Sunday’s big game brought with it the dreadful fact that the NFL season has come to an end. For many football fans, this can feel as if the dark ages have started all over again. But fear not, there are plenty of ways to cope with the coming months.
There are all kinds of options to keep you entertained and engaged in the sports world despite your favorite sports season being over.
The NFL draft is one way to stay positive about the season being over. The draft is coming up and is also a great way to get excited about next year’s season. Watch closely who your team picks as they could be the next legend to take the field.
A great way to cope with the long off-season is to start watching other sports more. With the second half of the NBA and NHL seasons, and the new AAF football leagues starting up, there will be no shortage of exciting and competitive professional sports to watch and follow.
For many fans, it can be quite comforting to know that the NBA season is starting to heat up and the games will get more and more entertaining as it goes on. With a ton of trades happening over the past week and the All-Star game coming up, we are in store for a second half of the season filled with fun, excitement and entertainment.
Not to mention over the next few months we get to watch the Golden State Warriors, who are looking for their third straight title to continue their dynasty, and the Houston Rockets powered by James Harden’s historic year, battle it out for playoff spots and a home court advantage. This could be one of the most exciting seasons in a while and you will not want to miss out.
Another great way to cope with the NFL season ending is to follow the NHL. Hockey is one of the most high speed and intense sports to watch and it can be a lot of fun when you start to follow a team. Over the next few months, teams will fight for their spot in the playoffs with hopes of hoisting the coveted Stanley Cup.
If you really can’t go without football for the whole off-season then you are in luck as the brand new Alliance of American Football has just started up their new league. It is sure to be an awesome league to watch as there are many former NFL players getting a chance to play in cities that don’t currently have NFL teams. Places such as San Diego, Birmingham, Memphis, San Antonio and Orlando all now have a professional football team to root for and support. The league is full of talent and has football fans everywhere excited to see what it has in store.
This time of year is also the best time to follow college basketball. With March Madness looming, we are only a little over a month away from crowning a national champion. Schools from all over the country are competing for a chance to be one of the 64 teams that play in the tournament.
Number one seeded Duke University is headed by the elite pairing of Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett and is currently the early favorite to win it all.
The beauty of March Madness, however, is that it is anyone’s game. In the past, we have seen teams from small schools such as the University of Arkansas at Little Rock make pushes to the Sweet Sixteen and beyond in hopes of completing a Cinderella story championship run. No matter who ends up as the winner, we are definitely in for a tournament filled with talent and competition.
You certainly don’t want to miss this year’s tournament. This is also a great opportunity to witness the most elite college players before they enter the NBA draft and have a chance at landing on your team for the beginning of their careers.
With all of these options, you really can’t go wrong picking your off-season sport of choice. All of these leagues are stacked with talent and bound to excite fans all over the country.
Two major professional sports leagues are nearing their playoff seasons and there is a brand new sports league set to take over the country. While the lack of NFL football may bring you down, with these leagues, it won’t be too hard to move on.
Matthew Ferreira can be reached at [email protected] or @MattFerreira_ on Twitter.
