For the 26th time, the Polk panel of football prognosticators known as the Magnificent Seven returns to grace the pages of the Polk County News. All members from last year have returned for 2008 because no one was beating down the doors to replace them.

Defending champion Angie Sanford allegedly said she had the experience to be presi…er… to win again. An unnamed source quoted Sanford as saying a second win would be easy since she had no real competition.

Multi-year champion and always front running Rocky King is back to prove last year was a fluke. King refuses to admit that the skills are not what they used to be and he is looking at the wrong side of the hill. He allegedly has promised there will be no ‘wait till next year’ coming from him.

Fellow law enforcement officer and bitter King rival Joe Price enters this season with renewed energy and desire. He had the trophy for one year and vows to get it back. “There’s an empty place on my garage work bench where the trophy ought to be,” he allegedly said.

Jared Bigham begins his second season and promises not to finish last again. He supposedly told someone his youth and knowledge of the game would help him beat his rivals.

Daren Waters only wants to make sure his game selections are not confused with those of Bigham. He didn’t seem to understand how similar the two names are and that switching the selections would be an easy mistake to make.

Once again Randy Buehler is on the panel. He won the championship so long ago the Neanderthals and Cro-Magnons were coexisting and Jello had not been invented. That’s what owning 50% of the stock will do for you.

Cheryl Maxwell, the new top dog in town, is the seventh panel member. She also won a title many years ago. Her secret then was picking the team with the prettiest uniforms.