I'm buried in footie from day to day but over the course of the past ten days, even Canadians have become invested in the phenom that is Michael Phelps.  I've been flipping between San Jose/New England and Phelps in the final relay from the Water Cube.

A great final relay race for the Americans - and congrats to all of you.  Phelps is someone to be very proud of - a natural athlete who has changed his sport and will transcend it for generations.  8-medals is a phenomenal accomplishment - forget 8 GOLDS.

SI should just put out the 'Man of the Year' issue now.

Again, congratulations.  A tremendous accomplishment in any sport.

Just for fun on a Saturday morning, I thought I'd post some 'Fun Facts' about the Premier League from last season gleaned from a number of different sources.
Some of the quotes of the season are hilarious as well.
Enjoy!

1002 - Number of goals scored in the PL last season.  That's the most goals sine the 03-04 season.

33 - That's the number of points Tottenham dropped from winning positions last season.  It equals a PL record held by Chelsea from the 95-96 campaign and Wimbledon in 99-00.

7 - The number of points Manchester City took off the BIG FOUR last season.  The most of any PL side.

15 - The number of 'hat tricks' last season.  That's five more than in the previous two seasons combined.

11 & 20 - Derby's new PL records for lowest points and lowest goals scored.

85 - The number of points Chelsea finished with.  It's the first time in the PL that a team has mustered that many points and NOT won the title.

0 - The number of red cards shown to Bolton players in 07-08.

80 - The number of goals seen by fans at White Hart Lane last season.  The most goals seen at any ground in the top division.

33% - The number of United's total goals conceded that were headers.  The highest proportion of any PL team.

3 - The number of goals Arsenal conceded through headers.

27 - The number of goals Arsenal scored in the last 15-minutes of matches - more than any other side.

12 - Speaking of Arsenal - they have a dozen nationalities that scored for them last term.

83% - Not surprisingly, this is the passing accuracy of the Gunners.  Yes, they will pass you to death.

137 - The number of times Wigan were caught offside.

21 - Number of Fernando Torres goals scored at Anfield.  He had 24 total last term.

2526 & 112 - The number of passes attempted by Cesc Fabregas and the number of scoring chances he created.

24 - The number of goals scored by Emmanuel Adebayor in his third season at Arsenal.  That's the same number Thierry Henry scored in his third season with the Gunners.

55 - Number of shots Papa Baba Diop had without scoring.

90 - The number of fouls suffered by David Bentley who was last season's most fouled player.

66 & 152 - The number of goals conceded by Marcus Hahnemann (most in the Prem) and the number of saves he made (most in the Prem)

262 - The number of players that scored a goal last season in the top-flight.

8 - The number of teams that changed managers last season.

7 - The number of teams that changed managers and still finished bottom half.

8 - The number of players (now suspended) referee Mark Clattenburg sent off last season.  Prior to that he'd sent off three players in three seasons.

11 - Number of penalties awarded by Rob Styles and number of red cards handed out by Mike Dean.

3 of 5 - Number of Arsenal's domestic losses last season where Howard Webb was the referee.

Quotes of the Season:
"I'm not the 'Special One', I'm the normal one..But my wife says I am special' - Avram Grant

'I'm ready to take the blame for all the problems in English Football, if that's what he wants.' - Arsene Wenger in tresponse to Sir Alex Ferguson's jibes about the Gunners' foreign content.

'If Chelsea are na

Last Season - Finished 1st in the Premier League - 87pts
Manager:  Sir Alex Ferguson
Odds of Winning Title - 7-to-4

INS:
ST Davide Petrucci - Free

OUTS:
CMF Kieran Lee
CDF Gerard Pique
RW Chris Eagles
RB Danny Simpson - Loan
WG Michael Barnes

Possibles:
ST Dimitar Berbatov - Tottenham
ST Klaas-Jan Huntelaar - Ajax
ST Radamel Falcao - River Plate
MF Bastian Schweinstieger - Bayern Munich
ST Roque Santa Cruz - Blackburn
ST Alexis Sanchez - Udinese
ST David Silva - Valencia
MF Wesley Sneijder - Real Madrid
ST Thierry Henry - Barcelona

What's Left in the Kitty - 120m US

What Lies Ahead:
Aug 16 Newcastle (H)
Aug 23 Portsmouth (A)
Aug 30 Fulham (H)
Sep 13 Liverpool (A)
Sep 20 Chelsea (A)
Sep 27 Bolton (H)
Oct 4 Blackburn (A)

Possible Starting XI:
GK Edwin van der Sar
RB Gary Neville/Wes Brown
CB Rio Ferdinand
CB Nemanja Vidic
LB Patrice Evra
RMF Nani/Cristiano Ronaldo
CMF Michael Carrick/Owen Hargreaves
CMF Paul Scholes/Anderson
LMF Ryan Giggs
FW Wayne Rooney
FW Carlos Tevez

How They'll Stack Up:
Without so much as a signing this summer, Manchester United look set to start the season with almost the same personnel as they ended it last term - almost.  The absence of one Cristiano Ronaldo makes United look vulnerable - more vulnerable than the team chasing them.  While United were league and European Cup winners last term, they got that league title thanks in large part to Ronaldo's inventive ways - he saved their blushes more times than he likely should have and not having him around for the first two months of the season means the likes of Rooney, Tevez and even Nani to an extent, will have to step up and fill the void.  But are they up to it?  Manager Sir Alex Ferguson has hinted he wants to give Rooney more attacking responsibility but Rooney has never shown that ability to beat people one-on-one like Ronaldo can.  Rooney's a pitbull - a straight-at-you kind of player.  And he's temperamental and more injury prone year by year.  I can't see Rooney doing any more than he has.  Tevez will be just as reliable as always and his emergence last year was an added bonus - but not unexpected.  The quality United DO have makes up for the glaring weaknesses elsewhere (RB, no central ST).  Thankfully they have a rock-solid defence anchored by Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic - who helped the side concede just 22-league goals last term - a club record.  With the return of Gary Neville, they should strengthen at RB, providing he can stay healthy, and Edwin van der Sar is as good as they come in goal.  There is a belief at United that this team can repeat their double from last term - but to do so they need to start quick out of the blocks.  Back to back away games to Liverpool and Chelsea look to be the two early opportunities for United to assert their intentions to repeat.  A slip in either of those games could be what we look back on at season's end if they're not hoisting the trophy.  Without Ronaldo, Ferguson will certainly need to use all his managerial wits to squeeze the most out of this team.  At the end of the day, the title race is a very tight one - I just can't see United holding on though.  Ronaldo is NOT going to score 42-goals again - 30-maybe - and based on how their rivals have improved, Liverpool and Chelsea are almost on even footing with them.  Whomever makes the least amount of mistakes, will win it - I just don't think it will be United this time.  They get 2nd.

**Quick Note**
Thanks to everyone who took the time to read and post comments.  I know these weren't perfect but I tried to make them as informative as possible while keeping it a quick read.  I appreciate all the input and corrections from you.  Enjoy the start of the Premiership this weekend - I know we at FSR cannot wait!! 

Last Season: Finished 2nd in the Premier League - 85pts
Manager - Luiz Felipe Scolari
Odds of Winning Title - 15-to-8

INS:
AMF Deco - 16m US
RB Jose Bosingwa - 33m US

OUTS:
CDF Tal Ben Haim
DF Khalid Boulahrouz
CMF Steve Sidwell
CB Harry Worley
ST Hernan Crespo
DMF Claude Makalele
CDF Slobodan Rajkovic
ST Ben Sahar (loan)
AMF Jimmy Smith (loan)

Possibles:
MF Robinho - Real Madrid
ST Obafemi Martins - Newcastle
MF Bastian Schweinsteiger - Bayern Munich
MF Diego - Werder Bremen
MF Kaka - AC Milan
ST Mario Balotelli - Inter Milan

What's Left in the Kitty - 151m US

What Lies Ahead:
Aug 16 Portsmouth (H)
Aug 23 Wigan (A)
Aug 30 Tottenham (H)
Sep 13 Manchester City (A)
Sep 20 Manchester United (H)
Sep 27 Stoke City (A)
Oct 4 Aston Villa (H)

Possible Starting XI:
GK Petr Cech
RB Jose Bosingwa
CB Ricardo Carvalho
CB John Terry
LB Ashley Cole
RMF Joe Cole/John-Obi Mikel
CMF Michael Essien
CMF Deco/Michael Ballack
LMF Frank Lampard/Michael Ballack
FW Didier Drogba/Andriy Schevchenko
FW Nicolas Anelka/Florent Malouda

How They'll Stack Up:
Chelsea missed out on the title last season by two points - in large part because of that home draw versus Wigan on April 14th.  Now, many Blues fans hope Scolari is the difference maker this term.  Our own Bobby McMahon says Scolari should be worth another 5-points to the team which would put them in front - and I tend to agree.  Chelsea have the most talented squad in the Premiership and if Scolari can get them to come together while keeping the egos in check, they should win the title.  Last season the team beat both Arsenal and United at Stamford Bridge - but then drew seven times versus lesser teams - Wigan, Fulham and Bolton among those.  That won't happen this time.  I would expect Chelsea to stay unbeaten at home - but with very few draws.  The back four are among the best in the world - and while everyone pumps up John Terry, anyone who watches Chelsea on a regular basis and keeps track, knows that Ricardo Carvalho is the MVP of that defence.  Through the middle of the park, Scolari has an embarrassment of riches - and with Lampard signing a new 5-year deal this week, it'll be interesting to see what kind of time he gets.  Coming into the final weeks here, looking at Chelsea's alignment, I had Lampard on the outside looking in more often than not.  And he may still wish he'd been more receptive to a move to Italy come November.  Scolari has been experimenting with a 4-4-2 in the pre-season but he could be more prone to using a 4-2-3-1 to get everything out of his MF.  That's what he used in Portugal - and his Chelsea MF is just as talented.  Up front, Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka should both have better seasons thanks to Scolari's influence - and even Schevchenko and Malouda could add a little more.  Scolari has propped them both up as players he would like to see improve.  The margin for error is so slim at the top, it's tough to pick who will win the title between Chelsea and Manchester United.  But with Cristiano Ronaldo out for two months, I think that gives the Blues the edge.  They should fly out of the gate and they look the team that is likely to be more consistent overall.  And after coming so close to the league and European titles last term, this is a team that is hungry.  Chelsea to win the title.

Coming up Friday - Manchester United

Last Season:   Finished 3rd in the Premier League - 83pts
Manager - Arsene Wenger
Odds of Winning Title:  5-to-1

INS:
MF Amaury Bischoff
MF Samir Nasri
MF Aaron Ramsey
MF Francis Coquelin

OUTS:
DMF Gilberto Silva
MF Alexander Hleb
MF Mathieu Flamini
GK Jens Lehmann

Possibles:
CMF Andrei Arshavin - Zenit St.Petersburg
CMF Xabi Alonso - Liverpool
MF Ruben de la Red - Real Madrid
CDF Vincent Kompany - Hamburg
ST Obafemi Martins - Newcastle
GK Shay Given - Newcastle
FW Bafetimbi Gomis - St. Etienne
ST Klaas-Jan Huntelaar - Ajax

What's Left in the Kitty - Around 53m US (includes completed sales)

What Lies Ahead:
Aug 16 West Brom (H)
Aug 23 Fulham (A)
Aug 30 Newcastle (H)
Sep 13 Blackburn (A)
Sep 20 Bolton (A)
Sep 27 Hull (H)
Oct 4 Sunderland (A)

Possible Starting XI:
GK Manuel Almunia
RB Bacary Sagna
CB William Gallas/Johann Djourou
CB Kolo Toure/Philippe Senderos
LB Gael Clichy
RMF Emmanuel Eboue/Theo Walcott
CMF Aaron Ramsey/Abou Diaby
CMF Cesc Fabregas/Theo Walcott
LMF Tomas Rosicky/Samir Nasri
FW Emmanuel Adebayor/Eduardo
FW Robin Van Persie/Nicolas Bendtner

How They'll Stack Up:
Without a piece of silverware in three seasons, Arsenal fans are starting to quietly question manager Arsene Wenger's vision.  It may not be quite as quiet if the side does not add to their squad in the coming weeks.  Wenger has said he needs just one more body to complete his team - but their lack of depth was exposed last season when the injury bug took a bite - and not much has changed.  Granted, Wenger's young charges only finished four points off the top and were regularly on par with the top two, but to make that jump back to the top, they need more depth - especially when you consider how Chelsea and Liverpool have strengthened this summer.  Wenger has shown himself to be an astute manager - one of the best in the world - so perhaps trusting his vision is best....And his young squad have insisted that with another season under their belts, they are better equipped to handle the rigours of the league - and Europe - this term.  Even the manager admitted he'd made some mistakes last term and while it is hard for someone of Wenger's mentality to put his faith in the unknown, he needs to do so more often and trust he's made the right buys (ie: Theo Walcott should be starting).   Last season they got off to a flying start which helped them get that early confidence and this season should be no different.  They should be able to go without a loss for this first stretch and won't face a true examination of their credentials until November when they face United at the beginning and Chelsea at the end of the month.  If they can stay healthy, there's no reason why this Arsenal team shouldn't be right there once again at the close.  But unless they bring in a few more bodies, it could be another season of disappointment at The Emirates.  And while I see them challenging for a top two spot, I don't see them getting one at this point.  Arsenal for 3rd - again.  But they're going to play some very entertaining football regardless of where they end up.

Coming up Thursday - Chelsea