Thanks and No Thanks

It's true that Thanksgiving is now past us, which is a time for us to give thanks for things we have in our lives. While I didn't share my reasons to be thankful with the Internet masses before or on the day the pilgrims and the Indians first dined together, I would like to share some of those with all of you today. Along with some reasons I would want to say no thanks to things in and around my life. Most of these will be your typical reasons to be thankful, but most of my no thanks will be shot at the world of sports and particularly NFL football (mostly my fave NFL team). Lets start with my reasons I love my life and the world around me.

• Thanks a Million

1. Of course my family; my wife, my kids, my Mom, my Dad (R.I.P. Pops), my stepfather, my sister, my nephew, my niece, Dean and so on and so forth.
2. That we are able to provide for our children and have a decent roof over our heads.
3. That one professional team in my town is one of the better within in their league. Go Blackhawks!
4. Just maybe this season will be the final straw in the Jerry Angelo/Lovie Smith basket and the Bears owners will make a change. (Not likely, but one can hope)
5. My blog.
6. FanvsFan.com, which has given me a chance to show the world my love for sports and my goofballedness.
7. My dog Scooby, who is a pain in the ass most of the time, but is also a very good pup.
8. Christmas carols, which I love and can hear on XM radio all I want now.
9. A great Thanksgiving meal that my mother prepared and was delicious as always.
10. That I still am alive.
11. For people like my cousin who repeatedly fight for our freedoms. He has re-enlisted and will be going for his third tour of duty in the Middle East.
12. Sports talk radio, which more time than not has me shaking my head in disagreement, but brings me many hours of entertainment.
13. Digital Video Recorder which has made my TV viewing so much easier.
14. That I now have both the NFL Network and the VS network, which brings me more of two of my guilty pleasures in both football and hockey.
15. That my fav NFL football (Bears) isn't as bad as the Cleveland Browns.

• No Thanks

1. The thought of the Bears really being the place where quarterbacks go to die.
2. Knowing the Bears may not be good again for over five years with what has happened to their roster and loss of draft picks.
3. That my fantasy football season is falling apart right in front of my very eyes in both leagues.
4. The over exposure of the Tiger Woods story and all the coverage we get of any and all celebrities.
5. Notre Dame football and the great white whale that is Charlie Weiss. Just fire him already, but it really doesn't matter. You'll never be better than mediocre any longer.
6. My spread picks this weekend that flopped right on their faces.
7. The BCS and college football in general. The lack of a playoff system has been and always will be a farce. The fact that there is a month or more in between conference championships and bowl games makes your game forgetful.
8. That I look like I was so very wrong about Derrick Rose. His lack of defense and lack of aggressiveness is very disturbing.
9. That Brian Urlacher is a huge ASSHAT who can't stand not being the teams center of attention. Click here for more.
10. Sweet Potatoes. Everyone knows I don't like them, but every year they always ask if I want some.
11. Georgia Bulldog football which has fallen on its face this season after the departure of many players to the NFL.
12. The Monday Night Football trio which makes each Monday tilt almost unwatchable. Gruden and Jaworski don't belong in the same booth together.
13. Our cat, who I do like very much, but has cost us a ton of money due to being sick since we bought him a little over a month ago.
14. My son's resistance to potty training which isn't only costing us a ton in Pull-Ups, but is also wearing on my our sanity.
15. Once again to my fav NFL team (Bears) who will miss the playoffs for the third year in a row.

Thankfully, my reasons to be thankful have much more meaning than what I don't want or like in my life. Though the Bears organization does drive me nuts I will live and die with them regardless, but change needs to be made. If changes are not made it will be long football seasons for all of us fans in Chicago for many years to come. I guess I know what it feels like to live in a city like Cleveland.