These rookies look amazing. Wait. Oh yeah. Chad Owens. Wait.

Rob Meier is a beast. Wait. He's starting now? Oh.

Man. Patience hurts, but promise tastes so good. Young legs with spit-shined morals feel better than a quick tequila and Advil shot, but wait, something's missing, right?

Are we missing pads? Are we missing opposing players who have similarly improved? Are we missing game situations, with referees, with opposing crowds? And where's Jackson deVille? Did he work out over the offseason too? Is he training with Luke?

Yet, newness rules. As does shopping for groceries when hungry.

All seems well. We've brought in Boy Scouts who have actually climbed the mountain and come down with the flag. But this is a different mountain.

Until the pads come out, their mountains were merely hills. And as fans, we're stuck. We have to wait.

Oh yeah. Now I remember. Chad Owens.