March 18, 2024

Turkey, football and blessings for Thanksgiving

The Pressbox

Friday’s Newton Daily News’ Sports pages are dedicated to previews of the area high school winter sports teams, so, I decided I’d send a few thoughts your way today — the day before Thanksgiving.

Spending time with my family in Kansas with a table full of great food, including a turkey, is one of the many blessings for me as the holiday season gets into full swing. Turkey and football — two of my favorite things.

Growing up, you knew the Detroit Lions would be playing an opponent and the Dallas Cowboys had the other NFL game on Thanksgiving Day. A few years ago, the NFL changed things around to throw in another game.

There were rumors other NFL teams wanted in on the Thanksgiving Day audience. Now there are three NFL games for us football junkies to take in on Thursday.

Unless the Kansas City Chiefs are playing that day, I don’t really care which team wins. I used to cheer on Dallas in the Thanksgiving contest, but I have a hard time rooting for a team owned by Jerry Jones. I don’t care for the Cowboys’ owner at all.

How about those Chiefs? I saw someone point out the Chiefs have not lost a game since the Kansas City Royals won the World Series. Sounds good to me. The Chiefs have a tough opponent coming into Arrowhead Stadium Sunday — Buffalo.

I remember the knock-down, drag-out contests between the Chiefs and the Bills. That was when Derrick Thomas and Neil Smith led the Kansas City defense and Jim Kelly and Thurman Thomas were the offensive weapons for the Bills. Marty Schottenheimer was Chiefs’ head coach and Marv Levy guided the Bills.

I was on the sidelines for many of the contests — Monday Night Games included — at Arrowhead. There is no stadium like Arrowhead with Chiefs fans in full throat.

Speaking of rocking stadium — what I would have given to be at Bill Snyder Family Stadium last Saturday. Scoring 10 points in the final 1:40 of the game to beat Iowa State, 38-35, had to have sent the K-State faithful into a frenzy.

Have a great Thanksgiving and come back ready to support area high school winter sports.

Contact Jocelyn Sheets at
641-792-3121 ext. 6535
or jsheets@newtondailynews.com