Tomorrow Is Only A Day Away...Plus A Few Months

Happy Tax Day! I didn't realize this was such a holiday until food chains started giving away deals. Maybe it's an outre maneuver by NASA to take our minds away from the fact that the space program screwed over Stephen Colbert. DAMN YOU NASA!!!!!! At least they will name a space treadmill after him.

In other parts of the world, in particular the American sports part, the entity known as the NFL schedule has been released to the rabid fans. The NFL has already done the homework and has given us what they think are the ten must see games of next season. Naturally, the Colts versus the Patriots is once again the biggest game of the season. Pats and Colts fans need to savor this because to be the premier match-up for an entire decade happens....well it happens when your team drafts a Hall of Fame QB.

Some things I've seen on the schedule:

The Super Bowl champs played what was considered the toughest NFL schedule last year. This year the Steelers start off with salty couple of weeks against the Titans and Bears. Then the Steelers get to avoid too many more defense grudge matches. Over the next ten games, they play the Benglas twice, the Broncos, the Chiefs, the Raiders, the Lions, and the Browns. Looks like Ben Toothlesberger is safe.

That other team in the Super Bowl? They get three national television games! That's right, the Cardinals will be seen by the nation three different times! And all it took was a Super Bowl appearance!

Of course, while the Cardinals have three national appearances, the Cowboys, a team that didn't even make the playoffs last year and ended the season with a hide-tanning loss to the Eagles, get six national games. I guess some things never change.

Don't get too upset with the Cowboys television love fest. They have an NFL schedule with eight games against the NFC East grinder plus games against the Panthers, at Denver, the Falcons, the Packers, the Chargers, and Saints.

The inner-conference match-ups have:

NFC East playing the AFC West---Al Davis and Jerry Jones on the same field. Can the new Cowboys stadium hold the two egos or will the place explode in one giant fireball of Thanksgiving glory?

NFC South playing the AFC East---Will Saints fans feel better about their city when they visit Buffalo? Will Vegas have a line in the Patriots/Saints match-up where fans can bet whether they think Fred Taylor or Reggie Bush will get injured first?

NFC West playing the AFC South---Peyton versus Warner should be fun. Pretty sure no one in the NFC West has seen a D like Tennessee has. Mike Singletary vs. Jack Del Rio....who will make a bigger spectacle?

NFC North playing the AFC North---some tough D's and one pretty big QB addition. But is Sage Rosenfels ready to play the Steelers and Ravens? Oh, and Jay Cutler is there too.

The one glaring weakness in the schedule? There are no Bears vs. Broncos. The NFL needs the Bears visiting the Broncos to take advantage of the off-season saga. Oh well.

The toughest NFL schedules?
1.Miami (opponents .594 winning %)
2.Carolina (.592)
3. New England (.590)

The easiest schedules?
32. Bears (.414)
31. Vikings (.420)
30. Packers (.428)

I'm guessing the NFC North having Detroit twice plus Cincy and Cleveland on their schedules helps make them easy.

Miami may have the toughest schedule according to last season's records. But remember, two years ago the Dolphins were the NFL's worst team and then made the playoffs last year. So schedule strength really doesn't mean a thing.

Unless it's the Lions. They still suck.