Avoiding the Drop

Why is Nihat here? Of course, he plays for TURKEY - Get it?

Happy Thanksgiving to our American readers, and happy Thursday to our non-American readers.  We’ll be free from content today, but back tomorrow same as it ever was.

Thanksgiving is a truly great American holiday, one that I’ve come to love and cherish since I’ve been here.  It’s a uniquely “family” holiday that doesn’t revolve around a religious event (not that there’s anything wrong with those holidays) that’s just meant for people to gather together, share some good fortune and give thanks for the past year.

You, the reader, are one of the things that this group of four authors give thanks for.  You keep us motivated and active.  We could not do this without you, so thank you.  I also give thanks for my three cohorts here.  They bring something to this table that is unique, colorful and always interesting in my opinion.

I give thanks for the game itself.  It keeps me thinking and hoping and worrying and smiling and viewing.  It encompasses a lot of my time, as you can well imagine.  I’d wager that the other three authors would say something similar.  I give thanks for great stories from the game.  I give thanks for individual and team performances so fantastic that you just sit back in amazement.  I give thanks for the Champions League, the World Cup, the club leagues, summer tournaments, high school and college soccer, the movies, the books, the history of this most beautiful of games.

Today I celebrate Thanksgiving.  I hope, if you’re doing the same, that you enjoy your day, remember all the good things that have happened to you the past year, and that you are safe and sound tonight so that tomorrow, we can start looking at this weekend’s matches!

For informational purposes, there is some live footy today if you subscribe to Gol, as at 2:30 PM EST Napoli meets Cittadella in the Coppa Italia, followed by the tape delay contest where Palermo hosts Reggina.  Enjoy!