Thanksgiving food for thought
Happy Thanksgiving! The sun managed to break through Wednesday afternoon and the rain, according to Mr. Meteorologist, has passed, so traveling to dinner should be a safe journey (barring the occasional tire goo spill).
Is there a better time to be a sports fan in southwestern Pennsylvania? Here’s a reason or two to give thanks and appreciation before the tryptophan kicks in:
* Sidney Crosby flying around an NHL rink again (as I write this before Wednesday night’s game). Fun, wasn’t it? Watching someone who is very good at what they do is a joy, especially when he plays for the home team!
* Ben Roethlisberger. Personal antics aside, few in the NFL get the job done like Big Ben. He gets pummeled by a 260-pound linebacker (again and again), and gets right back up on his feet, ready to do it all over. In many ways, he’s like Mario Lemieux. The NHL had two sets of rules, Wayne Gretzky’s and everybody else’s. The NFL, though not in official practice, handles Peyton Manning and Tom Brady one way, and the other quarterbacks, even Drew Brees and the other Manning, by the rules as written.
Now, Roethlisberger plans to suit up Sunday night in primetime against the Kansas City Chiefs with a broken right thumb.
He’s either the ultimate team guy, or not very bright. Yet, he is the man and I’m glad he’s running the Steelers’ offense. (Well, usually I am. Occasionally, I find myself channeling my dad from 30 years ago as he would “cheer” Terry Bradshaw on).
* Perhaps the “Occupy Wall Street” movement should form a branch and occupy Bud Selig’s office. In case you missed it, labor harmony has been guaranteed in Major League Baseball with the biggest news the testing for HGH.
Not much done on the money front, so the rich continue to spend like they’re rich and the other “99 percent” woefully eye what might be.
* I appreciate all out there who arose early this day and took to the streets in Uniontown, Greensburg and other locales to run, walk or otherwise participate in a Turkey Trot.
My sports/athletic personality faced quite the dilemma with the superego (wisely) saying “no, no, no” and the id (against the tide) pleading “yes, yes, yes.” The ego compromised, as it so adroitly does, by agreeing it was okay not to run this morning, but praise, admiration and good thoughts to all those who stood by their principals and got a 5K in.
Way to go!
* Ready for some Black Friday shopping?!?! You’ll see me out and about (since it’s not snowing), but not at the crack of dawn (or earlier). I’m more of a mid-morning kinda shopper.
But, if you’re into the madness, enjoy!
* Today’s NFL games actually might be worth fighting the urge to nap, especially the resurgent Dolphins (much to the glee of my nephew Jason) playing the Dallas Cowboys. Detroit has the chance to topple the undefeated Packers, and San Francisco can do Pittsburgh a favor by beating Baltimore.
Well, you have enough on your plate, so I’ll let everyone get back to the festivities.
Happy Thanksgiving!