Streaming Scrimmage: Sports-Themed TV Shows You Can Stream Before The Super Bowl
With only a few days left until the Super Bowl, you'll probably be spending a good chunk of your weekend anticipating the big game. Whether you're rooting for the Broncos, holding it down for the Seahawks, or you just need an excuse to have a few beers, you're going to need to do something with all that bottled-up energy. Since you're already in sports mode, why not just plop down in front of the TV and find a series that truly reflects your current state of mind?
Whether you're looking for a comedic take on fantasy football or a teen drama chronicling the ups and downs of a high school basketball team, there are plenty of series you binge watch until the coin toss Sunday evening. Plus, you can get a head start on scarfing down the goodies from your game day menu!
Take a look through our list to find out what you'll be viewing from now until the Super Bowl. Don't hesitate to get a few friends involved, because binge watching these shows should count as a team sport!
[Photo Credit: CW/FX]
Blue Mountain State, Spike TV, streaming on Netflix and Hulu
Let's be real — college humor never gets old. Blue Mountain State runs with that premise, taking fans through the lives of fictional college football players. Expect partying, sex, dirty jokes, and all the other things that made up your college experience. Why not invite some old pals over to watch this like you did back in the dorm?
Eastbound & Down, HBO, streaming on HBO Go
What happens when a baseball star falls from grace and has to return to his hometown? If Eastbound & Down can shed any insight, we can only imagine that the results are beyond amusing.
Kenny Powers, an MLB pitcher, gets his comeuppance when he leaves the league and heads to his native North Carolina. While struggling as a substitute middle school phys-ed teacher, Kenny secretly plans his baseball comeback. However, since he makes no plans to tone his offensive statements or his explosive temper, he suffers a few false starts on the road back to the majors.
Even though baseball season is months away, there's nothing wrong with switching gears this weekend. Plus, given the cold weather that's gripped most of the country, it doesn't hurt to think about those spring and summer temperatures!
Friday Night Lights, NBC, streaming on Netflix
Lauded as one of the greatest shows of the aughts, Friday Night Lights centers on a small Texas town and the crux of its existence — high school football. But don't write off this show as a sappy teen drama. Its exploration of social issues solidified it as a critical darling, even if it never really brought in big audiences.
Coach Eric Taylor, his wife Tami, and daughter Julie serve as the show's main characters, with storylines involving many members of the teams Eric coaches. With fantastic writing and superb acting, even the TV snob in your crew will be impressed.
The Game, CW/BET, streaming on Netflix and Hulu
Don't get it twisted — ladies enjoy sports, too. And The Game was tailor-made to whet that appetite, with its focus on the relationships surrounding a fictional NFL team. Super stardom isn't easy and this series doesn't hold back when depicting the drama that comes with success. Of course, there's something for the fellas too, in the way of the hot women who star in the show.
So if the guys know they've got a few ladies in their crew this weekend, you'll probably end up watching The Game at some point this weekend. Hey, it can't always be about the testosterone!
The League, FXX, streaming on Netflix
Who knew fantasy football could be just as cutthroat as the professional league? This comedy, which premiered on FX in 2009 (and recently moved to FXX), explores the machinations of members belonging to an Illinois fantasy football league. Since dedication to the league has led to divorce, sibling rivalry, and general backstabbing, you know this isn't the crew to mess with.
The League is a crowd-pleaser, especially if you'll be spending the weekend with your own fantasy football buddies (don't be ashamed, you know you're in at least three leagues).
One Tree Hill, WB/CW, streaming on Netflix
You know that there's a sappy teen deep down inside you, so get ready to fire up old episodes of One Tree Hill. Though later episodes weren't nearly as focused on the basketball drama, this series began with a classic setup. The star basketball player feels his status is threatened by his half-brother (from the wrong side of the tracks) and the tension deepens when a love interest gets involved.
There's nothing wrong with going the nostalgic route here, plus the original theme song was by Gavin DeGraw, one of the stars performing during VH1's Super Bowl Blitz!
The White Shadow, CBS, streaming on Hulu
If you really want to go old school, check out The White Shadow, which ran on CBS from 1978 until 1981. The series shows a Chicago Bulls player's career cut short due to an injury, and he finds himself coaching a high school basketball team in Los Angeles.
Recruited by his college buddy who serves as Carver High's principal, NBA star Ken Reeves heads west to inspire youth in South Central L.A. after leaving the league. Naturally, he finds challenges with his players and with other school officials. The NBA certainly sounds cushy compared to public education!