DAILY DIRT: It’s that time of the year, fast-food lovers!

I gained five pounds just writing this … Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 702 of The Daily Dirt.

1. This is the time of year when fast-food chains like to introduce new items to us.

These look to be must-try items in the coming weeks:

Gold medal: Hardee’s Peaches and Cream Fried Pie and Super Sausage Buscuit. Rejoice, because it’s fried pie season again. Hardee’s is diving right in with the peaches and cream version, filled with peach pie filling and cream cheese in the crispy pastry crust. For something more like breakfast, try the new Super Sausage Biscuit that comes with two sausage patties, two slices of cheese, and a fried egg. 

Silver medal: Arby’s Wagyu Steakhouse Burger. The popular burger is back, and comes in a deluxe version with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, red onion, and burger sauce, and a bacon ranch version with bacon, American cheese, parmesan peppercorn ranch, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and onions. (Arby’s also is offering a creamy vanilla- and orange-flavored shake.)

Bronze medal: Pizza Hut Cheesesteak Pizza and Melt. Cheesesteak is coming in pizza form at the Hut this month. The brand-new cheesesteak pizza is topped with creamy alfredo sauce, strips of sirloin steak, green bell peppers, onions, parmesan, and oregano. You can also get it sandwich style in a melt that comes with a side of ranch for dipping.

A friendly reminder: Some of these new introductions may be temporary. It’s a nasty game they like to play with us.

2. Did you happen to notice the son of legendary pro wrestler Goldberg, one of the sport’s most dominant figures for the better part of a decade starting in 1997, has accepted a preferred walk-on football offer from Alabama?

The 6-foot, 205-pound Gage Goldberg, out of Champion High School in Boerne, Texas, is one of the leading linebacker prospects in the prep class of 2024. His dad was a standout defensive tackle — when he was known as Bill Goldberg — for the Georgia Bulldogs during the late 1980s and early 1990s. He also had a cup of coffee with the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons.

3. Fun fact

Including postseason play, the late, great Tony Gwynn faced 18 Hall of Fame pitchers in his career for a total of 541 plate appearances. Essentially, that’s a full season. Against those pitchers, Gwynn’s batting average was .331. 

Steve Thought O’ The Day – I bet Goldberg loves fast food.

Steve Eighinger writes daily for Muddy River News. No one loves fast food as much as Steve.