SPORTS
8
A football lover’s guide to Thanksgiving
BY DOUG FRY
SPORTS EDITOR
m any.
For
Thanksgiving is a
F time for gathering
family, appreciating
w h at
we’re thankful for in life
and gorging ourselves with foods we cherish
once a year, but for some it means the
bliss of watching football without nagging
weekend chores or work.
This is the football lover’s guide to
Thanksgiving.
Many Thanksgiving plans revolve around
food. Preparations cannot be avoided, but
they can be adjusted. Foods like cranberry
sauce, gravy and green beans can usually be
last-second preparations, while foods like
turkey, ham and pies will spend most of their
time in the oven. Which leaves side dishes
to take up the rest of the preparation time.
To knock these pesky tasks out'while
enjoying the 9:30 a.m. game, I suggest
setting up a TV tray or small table in front
o f your favorite La-Z-Boy to start these
dishes. Things like peeling potatoes and
shucking corn stalks can easily be done
from the comfort of the sitting position.
Any casseroles or stuffings that require
chopped vegetables can also be conquered
while watching a game. If food prep is not
a worry for you, then you’re already off to
a good start to watching your game.
The second most common distraction from
Thanksgiving Day football is family. If the
whole family is deciding what to watch prior
to the feast, odds are you will be missing out
on much needed football. Finding an empty
family room or “man cave” might be the
easiest way to avoid watching the Macy’s
Thanksigiving Day Parade, but might not
be an option for everyone. The next best
thing is locking yourself in your room to
watch in peace. For those of us who do not
have the luxury of cable in their room, we
Assistant sports editor Jacob Thompson sits and watches football ahead of the Thanksgiving Day platter of games.
have limited choices. The first is to sign up
for a free trial of NFL Game Pass on NFL.
com. The second is listening to play-by-play
announcers on the radio.
The first game on Thanksgiving Day
will be an NFC North battle between the
Minnesota Vikings (8-2) and the Detroit
Lions (6-4). Kickoff is scheduled for 9:30
a.m. PST. With Teddy Bridgewater back
healthy at quarterback, the Vikings have
a difficult decision to make at QB. With
Gurrent starter Case Keenum looking like the
Clackamas Print
offense has been struck down by injury,
especially at wide receiver, but with
cornerback Josh Norman lining up on.the
other side, sparks are bound to fly, bringing
excitement to a lackluster game.
Although football is always an important
part of Thanksgiving, spending time with
your loved ones is irreplaceable. No matter
how you celebrate, happy Thanksgiving
to all.
5:30 P.M.
1:30 P.M.
9:30 A.M.
(8-2)
perfect fit in the big play, offense head coach
Mike Zimmer says it would be difficult to
pull him from his role.
In the afternoon slate, the Dallas Cowboys
(5-5), America’s team, are hosting the Los
Angeles Chargers (4-6). With what on paper
has the making of a blow out in the 1:30
p.m. slot, eyes move to the prime-time game.
Even though the New York Giants (2-
8) look to be the worst team in the NFL,
anything can happen against division rival
Washington Redskins (4-6). New York’s
(5-5)
(4-6)
th e c la c k a m a s p rin t.n e t
(2-8)
(4-6)
NOVEMBER 22, 2017