By Alicia Baker
For NFL fans, the Super Bowl is a bittersweet moment. Yes, it’s the biggest game in the sport you love, but it also signals something. It signals the end of the current season, and months until things start up again. Many men spend this time in tears curled up in a ball. But, it doesn’t have to be like this.
Check out this survival guide to help you navigate the off-season:
Start Watching A Different Sport
Some of us are guilty of assuming that when the NFL season finishes, sports in general finish too. So, we hole ourselves up in our homes and hibernate until September. But, in doing this, we miss out on tons of amazing sport that happens throughout the year.
Sure, NFL might be over, but the NBA season is still in full swing. And, the playoffs aren’t too far away, so things are heating up nicely. If anything, you should give basketball a watch just to see Steph Curry play. Some say he’s better than a young Michael Jordan. Others say that Chuck Norris wears Steph Curry pajamas. And, everyone is in complete agreement that his talents will brighten up any basketball game.
If the fast-paced sport of basketball isn’t your thing then have no fear, there are still other sports for you to try and watch. As recently as March 6th, the MLS kicked off for another season. You love football, so why not try watching some soccer?
After all, the Brits across the pond call it football, so you can pretend you’re watching your favorite sport. The seasons is fairly long and will carry you all the way through to the start of the new NFL season. Again, if you don’t like this, then there’s always the tennis season that runs all year long. Start watching a new sport and you’ll fill up some of those hours of boredom.
Learn More About Your Team
The off-season presents the perfect chance for you to do a little bit of research on your favorite team. We’ve all been in that situation where everyone is talking about your team. They chat about the old days and past players. Or come up with crazy facts and stats that amazes everyone. All your mates are chatting away, and you’re stuck there without anything cool to say. Sure, you know a fair bit about your team, but not as much as the die-hard fanboys. And, you can never quite get 100% on those online quizzes that test your knowledge.
So, why not spend some time learning a bit more about your favorite team? Do some research online and have a look at what you can find. You may end up surprising yourself and finding new and amazing facts that you’ve never heard of before. There are tonnes of cool things you could learn, just take a look at this blog post by Omni Financial. It gives you some interesting facts about the origins of team names! Also, you could try and head to the stadium for a tour. You’ll be taken to the place and taught more about the history of the team. It’s a great way to bring yourself closer to the team you support. By the time the new season rolls around, you’ll feel like an even bigger fan.
Play Some Football Instead
Just because the NFL season is over, doesn’t mean football is banned. You can still head on outside and play it. Round up some of your pals and decide to meet once or twice a week for a few games. Obviously, I’m not talking about full on football matches. You’d need a pretty large amount of friends to play that! But, you can always head to the park and play a shortened version of the game. It’s tons of fun, and you’ll stay fit through the year too. Plus, it’s the perfect chance to have a laugh with your mates every week.
And, there is other football themed stuff you can do with your mates too. Instead of playing a mini game, why don’t you set up a few training drills? Or, have little competition like see who can throw the furthest. You could also have a kicking competition to see who can score the most field goals. My personal favorite is to have catching competitions, see who can pull off the best and most skillful catches. Trust me, little games like this can lead to hours of fun.
Become A Pro On Madden NFL 16
For those that don’t know, Madden NFL 16 is a video game adaptation of football. You can play through the whole seasons using your favorite team and lead them to the Superbowl. It’s highly addictive and a must for any fans of the NFL. There’s no greater joy than playing with your favorite players and getting all the way to the top. Plus, there are also online game modes that let you play against your friends and randomers. So, you can spend a lot of time getting good at it, so everyone knows you’re the Madden champ.
One of the best game modes on there is Ultimate Team. It’s where you try and build the ultimate NFL team. It’s a card-based mode and quite tricky to explain. However, once you know what to do it’s super easy and loads of fun. I’ve killed many hours waiting for the new season by playing this game mode. If you want some tips and tricks to get good at Madden Ultimate Team, then read this blog post by EA Sports. The best part of Ultimate Team is creating a better squad than your friends. So, everytime you play, you come out on top and leave them red in the face with anger!
As you can see, there are lots of things you can do during the NFL off-season. Your days don’t have to be spent staring out your window daydreaming of game day. Instead, you should pick yourself up and explore different things. Even if the season is over, it doesn’t mean you can forget about football. There are still football-related things you can do to have fun and pass the time.