...For The Ride Home: Tim Allen throws his hat in for 'The Office,' the NFL does a crazy number, Dave can't stop touring and don's forget the VMAs

We say farewell to a short Week 24 with Eminem and Rihanna's "Love The Way You Lie." Can't seem to get this CD out of my car this week, and I even won a poker game last night while listening to the entire thing from front to back. I've said it before and I will offer it now to you, my friends: Rihanna really plays the sympathetic woman part awfully well. It's completely awful what she had to go through to get there, but there's something about hearing that voice sing those words that makes it feel a bit more sincere than when the others sing it. Anyways, how are you? It seems like we never had a chance to catch up all week, right? The usual seasonal depression is setting in and when you couple that with my recent failures at the only things I deem important in life - a career, a family, love - it suggests this fall may be a bit worse than others in the past. Now, I'm not saying I want to jump off a bridge, or any such nonsense, but if I happened to be walking on one and someone nudged me the right way, I wouldn't fight it. Anyways, what all of this also means is that the NFL season begins this weekend. Or, well, it began last night. But the first weekend is this weekend. Some of us will be rooting for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Some of us will be rooting for the New York Jets. Others, well, others will not matter. From the bottom of our bottomest hearts, we sincerely hope you have a wonderful September weekend, and before we get ready to meet back here Monday, again, we must remind you, love you, miss you.

Don’t forget: Sunday, the Video Music Awards go down. Expect something about that at some point on this here blog. In the meantime, check out Eminem – the man who is set to open the show – and the five greatest VMA performances he’s offered. (MTV)

Yep. The NFL is the most popular sport in America. Last night’s game’s numbers were outstanding. (Sports Illustrated)

High school journalism funds are cut. “They feel the money can be used in better ways.” For what? Catering prom? (The Topeka Capital-Journal)

A social news service? Hmm. (New York Times)

The Vandals vs. Variety. (Reuters)

Your weekly “who is going to replace Michael Scott” update. Today’s edition? Tim Allen. (Third Age)

I know I’m only a season in, and I know it’s been spoiled to see that she’s not on “House” anymore. But I love Jennifer Morrison. Love, love, love her. And now, she’s taking her talents to… “How I Met Your Mother.” (Showbiz Spy)

Wow. Said last night how disappointed I was knowing I wasn’t able to catch Dave Matthews this year while knowing the band is taking next year off. Today, fall tour dates are announced. Happy day. (Pollstar)

Guess who said it: “I don’t smoke pot. I’m not gay.” (USA Today)