Happy Independence Day!

While you’re busy using the long weekend to celebrate 232 years of awesomeness, take a moment to check out the latest sports publications from Maple Street Press. As I mentioned earlier, I wrote an article on Nick Saban’s out-of-conference scheduling philosophy for the Crimson Tide annual, Yea Alabama . . .

. . . and I also contributed a piece on Will Muschamp for the Longhorns yearbook, The Eyes of Texas.

So why would the Georgia faithful want to buy publications focused exclusively on Alabama and Texas? Well, for one thing, the subjects---S.E.C. non-conference scheduling and former Bulldog Will Muschamp---concern matters of interest to the Red and Black faithful.

Beyond that, Maple Street Press has been expanding its menu of available annuals steadily over the last couple of years, having started with Notre Dame (which, whether we like it or not, is a national program) and moved beyond that to Michigan and Texas. This year’s slate of publications includes annuals for Alabama, Nebraska, and Ohio State.

Quite frankly, it is my hope that, next year, Georgia will be added to that list and that I, like my fellow SB Nation bloggers at Around the Oval, Burnt Orange Nation, Corn Nation, and Roll ‘Bama Roll, will receive the nod to edit the preseason publication devoted to my favorite team.

Whether that comes to pass will depend upon a number of factors. Naturally, it will help matters considerably if the Bulldogs enter the 2009 season as the defending national champions, but there is little we as fans can do about that. What we can do is demonstrate that Damon Evans’s promotion of the Georgia brand has been successful in creating a constituency waiting and willing to purchase quality products related to the Red and Black. Money talks.

If Georgia fans are buying Alabama and Texas annuals from Maple Street Press because those yearbooks feature articles of interest to Bulldog fans written by a Georgia blogger, that improves the likelihood of our getting an annual all our own a year from now.

Spend now so you can spend later. The Alabama and Texas annuals may be purchased here. We thank you for your support. God bless America.

Go ‘Dawgs!