Oh, my goodness, how boring have the times become in the month that is July.

July is one of the more unique months in all of the year in terms of sports.

It has the “dead day” that is the day before the All-Star break in Major League Baseball where no major sporting event takes place.

On the positive side, however, it is the month that training camp starts for teams in the National Football League.

I don’t know if I am bored out of my you-know-what right now, but I have decided to dig deep into the subconscious to come up with this week’s Fun with Folse.

Remember, to all you readers out there: Once you get into my head, there is no turning back, baby!

With football season approaching, everyone likes to make their picks and predictions on the upcoming season and what their favorite team is going to do and what will be the keys to them achieving this goal for the upcoming season.

Since I am the “impartial” sports editor of L’Observateur, I have no favorite local high school team. I wish them all the same amount of success (Mainly so I don’t get called a homer).

The collegiate level however is totally different.

Unless you have been crawled up under a rock for the past eight months, you know that the school I have a cult following of is Louisiana State University. I guess attending LSU had a whole heck of a lot to do with it, but I have been a fan of the Tigers since as long as I can remember.

All right, it is time for the debut of the first-annual ‘I Believe’ football rant.

I BELIEVE that West St. John has a legitimate shot to take home its third consecutive state championship. Rams Head Coach Laury Dupont has a young team and they must replace all-everything back Patrick Jackson, but the move down to Class A and the seemingly never-ending talent flow of football players coming out of Edgard will make the Rams a significant force in the upcoming season.

I BELIEVE that Riverside Academy really has their work cut out for them this season. While they return Jarid Caesar at tailback along with a host of other very significant contributors from last year’s squad, the move down to Class 2A will not be a pleasant one for the Rebels. Why, you ask? Try St. James, and oh yeah, some school out of River Ridge that has one like a bazillion state championships and will be a favorite again.

I BELIEVE that St. Charles Catholic is much in the same boat as their new district rivals. The Comets have a gaping hole in their offensive that was left by Louisiana-Lafayette signee Tyrell Fenroy and must also have to deal with St. James and Mr. Curtis himself. The biggest question for Comets Head Coach Frank Monica is how many different ways can he come up with to get the ball in the hands of Casey Robottom.

I BELIEVE that East St. John may have the most talented set of offensive playmakers in the entire state and that is without Ryan Perrilloux under center this season. Larry Dauterive has so many quality players at the skill positions that I bet he wishes he could play 14 players on the offensive side of the ball. Couple that with a defense that according to Dauterive was very good in the spring and the Wildcats have a chance to have a special season.

The biggest question on the East St. John campus may in the end turn out to be an exclamation point. Will John Curtis transfer Johnnie Thiel be able to get the ball to the bevy of wide receivers and running backs that Dauterive likes to throw at opposing defenses?

While no one is expecting Thiel to be on the same level as Perrilloux was last season, the Wildcat quarterback must be able to lead a proficient East St. John offensive attack if they are to have any chance of playing in the Dome at the end of the season.

I BELEIVE that Les Miles has a legitimate chance bring home a National Championship for the LSU Tigers this season.

However, I ALSO BELIEVE that Les Miles has a chance to not have as successful of a season that everyone is hoping in Baton Rouge.

There is absolutely no question that the Tigers have the talent to be playing in Pasadena on January 4, 2006 for the National Championship. Alley Broussard, Joseph Addai, Skyler Green, Dwayne Bowe and Early Doucet are some of the most explosive offensive players in the country this season and LSU has many more after that.

The wildcard in this entire thing is Miles himself. No one knows what to expect from the former Oklahoma State Head Coach. He could be the next Nick Saban (but hopefully nicer) or he could wind up being the next dare I say, Mike Archer.

Right now, the new Tigers Head Coach is saying all the right things. But right now, that is all he can say. The true judgment begins in September.

Or so I BELIEVE.