The NFL released the 2009 NFL Schedule today, so I’ll do what the 4,000 other websites do and list some of the more juicier matchups of the year. (Although in the sake of being at least a little creative, I’ll list one interesting matchup for each of the 17 weeks on the schedule.)

Before we get to the matchups though, let me state for the record that it’s a complete farce that the Cowboys get six nationally televised games next year despite not making the playoffs last season. I guess “America’s Team” opening a brand new stadium is worth major national exposure…six times a year.

Week 1: Bears at Packers, 8:20PM ET
Jay Cutler’s first game in a Bears uniform will be at Lambeau against the rival Packers on Sunday Night Football. How much will John Madden overplay the, “The Bears finally have a quarterback” angle after every pass Cutler completes?

Week 2: Giants at Cowboys, 8:20PM ET
One of the ‘Boys six nationally televised games, Dallas will open up their new stadium against division rival New York on Sunday Night Football. How much will John Madden overplay the, “Tony Romo and Wade Phillips must win now because Jerry Jones built this brand new stadium and he wants a contender” angle?

Week 3: Falcons at Patriots, 1:00PM ET
The over/under on the number of times Matt Ryan is compared to Tom Brady in this game has officially been set at 800,994,990.

Week 4: Chargers at Steelers, 8:20PM ET
AFC Divisional Round rematch in Pittsburgh – let’s see if the Chargers can hold onto the ball for more than 17 seconds in the third quarter unlike the last time these two teams met.

Week 5: Patriots at Broncos, 4:15PM ET
If Bill Belichick shakes Josh McDaniels’ hand at midfield after this game, I’m calling shenanigans on the behalf of Eric Mangini.

Week 6: Bears at Falcons, 8:20PM ET
Here’s hoping the Bears’ secondary figured out that they have to cover the out pattern when that’s the only route Matt Ryan can look for when there’s 11 seconds on the clock and he needs to get his team into field goal range.

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We at TSR love the many faces of Frank Caliendo, especially when he’s doing his spot on impression of John Madden.

TBS.com is giving everyone a chance to win $5,000 in their “Let’s Be Frank Contest.” Basically all you have to do is an impression of one of Frank’s many characters. There’s no purchase necessary and it’s easy to sign up and submit your video.

Seriously, you know you’ve been practicing your George Costanza and William Shatner in front of the mirror. Might as well try to win $5,000 while you’re at it.

John Madden has worked 476 NFL games in a row. But that streak will end this Sunday after he decided that taking another cross-country trip by bus was too much and won’t call the Seahawks-Bucs game in Tampa.

The 72-year-old Sunday Night Football analyst, who travels by bus because of a fear of flying, will take a break to spend time with his family instead of making three straight cross country trips, NBC said Monday.

Madden went from Jacksonville, Fla., to San Diego last week; he would have had to return to Florida for this Sunday’s game at Tampa Bay. There’s no Sunday Night Football game the following weekend, so Madden would have then headed home to the Bay Area.

Cris Collinsworth, normally a part of NBC’s studio show, will fill in for Madden.

Oh John, what would Brett say about this?

Does any one believe John Madden when he claims he doesn’t hate Frank Caliendo’s hilarious impression of him? Here’s his response to a question on Caliendo in a recent interview in Time:

What do you think of Frank Caliendo’s Madden impression? —Alan Tucker, Charlotte, N.C.

It’s always said that I don’t like him. I’ve never said that. The guy’s making a living. That’s his job, and he’s a good little comedian.

You gotta love that one – “Good little comedian!”

Here’s a clip of Frank Caliendo doing his John Madden impression on The Late Show with David Letterman: