For those of us who worship football, it's been a long off-season without our favorite sport. Starved for action, I followed summer training camps and OTAs which turned into monitoring pre-season games and injury reports. My fantasy football draft was conducted in haste leading up to the first 2012 contest between the New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys on September 5. However, nothing compares to the first full day of football. For me, it's equivalent to a national holiday.
There are 256 regular season games to be played over the next four months. As a long-time pigskin nut, I've already solidified my weekly Sunday (and Thursday and Monday evening) television viewing plans.
Here are 10 things I am looking forward to now that the brand-new 2012/2013 NFL Football season is finally underway:
1.Hearing who inserts their foot in their mouth next -New York Jets Coach Rex Ryan or Vice President Joe Biden
2.Seeing New York Giant defensive player Prince Amukara unclothed in a hot tub vs. Prince Harry's crown jewels in a jacuzzi
3.Watching former starting quarterback Donavan McNabb's new show on the NFL network vs. watching him play football
4.Predicting who spawns another child first - Angelina Jolie or New York Jet Antonio Cromartie (6 vs. 12, and counting, respectively)
5.Rooting for Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning's comeback vs. Rogers Clemens' pitching comeback
6.Following New Yorks Jet QB Mark Sanchez's hot dalliances with Eva Longoria instead of Pippa Middleton's recent flirtations stateside
7.Glimpsing a shirtless New York Jets backup Tim Tebow vs. a shirtless Olympian Ryan Lochte
8.Tracking Dallas Cowboy receiver Dez Bryant's every movement instead of watching Big Brother Season 14
9.Witnessing the beginning of the self-proclaimed Michael Vick 'Dynasty' (note to the Philadelphia Eagles signal caller, you may want to win a playoff game first)
10.Not having to watch the New York Mets play baseball anymore (full disclosure: die-hard fan)
Now, may the best team, or one preferably not named Dallas or New England, win!