There's just something about a Saturday afternoon in the summer. The beach, the grill, the laughter. And a timeless debate or two.

I met up with some friends a couple of Saturdays ago. The same group I've been hanging out with since high school (Sometimes You Just Need A Getaway). We talked about the same funny locker room and math class stories that we've rehashed time and time again, everyone's kids, and how we're all getting older.

But, with age comes perspective and insight. In addition to the joking and laughter were some deep conversations about worldly events. Israel's invasion of Lebanon. The potential for a government conspiracy with regard to September 11. The state of the educational system in America. Not one hot button, political stone was left unturned. It was a far cry from the kind of discussions we had on our first getaway together during our senior year of high school. (You can imagine for yourself what we talked about then.)

But we left the greatest debate of the day for a nighttime, primetime discussion. Armed with a cooler full of beer, stomachs full of burgers and sausages, and a campfire to which several too many logs were added, we settled in for the greatest debate of our time.

Just how good would Reggie Bush be?

Greater men than us had already weighed in on the matter. It began with the Houston Texans' front office. They decided two days before draft day that Mario Williams would be a better pick than Bush. The Saints wasted no time disagreeing, selecting Bush with the second pick.

Since then TV, radio, newspaper, and magazine writers have all had their say. This was our time. It was our turn.

We settled on some debate parameters. We wouldn't really discuss how good Reggie Bush will be eventually, but how good he will be this year.

Predictably, there were two sides to the debate. There were those who thought that Bush's ascension to the top of the league's leader boards would be immediate. Gayle Sayers and Barry Sanders were offered as forbearers to what Bush could accomplish. Too small? Too thin? Nope. The Bush camp was sold.

Then there was the other side. Yes, Reggie Bush was spectacular in college, and he could be on the NFL stage as well. But not right away. And not with the offensive line that the Saints will have in front of him this year. Impossible. If Bush were on the Broncos, maybe. But not with the Saints.

Here's the thing: The debate didn't end there. How could it? We're a group of men after all. Men that have known each other since childhood. Even worse, men who have been drinking beer. With access to email. Before the last log on the fire burned out, a small wager had been placed. Would Reggie Bush rush for 1,000 yards or more this season: yes or no? Simple as that. Pick a side and stay tuned.

Since the wager (made official by the world-renowned, tried-and-true method of shaking hands), a flurry of emails has been exchanged. Ranging from the expected "I'm right and you're not" tone to the equally standard (yet more colorful) suggestions for interesting things to do with oneself. It's been a spirited debate.

The Saints have had two preseason games since our getaway. The first had the pro-Bush crowd buzzing. He had 59 yards on 6 carries, but his second carry was a thing of beauty: He was stopped behind the line of scrimmage, somehow escaped, and motored down the sideline for a 44-yard gain. This all provided proof positive that Bush would take the league by storm this season.

The second game was a boon to the other side. Over the first 26