It’s a big week, Tacoma â€" a week I’ve been giddily anticipating for a long time.

First off, the start of the NFL season is, literally, just around the corner. The first real NFL action of the year will go down Thursday, Sept. 6, when the New Orleans Saints travel to Indianapolis to face the world champion Colts. Three days later, on Sunday, Sept. 9, 13 NFL games are scheduled â€" enough to keep this hack journalist happily couch-bound for the entire Sabbath.

But, that’s next week. This week is big because, as is quickly becoming a tradition, the weekend before the start of the NFL season is reserved for my fantasy football draft.

Fantasy Football, in case you live in complete oblivion or denial (possibly both), is where eight to twelve dudes get together and fantasize about running a professional football team â€" drafting rosters from the entire league, deciding who they’ll start and sit every week, and awarding points to players for their statistics on game days.  Usually money is wagered, and usually beer is consumed. Especially on draft day.

Whatever fantasy league you play in, draft day is the biggest day of the year. It’s the day when everyone in the league chooses their team. While, over the course of the season, some teams will do well and some will suck, on draft day everyone has a shot. On draft day, everyone is involved. Most of the time fantasy football is an activity you can do by yourself, in front of your television, wearing sweats pants, and passing in and out of consciousness with a pound and a half of nacho cheese in your stomach. That’s one of the beautiful things about fantasy football. But on draft day everyone is in the same room. Everyone comes together and the dudeage is heavy. That’s the most beautiful thing of all.

Fantasy football brings people together â€" especially on draft day. I’ve been waiting, and I’m ready. If you’re a fantasy geek like me, good luck.

More importantly, at least to readers of the Weekly Volcano’s music section, this weekend â€" Saturday at the High Dive in Seattle, and Sunday at Bumbershoot â€" marks the heroic return of one of the greatest bands in the history of Tacoma.

Seaweed!

Check out my interview with Seaweed guitarist Wade Neal tomorrow in the Weekly Volcano. â€" Matt Driscoll