Summer -- Where did you go?

It's over -- about a month after spring sports ended with the baseball, softball and soccer state finals. We hardly knew ye ...

Am I alone in thinking the summer "break" just seems too short when it comes to athletics?

Sure, most athletes probably finished spring competition the last weekend in May, with practice starting again Aug. 10 for football players and shortly after for the rest. But many have been training all summer. Coaches and administrators are definitely working. Athletic directors, in particular, are already back to planning for the fall season.

I'd be lying if my first bit of football preparation didn't have me a little excited for the end of August. But the end of July is feeling far too early to even be thinking about such things. Right? Or wrong ...