The time has come when men in tight uniforms prance across fields throwing and (sometimes) catching a ball around all while making millions. For those of us "non-football-watching" people, we basically suck up the fact that our football-crazed friends will find nothing to talk about except their team. If you're like me then you'll end up watching games throughout the season leading up to The Superbowl Game despite not having a team nor really caring about who wins or loses. And if so, here's what you can do during those three and a half hour games.
1. Choose a team before preseason.
My family and I decided to do this for the 2016 season to make it a fun game for ourselves. We're not big football people, nor do we have a team. Even my four year old brother got to pick a team from their pictures. It's an easy competition you can have with other non-football fans and if you want to spice it up some, you could always add a money pool to have a reason to keep yourself entertained throughout the season.
Rules: Everyone has to pick a different team. The main goal is to see who's team makes it to the Superbowl. So if out of five people playing, only one person's team makes it, then they automatically get the pool of money (or bragging rights). However, if two people's teams make it to the Superbowl together then the pot is split between the two. It's not about who wins or who loses, it's about who's team made it there.
2. Form a Drinking Game
For those of you who enjoy adding a little alcohol to get yourself through watching a game with friends, make it a little fun for yourself. Possible ideas could be: take a sip every time the ball is dropped (this could be a lot depending on what game you're watching, so choose your alcohol wisely). Take a shot every time there's an interception. Take a shot when a player does a little dance after a catch or touchdown. Take a sip every time the commentators make a corn joke OR slip up while they talk.
Note: Always remember to drink responsibly, set limits before drinking, let others know of those limits too, assign someone to let you know if you've had enough, never drink and drive-give your keys to someone ahead of drinking and make plans to stay somewhere for the night or have someone else take you home. Additionally, this game can be replaced with soda, juice, or your favorite drink and does not have to be alcohol to have fun.
3. Show off your own skills
As a fan of basketball rather than football, it could be a fun game to have a mini toy basketball hoop with a small foam ball and everyone playing a long can shoot a basket every time there's a first down, interception, touchdown, or field goal. Everyone wanting to play this side game tallies up their own points they make and whoever has the most points at the end of the football game either gets bragging rights or you can set up a pool of money for this game as well.
Rules: Put a line on the floor at a specified length before the game starts. This is where everyone playing will stand to make a basket. The points can be written down next to the hoop with a whiteboard. You can choose to mark down your own points or have someone who isn't playing to tally the points objectively.
4. Take a nap.
Honestly, who can really sit through a game and not fall asleep? Grown men do this all the time every day, so why can't we? When your friends turn on football, turn off your brain and take a nap. Besides, if you're not truly a football fan, it can be truly hard to focus on the game the whole time. Naps are fun so you should take advantage of the three and a half hours that it takes for the game to finish.
