Thread by @SportsbkConsig

Story time from the book:

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It combines three very simple things that I love in a way like no other day.

Football, food and family.

You don’t have to like all three, but, for the last Thursday in November, you get all three in full effect..

Growing up in Pittsburgh, these three things are a way of life.

Not quite the “code and honor” that Lt. John Kendrick spoke of in “A Few Good Men”, but it ain’t that far off..

The order may change, but on Turkey Day, those were the only things that mattered..

It all started..

with the question:

“What time are we eating?”

In our house, we were eating whatever time my mama Nance said we were eating.

Her and my Nonny would cook and make cookies to feed an army..Hell, we were our own squadron, five kids in all, and we all liked food..

Mama Nance..

is an only child and Big E, my dad & the OG Consig, had a twin, little V, but that was it..

Yet, we still had a minimum of 15 people over every year..usually more..

If you were single, if you were from out of town, if you had to work, or if you just wanted to stop over..

the door was open, and football was on..

“Do you want me to bring something?”

Nothing but yourself.

“Who’s coming?”

Man, who knows. But we’ll be there.

Went like that every year.

We played turkey bowls in the street out front, then graduated to a park until I finally..

had to retire after a game that felt like the guards vs the convicts in the Longest Yard..

I got hit late after throwing a pass by a bricklayer from Blawnox..

Prick got me good as I watched a dime I floated up there to my baby bro..

Knocked the wind out of me for at least..

30 seconds, maybe a minute..

I got up and said “What the fuck was that? That was a late hit?”

Like Rocky to Tommy Gunn, he smiled with his summer teeth and said “I don’t see no flag.”

Oh, hell no..

I was the QB up to that point..

In the huddle, I call the next play..

“Big Dog, you play Q this play. I’ll snap you the ball. I don’t give a shit what you do with it. Im taking Lurch out with a forearm shiver to the chin.

It may be the last play of the game. Be ready to run to the cars if we have to. Break.”

My brothers and the guys on our..

team were rollin their eyes, but they knew. It might be go time.

You see, Jayrose, my brothers roomie at Penn State, set this all up. He was a kid from the hood & said “you guys gotta come play in this Turkey Bowl dahn in Overbrook Park.”

We showed up and I realized..

real quick “we were the guards.”

These guys were guys who worked with their hands. Brick layers, plumbers, construction, etc.

We showed up in our throwback Steeler jerseys and white Nikes. Felt like Rocky looking at Clubber when he says “dead meat.”

Anyways, we...

was hangin in the game up to this point..I made the price -500 convicts during the warm up, and I was just hoping nobody got hurt..

Before my late hit, I saw a gigantic lummox grab my brother and throw him down with a horse collar like I’ve never seen before..

My brother aka..

Big Dog or the Head because he was 6’2”, 240 and wore a size 8 hat.

The lummox threw him down like a rag doll. Head came back to the huddle and said “Don’t call that fucking play again, jagoff.”

When the Big Dog speaks, you listen. Rip that page out of the playbook. Done...

Back to hit.

It was the same Lurch that got Big Dog that got me. This jagoff was taking shots. What was supposed to be a fun little Turkey Bowl on a frozen field was turning into this asshole’s tryout with the Steelers..

Run the play. Snap it the Head, let Lurch take a step..

and then, BAM, right on the lips..

I walked to the line. Lurch gave me the up down. Through those nasty ass summer teeth (some are here, some are there), he goes “You still looking for that flag? You don’t want to play Q anymore?”

Oh, I can hear you, but I don’t say a word..

Play is on one. Not two. Not three.

Ready, set, hut.

I snap it back and Lurch makes his move.

Short, right, with everything I got.

Landed perfectly.

I stood over him like Ali stood over Liston..

Stewie from South Side tells “what the fuck was that?”

I looked at him..

Lurch got up and goes “that was bullshit.”

I reversed it with “I don’t see no flag.”

Seconds passed. I broke the silence.

“We good?”

I was praying he said yes. Cause we were a huge dog to get our asses kicked and if we had to miss dinner, Nance would deliver the knockout..

blow later..

Lurch paused. Looked around. I felt like a matador without a cape.

“Yeah, we’re good.”

Prayers answered.

My body hurt, maybe a rib broken, the boys all breathing heavy and freezing, I go “We callin it?”

Lurch was rubbing his hand along his chin. Not sure what..

went thru his mind. But he knew what I was thinking.

“Yeah, it’s done. Everybody go eat.”

Game over. Simple.

We walked to the parking lot. I remember Jayrose pleading his case to me. “I didn’t know it was gonna be like this, Davey Dave. Man, I feel bad. Those dudes were...

takin shots.”

I love Jayrose. He is my brother’s roomie. A friend of ours. Consider him another little bro. But I had to say it.

“Listen, jagoff. I don’t want hear about it anymore. You set us up with an away game, and we are three touchdown underdogs to get out alive...

let alone win. If I could lift my arm, I’d hit you myself.”

Jayrose leaned in. “I’m sorry, D. But man, you got that big bitch pretty good.”

“You know I thought we was gonna die or end up in jail? I am glad we didn’t.”

“What time is dinner?”

Nance said 5. You comin, right?

“Oh hell yeah. We playin cards after?”

I don’t know yet. I gotta talk to Moses. He is tryin to get the Rat, the Hat, Bomber, Killer, Ghee, and Tooney together.

“Cool. I might bring some pizzelles over.”

Oh, hell no. Nonny made a ton. Just don’t be late or Nance will..

light you up..

“Cool. You still like the Cowboys later? I think I like over too.”

I think so. I don’t know about the total. I just hope I can drive home at this point.

“I’m gonna go Cowboys and over. See you later.”

That was 25 years ago to the day.

Cowboys to the over..

What do they say about the Masters?

A tradition like no other..

Cowboys to the over..

Happy Thanksgiving to all!!!

Thankful for it all and all of you..

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