Things to do to stop you from going crazy in the off-season
As a basketball fan, there are two words almost guaranteed to send a shiver down your spine, and those two words are ‘off-season.’ Even though it happens every year, you’re never quite prepared for it; in the same way, you were never quite prepared as a kid for the summer holidays or for Christmas to end.
However, to stop you from going crazy or pining for the new season too much, there are some activities that you can undertake which might bring some relief from not knowing there won’t be a game to watch soon – or to distract you entirely from the fact there will be no basketball for several months.
Watch old matches
Just because there are no more new games to watch, it doesn’t mean you can’t watch some of the old ones. It doesn’t matter which team you support, there are bound to be some high points that you can re-watch. These might be either from last season or from a classic season that your team remembers fondly.
You could also start looking on YouTube or similar sites for clips you haven’t seen before or interesting compilations of action involving your favorite players (or at least All-Star players from the past) that can keep you occupied until the season starts again.
Play games online
Of course, you might want to distract yourself entirely and do something completely non-basketball-related. If this is you, one easy answer is to immerse yourself in the type of casino games you can find on Australian online casino sites. Some of the games you will no doubt be familiar with already, like blackjack, poker, and of course, roulette. You’ll also find plenty of slots to keep you occupied that are based on various themes, possibly including a certain sport that might be very close to your heart.
These can be played for free or real money, depending on where you go and what the local laws are where you happen to live. Either way, the selection of games on offer will help to pass the time whenever and wherever you happen to need them.
Go hunting for memorabilia online
If distraction is not what you need, and your basketball itch cannot be scratched by watching old games, then you could try looking for some classic memorabilia on old auction sites. Of course, you will have to do your due diligence to make sure that what you are looking at is entirely genuine, but you might find some little gems online. This could be the case if your favorite player is not necessarily one of the big names, and signed items can be found for the type of price that will not be the subject of awkward conversation with your spouse.
Check out the online forums
You might do this already, but during the off-season, the rumor mill is bound to go into overdrive, and you can immerse yourself in this and, of course, offer your own opinions if you feel they have merit. If your team has had a particularly bad time, it will be a great chance to vent your feelings and try some heartfelt suggestions about what changes your team needs to make before the start of the new season.
On the other hand, if your team has had a season to remember for the right reasons, you will want to relive the glory moments with your fellow fans or reveal your fears that next year can’t possibly be as good.