Perfecting Your Man Cave for Football Season

If you aren't familiar with the term man cave, you need to be. It is even in the dictionary.

Man Cave: (n) A room or place in the house that is frequented by a man. Could be a garage, workshop, basement, or a den. Usually contains multiple televisions, comfortable furniture, and a bar.

The baseball postseason is fast approaching, NFL and college football are right around the corner, and even though the NBA seems like it just ended, it will be tipping off in October. What this means is you have to get your man cave in order. Finish ticking the last items off those Summer "Honey Do" lists and get ready for Winter hibernation in your very own man cave.

Here are 10 items you will need to complete your man cave.

Multiple TV's - Preferably large screen and HD. There is more than one game on at a time and you can't miss any of the action. When setting up your TV's, think "mini sportsbar."

Comfortable seating - I'm not a big fan of theater style seating like you find in homes that have media rooms. This isn't conducive for guys hanging out watching sports. A few large overstuffed leather or soft chairs to relax and just fall into are perfect. Think comfort here.

Privacy - The man cave has to be isolated. You can't have traffic running through it. A kid's playroom in or next to the man cave could cause distractions. While the man cave might double as a media room for the family or general public while not is use by men, it should be isolated when necessary.

Decor - Appropriate decor is necessary. Not gaudy or overstated. Some sports items are ok and nothing to feminine. Throw in a vintage video game or pinball machine to again give it that sportsbar feel.

Laptops and Wi-Fi - How else are you going to keep tabs on your fantasy football teams? Also you may have to check your e-mail as well. Make sure your are wired.

An outside entrance - If you are in the basement or your own wing, you should have a entrance to the outside. You and the guys can use it at halftime to play a little catch. Also you don't have to disturb the rest of the house when making food and drink runs.

Good lighting - Not too bright and not too dark, you want to make sure your eyes don't strain and get too tired as you may be holed up for more than 12 hours in any one day.

Bar w/ mini-fridge - Do I even have to explain this one? Cold drinks.

Surround Sound - With all the advances in sound today this is key. Hear all the action, and pipe in music when you need a break.

Activities - Anything to play or to occupy your downtime. A practice putting green, or a gold simulator would give it a modern feel. Video game systems add a nice touch, and pool tables or ping-pong are old standbys.

The main thing to remember is the word "man" is in man cave, so it's all up to you.