Ever since Donegal meandered to the promised land in 1992, winning Sam Maguire has been a decision, a decision made in the cold, dark nights and the intentions of which are made known in early spring. The last All Star selection obviously differed but these days the serious stuff begins in February.

Tyrone have already signalled their ambitions. When Armagh sought to put backto-back Sams together in 2003, Joe Kernan consulted All Ireland-winning managers from the previous decade to understand the lessons of their failure to retain their titles. The most recurring theme was lack of depth and lack of appetite. Mickey Harte has no notion of falling into either trap, by using the McKenna Cup and today's opening clash against Dublin to start the returning . . . and more importantly, the ravenous . . . '03 quartet of Ger Cavlan, Kevin Hughes, Ciaran Gourley and Dermot Carlin.

He knows, though, that he will need all of them and a gifted newcomer like Raymond Mulgrew to compensate for one glaring absentee. This group of Tyrone footballers have become well accustomed this past two seasons to playing without Peter Canavan, but never in 16 years has Tyrone football had to do without the threat of Canavan. Last summer, the second factor was as significant as the first in winning the All Ireland.

Harte though will hardly go flat out for the league as he did in '04; the monotony of playing week-in, week-out and the intensity of the Galway games in that campaign sapped the mental energy of some of his key players that summer as much as Cormac McAnallen's tragic passing. Should Tyrone win the league this year, it will be a bonus; for now, with a favourable schedule, they'll settle for reaching the semifinals, finding cover at fullback and keeping the Doohers and Cavanaghs fresh for Ulster, a trophy they'll have to win more often if they're to gain the footballing immortality they seek.

Armagh likewise intend to shake up their line-up; with four of their games being away, they'll deem making the league semi-finals for the fourth time in five years under Joe Kernan as a bonus.

Of the Big Three, Kerry seem best poised to win the league. Though the age profile of the team has worryingly increased, they find themselves in a similar position to where they were this time two years ago . . . in need of some reinvention and in need of getting back to Croke Park in April, the two key ingredients of any recent leaguewinning team.

Last year they appeared to get as much out of the league as anyone, taking both Tyrone and Mayo to school while simultaneously avoiding the hassle of drawing premature blood with Armagh.

Those Kerry folk who quipped Paidi and Westmeath were doing them a favour in letting Mayo run up a cricket score last March weren't laughing six months later though. Had Kerry the benefit of playing a northern team in Croke Park last spring, they might have beaten another there in September. Even missing Colm Cooper for a few games might just be what they needed; had Maurice Fitzgerald been available for the 2000 league and Peter Canavan available for that of 2005, their teams wouldn't have evolved to the necessary point to be All Ireland champions.

Then there's the chasing pack, when 2006 is a huge opportunity for them. The Big Three, should they all reach their provincial finals, will be all on the same side of the draw; that leaves the path open for the likes of Mayo, Galway, Dublin and Laois, or even, through the back door, a Donegal, Down or Derry, to make up the other All Ireland finalists. Doing something in the league first though would be a good idea; every All Ireland champion of the last 10 years was playing competitive football in April. Winning it would be even better still, and with at least two of the Big Three wanting to keep something in reserve for their inevitable August showdowns, it's a distinct possibility.

The only thing is, the league is inherently inequitable.

There are two kinds of teams in the league: those who have four home games and three away, and then those that have three home games and four away. And in Division 1A, Cork and Dublin are on the wrong side of that 4-3 split, while Kerry and Tyrone are on the right side of it; Cork, who nonetheless have a reasonable schedule, could squeeze one of them out of the play-offs were they to beat them. In Division 1B, it's time for Laois, Meath and Derry to stand up;

all enjoy a 4-3 advantage and should be flat out to reach their second Division One final of the decade.

Unfortunately, all the likely strugglers are on the wrong side of the split. In 1A, Fermanagh and Offaly are 3-4, as are Wexford in 1B; staying up this year would be as impressive as reaching the final last year. Donegal should cruise up in 2A, with Limerick and possible surprise pack Clare, again with four home games, ahead of Roscommon in the chase for second. In Division 2B, the main three contenders for promotion . . . Cavan, Sligo and Westmeath . . . also have 43 advantage; only one of them will lose out.

The league is about more than who wins it and who's at home though. It's about enjoying and sensing the gradual oncoming of summer. It's about . . . as it is for Monaghan . . . survival and respect. It's about, as it is for Waterford and London, searching for victories the rest of us will never see. It's about Ross Munnelly and Paddy Bradley showing us what they'll show us in summer too; that football and football excellence is a process, not an outcome. It's about thinking a certain game is life and death when in a year's time you'll have forgotten all about it. It's about braving out the cold and telling the lads in the bar that you saw a young fella at corner-forward earlier in the day that'll be a championship player.

The serious stuff is starting alright. So is the fun.