5 Ways to Kill Your Time During the NFL Offseason

It is the disappointment that befalls many football fans in the weekends following the Superbowl.

You might be one of those fans.

Waking up early the past couple of Sundays, getting settled into your favorite spot on the couch, picking up the remote . . . and then glumly remembering that Sunday Morning Countdown won’t be on.

It’s sad but true. The NFL—that beautiful excuse to stay posted up in front of your plasma all Sunday—is full-on in its offseason.

And, while some are content with looking at every mock draft imaginable, others aren’t going to survive without a live match to shout at.

But fear not, football faithful. There are plenty of other sports to hold you over until the NFL makes a comeback next fall.

And we aren’t just talking about what sports are at your TV-viewing disposal.

There are multiple activities that’ll help distract you from football, and hopefully burn whatever extra calories you no doubt are still holding onto from Superbowl Sunday.

There are plenty of ways to kill time during the NFL offseason.

Well, at least keep you preoccupied until the draft on April 26^th.

Ready-Up for Baseball

The end of football season always signals that we are just a couple months away from baseball season.

And with pitchers and catchers reporting this Saturday, there is no better time to gear up for America’s Pastime.

For starters, there is plenty of baseball already on TV. Even before spring training starts, MLB Network can give you a serious dose of baseball, 24-7, with everything from baseball trivia games, to highlights from the 2011 season.

And getting ready doesn’t stop at your television set.

What better way to get in the swing of baseball than to play a little yourself? You can replace throwing around the pigskin at halftime with getting beer buddies together for a pick-up baseball game at the local park. Or you could hit up the batting cages before the regular season starts up.

Catch Up on Basketball

Sure, basketball started up back in December.

But for anyone that eats, sleeps and breathes nothing but football from September through February, there’s no better time than now to catch up on hoops.

Don’t worry, a shortened season hasn’t left basketball without its usual swagger and pension for drama. And there have even been a couple twists since the NBA’s longstanding lockout ended.

The Los Angeles Clippers are the new favorite to dethrone an always-powerful Lakers team. Last year’s MVP Derrick Rose has been in-and-out of play with crazy injuries. The hype around New York Knicks cinderella Jeremy Lin is being compared to that of Tebow-mania.

And it doesn’t stop at the NBA.

College hoops are in full swing, and March Madness is only a month away

Soak Up Some Golf

No, golf isn’t typically the first sport that comes to mind when looking for an edge-of-your-seat sports fix.

But with spring temperatures around the corner, you can ditch the football blues with a couple rounds of golf. No neon-colored polo shirt required.

Taking the opportunity to get out of the house with your game-watching crew on a Sunday is always good medicine. Even if you’re just hitting up the driving range.

And if you’re just not willing to give up your favorite spot on the couch, you can, of course, watch this sport on TV. Despite a common belief that watching golf is boring, there was nothing dull about watching Tiger Woods battle for redemption at Pebble Beach, only to melt down and lose to Phil Mickelson.

Get Your Hockey on

For those of you that can’t go without watching athletes ramming into each other and knocking out some teeth, hockey might just be the remedy for your football brawl withdrawals.

The NHL wrapped up its All-Star game back on January 29^th, and teams are eyeing the second leg of their season in their quest for the Stanley Cup.

Competition is fierce between the Eastern Conference’s No. 1 ranked New York Rangers and the Detroit Red Wings in the West, while the redemption-seeking Vancouver Canucks are fighting to stay strong in the power rankings.

And heck, hockey players don’t get broken up the second they start fighting. If that doesn’t satisfy a football fan’s need for a fight, nothing will.

Catch Olympic Fever

Okay, so the 2012 Summer Games aren’t for another six months.

But the Olympic trials are currently under way.

Swimming, volleyball and triathlon stars are prepping themselves for the heavily competitive qualifier rounds, giving you the perfect reason to start obsessing over these world class athletes months before they fly off to London.

Former favorites, like speedster Usain Bolt, are getting ready for a triumphant Olympic return, while others—like USA women’s gymnast Shawn Johnson—are mending injuries in the heat of trial competition.

And while you could play a little beach volleyball or run a triathlon, grabbing yourself a Michael Phelps-inspired Subway sandwich can get you in the Olympic frame of mind just the same.