Sports and Holidays: Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving has come and gone with some great games. We have had seen truly exceptional performances and then some exceptional things in a bad way as well. With all that being said, no one says we have to stop saying thanks when Thanksgiving Day is over. We are going to give thanks to some teams and players, not only in the NFL but in a number of sports. Let the celebration begin:

We first have to give thanks to the NBA players and owner for tentatively getting a deal done. Barring some catastrophic set back it looks like we will finally have some NBA basketball. The agreement states there will be a 66 game season that will start December 25, 2011, with training camps opening December 9^th. The deal also included a 50/50 split for revenue between the players and owners. The most important part is that the negotiation is done and it will be a few years before we have to deal with this type of situation again.

Next we have to thank college football coach Urban Meyer for proving that money talks. Meyer was adamant that he was done with college football when he retired in 2010. Urban Meyer said he needed to spend time with his family and concentrate on his health. Meyer even denied reports that a college had contacted him for a coaching position. All that changed when Ohio State did actually come calling and offered Urban Meyer a six year deal which is worth an average of 4 million per year. Urban Meyer says he loves college football, but he could have sat on the couch, loved college football, and enjoyed time with his family. Instead we see how enough money can motivate anyone to change their tune.

In the NFL, we have a couple of players to thank for tasteless displays this week. First we have Ndamukong Suh, who decided it would be a good idea to step on an opposing team’s offensive lineman. The play was over; there was really no good reason for Suh to do anything. However, Ndamukong Suh decided to step on Green Bay Packers offensive lineman Evan Deitrich-Smith during Thursday’s Thanksgiving Day game. The League has not officially issued any punishment for Suh, but we can rest assured some form of punishment is coming. Even a first time offender would feel the hammer of justice from Commissioner Roger Goodell come down upon them. Suh is far from a first time offender. Expect to not see the Detroit Lion’s defensive leader for a few games.

Speaking of repeat offenders, we have another individual who decided to do something that should have never been done. Stevie Johnson, the receiver from the Buffalo Bills, decided to make fun of Plaxico Buress and the Jets in a touchdown celebration. Johnson scored a touchdown catch, then preceeded to dance, and act like he shot himself in the foot, mocking Plaxico Buress. Plaxico Buress went to jail for two years for doing such an incident in real life. This should not be an event that anyone would want to make fun of. Moreover, after making fun of Plaxico Buress’s situation, Stevie Johnson then decided to act like a jet plane was crashing, making fun of the New York Jets further. Johnson should get a heavy fine for something so offensive and directed at another player. To top it all off, the Buffalo Bills lost the game and Stevie Johnson dropped quite a few passes that would of helped the team win. Johnson does not seem much like team player to me, but more like one who only cares about himself.

The season of giving thanks never truly comes to an end when we are dealing with sports. Something is always happening, whether good or bad, that we can say thank you about. Whether it is something as bad as Jerome Simpson’s flop, or something amazing like watching Drew Brees put 350 passing yards, four passing touchdowns, one rushing touch down, and no interceptions in a Monday night game. The ups and downs each week is what makes watching sports a good time. We love our sports and are thankful for every team, every play, and every game.