You crack open a cold drink with the family as heat from the fire is permeating throughout the room. There is a friendly argument between you and your cousins about what game should be put on the TV. If only there was a fair scale to grade watchability and importance of a certain match to discern which game to watch.
The scale used in this story is based on a rigorous test ran through multiple analytical and sports minded journalism students facing a conflict presented every year.
NFL
Thanksgiving is traditionally home of the one Thursday in the year with 3 NFL games. Starting at 12:30pm, the 5-3 Bears play in Detroit against the 3-5 Lions. A game with a lot of playoff importance but with two defensive minded teams battling, this will not be interesting.
Watchability: 3/10
Importance: 6/10
Following this game, the NFC East, 5-3, Redskins travel to Dallas to face divisional rival, 3-4, Cowboys. This game will be no different than any other NFL game, but this is a bitter rivalry which will hold a lot of intensity and involves playoff implications. A win for Dallas can put them back on track, while a loss for Washington can hinder their playoff potential.
Watchability: 5/10
Importance: 6/10
The night cap for Thanksgiving NFL is another divisional rivalry game as 4-4, preseason playoff hopeful Falcons go into New Orleans to face 7-1, #1, Saints. This will be an offensive shootout and who doesn’t love an offensive minded game that can knock a team from in contention to tanking for the draft?
Watchability: 8/10
Importance: 5/10
College Football
After the first week of college football, every week is amazing. Thanksgiving weekend starts off with an SEC rivalry between Mississippi State and Ole Miss on Thursday night. A game that can decide Ole Miss’s bowl hopes.
Watchability: 7/10
Importance: 9/10
Friday night is Oklahoma vs West Virginia. A top 15 matchup that can have huge college football playoff implications and can decide who is crowned the victor of the Big 12. This game will be another offensive shootout which will be very entertaining.
Watchability: 10/10
Importance: 8/10
Concluded on Saturday, two of the biggest rivalries in sports take place as Alabama visits Auburn for the Iron Bowl and Michigan visits Ohio State. Every year these teams play and every year the game comes down to the wire. Just five years ago, Auburn had the kick six to win vs. Alabama and it changed the whole College Football world for the rest of the year. Michigan vs. Ohio State is always a deciding match up for the winner of the Big 10 and who makes the playoffs. This is simply a must-watch.
Watchability: 10/10
Importance: 10/10
College Basketball
A bunch of mid-season tournaments for College Basketball are hosted over Thanksgiving. These tournaments are usually the first time teams can prove themselves against real competition, instead of those division three teams.
The Battle for Atlantis begins on Wednesday, November 21st, with star studded matchups between Florida and Oklahoma, Wisconsin and Stanford, Butler and Dayton and Virginia (Hopefully they can redeem themselves) and Middle Tennessee State (Contrary to common belief, this is a top 30 team). These games are just round one and it is a full blown tournament where every team is guaranteed three games spanning through Friday, November 23rd. Huge implications for March Madness seeding and a chance to get quality wins at the beginning of the season.
Watchability: 9/10
Importance: 8/10
Starting on Thanksgiving, The Continental Tire Las Vegas Holiday Invitational begins with matchups between UNC vs Texas, and a late game between UCLA and Michigan State. The winners of each respective game will meet Friday, along with the losers of each. Another tournament that can have big implications come selection Sunday and evaluating a teams talent early in the year.
Watchability: 7/10
Importance: 8/10
Golf
If you are not familiar with the up and down story of Tiger Woods career, you can not consider yourself a sports fan. Besides the question, “Is Texas (College Football) Back?” One of the biggest questions in the sports world this year is, “is Tiger back?”
Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson play head to head, match play for $9 Million, winner take all. In a pay-per-view for only $20 on November 23rd, at 3pm, they will battle it out and we will finally get answers to the questions we have been asking for years, is Tiger the best ever and is Tiger officially back?