WHERE'D THE YEAR GO... SEPTEMBER

As 2006 draws to a close, we are reminded of a few of the events that brought us closer to you: Dick Cheney shooting a guy in the face, premium ice cream price wars, dogs that were mistakenly issued major credit cards, and others who weren't so lucky ... In our continuing quest to secure a lower rung on the inferno, Out of Left Field looks back at the wild 'n' nutty month of September.

CIS football is back, which around here means exploring the concept of "fraught."

Say hello to T-Emo.

College radio guys did their best to kill "You're With Me, Leather."

With the Lynx leaving, Ottawa should go after an indie-league team (although my suggestion for a name, the Capital Bandits, would totally not fly here). By the way, before the Lynx's final game of the season against Buffalo, some Ottawa Senators players took batting practice -- marking the first time in 2006 that a Senators player hit something when a Buffalo team was in town.

Confessions of an ex-NCAA football junkie.

Oh, Domi. Leafs Nation forgave its favourite bastard, even if he did try to leave his lovely wife Leanne high and dry with three kids.

What it's like to be a Muslim and a pro athlete in the post-Sept. 11, 2001 United States.

Reason No. 1 to keep the NFL out of Toronto: You wouldn't be able to have some ironic detachment with your football.

A certain someone reacted to his alma mater's loss in the Homecoming football game in less than heroic fashion.

Here's how the Yankees party went down after the Evil Empire clinched the AL East: "Someone tossed a champagne bottle to A-Rod, who dropped it, only to have Derek Jeter make a diving recovery to keep it from hitting the floor. Picking up the bottle, Jeter tossed it to Jason Giambi, but the throw was low and the resulting stretch caused him to strain a hamstring muscle. So Giambi waved in Aaron Guiel as his drinking replacement.

"Bernie Williams just stood around looking hopeless and confused.

"Centre-fielder Johnny Damon tried to toss a paper cup to second baseman Robinson Cano. It reached him on the second bounce."

Their play this season has justified why I was just mild about the Kingston Frontenacs back at the start of the season.

The one and only Christopher J. Thomas retired his pen and notebook after 35 years at the Simcoe Reformer -- "and two at the Delhi News-Record."

That's all for now. Send your thoughts to neatesager@yahoo.ca.