A countdown to insanity.
I’m not talking about insanity like the guy with above-average and somewhat suspicious muscles shouting at you about “results in 60 days!” on TV, I’m talking about sports insanity.
It’s a disease, and it’s contagious.
Symptoms include owning copious amounts of spirit wear, bookmarking sports blogs online, getting constant game updates on your phone and, above all, making countdowns.
You know what I’m talking about.
Two days until NFL Scouting Combine
Players are lined up, stripped down and asked to perform on cue. Oh, your vertical jump was off today? Sorry, you just dropped to the third round. You cramped up during the 40-yard dash? Better luck next time. It’s better than a soap opera, I swear.
All the athletes are extremely talented and just itching to prove their worth to the top brass.
Obviously the results of the combine have no effect on my personal life whatsoever, but will that stop me and my fellow football fans from pouring over bench press numbers? Absolutely not.
Fifty days until Illinois’ spring football game
The promise of Memorial Stadium under the lights, a second-year coaching staff with a lot to prove and die-hard fans waiting for their first glimpse of 2013 Illinois football gives me chills. It’s an up-close-and-personal look at our very own football program that is hard to come by during the fall season.
While it is impossible to draw concrete conclusions from a spring game, it reminds fans that football still exists outside of fall Saturdays. It provides a basis for the team to work from and the Big Ten Network gets the chance to overanalyze every detail to my great delight. Who will be breakout players? Will the new recruits live up to the hype? Will the 8 p.m. start time bring more fans than in recent years? So many questions just waiting to be answered! 50 days, just 50 days.
Sixty-three days until the NFL Draft
Now I realize that not everyone can fathom watching Roger Goodell read out the names of soon-to-be multi-millionaires for hours on end. There is endless analysis on players, coaches and, above all, that coveted “No. 1 draft pick” spot. Who will follow in the prestigious footsteps of Andrew Luck, Cam Newton and the Manning brothers? Will the Alabama defense (Roll Tide) steal the show as in years past? Perhaps a wildcard like USC quarterback Matt Barkley will come out on top. Or will Texas A&M’s talented linemen Luke Joeckel and Damontre Moore prevail?
Let’s not forget about draft night itself! There is the ever-important decision of whether to attend the actual draft in person in New York, or to watch from home with family and friends. What if, God forbid, you were projected to go in the first round and you wait and wait until suddenly you’re the only person left undrafted behind the scenes at the legendary Radio City Music Hall.
Such drama! Such suspense! I can hardly wait.
The countdown is the epitome of dedication to ultimate sports fandom. This type of devotion and commitment can’t be summed up in a few pretty words.
It’s spending valuable time making lists and analyzing statistics, like rebounding numbers across the Big Ten, instead of writing my history paper due at 9 a.m. on Thursday.
It’s watching Illinois beat up on Northwestern at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, Ill., when I should be prepping for a job interview.
Heck, it’s forgetting to eat because I’m so wrapped up in the Blackhawks game that just went into overtime AGAIN!
Sports insanity. It’s not a hobby. It’s a way of life.
By the way, 24 days until Selection Sunday. But hey, who’s counting?
Aryn is a junior in LAS. She can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @ArynBraun.
