Thanksgiving Weekend 2016

     As always, I had a lot to be thankful for this year. My wife and I spent the extended weekend in Pittsburgh with our daughter who is working on a feature film being shot in town (No details as I would get shot by my daughter but the stars are big time). A fine restaurant meal for us this year (a big shout out to Lidia's who did a first rate job in food and atmosphere) started the weekend right for us. We gorged ourselves on Hibachi, pizza, Thai, chicken piccata to name a few items.

     But the real gorging occurred with the number of games on television starting Thursday. Coupled with my following Rutgers hoops eking out a come-from-behind 77-75 win @ the RAC over Hartford on Friday to go 6-0 and the Facebook posting of Highland Park, NJ H.S. trouncing arch-rival Metuchen on Turkey Day, it was a cornucopia of sports to delight any palate.

     Vikings-Lions started the binge watching; it continued with the Washington-Dallas affair; and was ended by the non-traditional rivalry of the Steelers and the Colts in Indianapolis. Additionally, I saw the Giants in Cleveland; New England overcoming my New York Jets (again); Carolina-Oakland bonus coverage and Kansas City topping Denver. Throw in tonight's Green Bay contest with the Eagles in Philadelphia, that's 8 National Football League games out of 16 played or 50%.

     The 5 college games I took in for more than a fleeting moment were Rutgers-Maryland (why, I asked myself?); The colossal Michigan-Ohio State rivalry thriller; Michigan State traveling to Happy Valley to take on Penn State; a glance or two at the grudge match known as Auburn and Alabama; and the local game which ended in a basketball score--Pitt thumping the Syracuse Orangemen. Factor in some Houston-Memphis on the hotel screen--that is 6 games in total.

     The only basketball I took in was some of Charlotte playing the Knicks at Madison Square Garden; a D-League game in Delaware; and Iowa State playing Gonzaga in a battle of ranked teams. I did check on Franklin and Marshall rebounding from a stinging to loss to Gettysburg against Lebanon Valley College in Annville on Sunday.

     Then there was the National Hockey League. I saw Calgary visit the Boston Garden to play the Bruins along with the Rangers left New York to defeat the Flyers in Philadelphia. But I actually went to newly-renamed PPG Paints Arena where my New Jersey Devils lost a heartbreaker to the Pittsburgh Penguins first on a goal by all-world Sidney Crosby with :14 left in regulation, then to be beaten 1-0 in the shootout.

     Let me recap--8 NFL games; 6 college football games; 3 hoops contests; and 3 more hockey games including 1 in person. That's a total of 20 games in 5 days. With only 1 of them tonight.

     I am glad that I ate our sumptuous meal on Thursday in the midst of the Redskins-Cowboys tiff. By the time last evening was over, I was unsure if it was pass the meat (whatever we were eating) or hand me the remote. Fortunately I take antacids, because I would necessarily require such for an acute disease of sports televisionitis.

     Yes, I have plenty to be thankful for. How come the Utah Jazz is finishing its match with the Timberwolves in Minneapolis? Isn't Golden State on NBA TV at 10:30? Or must I wait until RU plays at Miami on Wednesday? Please serve me some more pumpkin pie...