Football is officially in the air! Brian Kelly kicked off the 2012 season with an afternoon press conference Friday (transcript) where he revealed a few new details for 2012 and backed off his ”I’ll set the Internet on fire …” comments from a Thursday afternoon radio spot (HLS Re-cap). Long story short: BK claims “FieldTurf is coming” on Thursday, crusty Irish fans bitch & moan, younger fans regale in the older generations misery, BK updates his original statement to claim he should have said “I wish FieldTurf is coming”. Got it? Good. That is more italics than a care to use in one paragraph, but whatever. Here’s some weekly links to my stuff, my co-workers stuff & other stuff.

My internet show & podcast, Down the Line, returned to the airwaves this week and we recovered from our summer breaks quite nicely. We jumped into season previews by looking over the QB situation (shocker) & breaking down the Safety position. We hosted Gerome Sapp, former Irish safety, and got the scoop on life as an experienced safety with young, inexperienced corners. He provided quite the sound bite. Also discussed were the Irish’s opponents in Weeks 1-3, FieldTurf, JumboTrons, Olympics & more. Enjoy:

Don’t Miss: This Sunday on Ask Oscar I’ll be interviewing my All-Time favorite Notre Dame Football player – Kevin McDougal. The quarterback of the 1993 squad was the leader of the team that really ushered me into the world of Blue & Gold. Tune in.

I’m still working up the courage to start banging out 2012 Notre Dame Football posts, but my guys at the new locale SubwayDomer.com have done their part:

• Our fearless leader SD gives a fearless, honest take on the Tommy Rees & Carlo Calabrese suspensions. My comments on the site thus far have been my most significant contribution.
• SD also had the goods as fans on Twitter reacted to the suspensions. This link is worth it just for the updated image of Brian Kelly as Rainbow Brite & the four QBs being sprinkled with fairy dust.
• Film room study is the hardest, but the best way break down performance. My man BlogDavie gives us Part II of Tommy Rees Caught on Tape. He illustrates specific plays and reads where Tommy has succeeded and failed as the Irish quarterback.

Around the Bend:

• Tyler Moorehead, who just got the Herring Bone treatment from Matt Fortuna of ESPN this week, achieved it by helping us re-live each of the past 15 times a Notre Dame quarterback started his 1st game. Ron Powlus is #15 and I doubt you remember some of the names and games between Powlus and whoever takes snap #1 against Navy on September 1st.
• The guys at One Foot Down have a great re-cap of the Kelly presser if you want all the gory details.
• I also agree with GrantlandX of Her Loyal Sons on the Tommy Rees & Carlo Calabrese suspensions with the bonus of the on-campus perception of it. Rees’s was probably right on, but Calabrese got hit too hard.

LAST: My new podcast – The Man Cave Quarterback should kick off a week from Monday, which will be its usual time. I’ll be recording it on Sundays and releasing it early Monday mornings. Guests are temporarily lined up, but more to come as this inches closer to finalization!