Football is over. Now what? – Archive
Written by Crow's Nest Staff, Feb 7, 2011, 0 Comments
Hannah Ulm
Contributing Writer
Whether your team won or lost, this past Sunday was a good day. After 25 weeks of football (including the preseason), you got what you were waiting for all along: the Super Bowl. It didn’t matter if you wore a cheesehead or waved a Terrible Towel as long as you were sitting in front of a TV at 6:29 p.m. holding a hot dog and koozie, ready for action.
But now you’re hurting from more than the hangover you incurred by shot-gunning a beer every time Aaron Rodgers did that weird pelvic thrust victory move.
No more long Sundays on the couch, glancing at a live game while keeping an eye on your fantasy points. No more late Monday nights at your favorite sports bar. No more miracles from Michael Vick, foot puns aimed at Rex Ryan or drama surrounding Brett Favre (there could be more of that). So here are my top five options to help you cope during the offseason.
#1 Create a mock draft.
The 2011 NFL Draft begins on Thurs., April 28. Analysts already have created their versions, so why not challenge yourself to make your own? Go beyond the first round. Guess who will be the first USF player selected or predict the JaMarcus Russell of 2011. Perhaps make it a competition with your friends and see who guesses most accurately.
#2 Learn more about college football.
National Signing Day was Feb. 2 and now the high school prospects are bound to their college programs. Check out who Skip Holtz picked up and what the new players might mean for next season. Research the Big East conference and the in-state rivals if you’re feeling ambitious. The USF spring game will be played in April, giving you an opportunity to satisfy your football withdrawals.
#3 Become a gamer.
Quenching your NFL cravings will be more convenient starting March 27, when EA Sports releases a new version of Madden NFL for the Nintendo 3DS. According to Gamespot.com, the handheld style doesn’t have the graphic details like on Xbox 360, but that’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make if I can game on-campus between classes.
#4 Watch shows about the NFL.
Hulu.com has an impressive amount of football content. It partners with the NFL Network to give viewers access to shows like “Hard Knocks” and “In Their Own Words.” It also has games of the week and Super Bowl highlights. If you’re desperate, visit VH1.com for episodes of “The T.O. Show.”
#5 Turn to baseball.
If you enjoy both sports like I do, the NFL offseason is a little easier to handle. If you’ve never been able to get into baseball, consider trying the fantasy version. Studying stats and setting a daily lineup will occupy your time and create more interest in the sport. The fantasy season is long though, and it’s easy to get apathetic if you aren’t truly committed. So throw some money down to keep yourself invested in the game.
These solutions are meant to get you through a normal offseason. But at the moment, NFL fans are facing the possibility of a lockout in the fall. The NFL Players Association and league executives have intensified negotiations recently with more bargaining sessions. The two sides hope to come to an agreement by early March, according to NFLlabor.com. Both parties seem optimistic they will reach a compromise, so I won’t be giving you options of how to handle a lockout quite yet.
Until we know more, use these tips to ease your pain during the offseason. Remember, it’s never too early to start strategizing for your upcoming fantasy football domination.
