From whence cometh: every Division I football game.

Up until the friendly people from ESPN dreamed up the idea of a College Football Encyclopedia that would record every Division I college football game that had ever been played, from its date of birth in 1869 until its currency in 2007.

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The idea didn't appear to be overwhelming. But it actually took only a couple of quick scans to see how great it really was. Imagine an immaculately printed half-ton of 1,632 pages superbly written, easy to read, and garnished with all kinds of exciting and informative copy.

You get it all. The teams, the players, the coaches, the game coverages, the pure writers, each always appearing to be a little better than the one that came before.

* Before a No. 1 showdown with UCLA in 1967, USC coach John McKay wants his players to remember something vital: No matter what happens that day, at least 800 million pinochle players couldn't care less."

* Darrell Royal saying, "Talk about X's and O's all you want, but most football games are won by angry people."

* Bear Bryant could take his'n and beat your'n or he could take your'n and beat hisn'.

* As names go, it was a better world when coaches were named Pop, Jock, Tiny, Dutch, Rock, Stubb, Biff, Buck, Cipper, Fritz, Greasy, Buff, Zupp, Doc, Bernie, Babe, and Matty."

* All I know is that they then become Bud, Bear, Pappy, Biggie, Red, Woody, Shugg, Bo, Wally, and Duffy"

* And just as suddenly, they become Darrell, Frank, John, Bob, Joe, Ara, Vince, Barry, Tom, Steve, and Bobby."

* Moving right along with names, what were the odds on linemen Adolph "Tar" Schwammel of Oregon State and Frank "Zud" Schwammel of Iowa, both making All-American in 1933."

* Favorite bumper stickers. The one that said, "I'd rather be on probation than lose to Baylor." And the one in Alabama after the Tide's surprising '92 national title game that read, "We still haven't played anyone." And the one that some creative SMU sorority sisters came up with before a big game against Texas in the early 1980's which said, "Our maids went out to UT. Old oaken little brown tailgate jugs."

* But now it's the day of the big game--huge--and I'm on hand to cover it. Strolling the campus two hours before the kick-off. Shaking up the atmosphere. I'm a campus collector. Never bottled one I didn't like."

* I admire the quad, the drag, the fountain, the bell tower, the statues, the trees, and the sweep of lawns. I wonder what it would have been like to go to school here."

* Only seconds to go before the kickoff now. The starting line-ups are on the field--poised, wired. The crowd is standing. The stadium shudders with a continuous roar."

* The bell is about to ring for the opening of a championship fight. Guns up for the Olympic 100. The Derby horses are in the gates Sunday at Churchill Downs. Sunday's leaders in the Masters are heading for Amen Corner."

* Yet here in this college stadium, I'm enjoying my favorite moment in sports--and even though I am safely enclosed in the cynical calm of the press box, I'm on my feet."

* And my ankles are taped."

* The wire that Coach Earl "Red" Blaik received on Dec. 2,1944 after the Black Knights of the Hudson (the Army football team) had beaten Navy to complete a perfect season: "THE GREATEST OF ALL ARMY TEAMS HAVE STOPPED THE WAR TO CELEBRATE YOUR MAGNIFICENT SUCCESS. MacArthur."