The Super Bowl officially marks the end of live football for the next 6 months. It also reminds us that football playoffs can sometimes work—who knew? If you're a glass half-full sort of guy like myself, you could view this as the kickoff to an exciting offseason fraught with position competitions galore, combines and pro days. If you're a glass half-empty sort, you're reading this from the fetal position while watching replays of Ahmad Bradshaw's squat-pirouette-TD from last night.
After the jump, I'll give you some tips on how to stay sane in the football-barren wasteland known as the offseason
Helpful dates to help break up the monotony of NO FOOTBALL:
February 7: The River debuts on ABC
February 10: Chance to see Jar-Jar Binks in glorious 3d
February 22–28: NFL Scouting Combine
**MARCH MADNESS**
March 12: Spring Camp begins
March 13: Nick Patti named starter by OBNUG
March 22: Boise State Pro Day
••APRIL MODERATE INSANITY••
April 1: Elaborate April Fool's prank that involves starting "Coach Pete to Central Michigan" rumor
April 14: "Beat Coach Pete" fun* run
April 26–28: NFL Draft
Sometime in May: CFL draft
June 15: Remaining unsigned players from NFL, CFL, and AFL drafts are made available for supplemental kickball team drafts also known as "eeny meeny miny mo"
Things to do with the arrival of NO FOOTBALL:
- Practice not doing the wave at football games this upcoming fall
- Start saving money for down payment on a large concession stand soda
- Start saving money for down payment on new stadium JumboTron
- Whine about fact that there's NO FOOTBALL
- Teach your kid to kick field goals...seriously, we may need them one day
- Devise complex algorithm to determine winners of BOE copy machine dash
- Cry, stomp feet until football comes back. My 4 year-old utilizes this technique and it works like a charm
- Start a countdown to OBNUG's player countdown—a countdown countdown
- Watch Craig James' Senate campaign fail miserably
Questions to ponder:
Is the glut of DE/OLBs in this year's recruiting class signaling a shift in defensive schemes?
If a tree falls in the forest and no one's there to see it, can a Boise State placekicker make a clutch field goal?
Now that we haven't thought about the Vandals for a full season, do they still exist?
What's it going to take to get churros at Bronco Stadium?
Is 2012 a rebuilding year or a reloading year or is it both? Rebloading?
Your turn
Any tips on getting through the football-less time of year? We've all done it before, but it still hurts.