2008 Woodie Awards
Thanks-giving is for, football?
Sam Summers
Issue date: 11/16/07 Section: Big Red Sports
- Page 1 of 1
Thanks-giving is for, football?
Thanksgiving day, a day when family comes together to celebrate the European settler's survival during their first winter in New England. Thanksgiving is a day for feasting, fun and football? That's right, football. On Thanksgiving many different teams play, but the day has been part of the Detroit Lions' tradition for a long time.
Pro football has had a game on Thanksgiving day since the 1920's, but the games that launched the Thanksgiving day tradition happened in 1934 and 1935. The World Champion Chicago Bears visited the Detroit Lions for both games. The 1934 game saw the Bears defeat the Lions 19-16 on their way to a Western Division crown. The next year the Lions beat the Bears on the way to their first World Championship in Detroit.
These games have allowed the football-on-Thanksgiving tradition to become firmly entrenched in Detroit, with the exception of a six-season gap from 1939 to 1944, the Thanksgiving Day game has been played with no interruptions. Detroit has played 21 different teams on Thanksgiving day but no team more than their opponent this year; the Green Bay Packers.
Detroit has met Green Bay 17 times on Thanksgiving.This years game figures to be a great one. At the end of week 10 the Packers are 8-1 thanks to the young again arm of 39 year old quarterback Brett Favre. Week after week Favre has gone in and led his team to victory without much of a running game. The Packers have six running backs on their roster and none have proven themselves over the course of a season.
The Detroit Lions on the other hand are resurgent this year after a streak of losing seasons since 2000. The team is led by fiery quarterback Jon Kitna and wide-outs Roy Williams, Mike Furrey and Calvin Johnson. The Lions are 6-3 and trail the Packers in the AFC North Division. With three wins over divisional foes the Lions are primed to take on the divisional leader and move up in their division.
So before you sit down to your Thanksgiving feast tune into the game. This year's turkey day game should be one to remember.•
Thanksgiving day, a day when family comes together to celebrate the European settler's survival during their first winter in New England. Thanksgiving is a day for feasting, fun and football? That's right, football. On Thanksgiving many different teams play, but the day has been part of the Detroit Lions' tradition for a long time.
Pro football has had a game on Thanksgiving day since the 1920's, but the games that launched the Thanksgiving day tradition happened in 1934 and 1935. The World Champion Chicago Bears visited the Detroit Lions for both games. The 1934 game saw the Bears defeat the Lions 19-16 on their way to a Western Division crown. The next year the Lions beat the Bears on the way to their first World Championship in Detroit.
These games have allowed the football-on-Thanksgiving tradition to become firmly entrenched in Detroit, with the exception of a six-season gap from 1939 to 1944, the Thanksgiving Day game has been played with no interruptions. Detroit has played 21 different teams on Thanksgiving day but no team more than their opponent this year; the Green Bay Packers.
Detroit has met Green Bay 17 times on Thanksgiving.This years game figures to be a great one. At the end of week 10 the Packers are 8-1 thanks to the young again arm of 39 year old quarterback Brett Favre. Week after week Favre has gone in and led his team to victory without much of a running game. The Packers have six running backs on their roster and none have proven themselves over the course of a season.
The Detroit Lions on the other hand are resurgent this year after a streak of losing seasons since 2000. The team is led by fiery quarterback Jon Kitna and wide-outs Roy Williams, Mike Furrey and Calvin Johnson. The Lions are 6-3 and trail the Packers in the AFC North Division. With three wins over divisional foes the Lions are primed to take on the divisional leader and move up in their division.
So before you sit down to your Thanksgiving feast tune into the game. This year's turkey day game should be one to remember.•
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