I’ve written columns before regarding how nothing that goes on in the sporting world should come as a surprise, so I suppose this latest snippet of information that crossed my desk shouldn’t come as a shock to the system, either.

Earlier this year I advised my faithful readers that, due to the nation-wide economic slowdown, the Arena Football League’s schedule was canceled for this season so viewers would have to find something else to watch between the end of the NFL season and the start of Major League Baseball.

Now I’ve learned that beginning Sept. 4, a new football league will make its debut — the Lingerie Football League.

Before all you conservative people get up in arms decrying that the league is nothing more than yet another exploitation of women, let me explain a few facts.

For the past few years, the Lingerie Bowl has been played at Super Bowl sites and has been available on pay-for-view television during halftime of the Super Bowl broadcasts.

Reportedly broadcasts of the Lingerie Bowl are very popular, so a league has been formed.

There are two divisions, east and west, in the 10-team league, with team names such as the Chicago Bliss, the Denver Dream and the Los Angeles Temptation.

Even Seattle has a franchise named the Seattle Mist.

The Mist will play its games in the 6,000 seat ShoWare Center in Kent, and tickets aren’t cheap. You pay $12 for a seat in the upper end zone and up to $105 for VIP mid-field seats. In between ticket prices range from $16 to $65.

Each team will play four games during the season beginning in September and ending in January. Teams have seven players on a side with the games played on 50-yard fields, the same sized venues as Arena Football. Players wear helmets and face masks, similar to those worn in the National Hockey League, in addition to shoulder pads and football cleats.

Folks, these ladies are serious and the LFL is no joke.

The only difference is the remaining attire that consists of sports bras and boys sports shorts. In reality, LFL players wear more clothing than the women who play beach volleyball and that sport gets a bunch of network television coverage.

Who knows what will happen if the league gets a little publicity and promotion, and what its future might turn out to be.

I’m sure many football fans will remember that silly league that lasted less than two seasons and was the brain child of the World Wrestling Federation, and all the money NBC shelled out for a television contract. The league quickly folded because it was little more than a joke when they unsuccessfully tried to meld wrestling rings with the gridiron and all the phony feuds that were supposed to be going on between players. Even Minnesota governor Jessie Ventura had a role in the “scripted” scenario.

All of the players in the LFL have athletic backgrounds ranging from field hockey to swimming and gymnastics, and here’s something for all you macho guys to contemplate. What would it be like trying to tackle some athletic lady running at full speed wearing shoulder pads and a helmet? I’ll bet you hadn’t been hit that hard since the last time you played tackle football in the backyard as a youngster when some of the kids had equipment and others didn’t.

I’ll tell you what, the new Seattle Seahawks coach and his team better think seriously about putting some wins on the board this season.

There is a new game coming to town!