Post Super Bowl depression: A look at important NFL dates

Fear and sadness. Hope and regret. How long until I see another NFL game? Weeks? Months? Why not centuries? I’m not going to survive.

It never takes more than an hour. The better the game, the faster the depression kicks in. This year’s Super Bowl was a good one. Early Ravens lead, swings of momentum, a 49ers comeback, blackout conspiracy theories and a slim margin of victory. Pretty much what I want out of a game when the Seattle Seahawks and Pete Carroll aren’t involved.

The pain is worse because they were so close this year and promise to be even better. Russell Wilson and his young squad have a tremendous future ahead. I cannot wait for another shot at San Francisco and the rest of the league. I want it now.

So the blues kicked in pretty quick. By the time Ray Lewis was hoisting the Lombardi trophy, I was anxious for next season. I was plotting the off-season moves for the Seahawks and planning my opening day meal, sad I have to wait billions and billions of seconds. Give me more football now and no one gets hurt.

The worst I’ve ever had PSBD was Super Bowl XLII, when the Giants wrecked the Patriots’ bid for a perfect season. I love an underdog story, and that was one of the best. In less than a minute, it struck me: Months would pass before I’d see another NFL game. Years may pass before I saw one that important. The team everyone thought would get killed came out and slew the monster.

I was still. I was stoic. I was gray and stalwart. I wanted more football, and I would not get it.

Every year, the NCAA Tournament, numbs the pain for a while. March Madness is one of the greatest periods of time in the sports year. It seems that every minute of the month two teams are tied with a minute left in a do-or-die game. Whatever the sport, that is a marvellous thing.

But it is like drops of bouillon when I truly want a steak.

The NBA Playoffs fill the void just a bit, but as a Supersonics fan, I’m still lost. A playoff series in any sport, however, is a good show and it keeps me from watching reality shows while eating sleeping pills like popcorn.

Just when I was putting hockey next to Quidditch as a sport I was not sure existed, the NHL is back at it again. I hope they will pull me in and keep my emotions off the floor. They do wear helmets and shoulder pads. They do hit each other.

I do not mind sitting at a baseball game on a warm summer day. A little better than mowing my lawn. Much better than waiting in line at the DMV or being stuck in traffic. But the baseball season hardly keeps my mind away from my football cravings. I’m pretty sure Ken Griffey Jr. does not play for the Mariners anymore, so I do not pay much attention.

Any NFL news, in the spring or summer,is a grain of heroin in my methadone.

Together, we’ll make it. TPF is on a mission to keep you filled with NFL content all year. I have tons of free-agent, draft and history stuff in mind. Plus some utter nonsense.

At least the weather should be enjoyable.

Let’s keep our spirits up. Here’s a list of upcoming NFL events:

February 18 – First day teams may designate Franchise or Transition players

February 20-26 – Scouting Combine

March 4 – Last day to designate Franchise or Transition players

March 9-11 – Teams may communicate with agents of unrestricted free-agents

March 12 – Free-agent and trading period begins

March 17-20 – Annual league meeting

April 19 – Deadline for restricted free-agents to sign offer sheets

April 25-27 – NFL Draft

May 10-12 – Seahawks rookie mini-camp

May 20 – Seahawks OTA’s begin

May 20-22 – Spring league meeting

June 11-13 – Seahawks mandatory mini-camp

End of July – Training Camp

August – Pre-Season games begin