With football in the air for a few more weeks, with phrases like Super Bowl, New York Giants, New England Patriots, San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens occupying headlines for a while now—the back story of these names and a few others have a lot of history and a lot of interesting sidebars.

JULY

July 25 NFL will publish the 2011 Free Agency List, which will become effective July 29, 2011 at 6:00 p.m., New York time.

July 26 At 10:00 a.m., New York time, Club facilities open. Players may report for physicals and voluntary strength and conditioning.

At 10:00 a.m., New York time, Trading begins for 2011 League Year.

Rosters expanded to ninety (90) man limit.

At 10:00 a.m., New York time, Clubs may negotiate with and SIGN their own Drafted Rookies and any Undrafted Rookie. Clubs may have such players report to the Club’s facilities for physical examinations prior to signing.

All 2011 Contracts signed on or after July 26 shall be binding upon the player and the Club when signed, but shall not become effective unless a CBA is ratified by the NFLPA (August 4)

At 10:00 a.m., New York time, Clubs may NEGOTIATE with, but not sign, or extend Offer Sheets to, their own UFAs, RFAs, Exclusive Rights Players and Franchise Players and other Clubs’ UFAs, RFAs, non-exclusive Franchise Players and free agents.

Notice the 44 instead of the Roman numerals? I figure this country is on a declining slope just as the Romans were back in their day, although they lasted centuries longer then I think we will as a nation so let's use our numbers and see if it changes anything.

The triumph of the New Orleans Saints over the Colts of Indianapolis in Super Bowl 44 was watched by more than 106 million people, the biggest audience for a television event ever.

Football Names and How They Got That Way
The words and phrases are spoken and written day after day, year after year, decade after decade - generally without any wonderment as to how they became part of the language. All have a history, a story. With another Super Bowl fast approaching, here's the scoop on how that name can to be and the origins behind a few others.

Today the New York Jets face their ultimate test in what has become the most unexpected, magical season that not even the most optimistic Jets fan (that's you, Ira from Staten Island) could have seen coming.