E-Boland & Gang Green

By Tom Rock

Well, Happy Thanksgiving from the Jets practice facility. A bit of an early start to the day today to allow the players to get their work in and spend some time with their families. I hope to be out of here in time to catch the opening bars to Alice’s Restaurant Massacre (in two-part harmony).

My mother-in-law, who is coming over for dinner today, wanted to know if Mangini would cancel practice because of the rain and it being Thanksgiving. What a soul-less curmudgeon (and I'll let you decide if I mean Mangini or my mother-in-law :) )

I think Mangini is actually thankful that it is raining, he seems to enjoy practicing in the elements. And yes, it is tough to be working on Thanksgiving, but being here at a football practice I can’t help but think there are tougher jobs to be doing today in worse places. Iraq comes to mind.

I was driving in this morning and heard the song “Rain King” by the Counting Crows, an appropriate tune for the weather. It reminded me of the time Knicks beat guy Alan Hahn and I and a couple of chicks went to see the Crows with The Wallflowers at Jones Beach and they opened their show with that song in the middle of a downpour. Must have been about 10 years ago. Got me thinking about those days of slingin’ high schools and clobberin’ colleges and how we both wanted what we now have. I’m thankful for that.

I’m thankful for Charlie and Abby, all my friends and all my good fortune. Am I forgetting someone?