HippoPress -- The Hippo -- Guide to Manchester and Nashua NH

Well, it’s hard to believe, but it’s Thanksgiving already. It’s always been my favorite holiday. First because the holiday comes first and then you have three days to recover from shouting it out over dinner with the relatives. At least that’s how it works in my family, which I imagine doesn’t come as a real shock to one and all. And even though there hasn’t been a really good game since the Lions upset the undefeated Packers in 1962, there’s all that football too. But before I get caught up in that, here’s a list of a few things to be thankful for in sports on the big day and some of the turkeys as well.

The Turkeys:

MVP voters. It’s not that A-Rod won. He had a great season. It’s why he won. What does fielding have to do with it? Most valuable should come down to one question: which team would fall farthest if A-Rod were gone, or David Ortiz. If the answer is the Yanks, I can live with it. But I say A-Rod was the best all-around player and Ortiz the most valuable.

Rafael (he’s not my) Palmeiro: Finger-wagging is a nice touch when you’re trying to bluff your way out of a jam. Makes the guys looking at you think, nobody could be that big a (expletive deleted) and really have done it. Guess again, fellas.

Donald (have no) Fehr: He’s like either side at the end of a really bad divorce. He’s not interested in a solution, he just wants to win. Which is why he was dragged kicking and scream ing to a solution that could save some in his membership from dying an early death from the side effects of steroid abuse.

The Guy at the Big D: The one I sat next to at the new Derryfield Restaurant who spent the afternoon trashing the defending champion (or is it the injury- riddled?) Patriots as they won in Miami. His attitude brought to mind the words of a mucky-mucky I know in the advertising business who after a particularly arduous day once said to me, “I wish advertising was a contact sport.” Ditto for watching football next to a “what have you done for me lately, nitwit” fair-weather fan.

Giving Thanks:

Marty Scarano: For hanging in there with Sean McDonnell after a couple of down years when many others wouldn’t, because the unprecedented success UNH football is now enjoying under the former West High assistant coach may be an example to others.

Mike Torrez: For having a sense of humor about Bucky Dent’s homer on its 28th anniversary instead of wishing that greeting fans were a contact sport when Real Estate Mogul Bill Weidacher asked him at an event that day in Boston, “Are you ready to admit yet you messed not taking a few warm-up pitches when Dent went back to get that new bat right before he hit the big homer?”

Tom Brady: How can anyone not like that guy?

Stanley Spirou: And not just for the Deney Terrio-like feet-stamping flamingo dance down the sideline when he really doesn’t like a call, but because it’s also good to have a guy around who can come up with great forgotten baseball names like Bobby Del Greco and Mike De La Hoz.

Bob Kraft: He was in my doghouse after the Parcells mess, but in hindsight it was unavoidable and though it took him a while to get it right, it is even better than it probably would have been had Tuna not melted down.

Pete Carroll: Yes, he had a rough go following Parcells, but he’s a guy I’d want my son to play for and he’s living proof that nice guys can finish first.

The Thanksgiving Day game at Gill: Even though I’m not going this year and didn’t go to high school in those parts, it’s like a high school reunion for those who did and it’s great for players to play in a game that has such real tradition.

The Hanover Street Chop House: It ain’t open just yet, but after what Chuck Rolecek did with CR Sparks you know it’s going to be great and that’s good because I need a place to unwind after a long day of (ahem) heavy lifting as a sportswriter and radio talk show host.

You might notice I’ve got a lot more thanks than turkeys. I don’t know if that’s a sign that I’m mellowing (which I doubt) or that it only seems most of the time like there’s a lot more bad stories than good, because the nitwits and real tragedy make a much louder noise. Maybe that’s the thought we should all keep in mind when we say thanks at the table tonight. Hope all of you have a happy and safe Thanksgiving.

Dave Long hosts Sports Night with Dave Long nightly on WGIR-AM from 6 to 7 pm.