At the risk of turning this into a "what-I-did-over-my-holiday-weekend" recap, I will nevertheless turn this into a "what-I-did-over-my-holiday-weekend" recap.

With a look ahead.

Friday night, we caught the Beatles' cover band performing at Conner Prairie. They announced that the crowd (I believe 9,700 was the figure) was the largest for the "Symphony on the Prairie" series in nine or 10 years.

That tells you how the Fab Four still cast the longest shadow over our music, almost 40 years after their breakup and with Lennon and Harrison now playing that big music hall in the heavens.

It was a stellar show, by the way.

And here's a question I always ask my younger colleagues: What group or group performing today will still have such a profound musical mark two generations from now?

Saturday marked, for me, the official start of football season, with the colleges --specifically, my Indiana Hoosiers -- taking center stage. I love tailgates and I love the atmosphere of college football. Oh, and the Hoosiers won. Can't win 'em all if you don't win the first one, right?

Since the game started at noon, that gave us plenty of time to drive home, rest for a bit, then head downtown to our friends' "Condo on the Canal," where we enjoyed the folks strolling below, a spectacular sunset and then the huge SkyConcert fireworks show above White River State Park. It really doesn't get any better than that.

Sunday was golf. OK, I sucked, but it still was a glorious day.

Monday, Labor Day, I labored with yard work, but also over baby back ribs cooked oh-so-slowly to perfection.

But now what?

Psychologically, Labor Day seems to be a point of demarcation. Despite what the calendar says, we know that summer is essentially over, and fall has essentially begun.

Yes, 20 days remain before the Sept. 22 autumnal equinox and the weather -- HOT and dry -- gives no hint of change. But the kids are back in school and we can think about the serious challenges ahead.

The presidential race? Nah. I'm talking about the Indianapolis Colts. The season opener is Sunday night against the Chicago Bears (you know, the team whose tails we kicked to win Super Bowl XLI) at the new Lucas Oil Stadium. NBC is doing the national telecast with Al Michaels and John Madden.

I think we're all hoping for great weather so the stadium's retractable roof will be open and we can show off with those outstanding aerial views of LOS and downtown.

Oh, and Peyton Manning will be starting at quarterback for the Horseshoes.

Time to get serious.    

Are we ready for some football? You bet.