Last week, we had another of Mike Chamernik’s “Question of the Week” series, the response was great, and Mike is back again with his next question.
It’s quite seasonally appropriate!
Question of the Week
by Mike Chamernik
Thanksgiving is a celebration of family, friends, food—and football, of course. Thousands of games will be played on Thursday. Not just in the NFL and college, but also in all the Turkey Bowls of two-hand touch, flag or tackle football held in schools, parks and backyards across the nation.
Do you play football (or any other sport) on Thanksgiving? Have you in the past? What are some of your favorite memories of it? Do you play sports on any other holidays?
This will be the fourth year I’ll be playing two-hand touch on Thanksgiving. It’s a good group of guys between their 20s and mid-40s. A few years ago we did 15-on-15 and it was insane. Only one touchdown was scored.
Thanks, Mike — great question again, and very topical! Unfortunately, my football on Turkey Day is limited to watching. I have a very small family (even smaller now than when growing up) and I’m an only child. Even with the few Aunts and Uncles and their kids (all girls), we never even had enough to form two teams, much less play. And when I was married (my 31st anniversary would be today), and ended up with her side of the family for half the time, that was a small gathering as well. I wish I’d been involved with a big enough gathering to get in a game of two-hand touch, but it never happened. I’m pretty sure I’m in the minority there though, so I’m anxious to hear what our readers do on Turkey Day!
Can’t wait to hear the readers’ responses! OK guys…fire away!
My neighborhood has an annual Turkey Trot 5K every Thanksgiving. My wife helps to put it on, and I’ve run with our young children the past few years. Lots of fun, and great costumes abound (so kinda uni-related!).
Until we got too old, my High School football team used to get together for a “Turkey Bowl” game. Was always good to reconnect with the guys.
When I was a kid my best friend across the street and his 2 older brothers would go to the nearby school field and play a 2 vs 2 game. The QB had to throw the ball within a certain amount of time, I think count to five. My friend and I were initially young, grade school, and we stopped while we were in junior high. The older brothers were 5 and 7 years older. I loved that they included me, since I had 2 sisters and no brothers. I’m glad I remembered this, I’ll message my friend, who I haven’t seen in years, this Thanksgiving to remind him of this.
Love it. Back in freshman year gym class, we’d do 2-vs-2. Which was pretty much just running routes, with a QB throwing to a WR who was double covered. Fun stuff!
I would have liked to have a turkey bowl tradition, but I’d probably be limping more if I did.
My local “civic assocation” does a fun run which I have done once or twice. Already rained out for this year.
I do have “my turkey before my turkey” – aka as Wild Turkey when thr turkey comes out of the oven, fryer or smoker.
Never on Thanksgiving but as a child my best friend/neighbor had his extended family over for Easter. We would have enough kids to play a game of baseball; but with tennis balls and taped up wiffleball bats.
“…taped up wiffleball bats.”
As kids when we played our version of Home Run Derby or ‘bounce ball’ with tennis balls we’d cut the tops open, cram as much rolled up newspaper in the cavity as we could, then re-seal with electrical tape. Results:
link
Easter is never thought of as a baseball holiday even though it kinda is. I remember also playing Wiffle Ball with my friends on Easter
The police departments from around our county including the county sheriff’s department and the state police play members of the local fire departments in a Thanksgiving Day morning flag football game at 09:00 am at a local high school. That has been going on since the 1970’s. Entry is a cash donation, canned goods or a new, unwrapped toy.
As far as uni-watch, the PD usually has nice jerseys with NOB and numbers on the sleeves and their department patch sewn on the right, front chest. Where the FD usually wears red t-shirts.
I remember going to a PD-FD basketball game when I was younger. I saw NYC had a PD-FD hockey game at MSG, and there was a brawl or something
No tradition of participation…but since my alma mater has this year decided to cancel fir ‘good’ their annual Turkey Bowl with our neighborhood rival for safety and playoff considerations, I’m looking for alternatives.
Hmm… maybe a straight-on field goal contest of some nature ; )
Hmmm…if I get up early enough on Thursday I’m going to have to do some straight-on kicking.
I think the only time I played a Turkey Bowl game was when I worked for the local Ponderosa steakhouse. We played on a softball field just off of Tallmadge Circle, which was near the manager’s house.
I got to broadcast the last Thanksgiving City Series championship game at the Akron Rubber Bowl. That was fun.
As for other holidays, my brother and I used to play paper football at Grandpap’s house on Christmas Day. For the last 15 years, my son and I have played the Candy Bowl on New Year’s Day. First three years were electric football, then we switched to paper football.
Almost forgot…one Christmas at Grandpap’s my cousins and I didn’t have a football, so we took a wad of wrapping paper and sealed it in electrical tape. Then we went out in the field and played a cross between football and rugby. It was a cold but humid evening, so our heads looked like that famous photo of the Bears’ Chris Zorich.
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“Do you play sports on any other holidays?”
The Sunday of Christmas week, my high school track team hosts an Alumni (and ‘open’) 4x6x400 relay race – they call it a work out, teams of 4 complete 24 laps (6 laps per runner) . I’ve participated 2x over the last few years…the elements were harsh, my splits were not to brag about, but the camaraderie is top-notch and it has supported toy and footwear drives – plus the post-race hydration event is always full of good spirits!
I forget that a lot of runs and 5Ks and whatnot are scheduled on holiday mornings.
Good stuff everyone!
If you are playing ball on Thursday, and if you’re over 30, don’t forget to stretch a bit.
Stretch a lot!
For a while, my brother and I would play a game of EA Sports NCAA Football in the family room before our noon Thanksgiving meal. It was an excuse to entertain other family members that were over and keep them out of the kitchen where my parents and other brothers would be working. Usually, the guests would start rooting for whoever was losing and it provided an odd energy shift when there was a late lead change.