10 Things in Sports We're Grateful for on Thanksgiving
Happy Thanksgiving, everybody.
While you get set to stuff your face full of delicious food, spend time with family and fall asleep on the couch, we thought it would be fun to take a look at 10 things in sports that we're grateful for.
From superstar players to the wicked ways of the Internet, without waiting around any longer, here's what we came up with.
Thanksgiving Day Football
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This one is obvious, right?
Thanksgiving wouldn't be the same without a healthy side dish of football served up to go along with the rest of your meal. It's been a tradition that fans have come to love—especially loyal NFL enthusiasts.
We can always count on one thing when it comes to the NFL and Thanksgiving: The Dallas Cowboys and the Detroit Lions will be playing.
We've seen some great moments over the years when it comes to this tradition—Randy Moss destroying the Cowboys as a rookie comes to mind. But what makes it so special isn't the action that takes place on the field.
No, what makes football on Thanksgiving special is the fact that you can enjoy it with your family. It doesn't matter if they love sports or not—everyone appreciates a little pigskin around the holidays.
LeBron James
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It's time to be thankful for the best basketball player on the planet.
LeBron James may have embraced the "villain" role when he left Cleveland and joined the Miami Heat in 2010. But that one move could never take away from what he's been able to accomplish on the court.
Averaging 27.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game over his career, James is a crossover between Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan.
Now back with the Cavaliers, he will be looking to guide his squad to an NBA title.
As always, fans and pundits will watch, criticize and/or embrace whatever James does in a Cavs uniform.
Tom Brady and Peyton Manning
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Fans of great quarterback play have been spoiled ever since Tom Brady and Peyton Manning entered the league.
When they finally decide to hang it up, there's no question that these two signal-callers are headed for Canton, Ohio—the Hall of Fame.
Add up the numbers between the QBs and prepared to be amazed.
Together, they've thrown for a combined 120,669 yards and 910 touchdowns. Brady has played in five Super Bowls—winning three of them—while Manning has been under center three times in the Big Game.
All of the accolades they've piled up over the years have been mind-boggling. They are two of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, and on Thanksgiving, it's time to appreciate everything they've done for the sport and their respective franchises.
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Stephen Curry
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Where in the world would be without Stephen Curry and his immaculate jump shot?
Even if you don't cheer for the Golden State Warriors, you have to love watching Curry play. He isn't the biggest or most physically impressive guy on the court, but he has a fluid jumper and is creative enough to score from anywhere on the floor.
Curry has blossomed into a superstar. His ridiculous night against the Miami Heat, where he dropped 40 points, hauled in six rebounds and dished out seven assists, is proof of that.
The NBA has a lot of young stars floating around, but perhaps none is as enthralling and downright entertaining as Curry.
Sports GIFs
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Praise the Internet this Thanksgiving and all of the ridiculousness that comes from it.
GIFs have become one of the most common things we've seen spread across social media. The ability to capture a moment and crunch it down into a quick clip is crucial in today's day and age.
In the world of sports, we've had some amazing GIFs thrown our way. The best part is, they don't seem to be going anywhere.
Be thankful that we can enjoy bizarre moments like this one—when the Cavaliers' water boy was caught filling a Powerade bottle with Gatorade.
Rivalries
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What are sports without an old-fashioned rivalry to get our blood boiling?
This Thanksgiving, it's time to appreciate a nice feud. On Turkey Day we get to watch the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys collide while we eat our 14th helping of stuffing, and that's worth celebrating.
As the year goes on, teams of all sports will scribe new chapters in their respective rivalries. Enjoy it while you can, because this is one element that makes sports worth watching.
Kobe Bryant
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Kobe Bryant has done some amazing things during his stay with the Los Angeles Lakers. He's become the cornerstone of the franchise, has won five NBA titles and is ranked No. 4 on the all-time scoring list.
Barring another catastrophic injury, he will most likely pass Michael Jordan in the near future.
When Jordan retired, Bryant was the shooting guard who filled the void. He's a lethal scorer, a gritty competitor and a heck of a basketball player.
Watching Bryant during the 2014-15 season is going to be fun, regardless of the Lakers' record. He's jacking up shots without remorse, which makes fantasy owners happy.
You have to be grateful for the Black Mamba. He's a unique talent; no matter what obstacle he faces—a torn Achilles comes to mind—he never quits.
Odell Beckham Jr.'s Catch
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New York Giants rookie wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. officially introduced himself to the nation when he snagged the most ridiculous and amazing catch perhaps of all time on Sunday Night Football.
Those who followed his journey leading up to the 2014 NFL draft understand how good he is. But what he did against the Cowboys was out of this world.
You don't even have to be a Giants fan to appreciate the magnitude of this catch. It was that good.
It could have happened in the Super Bowl against your favorite team, and chances are that you would have just shrugged it off as you were left picking your jaw off the floor.
Sure, Twitter can be exasperating and self-indulging. But once you boil it down and get past the nonsense, it's actually one of the most powerful tools we have as sports fans.
Want rapid reaction to your favorite player scoring a game-winning touchdown? Twitter is the place to go. Looking for fantasy basketball advice? It's time to embrace Twitter. Can't find a GIF of the craziness you just saw unfold during the Pittsburgh Penguins game? Well, you know the drill.
Twitter is a like a robust marketplace filled with ideas, opinions and conversations. It's less personal than Facebook but way more informative.
If you can follow the right blend of people and companies, your Twitter account will become a wonderful place full of sports knowledge and insight.
The best part is, you don't have to tweet. You can go all incognito, consuming media rather than dispersing it.
Our Favorite Teams
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At the end of the day, the one thing we can all be grateful for is our favorite teams.
Throughout all of the lows and highs, fans stay true to their clubs. It doesn't matter if we're talking about the New York Rangers, Kansas City Royals, Cleveland Browns or USC Trojans. What make sports great are the fans and their passion for the game.
So come on, people, be grateful. This Thanksgiving, enjoy your friends and family. But don't forget about sports. Without it, we'd be stuck watching C-SPAN on Sundays, and where's the fun in that?
All MLB, NBA, PGA, NHL, college football and NFL information and stats provided by ESPN.com, unless noted otherwise.
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