How to Survive the Family Football Game on Thanksgiving

"My Dad actually wears a collared shirt too when he plays football."

H. Armstrong Roberts, Getty Images

Thanksgiving is by far my favorite holiday. Here are a few of the things that make it so great:

1) Watching The Mouse in the Mayflower
2) It can get you 2 1/2 days off from work if you leave early on Weds--a 4+ day long weekend!
3) The sweet potatoes. Even if I do have to skim the marshmallows off the top.
4) Seeing all my old friends from high school
5) FOOTBALL

I clearly saved the best part for last on my list. My home team the Philadelphia Eagles are actually playing on Thanksgiving day, but that's not what I'm talking about. Frankly I'm so disgusted with their play and management this year that I'm foregoing watching the game. The football I'm talking about is the game I get to play in with my friends and family...our annual "Turkey Bowl."

While these games are the stuff memories are made of, things can also go terribly wrong. It can be downright dangerous out there. Think about it. The game invites people of all ages and skill levels. You've got baby boomers lining up against their kids with wives watching and little grand-kids running around. So everyone is out there moving at completely different speeds and there are distractions everywhere along the sidelines. Inevitably somebody gets in the way and then, crunch, you've pulled a hammy.

It used to be the old-timers who got hurt. But last year my brother, a particularly fit young guy, jammed his finger catching one of the three touchdowns and two interceptions he had in the game. And while he really won it for us, he ended up needing several surgeries to get his finger back to the right place. The lesson here is not to think you're immune just because you're athletic or young. It can happen to anyone.

This is something I worried about even before my brother got injured. It's always a good idea to go into these events prepared so you can minimize your chances of getting hurt. A few years back I produced a story on avoiding injuries for Day to Day and learned some great tips from Shawn Rassman, a former Assistant Physican for the New York Jets.

Rassman says the best thing you can do is to warm up, by stretching out and getting prepared physically before the game. So maybe park at the far end of the parking lot and jog over to the field. A few wind sprints might not be a bad idea either.

Rassman also suggests having cold packs or ice on hand in case someone gets a muscle strain. Apparently, this is one of the most common injuries suffered during pickup football games. Okay, so maybe head concussions and torn ACLs are less likely but I still think it's a good idea to be ready.

I'm excited to suit up this Thursday despite the possibility of getting hurt, and here's why: it's partly because it's a holiday tradition, and partly because I enjoy seeing everyone from the old neighborhood. And all that running around also makes me feel a little less guilty about the big Thanksgiving dinner I'm about to devour.

This year I'm hoping to beat my brother's record of most touchdowns scored in a single game. And yes, I'm bringing along an extra ice pack just in case things don't turn out as I plan. Happy Thanksgiving. Have fun and be safe out there.

5:53 PM ET | 11-26-2008 | permalink

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Sharing the Love

This picture nicely sums up my feelings for the day.

Stay tuned for my podcast tomorrow on "How to Catch a Foul Ball." I recorded it today with Mike Pesca, turns out he has snagged both a foul ball and a foul puck...dang.

3:37 PM ET | 10-16-2008 | permalink

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Party Like It's 1993

In "preparation" for my next podcast, I've been diligently watching the Phillies as they make all those experts who didn't think it was possible eat their words -- Philadelphia is now poised to win the NLCS and return to the World Series for the first time since 1993. And if (ahem, when) they do achieve that magical feat, the lore of Matt Stairs will grow even deeper. Stairs, a late season addition to the Phillies roster, is double the age of the Dodgers' hot-shot reliever Clayton Kershaw. And yet despite his age (or perhaps because of his experience), he cranked a monstrous game-winning home run last night, which elicited a silent scream from me -- silent only because I'm a dad who had a sleeping baby in the house. My friends and I ferociously text messaged back and forth during the entire game, but it was my oldest friend (also named Matt) who had the best message of the night.

"Take the elevator? No thanks, I'm taking the Stairs!!!"

The man's name was made for headlines. "Stairway to Heaven" anyone?

After the game, I tossed and turned in bed, finding it hard to calm down after all the hoopla. It was then that I made the connection between Stairs and another legendary post-season slugger, Pete Incaviglia, or Inky as he was called by Phillies fans. Like Stairs, that guy was built for one thing -- hitting homers. Also like Stairs, he too blasted a timely homerun during the NLCS. The two even look vaguely related with that scruffy, mountain man style. Though if I have to judge them on burly looks, Inky wins out with his Conan The Barbarian locks.

There are a lot of people comparing this year's team to the 1993 Phils, and for good reason. They were both not only great teams, but a great bunch of guys. Both teams have a sincere comradery in the clubhouse and a real devotion to winning. Not to mention, fun nicknames: '93 had The Dude, Dutch, and Wild Thing. This year's team has J-Roll, The Flyin' Hawaiian, and Lights Out. Stairs, not to be left out, is nicknamed La Bomba.

It's this positive spirit that reminds me of why I love watching sports. It's because at their best, great teams transcend the fact that they're merely a group of well-paid athletes who happen to play for an adopted city. Win or lose, this year's Phillies have achieved greatness not only because they play hard, but because they truly care about the game, each other, and yes, the fans who have been starving for a championship for way too long.

So I just want to say thanks to Matt Stairs, Chase Utley, Shane Victorino, and the whole crew. Keep the homers coming and I'll keep mouthing the words "Go Phils!" from my living room. Maybe with the next win I'll wake up my little one so she too can share in the magic.

2:00 PM ET | 10-14-2008 | permalink

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