This post is sponsored by EA Sports NCAA Football 2011 as we conclude our week-long celebration of college fandom.
Again, we're going to go with the hoops theme during the football campaign. Our viral campaign to get Villanova included in the next edition is well underway. Today we're going to let you know our Top 10 ways to get through the long and painful off-season, full of hope for the next season, and also full of prayers that nothing bad happens before opening night.
Villanova has had it's share of tragedy in the off-season that has pushed fans to the ledge before (Curtis Sumpter's knee injury prior to the 2005-2006 season being the most recent) and even this offseason h as found Villanova in the headlines once again, with fans split on the impact it will have on the coming year.
See you after the jump for the countdown...
10. Watch Replays of the 1985 Title Game and Mail Copies to Georgetown Friends -- My good pals at Casual Hoya can expect that along with a life-size Dwayne McClain poster, and I fully expect an abused kitten left on my front steps before the season tips off.
9. Go to ESPN, CBS and FOXSports Every Day Praying for National CBB News - This can get just down-right depressing. For instance, today I went to ESPN.com for the first time in a week and found out that Rick Pitino still can't get his lady-friend out of his life, Dick Vitale probably had a heart-attack brought on by an erection, and this jerk-off is still getting face-time.Yep, loooove that offseason!
8. Scout The BIG EAST for the Upcoming Season - We can obsess over our Wildcats all we want, but I feel a better use of my time is to find out as much as I can about what the best conference in the land is shaping up to be. SB Nation is a great source for this, and has the finest BIG EAST blogs in the land. Especially make sure to head over to the aforementioned Casual Hoya, Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician, and The UConn Blog!
7. Thank God that Bobby Gonzalez is NOT Your Coach - Seriously, I don't know whether to laugh or cry at this guy's life over the past year or so.
6. Talk 'Nova Hoops With The Social Media Kings of Villanova Athletics - Special shout-outs to Twitter-freaks @brianisawesome, @TheSeanDon, @DanValles, @TheFoyeEffect, @ArizonaSecrets and @NovaBlueMan. Make sure to also follow @jvpost, who writes for The Nova Blog and has finally accepted the addiction that is Twitter.
5. Get Involved In Villanova Recruiting - I had my doubts, but it's actually quite fun. Sure, there's tons of heartbreak (thanks Tyreke Evans) and occasionally there's some property damage (kudos Michael Gilchrist), but then there are the really good times too (like our latest committment Tyrone Johnson). Rivals is the best site to get hooked on, and Villanova has it's own subsite there, VUSports.com.
4. Start Making Deals For Tickets - I've randomly met several alumni with season tickets this spring and summer, and I've already started setting myself up for a couple Pavilion games, which are sometimes quite difficult and expensive to get if you are not a student or season-ticket holder. We look to have a couple of big ones at home too. Time to start making offers they can't refuse.
3. Watch Sean Donovan's Video's on Repeat -- This is great for the dog-days of summer when you feel like the season will never get here. Remind yourself of the good times!
2. Gear Up For Our Football Title Defense - Enough of this. So what if we're not in the game? We're the reigning FCS National Champions and the best player in college football is coming back for his last tour of duty. I'm excited, and I'll definitely actually be attending games this year. Oh yeah, and please, let's move up to FBS. The alumni are on board, I swear.
1. Play NCAA Football 11 - The game comes out tomorrow, go out and buy it, start a Villanova dynasty, wreck the FBS landscape for 15 years and then mail EA consistently until we're in the game!