The stretch before college football season is arguably the slowest time of year for sports fans. However, they find ways to keep things interesting until they can watch teams suit up and hit the gridiron.
Is there anything more dull than a long, drawn-out summer?
If you're a kid, probably not. If you're a big fan of college and professional sports, then there's nothing more agonizingly slow than the weeks leading up to the start of college football season.
Each year, fans and outlets alike find ways to combat this boredom while still feeding into their sports desires. Some strategies are better than others. Here's a look at some of the best -- or worst -- inevitable offseason habits.
Record predictions
You probably already have a record prediction in your head for the Tulane Green Wave, don't you?
With no tangible gameplay to latch onto, the offseason is the perfect time to speculate on just how well a team will perform in the upcoming season. This is completely normal.
However, it's also the perfect time for random social media accounts to come out of the woodworks and attempt to predict the outcome for just about every FBS team. Why not? There's nothing else to do, and it at least builds anticipation for the season... even if these accounts aren't checking their previous predictions and somehow have both Tulane and the Duke Blue Devils losing to each other.
Because of this, the Green Wave has probably been predicted to fall anywhere between an American Conference Championship victory and a losing season at this point. It starts a healthy debate, of course, because what else is there to talk about during the offseason?
Rankings of everything except a school's football program
Well, apparently there is still plenty to talk about during the offseason, even when the football topics run dry.
Why talk about which teams are going to be better than others when you can also delve into some hard-hitting topics that spark just as much debate? This time of year, there are more arguments about which colleges have the best party scene, most lovable fans and nicest bathrooms than ever. While sometimes silly, it at least keeps things interesting
If you've ever wanted to debate about which coaches are most likely to become used-car salesmen within five years, now's your time to shine.
Game replays 24/7
There's no live football right now. Outside of MLB, the pickings for any live sports are just as slim.
Odds are, you'll at least be able to turn on your TV and watch the pigskin being slung around in some form or fashion. At the time of this writing, the VRBO Fiesta Bowl is airing for what seems like the third time in the past week.
That's one flaw to these replays: a lot of times, it's the same teams or games on repeat. To spice things up, maybe ESPN should air that 2025 game between Tulane and the Memphis Tigers.
Planning the gameday outfits
This might be niche, but some people take their gameday outfits very seriously.
Around this time of year, your local boutiques are probably advertising "What to Wear" guides, which show outfits paired with games based on what the team's color schedule is. Not everyone follows the schedule, though these color schemes gain a bit more traction for games that are designated as blackout or stripe-out games.
The Green Wave doesn't seem to have its own specific color schedule like many other universities, giving fans a bit more "freedom" as to whether they want to wear Olive Green, Sky Blue or a completely random purple outfit that at least makes that New Orleans heat bearable. However, to some, this freedom doesn't come without a need to plan and coordinate those outfits in advance, whether that means grabbing a new lucky gameday shirt or planning an entirely new wardrobe because last year's is already "outdated."
Look on the bright side: by buying all sorts of clothes for games now, you'll only have to pay for tickets, parking and concessions when football season actually arrives!
