Thanksgiving Week!

It's that time of year again, it's Turkey Week! The week that you get to spend with family and friends, and give thanks to all of the wonderful things in your life. Besides that sports is at an all-time high this week, and there are always big match-ups. Thanksgiving week is home to basketball tournaments, college football, and mostly commonly known for, NFL on Thanksgiving. These sporting events are a great way to bond with family over the holiday, and gives people something to do after eating all day long. 

Thanksgiving week is important in regards to the sport of football. Each year in the NFL the Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys play on Thanksgiving along with one other game of choice. These two teams get major publicity throughout the week leading up to their games because they are always on Thanksgiving and the audience knows what to expect year in and year out. Alongside the annual three NFL games on Thanksgiving, it is also the last regular season week in college football. This sparks a lot of interest into fans all around the country, and viewers who love the game of football. The last week of the season always brings great upsets, great match-ups of high quality teams, and sets up who is in a bowl game or not. A lot is at stake during this week, and that makes watching the games that much more intriguing. The game my family has a get together for every year is the Iowa vs. Nebraska game. The game is held the day after Thanksgiving and has been that way for the last four years. The excitement in this game is never a letdown because they are rivals, which leads to a very physical and fun to watch game. This year it will especially be important because Iowa has a chance to make the BCS playoffs if they win, but Nebraska needs to win in order to get to a bowl game. The stakes are high and I can't wait to watch the battle. 

Since Thanksgiving is in late November, we as Iowans know what happens late in the year. It gets cold. Real cold. With the first snow this past weekend, that means the football games are going to be freezing outside and will add a new element to the game. For those crazy fans who love going to the games in the winter, they have to bundle up and drink hot cocoa because those three hours outside can be long. For those fans who don't enjoy the cold as much have another option. Basketball season has started. Thanksgiving week is the second main week of basketball season, and each year is host to great games. Early on in basketball season teams go into tournaments, meaning the good match-ups will be the semi-finals or championships of those tournaments. During Turkey Week the basketball tournaments are in those rounds which make it very enjoyable!

Whether it's a football game or a basketball game, Thanksgiving week is home to great sports and great atmospheres. These is one of the biggest weeks in sports in the entire year and I look forward to it annually. I'll be here eating all day and watching my favorite sports teams face off in some of the best match-ups of the season. I can't wait for the best Turkey Week yet!