The ugly beast called off-season.

[Didi]

With the Davis Cup final ending tomorrow and closing the very last chapter on the 2013 season, the off-season starts. Yes, THAT time of the year again. The history books for 2013 have been finished and closed for good. The players have charity work, relaxing exhibition matches, hard training blocks and preparation for 2014 in front of them in the build-up to the festive periods and of course last but not least well deserved rest and holidays.

The tennis world stands still...but what do members of Tennis Frontier do during that time of the year? Do you take a long break from tennis until the Australian Open and mainly concentrate on work, family, friends and the festive periods? Now with tennis undergoing its hibernation, what other sports, hobbies or activities do you follow or finally find/have time for? Do you in fact look forward to the long break after a stressful season full of nail-biting, hoping and worrying, never ending and sometimes tiring debates?

I guess cinema nerds among us will be quite relieved that the season is over. No more livescore checking, fist pumping and outbursts of rage or joy halfway through the movies or family celebrations when your favorite player won/lost a set only to notice that nobody else really cares what the hell you are talking about.

Are you still interested and involved in tennis on blogs, forums, news, sites, facebook, twitter etc.?
Do you, like me, find yourself downloading countless great matches of the past season or classics of the past in general on youtube and comfortably watching and enjoying them all over again with hot coffee, chocolate, tea and christmas cookies (oh my hips) when it's freezing cold and snowing out there?

I love it! I absolutely love it. Oh by the way, always a great and safe feeling to know the outcome, isn't it? Good for the nerves. Anyway, how do you spend your time during this four-headed ugly monster called off-season? Tell us about it, feel free, witty anecdotes are welcomed.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Personally, I'm working on a year-end awards type blog, crowning some of the best matches, best shots, best moments, etc...

Will probably open a thread about it and take your suggestions, just in case something is escaping me. Haven't had the chance to write one in a while due to work but it's long overdue.

I personally don't mind the off season. It allows people to recharge their batteries. Plus, it's quite short.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

I hate the off-season, but it gives me a time to analyze the year, watch some players I did not have the chance to see live, catch some games that I missed...but most importantly, I play.
I love basketball, but if I loved it as much as tennis, I would go crazy with the 4-5 months off-season, so I am not complaining about the tennis off-season...well maybe just a tad.

 

[brokenshoelace]

As far as what else do I watch, Football (Soccer) has always been my favorite sport so there's always that. I honestly wouldn't say that I now have time to do other things simply because I never found tennis to be that time consuming for me to begin with. Maybe a bit during the first week of majors, where there's a lot going on, but they're a combined total of one month during the year.

 

[Moxie]

Those of us at Tennis Frontier, if I may speak for my partners, are looking forward to catching our breath, a bit, and working on the features that have made this site interesting, so far. It has been 7+ months, now, and thanks to all of you for your contributions. TBH, it feels like there's a very short window before it all starts again. But in the meantime, there are several holidays, so all best to you and yours. :heart:

 

[Didi]

Personally, I'm working on a year-end awards type blog, crowning some of the best matches, best shots, best moments, etc...

Will probably open a thread about it and take your suggestions, just in case something is escaping me. Haven't had the chance to write one in a while due to work but it's long overdue.

That sounds great! Really looking forward to it.

I hate the off-season, but it gives me a time to analyze the year, watch some players I did not have the chance to see live, catch some games that I missed...but most importantly, I play.
I love basketball, but if I loved it as much as tennis, I would go crazy with the 4-5 months off-season, so I am not complaining about the tennis off-season...well maybe just a tad.

That's true. Compared with the NBA, never mind the NFL, the tennis off-season is merely a quickie. I do play a lot too during the Nov.-Dec. Swing, usually Indoor tennis with my sons and colleagues at work. We have founded our own Christmas Indoor Championships. The CIC. Sounds better than WTF. We play a league system with the worst player, usually that's me, having the privilege to pay the dinner afterwards. Me, my two sons and 5 colleagues. Do the math. No wonder I am always bankrupt around Christmas. :snigger

 

[Moxie]

Personally, I'm working on a year-end awards type blog, crowning some of the best matches, best shots, best moments, etc...

Will probably open a thread about it and take your suggestions, just in case something is escaping me. Haven't had the chance to write one in a while due to work but it's long overdue.

I personally don't mind the off season. It allows people to recharge their batteries. Plus, it's quite short.

That's a great idea for a blog, Broken.

 

[Kieran]

Good thread!

And looking forward to the blog, Broken!

Me, I sharpen my tools. I mean, there's still ogres out there who don't like Pete, who think Federer's sailor suit was high fashion, who reckon Djoker is popular. So I scribble pithy one-liners to have ready when school's back, you know? And nicknames too. I'm working on some new ones. Close season really gives me a great chance to step back and hone my game.

Seriously though, it's good to have a break from it! I'm sure there'll be plenty arguments here to keep us going, but it's basically the quiet time now, isn't it? Before the Phoney War starts in mid-December!

 

[DarthFed]

Offseason in tennis is not too bad. Just 1.5 months and they are back at it. As for other sports the NFL offseason is torture. They will soon add a couple games but that makes it a 6.5 month offseason instead of 7. NBA offseason should be longer as I think they should play 60 games instead of 82. You'd see much more effort and quality throughout the season compared to now when top teams correctly have to reserve energy at times.

 

[August]

Too bad there doesn't seem to be interesting exhos like Gillette Federer Tour last year. I watched some of those matches.

But 1,5 months really isn't so bad, good to get some break from the tour for change. And there are AO WC play-offs in December. I remember two years ago one boring task kept me awake till early morning. At 3am AO WC POs were much more interesting.

 

[Riotbeard]

At the end of the USO, college football becomes my main sport in general. I will watch a lot of bowl games, and also catch up on pro-football. In addition, I go to my hometown and see my family and old friends during Christmas.

Obviously I still think and talk about tennis though

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Stop crying folks. It is not even two months, not even 1.5 months long. It is
exactly 6 weeks long. Moreover, I am pretty sure that there are at least 6 exos
in the mean time to cater to addicts.

Finally, from next year off season will be only 5 weeks long as there is a week
gap between Paris and WTF starting from next year.

They say temporary separation makes the love stronger.

:heart:

p.s. You know what I do in off season. See my other thread.

 

[atttomole]

Personally, I'm working on a year-end awards type blog, crowning some of the best matches, best shots, best moments, etc...

Will probably open a thread about it and take your suggestions, just in case something is escaping me. Haven't had the chance to write one in a while due to work but it's long overdue.

I personally don't mind the off season. It allows people to recharge their batteries. Plus, it's quite short.

Which is your favorite soccer team Broken?

 

[brokenshoelace]

Personally, I'm working on a year-end awards type blog, crowning some of the best matches, best shots, best moments, etc...

Will probably open a thread about it and take your suggestions, just in case something is escaping me. Haven't had the chance to write one in a while due to work but it's long overdue.

I personally don't mind the off season. It allows people to recharge their batteries. Plus, it's quite short.

Which is your favorite soccer team Broken?

Juventus, ever since I was a kid.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

Juventus, ever since I was a kid.

Oh boy....

 

[nehmeth]

The season precipitously drops off after the U.S.Open. By then I'm ready for NCAA and NFL football. NCAA wrestling picks up in November. There is Thanksgiving and Christmas to prepare for and then a little rest before we on the east coast are returned to night owl status as we watch the Australian Open.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Juventus, ever since I was a kid.

Oh boy....

LOL, which team are you a fan of Murat?

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

Juventus, ever since I was a kid.

Oh boy....

LOL, which team are you a fan of Murat?

I usually have no issues with Juve...I actually like them a lot, but this year, my team Galatasaray is in the same group with Juve in the CL, and it will probably come down to the last match of the group between the two teams to determine which goes through. :blush:

 

[britbox]

I'm used to this time of year being the lead into winter and that would typically mean football (soccer) but now living in Australia it's the lead into summer. Still watch a bit of English football at obscure times but it's not quite the same. Going back to the UK for a month in December though, so might capture the old vibe. Probably watch the Ashes (cricket) in the meantime.

 

[shawnbm]

For me, there is not much in the sports world as neither golf nor tennis are on the telly much. This is the time of year I spend with family, taking vacation and playing tennis. I tend to read more during this part of the year. It is the advent of the Advent Season, and that is always a special time for me. The days grow darker and cooler and I find that work slows down. I enjoy the holiday season music and always pull out some old Robert Frost and other poets to re-re-re-read my favorite poems. Good wine and brandy is had on as many occasions as possible. It is a nice refreshing time of year.