Blank Variables???

[Deathtenchi]

Hi, I am an admin on my friend's Vb, but you see he is dumb and needs me to help him with the PHP part. I'm stumped. I try to make the image in the background of the category box random, but when i try to put the variable $image in the template, it always appears blank on the page. I tried putting the code in functions.php, and then again, in the php include, and nothing. In the template i just put <td background="$image" ... </td>. what am I doing wrong?

[Admin]

Deathtenchi, please go to this (http://www.vbulletin.com/members/vbulletin.org.php) page and enter your username, to show you are licensed. (you will need to use your customer number and password to access that page)
Thank you.