Sean B. Fitzgerald It doesn’t go something like this, it goes exactly like this.

Why I am excited for the 2009 NFL Season

Thursday, September 10th 2009. We're almost there. Just 9 more days. 9 more agonizing days. Sure baseball will cut into the agony a little bit. But with the Yankees 6.5 games up, I'm feeling fairly comfortable with their current position (I'll regret saying that).

I'm always excited for the NFL. Always. Even the day after the Super Bowl. I feel it's a sport that should be played on a continuous loop, all year. To hell with the players and their families! Their job is to entertain me. But alas, the teams are required their "offseason" or whatever, and we are stuck with 7 months of pain.

That being said, this year feels different. There is more anticipation for the upcoming season. Maybe it's the old, indecisive quarterbacks. Or the young, whiny quarterbacks. Or the returning, felony-committing quarterbacks. There is just more to talk about. More to speculate about.

So on September 10th, 2009, when the Tennessee Titans face off against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field, I, among millions of others will jump head first into the 2009 NFL Season. And I will tell you why.

Fantasy Football
Full disclosure here: I am an unabashed sports freak. "Obsessive" is the word my family and friends use. I base my schedule off where I will be when my teams are playing. I'm dreading the day when I have to decide between a Yankees playoff game and the birth of my first child (Kidding). So naturally, Fantasy sports, more specifically Fantasy Football is right up my alley. As I type, I have four teams already drafted and ready to go, with 2 more drafts pending.

Michael Turner or Matt Forte? Drew Brees or Tom Brady? Girlfriend or no girlfriend? These are decisions you have to make when competing in a fantasy football league. They're tough decisions mind you. It's tough work trying to figure out which rookies will have stand out years. Or which 'over-the-hill' players will have a comeback year.

My love for fantasy football increased exponentially last year when, for the first time, I won one of my leagues. Boy did that league add a few wrinkles to my forehead. There were plenty of sleepless nights wondering if Matt Schaub will throw for 200 yards and 2 touchdowns, or if my waiver pick-up of Pierre Thomas will payoff (It did, by the way). Now, I'm hungry to defend my title.

Brett Favre
Go ahead, tell me you're not excited for the Brett Favre Era to begin in Minnesota. Tell me. I don't care what your feelings are for the wishy-washy, pill-popping, John Deere riding quarterback. You're pumped. We're all pumped. Just imagine what it is going to be like when he takes his first snaps back at Lambeau Field on November 1st. For his entire career with the Green Bay Packers, this scenario wasn't possible. Favre was a cheesehead through and through. He would never don a Viking jersey. But here we are.

Everything that needs to be said about Brett Favre has been said 90 times over. All that is left is the performance on the field.

Jay Cutler
I wish I had a video camera. Because then I would be able to record my impression of Jay Cutler. Instead I'll just describe it for you. Imagine if you will, me in a ballerina's tutu with chocolate all over my face and whining that my mommy gave some to my sister. Yes, that sounds about right. That is Jay Cutler. He's an incredible talent, but a baby. He begged for a trade ten minutes after his new coach inquired about the availability of another quarterback. Talk about having thin skin. Well, he got his wish. He is now with the Chicago Bears. A team whose window for a Super Bowl is closing and desperately needed a decent quarterback.

Michael Vick
Obviously. Too bad he won't be considered for reinstatement until Week 6. But still, the Eagles are going to be good and Vick will be a part of some very important games this season. It's scary to think that he has been out of the game for two seasons and he is still only 29 years old. No one really knows how much he has regressed as a football player since August of 2007, but if he is anything like he used to be, the Eagles have the best "What If" player in the NFL.

Mark Sanchez
I know I shouldn't be excited for him. I really shouldn't. Sure he looked good in his last preseason game against the Giants, but the expectations are too high to begin with. Yes the Jets are built to win now. But can Sanchez take them to the playoffs with no No. 1 receiver? Highly unlikely. That being said, it's still nice to see this franchise with some sort of future and direction.

I pray for a 9-7 season. Or a win against the Pats. I'll take either.