Friday evening is the traditional start to the fall sports season for mid-valley Beaver Boosters, as the Albany Beaver Huddle holds their kickoff event at 6 PM at Monteith Riverfront Park, complete with fresh salmon. An appearance by the Oregon State Marching Band, the oldest band in the Pac-10, under the direction of Dr. Brad Townsend, will get Beaver boosters revved up, and ready for a few words of encouragement from a select Oregon State coach.

Not that those Beaver Boosters, who have already RSVPed in droves, need much encouragement! After 2008 saw the third straight season of nine or more wins by Coach Mike Riley's football team, and one of the best seasons ever by the gymnasts, winter saw the best season in years by both Craig Robinson's men's and LaVonda Wagner's women's hoops squads. And then Pat Casey's beaver baseball team returned to the postseason after a one year absence.

It has Beaver supporters more than ready for football season, and the opportunity to demonstrate to everyone that "They are Orange". The first sign was the unprecedented appearance of students camping overnight to get tickets for the Portland State game, weeks before the students return to campus for fall term. And now the response to the Albany Beaver Huddle has exceeded all expectations.

"I'm afraid we will run out of food for everyone who wants to come," organizer Gale Borde said.

Only one more week until tailgating breakfast, before the 11:35 kickoff against the Vikings!