In honor of the new football season, here is a collection of interesting trivia from around the gridiron and your own backyard.

by Charles Rempel

• According to the official rules of football, the ball is to have "a circumference of no less than 32 inches, and weigh no less than 25 pounds." Sadly, only the Canadian Football League still adheres to this regulation.


• Strange but true: the Miami Dolphins are the only team to finish the NFL regular season with a perfect record; however, if you make an alphabetical list of NFL teams, the Dolphins would not be listed first.


• Since the first Super Bowl was played in 1967, it has been a tradition to hold the ceremonial coin toss before the game.


• The record holder for most rushing yards in a season by a ventriloquist dummy is Charlie McCarthy, who rushed for 1391 yards for the Los Angeles Rams in 1954.


• Only 1.54% of Heisman Trophy winners have been found guilty in civil court of killing an ex-wife and a waiter.


• No one has ever worn the number 12 in football. Except for Roger Staubach, that is. And Joe Namath. Oh, and Brian Sipe, I think. On second thought, I guess a bunch of guys have worn #12.


• The forward pass is actually a misnomer. It's really a forward throw.


• Three NFL teams are named after real people: the Cleveland Browns (former California Governor Jerry Brown), the New York Jets (rocker Joan Jett), and the New Orleans Saints (Saint Francis of Assisi).


• The average penis length of a professional football player is measured using the metric system.


• Not only is the Rose Bowl the "Grandaddy of All Bowl Games," it also has a kick-ass flea market!