Chiellini, and the acquisition of players like Tiago from Porto, Almiron from Empoli, and Andrade from Deportivo la Coruna, Juventus should bee able to compete for the Scudetto or at least a spot for the '08 Champions League competition.

And Wabash?  We are getting together next Thursday for our pre-season that will take us through two weeks of intense preparation, two games against Anderson and Hanover Colleges, Thursday, August 23 - first day of school - at 5:30 pm with the former and Sunday, August 26 at 1:00 pm with the latter, both games at Mud Hollow, before we start our official season at home on Friday, August 31 at 5:30 pm versus ......DePauw!!

I am sure that everyone involved with our team needs no extra motivation or push in order to focus on our home debut against an arch rival like DePauw! 

BE PREPARED. BE READY. BEAT DEPAUW!!  This is what I have been repeating over and over again to our guys during these last three months every time I sent our e-mails and/or spoken with some of the players. 

Another year, year ONE I call it. The year of new BEGINNINGS, the year of BOLDNESS, and the year of ASSERTIVENESS.

The next three months will tell us who we are and what we are going to accomplish. Are we ready? Personally, I'll be getting ready since the end of last season.

WHO ARE WE?  WE ARE...WABASH!!!