Ten Things Sports Fans Should Be Thankful For At Thanksgiving

Introduction

With Thanksgiving just two days away, there are a lot of things to be thankful for in the world. Since this is a sports website, we will try to stick to sports related topics. With that being said, I thought it would be a smart idea to present ten things that all sports fans should be thankful for.

Trust me, there are a lot more than ten things to be thankful, but that is the beauty of it. Not everyone likes the same thing about sports. Some are diehard football fans while others are still pining for the return of hockey. The things that these fans would be thankful for do not sync up with everyone else's needs or wants.

This list tries to avoid the super specific thankful things in sports, but some of them just happen to be that way. However, most of the things on the list can be applied to any sport. For instance, sports fans are in clear agreement that cheerleaders are something to be thankful. If there is ever a good distraction during a sporting event, staring at beautiful women would probably be the jump off point for it.

The best part about this list is that it changes year to year. It seems that there is something new almost every single season for us to be thankful for. A few years ago, a decent number of the things on this list would not be on here, simply because they did not exist at the time. I am definitely thankful for the advances in technology, that's for sure.

With all that being said, let us get to the list. I am sure that people will have suggestions about things that should be on the list, so let us know in the comment section. There is no such as a wrong answer when it comes to something like this.

Historic Performances

In 2012, the MLB had one of the best batches of MVP candidates in recent memory. The AL trophy was between Mike Trout, the darling of the advanced statistical world, and Miguel Cabrera, the man who also won the Triple Crown.

Trout had a historic season in his own right, but Miggy's Triple Crown win pushed him over the top. It had been over four decades since the feat was accomplished, so watching Cabrera work was a thing of beauty.

Major Upsets

When college football starts winding down, the upsets begin to pop up in full force. It looked like there would be a mass of undefeated teams until two teams decided to shake things up. Stanford over Oregon wasn't a major shock, but Baylor taking out Kansas State was. Not only did Baylor win, they throttled the number one team in the country.

Upsets like this do a great job of reminding us how lucky we are to be watching something like that unfold in real time.

Breakout Players

Maybe it is just me, but I love sitting back and watching an unheralded player take center stage. For instance, Colin Kaepernick arrived at the NFL level on Monday night. College football fans knew he could be special but his play on Monday was out of this world. Watching a guy take center stage and absolutely own it is one of the best things in sports.

Cheerleaders

I really don't need to explain this slide. Maybe they will not admit, but most fans are very thankful for cheerleaders and the pictures that they stare in. End of story.

NFL RedZone

If you are a lucky football fan, you have experience the beauty of NFL RedZone. Before this glorious channel, watching multiple football games was not so easy. With this channel, it takes you to every game and you don't even need a remote. Plus, there's no commercials! I know I'm quite thankful for this.

Parity

Parity in sports is a great thing. I would much rather prefer to watch a game where both teams have a shot to win. Parity has increased in recent years and it makes games like Chaminade vs. Texas much more interesting. Anytime a small DII school like Chaminade can take down a DI powerhouse, it makes for a great viewing experience.

Holiday Tournaments

This might just be for college basketball fans, but tournaments during the Thanksgiving week are something special. You never know when a major upset, a buzzer beater, or an all around good game will break out. Rotnei Clarke gave us our first great moment on Monday and sports fans are certainly hoping for more.

Rivalries

Rivalries are something that all sports fans enjoy. You have traditional rivalries that seem to stand the test of time, but there have been some new ones popping up. The most intriguing new rivalry has to be Kevin Durant and LeBron James.

Sports fans should be very thankful that we have the chance to watch these two superstars possibly battle it out in the

NBA Finals

for the next decade or so.

Death Of The BCS

The BCS is on its last legs, which is something a lot of sports fans are thankful for. Too often the system has been plagued with inconsistencies and just plain bad picks. With a football player closing in, the debate over what computers think in college football is finally nearing its end.

Twitter

If you are a sports fan like I am, you are extremely thankful that Twitter exists. At this point, a lot of people have joined the website and are finally experiencing sports in a new. Twitter has become an instant information source for breaking news and it also doubles as a Internet sports bar during games. Watching a game while seeing how people react in real time is something that truly needs to be experienced.