Let's talk Thanksgiving, and Let's talk Football...

   Yesterday was a big Day.

   Maybe my favorite Holiday.

   The three F's of Thanksgiving: Food, Fellowship and Football

   Now the food is an outstanding feature of this Day, from my Mom's, to my Wife's, to the Neighbor's next door who had us for dinner last evening. Always something good to look forward to.

   And the Fellowship, too: From family to Friends, always fun.

   But the Football has always stood high on the list. A tradition like no other…

   Now I don't really want to be old-timey like, but those of you who think the apex of a Thanksgiving pigskin tradition consists of watching the NFL on HDTV, need to get a grip.

   Let's talk about real Football, and some real tradition that is somehow becoming lost in the world today.

   I remember growing up in Chattanooga, at least in my memory this is real, Thanksgiving was big. A feast at the family table with all the trimmings was the start.

   But we did not just eat and then take a nap. No, it was into the car and headed to the University of Chattanooga down McCallie Avenue. Our destination was Chamberlain Field, the home field of the Moccasins, college football in our city, maybe 10 or 15 minutes away from home.

   Chamberlain Field, built in 1927, was where real football was played on Thanksgiving.

   Outside in the weather, on real grass, in the daytime, the way it should be.

   We could park and walk a short block to the stadium. All the seats were good, and we had season tickets. People we knew sat around us. It was a family atmosphere especially on this Holiday.

   A football field and stadium nestled in the midst of academic buildings, where folks who had access to these classrooms would go up to the third floor and watch the game out the windows.

   Where extra points and field goals would sail over bleachers into a field, or over a fence into a driveway, where younger kids had a place to play their own games while the big kids squared off on the lined field.

   Where you could leave home at 1:45, be in your seats for the kickoff, watch the game without commercial breaks, and still be home by 4 or so. All without the hassle of traffic, and long lines at the concession stand.

   Now that was a Time to be Thankful for