Is it just me or are the days getting brighter, the nights feeling more refreshing, and just life in general better than a week ago? No, I'm not in love but I do know football is just around the corner.

Of course I've had my calendars marked for August 31 (start of Arkansas High School football), September 1st (Arkansas vs. Troy), and September 6th (Indianapolis vs. New Orleans to kick off the NFL season) since I received my brand spankin' new calendar last year. But this week was the first time I knew those days were getting closer and closer.


NFL teams are in camp (apparently all is hunky dory with the Cowboys which does bring me down a bit) and the SEC Media Days in Birmingham have wrapped up. Every where I turn there is more and more football on the tube.


It's been a long off-season with many football horror stories. Those coming out of the Hill about the Hogs, Michael Vick and his alleged dog fighting, and all of the suspensions in the NFL. But what's done is done. We've endured the bulk of that, although the Vick saga will linger on for the entire season, and as our reward football will once again return.

In honor of this joyous occassion here is my Top 5 things I'll be watching for this season:


Number One: Sorry Hogs, you'd normally top my list but I'm going with a couple of special NFL moments. Brett Favre (yeah I'm a cheesehead) could finish the season with his name atop five more NFL milestones and second in another.

• Favre (147) needs two wins to bypass in most John Elway(148) for most by a starting quarterback. Projection: Unless a miracle happens, October 14th vs. Washington


• Favre needs (414) seven TD passes to jump Dan Marino (420) as the all-time quarterback leader. Projection: September 30th at Minnesota.


• Favre (8,223) needs 136 passing attempts to pass Marino (8,358) in that category. Projection: Again vs. Washington


• And Favre needs 3,862 passing yards to, again, take over for Marino (61,361) in most yards by a quarterback. Projection: This one will take all season, December 30th vs. Detroit.


• Not as impressive, Favre (273) only needs five picks to break George Blanda's (277) all-time interception record. Projection: I'll be honest, if it doesn't happen in Week 2 against the New York Giants, it will come on Week 3 against San Diego.


• Favre already ranks as the NFL's all-time leader in pass completions (5,021) and is tied for second all-time in consecutive regular season games started (237, it's 257 if you add playoffs), that's behind only Jim Marshall with 270. Favre has started more consecutive games than any other quarterback.

Number Two: I just want to know how the Hogs will react this season amid all the controversy following the 10 win season.

Number Three: Every single run made by Darren McFadden and Felix Jones. These two are remarkable and every Hog fan, SEC fan, or college football fan needs to enjoy this year. Both are likely gone next fall.

Number Four: Who will be the BCS buster this year? Boise State vs. Oklahoma was awesome for many reasons. I want to see it again this year.

Number Five: How many NFL players will be suspended come the end of the year? I am happy that Commissioner Goodell is working to clean up the league, but wow these suspensions are getting longer and longer. I Odell Thurman didn't even get a full reason for his second year of sitting out.

Posted by Gary Elsken on Friday, July 27, 2007 at 7:40 PM | Permalink