By Moses Leos III.
Ah, Thanksgiving. Welcome back, good friend.
Of all the holidays on the calendar, Thanksgiving perhaps is my personal favorite.
It’s one of the rare holidays not driven by rampant commercialism. Instead, it’s a time where friends and family reconnect over a vast array of foods and drink.
Heck, what other holiday is it perfectly acceptable to wear elastic-waistband pants while gorging on traditional Thanksgiving fare?
For the record, I didn’t wear elastic-waistband pants, at least not this year.
But delicious food and family fun aside, Thanksgiving also brings football to our consciousness.
For as long as I can remember, football has been a part of my Thanksgiving holiday. It was almost as if we had 22 extra family members join us for our Thanksgiving feasts.
The teams participating almost always change. The players most certainly do. But it never really mattered, quite honestly. So long as there was football, everyone was happy.
Through the years, some of football’s most iconic moments occurred on Thanksgiving.
Remember Leon Lett, anyone?
While the old halcyon days are fun to relive, today’s age of football brings new moments for every fan to cherish. Here are my thoughts on some of what went down this holiday weekend.
At the high school level, I was surprised varsity newcomer George Ranch upset Elgin and the Simmons brothers. I had the Wildcats in the 4A DII State Semifinals.
Though, credit the Wildcats for fighting back. Four onside kick recoveries in one game seems like a state record or something.
Cedar Park falling to Port Lavaca Calhoun was a bit of a shock as well. Props to the Sandcrabs for upsetting the defending state champs.
And what about Leander Rouse, the team that took out Hays?
They’re alive and well, but face a scary-good San Antonio Brennan team this Friday that’s outscored its opponents 171-7.
Collegiately, Texas/Texas Tech and Baylor/TCU brought back some Southwest Conference nostalgia. If you went to the Texas game on Thursday, you’re probably still trying to defrost.
Texas State completed its season-ending swoon with a disappointing loss to Troy on Friday. They complete the year with a 6-6 mark, and are probably on the outside looking in for a bowl game.
The good news? Most people can pronounce quarterback Duke DeLancellotti’s name around campus. Something ESPN3 color commentator Warrick Dunn couldn’t – and wouldn’t – do.
The 2013 iteration of Michigan/Ohio State was a dandy to watch. It had all the hallmarks of a Thanksgiving Hollywood blockbuster: suspense, drama, action, and a questionable finish.
Got to commend Michigan head coach Brady Hoke on having the guts to go for two and the win. Personally, I’d go for the tie and overtime. But I don’t get paid 3.25 million dollars per year, so what do I know?
Then there was that crazy, impossible finish to the Iron Bowl. I daresay it was close to the great Cal/Stanford finish in 1982 – minus the trombone and fans on the field, of course.
We can all thank Alabama head coach Nick Saban for fueling the moment. Can’t agree with going for the long field goal with a rattled kicker. A rare misstep from a methodically efficient coach.
But seriously Auburn, what’s the point of watching a four-hour game, when you’re going to win it in the last seconds anyway?
So, as Thanksgiving passes, and the leftovers are slowly devoured, let’s all remember what we’re all thankful for: family, friends, food and football.
