Wow! This marks my 10th year for my ‘Thanksgiving’ column at Coosa Valley News, that in itself if worth being thankful for. I am extremely blessed to have the privilege to watch and write about sports, while making a living for my immediate family. I say immediate, because I consider everyone who takes the time out of their busy lives to read what I have to say part of my family. Without each and every one of YOU I couldn’t have this amazing job. I can’t say thank you enough.

Now, that I got that out of way, on to my ‘thanks’.

I am thankful that this year I was able to take my daughter Georgia to her first UGA game, against Southern. I don’t know many other 18 month-olds who will sit through a three hour football game. Watching her cheer, holler, and root on the Dawgs is a lifelong dream of mine. Check that one off the bucket list.

I’m thankful that my oldest has found her ‘sport’ in basketball.  Not only has she fallen in love with the Dawgs,  but she is a part of the Rome High Lady Wolves basketball team.

I am yet even more thankful that my loving wife puts up with my fall obsession. She understands my passion and allows me to have my ‘mistress’ every fall. Not only does she give me up to make the road trips to Athens on Saturday, but on Friday’s as I cover high school football. Not a lot of women will put up with being a single mom every weekend for 4 months. I did marry up, didn’t I.

While football is important to me, I am extremely thankful and even more blessed to have my mother and father in my life for another year. As I get older, it is becoming more common to attend funerals for friends who lost their parents. We live in such a nonstop lifestyle that we don’t take a second to appreciate the small everyday things. Seeing my parents came come up on my cellphone is one of those things.

Working like I do, caffeine is a must. This year saw Mountain Dew release the Baja Blast into cans. I thank them for that. It has provided me with the fuel that I needed to meet deadlines and assignments.

I am thankful that even though my Dawgs have lost, a lot, this season that I was able to yet again attend every home game. Here’s to 15 straight years.

I am thankful that even though my beloved Red Sox did not make the playoffs, I am still not an Atlanta Braves fan.

I am thankful for my high school broadcast partner and good friend Matt Smith. The road games and talks about not only football, but family, faith and fellowship, is good food for my soul. It’s always nice to have that time and I am truly thankful for the times we have had together.

 

I am thankful for my wonderful family. Gosh, I can’t count the number of arguments we have had this year. However, as much as we may bicker and argue, they have always been my number 1 fans.

 

I am thankful to be able to have been hired on as a computer teacher at West End Elementary School this year. It is been an absolute blessing to be able to help teach and guide these children. Every day is something new and when you can see the world through the eyes of a child, you can see the world in its purist form.

I am thankful for John Bailey and Thom Holt, owners of Coosa Valley News. Without them

I would not have the greatest job in the world. I would not have the ability to express my thoughts

and opinions to each and every reader on a daily basis. On top of being great leaders they

are both great men. The city of Rome is better with these two individuals as part of the community. Good well soon John. I am praying for you.

So as this Thanksgiving weekend rolls by, stop and think for a second of all the things you have to be thankful for. Maybe, just maybe the days ahead won’t be so bad.

 

Happy Thanksgiving! God bless!

 

Oh, we can’t forget my Potts Picks! Heading into the last week of the regular season I am running out of time to get ‘honor roll’ for my predictions.

Last week 7-3 gives me a ‘C’ and 85 out of 120 on the year,  71 percent.

  • Georgia over Georgia Tech
  • Alabama over Auburn
  • Ole Miss over Mississippi State
  • FSU over Florida
  • Oklahoma over Oklahoma State
  • Stanford over Notre Dame
  • LSU over Texas AM
  • Tennessee over Vandy
  • USC over UCLA
  • UNC over NC State
  • Michigan State over Penn State
  • Kentucky over Louisville
  • Ohio State over Michigan
  • Baylor over TCU
  • Oregon over Oregon State
  • Arkansas over Mizzu
  • Navy over Houston
  • Temple overUConn
  • BYU over Utah State
  • Wisconsin over Minnesota