Bring on the gluttony, turkey disasters and unfortunately another massacre of the Detroit Lions.
But if you want to see some good football all you have to do is look around the corner.
Cliché or not, Thanksgiving is supposed a day to give thanks. Undoubtedly, Philadelphia sports fans are thankful for football.
What would they do from the end of the baseball season until next February without it? Watch the Sixers? Don’t laugh too hard.
With the Eagles languishing in mediocrity fans don’t quite get the refuge they would like from the harsh realities of the world. Instead, they get kicked in the (whatever body part you prefer to insert).
But, finally some white knights have arrived to rescue Philly football fans, whether they recognize it or not.
Philly’s college football teams are dominating the competition. Temple, Villanova and Penn are a combined 27-5 this year. And, for the first time in a generation, all three schools will wrap up the season with a winning record.
It starts at the top for these teams and the head coaches should get their due.
The biggest turnaround came from Al Golden’s Owls. He built his Temple program from below the ground in just four years. Golden, who was rumored to be on UCLA’s short list of coaching candidates last off -season, has Temple bowling.
Yes! At 9-2, Temple is guaranteed a Bowl bid.
Golden’s Owls were spurred all year by freshman Bernard Pierce, who was in the top-10 in the country in rushing yards until getting injured last week. His 15 rushing TDs lead the Owls.
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/sports/20091123_Temple_s_Pierce_will_miss_Ohio_game.html
The Cherry and White are undefeated in their conference and are guaranteed at least a share of the MAC East Title. With a win this Friday against Ohio, they’d be outright MAC East champions and would head to the conference title game.
The only schools the Owls lost to were Penn State and Big-5 rival Villanova. The Wildcats handed Temple their first loss on the Owls “home turf” at the Linc.
Nova sits at 10-1 -- they cruised through the Colonial Athletic Association except for a tough loss at New Hampshire -- earning the CAA title.
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The conference title was their first since 2001.
They sit pretty as they prepare for the post season in the NCAA Division 1 FCS postseason as the No. 2 seed in the country.
http://www.ncaa.com/brackets/2009/ncaa_bracket_FCS_football.html
The Wildcats might play in the lower level or sub-division of college football but that doesn’t take anything away from what they accomplished this season.
While the Wildcats prepare for their playoff run, the Penn Quakers can sit back and relax – they already are the outright champions of the Ivy League.
Penn started their season just like Temple. They lost their first two games before winning eight straight including an undefeated run through the Ivy League.
They clinched the tile by crushing Cornell 34-0 last week.
Even though the Quakers won their league their season is over. The Ivy League champion doesn’t go on to postseason play. At least the Quakers can rest knowing that they are the best of the brainiest.
Philly should be thankful that college football, good college football to boot, has returned to the city.
Be thankful in the City of Brotherly Love.
