November 24, 2015
If you are a Philadelphia sports fan there doesn’t seem to be much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. Until the Flyers used an overtime to win on Monday night, no Philadelphia sports team had won at home through the entire month.
The Sixers continue their march to success in some century in the future, the Eagles are disintegrating, the Flyers are the lowest scoring team in the NHL, and the Phillies are stuck between their past and their future.
However, Thanksgiving is Thanksgiving, and no matter how difficult the view from the standings, there are things for which to be thankful and enjoy the day. You might also need some tips on how to handle some tough situations and look at those shards of light through the darkness:
• Be thankful that the Eagles only have to play the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving Day, and not the Dallas Cowboys with Tony Romo back in the lineup. Speaking of those Cowboys, be thankful their owner Jerry Jones is also the club’s general manager, ensuring that no matter how good Romo and Dez Bryant, the franchise is doomed to fail.
• You can count your blessings that the San Francisco 49ers have apparently decided to cut ties with quarterback Colin Kaepernick. For all his flaws, Kaepernick has the legs and arm to run a Chip Kelly offense.
• After watching Sanchez and Bradford this season it only makes sense to take a run at Kaepernick.
• Pass the gravy and throw the mashed potatoes at that chubby aunt at the table when she insists that Peyton Manning is somehow going to get his foot healed and make a run at another Super Bowl. Forget it. Manning has earned a spot as one of the elite quarterbacks in the history of the NFL, but his time is over. The Broncos actually have a chance to beat the New England Patriots and end Tom Brady’s undefeated run on Sunday and part of the reason is that Brock Osweiler is playing in place of the injured Manning.
• You get an extra piece of pumpkin pie if you were howling since last season that the Flyers needed to bring up defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, who was eventually injured while playing in the AHL. Fact of the matter is that Gostisbehere has already become the Flyers best defenseman, and he is the most exciting player to watch on the roster. It took and injury and ensuing salary cap space to get his chance, but there is no way Ghost disappears from the lineup.
• Hit yourself in the head with a drumstick if you still can’t figure out the NFL’s policy on preventing and treating concussions. Despite the addition of spotter in the booth to survey players who might be in peril, St Louis Rams quarterback Case Keenum was allowed to continue to play despite an obvious head injury. This comes just a few weeks after Philadelphia Eagles player Malcolm Jenkins disclosed he played against the Dallas Cowboys with a concussion, and you can just imagine the reaction of former players suing the league for lingering head injuries. How is the league supposed to defend against these injuries when -- after all this information -- the players still hide head injuries?
• Thank your lucky musical notes that Adele has finally released a new album, and 25 will be terrific listen through the holiday season. And while you are at it, raise a glass of your finest wine to toast David Grohl and the Foo Fighters for their Saint Cecilia EP and the support for the victims in the recent Paris disaster.
• You will be excused if you are caught staring blankly into the dish of cranberry sauce pondering the fairness of life. Like, how can college football players not get paid, but LSU Les Miles is probably going to get a buy-out of around $12.8 million and his staff another $3 million to NOT coach the team. Can you imagine paying tuition to a school and finding out the alumni agreed to pony up $15 million to get rid of a coaching staff. And can you imagine the players aren’t even allowed what amounts to lunch money?
• While you’re at it, ponder the scales of justice when you are told that retired former Flyer Danny Briere, who made about $68 million in his career, an is still being paid $830,000 from the Flyers this season, won the 50/50 at the Eagles game on Sunday. Go figure.
• Thank the Lord for spell check, so you can order a cornucopia
• Permission is granted to try to strangle your crazy uncle with a string bean if he insists that the Phillies were too quick to give up on Domonic Brown. As a follow-up, you are allowed to be thankful that Brown is gone, as well as Ryne Sandberg and Ruben Amaro. While you're at it, be thankful that Jonathan Papelbon didn’t prove to be the missing piece for the Washington Nationals, and he played big role in that team’s meltdown. At least you didn’t have to watch him in the postseason.
• Say your prayers that the cook is not a graduate of the Sam Hinkie School of Holiday cooking. If that was the case, you might be told that you need to eat celery and nuts this Thanksgiving and the next five Thanksgivings. The good news is that the turkey might be ready to eat on Thanksgiving Day 2019. Maybe.
• Finally, do not be offended if all the women in the house refuse to watch the next game because Greg Hardy is on the field for the Dallas Cowboys. They are right.
Happy Thanksgiving.
