Tom E. Curran • E-mail

Lemme circle the first big date you need to know. August 23. That’s when the Super Bowl champion Giants and Brett Favre’s New York Jets lock up in a preseason game that will be, well, the biggest preseason game I can recall offhand.

It’s time now to get past all the drama of the past month. All the “they don’t want me” and foot-stomping and finger-pointing and blame laying is moot.

The most prolific passer in NFL history is headed to New York and for that franchise, Sundays will never be the same. Sometimes we (and I absolutely include myself in this) get so caught up in the machinations of professional sports that we forget why we care in the first place. Because they are fun. Entertaining. And Brett Favre in a new conference, a new city that’s the polar opposite of Green Bay and Kiln, is going to be damn fun to watch.

Five Questions To Ponder

1. How’s the fit?
Pretty good. Not great. The Jets’ offensive line was retooled some in the offseason with the addition of former Steelers left guard Alan Faneca. Now the Jets have a standout young center, Nick Mangold, Faneca and left tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson on the left side. Ferguson’s about to get a workout playing in front of Favre because he is a whole lot less predictable than Chad Pennington was.

The Jets receivers — led by Laveranues Coles and Jerrico Cotchery — are also in for a different look going from the noodle-armed Pennington’s deliveries to Favre’s frozen ropes. The Jets running game was putrid last year and Thomas Jones projects as their starter with Leon Washington as the changeup back. Washington could be a real weapon for Favre. So too could rookie tight end Dustin Keller out of Purdue, the best athlete at the tight end position in this draft. And former Packers teammate Bubba Franks at least gives Favre a familiar face to throw to.

Thirty-five-year-old Brian Schottenheimer is the offensive coordinator and Brian Daboll, 33, is the quarterbacks coach. Both are highly regarded but are going to have to rein Favre’s gambling instincts in because, for the Jets to succeed, they are going to need to play fairly sensible offensive football.

2. How good can the Jets be?
This is not a talented team overall. In his first year in New York, Eric Mangini got the Jets to play over their heads and make the playoffs. Last year, they went 4-12. They are an 8-8 team talent-wise — maybe better if they come along defensively. There is promise over there. The Jets added free agent linebacker Calvin Pace and free agent defensive tackle Kris Jenkins and they have two promising corners in Darrelle Revis and Justin Coleman.

Linebackers David Harris and Bryan Thomas are young but talented and safety Kerry Rhodes is a playmaker. Working in the Jets favor is their schedule. The only non-divisional teams they face that made the playoffs in 2007 are the Chargers, Titans and Seahawks. They also play Arizona, Kansas City, Cincinnati, Oakland, St. Louis, San Francisco and the Broncos. Not a nasty lineup. The team has playoff potential. A lot will depend on how many games Favre directly wins them as opposed to how many he may cost them.

Packers trade Favre to Jets Opinion: Favre bigger than Jeter, A-Rod in NYC Curran: Brett in Big Apple? Let fun begin! Ask the Expert: Is Favre too old at age 38? Opinion: History tells us this just won't fly Favre to make big splash  |  No, he won't Timeline of events leading up to trade Vote: How will Jets fare with Favre? Vote: Jets or Packers to go further in 08? Fantasy impact: Don't expect big numbers Opinion: Packers' actions are pure insanity   Slide show: A record-breaking career

3. How will Favre deal with the Apple?
The lovefest is over. Favre isn’t going to be the legendary, mythical, accepted flaws and all figure he was in Green Bay. And his posse is going to find it a very different climate as well. The media contingent in Green Bay you could fit in a phone booth. In New York, it will be massive and ravenous and everybody’s going to be looking for an angle. Favre might want to ring up A-Rod. Or Eli. Or Strahan to find out what exactly he’s in for because if he’s already fried mentally — and he’s indicated that the summer has left him that way — the heat’s about to get turned up quite a bit.

4. Where’s this leave everyone else?
Well, it’s bad news for Chad Pennington. He carries a $6 million cap hit and the Jets aren’t going to sit that kind of cash on the bench. Kellen Clemens will become Favre’s backup, most likely. As for the other teams involved, Jeff Garcia can’t be too psyched down in Tampa. There are feelings to smooth there. Aaron Rodgers can peek out from under the covers up in Green Bay and feel safe again. The Vikings and Bears will probably feel like kicking the dog Thursday morning. And the Giants? They’re probably fairly pleased that Favre kicked them off the back page of the tabloids for the foreseeable future.

5. How will Mangini deal with Favre?
This is going to be fascinating to watch because Mangini is a defensive-minded coach who came up under Bill Belichick. Belichick’s main order to his quarterbacks is, “First, do no harm.” Favre can submarine an offensive game plan with the best of them and — 2007 notwithstanding — has the capability of going completely off his rocker trying to make plays. Mangini also demands full buy-in and tireless work and preparation. If he lets Favr e skate based on time-served and reputation, he’ll be allowing Favre to play by different rules. Mangini better hope Favre realizes that he’s joining the Jets, not that the Jets are joining Favre.

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