Thanksgiving and Michigan Football go together like Turkey
and Stuffing!
Do you and your family participate in one of America’s
oldest post-Thanksgiving Day traditions?
We don’t mean eating leftovers, although we’re sure you do
enough of that, too.
We’re talking about watching football!
According to Wikipedia [the authority on everything] the
first Thanksgiving Day football game was played in 1869 in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania. This game between several
cricket clubs, occurred roughly two weeks after what is recognized as the first
game of American football –played between Rutgers and Princeton on November 17,
1869. Princeton and Yale began the
tradition of collegiate games back in 1876.
Then, in 1882, the Intercollegiate Football Association (IFC) called for
the championship game to be played on Thanksgiving Day between the two leading
teams.
The University of Michigan began the tradition of playing on
or around Thanksgiving in 1885. Back
then, they typically played the Chicago Maroons. Of course you all know that the Wolverines
now play their arch rivals, the Ohio State Buckeyes, around turkey day.
Many of you have grown up watching another Michigan team as
you feast on turkey and all the trimmings.
The Detroit Lions have been playing home games on Thanksgiving day since
1934. The only team to come close to
that record is the Dallas Cowboys, who have played a home game every year since
1966. In 2008, some media big-wigs
suggested removing Detroit from their Thanksgiving Day game slot. It seemed that the Lions losing streak didn’t
make for high ratings. However, since
the prime time football slot was added, it has taken some of the focus off of
Detroit’s lack of performance. The
contract states that until 2022, Detroit and Dallas could take part in “flex
scheduling” and play during prime time or their traditional afternoon
slot. Until then, Detroit fans can
breathe a sigh of relief.
This year’s schedule:
Thanksgiving, Thursday, November 28
[We will be closed so our staff can celebrate the holiday.]
12:30 Lions and Packers Fox
4:30 Cowboys and
Raiders CBS
8:30 Steelers and
Ravens NBC
Saturday, November 30
Join us to watch what happens!!!
12:00 Michigan
Wolverines and Ohio State Buckeyes ABC
Join us for a meal and a game soon!
Sign up for a lunch coupon good through November.
Check back in December for a new coupon!
From all of us at The Sports Bar Ann Arbor Westside, we hope
you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Celebrate and give thanks to family, friends
and football!
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