I'd like to welcome all of you to "Ramblings from the Runway", my first foray into blogging. My name is Chip Malafronte, the New Haven Register's beat writer for UConn football. I was born and raised in Southern Connecticut, and have watched UConn athletics morph from its infancy in the Big East to national power player. As a reporter, I have the privlidge of getting the inside scoop and relaying the news and events back to the reader. This blog is designed to provide even more depth and insight into UConn football, as well as provide a small taste of what it's like to be a beat writer for a Division I-A program. There will be plenty to dissect and discuss as the year unfolds. This may include everything from game day strategies and opponent scouting reports to what D.J. Hernandez is listening to on his iPod before games. I plan to update at least a few times a week, maybe even multiple times on any given day.

There should be plenty to blog about from now until the season ends, which could very well be at a bowl game in late December (dare I say January? anything is possible). So sit back, relax and enjoy the show. Opening day is August 31, but for the beat writers the season began last week at Media Day in Newport, R.I. The first practice is a week from Friday (Aug. 4), but I will provide my 5-minute guide to the upcoming season for Sunday's editions of the Register.