Thanksgiving Leftovers

 I'm not adverse to the National Football League sticking with a bit of history when it comes to Thanksgiving Day games. 

After all, the Detroit Lions have been a Thanksgiving fixture since they started playing the game in 1934. And the Dallas Cowboys? They've hosted since 1966.

Detroit's game wasn't always such a turkey, though the team has lost the last five and, in truth, hasn't really been relevant since winning it's last NFL title in 1957. Heck, since 1960 the Lions have only made the playoffs 12 times. They are one of three teams (Cleveland and Jacksonville are the others) to have never played in a Super Bowl!

Did you know that, for a stretch from 1951 to 1963, Detroit's opponent was ALWAYS the Green Bay Packers? Coach Vince Lombardi hated playing the game, and starting 1964, opponents were rotated.

This was an odd year in that not one home team put up a victory. Still, despite the cry from those around the NFL to stop giving Detroit the game, I'm fine with the Lions hosting.

There is something to be said for tradition.

SAW NUMBERS FROM the opening weekend of Wisconsin's gun deer season that, while over 85,000 deer were taken, the total was down some 14% from 2020. Lot of factors there, I think, but the article went on to note that some 179,000 deer had been killed if the other seasons (bow, etc.) that came prior to the nine-day gun season.

I have friends who hunt, and in their opinion all the additional seasons aren't helping the traditional gun season.

Will be interested to see what the final totals are for 2021.

SO THE BADGERS failed to bring the axe home from Minnesota. Well, those pesky Gophers had a great game plan, played exceptional defense and befuddled Coach Paul Chryst. Wisconsin made a TON of mistakes. Self-inflicted wounds from penalties, missed opportunities and the like didn't help. Nor did a number of questionable calls by the officials.

There will be those who will no doubt lay the blame at the feet of the offense, and rightfully so. When Minnesota blunted Wisconsin's running game (hey folks, that's a pretty damn good defense there) it forced the Badgers to win through the air.

Wisconsin wasn't good enough to do that.

I don't fault freshman Braelon Allen, the uber-talented 17-year-old running back who was held to 47 yards -- after seven straight 100+ games. The kid is just that, a kid. He's nicked up, beat up and has been playing full-contact football for six of the last nine months. That's because Fond du Lac High School, like many state schools, played a six-week schedule in the spring because of Covid.

So let's see how the Badgers do in their bowl game once the team gets healthy before we rush to judgement.