While the hungry sports fan has to settle for games of H.O.R.S.E, NBA2K, and replays of March Madness from 1992 as the world quarantines, there has been some optimism recently as many leagues start to brainstorm about returning to their games.

The NHL has reported that cities across the country have shown interest in hosting playoff games at neutral-site locations. MLB has reportedly discussed the possibility of the rearrangement of leagues, increased double-headers, and reduction in games.  And the NBA has even toyed with the thought of moving the entire league to the Bahamas until COVID-19 is under control.

Here are some ideas for making up for lost time, salvaging playoffs and college games, and consolidating long seasons into short ones until we can all start fresh again.

• The NBA Playoffs – As much as I like watching Lebron and his family Tik Tok, it’s time to figure out how to finish off a season that has nine games left and an entire month of playoffs. The solution is to go March Madness on their asses!  Sixteen team, single elimination, bracketology is back!  The pressure would be immense, the ratings off the chart, and the season would be over and concluded by the time you made it back from the socially distanced liquor store.
• The PGA Tour – Golf had to postpone the Masters and already cancelled the British Open, but there’s an obvious fix for salvaging a tour that includes 49 events in its season. Only play the four tournaments that anyone cares about!  Play the Masters, the British Open, The PGA, the US Open, and call it the FedEx Cup.  News alert: even avid sports fans don’t care about the Farmers Insurance Open, even if Tiger is playing.
• The NFL Draft – The NFL draft is still scheduled for April 23, but teams are asking for a delay because they haven’t been able to do personal workouts or medical exams on potential draft picks. The reality is Arizona took quarterback Josh Rosen with the 10^th overall pick, and Lamar Jackson lasted all the way to pick 32.  You could delay the draft for another month or two, but   some GM is still bound to take the next Garett Bolles or Paxton Lynch no matter how much time you give him.
• March Madness – There is nothing better than the Cinderella. Murray State, VCU, Florida Gulf Coast, and what about Sister Jean and Loyola Chicago.  But the fact is that 29 out of the last 31 NCCA Champions have been a one, two, or three-seed.  Which means that basically, you could knock that 64 teams down to 12 or 16 teams without messing too much with the final results.  Start the tourney on a Thursday, and you could be done by the end of the weekend.
• The NHL Playoffs – Considering the fact that the Avalanche haven’t been televised all season, does it really matter? How about the NHL bring back the teams for the playoffs, have the games played in Canada, have the Avs return to Quebec where the franchise was originally from; that way, the games can’t be blacked out locally.
• Major League Baseball – The Rockies showed baseball how to shorten the season last year. It was over by the All-Star break.
• The NFL – Struggling to fit a sixteen-game schedule into a smaller timetable? Here’s an idea.  You know Thursday Night, Sunday Night, and Monday Night Football?  Just add Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday to the list.

Images via pinterest.com, printerfriendly.com, 247sports.com, tvline.com, thedenverpost.com, nbcsports.com

Alan Tapley The Athletic Supporter

Alan Tapley is an educator, author, and blogger who has lived just outside of Boulder for the last twenty years.  His published work includes two novels, two children’s books, a series of cartoons in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, and multiple sports related articles. His love for family and the state of Colorado is only matched by one thing, his passion for sports.  The first baseball game he ever attended was at Wrigley Field, before there were lights.  At the final Bronco game at the old Mile High, he allegedly cut out a piece of his seat in the South stands.  But regardless of being here for the Avalanche’s last Stanley Cup, the Rockies only World Series appearance, and all the Broncos’ Super Bowl Victories, his wife never fails to remind him that he wasn’t at the University of Colorado in 1990, like she was.  The year the Buffs football team won the National Championship.