Football is Back...This is Not a Drill! 2018 Hall of Fame Game is the official start of preseason.

It's probably the first official clue that fall is around the corner. It's that time of the year where it's sweltering hot outside, basketball is on hiatus, baseball is just past it's halfway mark and depending on if you watch football, futbol or American soccer, you're either just getting started or you're wondering if your favorite MLS team has what it takes to make it the rest of the season.

That is when football starts teasing us with the notion that our weekends are about to be filled again with pigskin love. The weather will eventually get cooler, the leaves will begin to change and fall and thousands of people will congregate in parking lots to tailgate or overwhelm our sofas to fixate on watching what is affectionately known as American's game.

Clearly we have a love affair with football, but we'll put it to the side to give you the details and let you know that it's officially time to get your color gear and favorite recipes together - this isn't a drill folks, it's just about go time.

Football preseason officially starts back up this Thursday (August 02, 2018) at 8pm EST with the Hall of Fame game being shown live on NBC from Canton, OH. This year's Hall of Fame game is being played by the Chicago Bears and the Baltimore Ravens. As per the norm, before and during the game, the 2018 Hall of Fame inductees will officially be recognized and their achievements on and off the field highlighted.

The newest members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame include contributor Bobby Beathard, linebacker Robert Brazile, safety Brian Dawkins, guard Jerry Kramer, linebacker Ray Lewis, wide receiver Randy Moss, wide receiver Terrell Owens, and linebacker Brian Urlacher. The finalists were chosen from a list of 18 finalists, which had been determined by the Pro Football Hall of Fame's selection committee. They will be officially enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame during the enshrinement ceremony that will take place in Canton on Saturday, August 4th. The ceremony will be televised live.

Seeing as this is the first preseason game, don't expect to see much in the way of a stellar performance. Typically our first string players don't see much playing time during preseason games - giving leeway to allowing the rookies and other strings to showcase their talent and ultimately make a play for their spot on the team. Your starters usually make appearances in the third and fourth preseason games, so don't be surprised if you find yourself turning off this game after halftime.

Got questions about the game? Check out our football course or hit us up on social media. We'll be watching and live tweeting. So pull out those team colors and get ready...the countdown to opening day is officially on!