Peyton Manning realizes he hasn't signed a new endorsement deal in at least a week.Ladies and gentlemen, at long last, Thursday, September 6, 2007 has finally arrived. I’m thinking of starting a petition to officially dub today Mardi Gras II: Electric Boogaloo. Probably a little late for that though.

I’m proud to say that the party has already started… in my pants.

Yes, I’ve decided to wear pants. I can’t promise that I won’t change my mind later. (To anyone who may be reading this who’s coming to my house tonight, you have been warned.)

Tee vee based pregame festivities start at 4:00 Eastern, 3:00 Central with the NFL Network’s Point After. With the game starting at 8:30/7:30, I’m assuming WWL will have First Take starting at about 5/4. But I plan to fire up the stream sometime around 2, just in case.

Meantime, the guest commentary thread is an all day affair. If John Cougar shows up, you have carte blanche to kick him in the area just below his ten pound belt buckle. (Confession: Kelly Clarkson? I’d hit that. Is that wrong?)