The Off Season … It’s On!

By Sarah McVeigh

The other day, I was having a conversation with one of my girlies about sports. Seems like a normal enough topic, but she was coming to me as an annoyed girlfriend. She explained that her boyfriend was “obsessed” with the Rangers, Knicks, and Mets, and she was voicing her frustration. I reassured her that she made it through the hard part.

We are in this weird sports drought right now. There is no football, and the NBA finals and NHL Stanley Cup finals are just about finishing up now. Depending on how things go, hockey could be wrapped up as early as this Saturday, and basketball could be finished by Monday!

I told my dear friend to keep pushing because we are about to go into no man’s land with sports. Yes, baseball is on. Baseball is the longest, most grueling season. No sport should be played for half a year — that’s crazy. But besides baseball, every other major sport is done!

Apparently, there are some big things happening in tennis and golf right now, but you can’t catch me caring. And unless my boy Lamine Yamal is playing, I certainly do not care about soccer. If you don’t know who that is, then you clearly aren’t a loyal reader. Do better.

So, although this non-sports season is good news for the girls whose boyfriends are coming out of playoff hibernation, what about everyone else? What is the plan now?

You’re telling me, after dinner and Jeopardy! (and there’s not a big Yankees game on), my husband is just going to be free? Am I suddenly off the bench again and get to talk to him after 8 p.m.? Dare I even suggest that I can watch something in the living room now? I haven’t watched a TV show with my husband since goodness knows how long!

It’s an adjustment for the girls, good or bad.

I wonder how this season is for the die-hard sports fan. Is it a complete shift in daily routine?

Where are the sports fans putting all their energy and free time now?

I wish we could all use it in a productive way. I mean, the Knicks fans in Rockaway could solve all local problems with the free time they now have. Might I give some suggestions? They could help put the HVAC system in the library so it can open earlier than next fall. Maybe they could help finish the hotel at Riis Park. What about hosting a beach clean-up? Let’s get these guys in some orange and have them volunteer to lifeguard on beaches that don’t have any!

The men in this town could solve world hunger during this sports-free time, just saying.

I’m not here to Knick-pick (lol I had to), but you could contribute to your community now that you have the time.

Post-season baseball and dear ol’ football season will be here before you know it! So girls, enjoy the time that you will have getting your man out of the house and away from the screens. And sports fans with newfound free time: redirect your energy and do something meaningful!

If I see you at the Harbor Light now, you better be telling me about all the good things you are doing with your free time instead of those same old Knicks.