The Football Diner Big Top 5
Strategies For Coping With The Offseason
by Jody Jamieson
14/2/2008
 
With the end of the Pro Bowl comes the official end of the football season. It's a tough time for us NFL addicts, but fear not, as there are always ways to get through these horrible Summer months. In the past few weeks the Top Fives list has evolved into a bit of a How to guide. This week, we will offer the top 5 coping strategies for the next few months.
 
5. Get involved in the British game
 
The football season doesn't run alongside the American game after all. Teams in the UK are always on the lookout for players, coaches, referees et al. And if you don't want to play, or feel you can't, then you could just go along as a fan and support your local team. The game in the UK is growing fast, and the chance to put your love of the game into a constructive way has to be appealing to the fan in need of their fix.
 
Go to www.bafl.org.uk or www.getintoamericanfootball.co.uk if you want to be involved in 2008.
 
4. Sport, sport, sport, sport
 
Let's be honest, when the NFL season ends, there is any number of things on this side of the pond to sink your teeth into. The Premiership is not exactly my favouite thing in the world, but the race for the title is hotting up. The Champions League and UEFA Cup is about to restart, and the small matter of Euro 2008. The Euros aren't going to be fun for the average Brit as none of our teams made it, but it's still 4 weeks to keep occupied. With the Six Nations in full swing, Wimbledon always on the calendar and England's cricket team at home to New Zealand and South Africa, there is a lot of choice.
 
Oh, and there's some event in Beijing called the Olympics in August. You may have heard of it.
 
3. Baseball season
 
This is always a good coping strategy for me. The baseball season starts on the 30th March, and will run right through till October, which is perfect for the football fan as it keeps the sporting interest up over the summer. New England Patriots fans still licking their Super Bowl-sized wounds can at least look forward to the Boston Redsox who are looking for their third World Series title in 5 years after going 86 years without a single title. Baseball is a great game that can be enjoyed by all. I will be hoping that the Phillies can win the NL East again this year, but with the New York Mets adding Johan Santana to their pitching rotation, they won't be keen to miss out again.
 
If baseball is not for you, but you still want your fix of North American sports the Stanley Cup play-offs in hockey start in April, as do the NBA play-offs.
 
2. Total Access
 
Unlike most years, coverage of the NFL doesn't end on Sky when the season ends, and we will get Total Access for the whole offseason. Great news for fans in the UK who are feeling the cold sweats and the withdrawl symptoms brought on by the lack of football. Total Access has been a great addition to Sky Sports over the last few months, and it's great news that we will be getting it all year.
 
While we will probably know all the news we want to know via the internet before Total Access airs, it's a brilliantly produced and presented programme that is must-see TV for the NFL fan.
 
1. Free Agency and the Draft
 
Realistically, while the season has ended, the fun hasn't! The combine is coming up next Thursday, and is always a great event. With talents such as Glenn Dorsey, Darren McFadden, Matt Ryan, Sedric Ellis and others looking to keep the momentum going to become the first overall pick. The fact that McFadden has gone from being a potential overall pick to someone who Mike Mayock at nfl.com believes shouldn't be picked in the top 20 of the draft shows there is more interesting developments to come. Then on February 29th it's free agency time. With some good players such as Asante Samuel, Alan Faneca and Michael Turner likely to be available, it's always a fun time to see who will be picked up.
 
Trades will be on the agenda too, and with the possibility that guys such as Donovan McNabb, Chad Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald and Roy Williams may be available, there may be some interesting developments.
 
Then at the end of April the future of the NFL is always shaped with the Draft. Miami have a habit of drafting horribly, but with Bill Parcells and co in town, things may be about to change. Certainly the amount of cuts the Dolphins made this week shows that they mean business.
 
See, the off-season isn't all so bad!
 
Off-Season Thoughts
 
One of the other things that seems likely to keep us occupied is the story that will never go away. I'm talking about the Spygate story. The US Senate are trying to get involved, but really, is it anything to do with them? I think that New England should be punished if found guilty, but surely it should be dealt with by the NFL and not whored around the politicians who surely have more important things to do.
 
The Eagles slapping the franchise tag on LJ Smith is the biggest indicator to me that Donovan McNabb will be staying at the Linc for 2008. Smith is a decent tight end, but tends to spend too much time sitting on the sidelines injured. McNabb however is a huge fan of Smith, and I wonder how much influence McNabb had on that decision.
 
I will never claim to be a finance expert, but the possibility of the Salary Cap going for 2009 is a major worry for me. Most teams would probably not suffer as they could probably afford to cover a possible raise anyway, but the smaller market teams such as Green Bay may get stung by it. The fact it the beauty of the NFL is the competitive nature of it and how on any given Sunday any team can come out on top. I would hate that to be compromised.
 
And Finally...
 
The Pro Bowl is one of those things you kinda have to watch as you know it'll be the last game you will see in a long time. However some of the rules really have to be reviewed. The fact that blitzing is not allowed is ok enough, but what is the problem with press coverage? I know if you have a niggling injury, you won't want to be jammed at the line, but at the same time, if you have a niggling injury, playing in the Pro Bowl is not always high on the agenda. The NFC were tackled twice on the 6 yard line, one yard from where press coverage becomes legal. Jeff Garcia showed up the rule by throwing the easiest TD pass since he was in the CFL to Terrell Owens on a slant. The Pro Bowl is what it is at the end of the day, but defenses should at least be given a chance. It's still quite a fun event though regardless. DeMarcus Ware's kick-off return was extremely humourous, and Devin Hester's lateral to Jason Witten was excellent.
 
There are rumours going around however that the event may be moved from Hawaii when the current deal ends after next season. Being a bit of a traditionalist, I would love to see it stay there, regardless of the fact it could possibly come to the UK. Where would you rather be in February? Honolulu or London? Give me the sunshine anyday over the horizontal rain.