SWINGING A TORCH is going to be a weekly sports column that highlights superlative developments in sports. There will be consistent categories every week that will be refreshed on a Thursday to Thursday cycle week by week. There will also be categories and lists that are consistently updated throughout the year as a sports season unfolds. I plan to keep a running list of champions in the main sports ever present on SWINGING A TORCH as well as consistently updated NFL and NBA draft thoughts. I will also highlight notable fashion statements in sports as they arise. Please stay tuned as this column grows week over week:
TORCH SWINGER OF THE WEEK: A hot player in Baseball, Hockey, Tennis, Golf, Soccer, Or Football Kicker
Since Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863 the Turkey Leg has been SWINGING A TORCH! In 1989 the first Turkey Leg Thanksgiving football award was handed out by CBS, inspired by a suggestion from the legendary John Madden. The first turkey leg winner was Reggie White of the Philadelphia Eagles. Last year Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys earned the award. Pull up a chair and see who will win the 2023 Turkey Leg in the NFL.
Today, each one of us can get in on the "SWINGING A TORCH" action. Grab that turkey leg and show your family how it is done! Make some plays in the backyard football game, at the dessert table, and in encouraging conversations. Don't keep it shallow. Happy Thanksgiving to each and every one of you. This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it. Jesus is alive, He has conquered sin and death. That makes this a day for Thanksgiving.
STRAIGHT FIRE: Example of Undeniable Greatness
Last week during the final event of the 2023 PGA tour season Ludvig Aberg gave us a pure taste of undeniable greatness. He won the RSM classic where he tied the record for the lowest 72 hole golf score in PGA history. He shot a 253 over four days tying the low score set by Justin Thomas in 2017 at the SONY OPEN. Aberg finished the tournament with back to back 9 under par performances. He went to college at Texas Tech and has assured himself a PGA Tour Card in 2024 with a scathing second half to the PGA season. Many assume he will be the PGA rookie of the year and he was also part of the European team that stormed to a Ryder Cup victory. He has qualified for the Masters tournament in April. Golf is a humbling game, and no one knows what the future holds, but for this week Mr. Aberg can celebrate Thanksgiving knowing that his golf game is straight fire.
THE YOUNG FIRE CLUB: Young Players (Under 25 Years of Age) to Watch:
NOTE: THIS LIST WILL BE UPDATED AS I BELIEVE SOMEONE BECOMES ELIGIBLE. These are not just great players. This is a list of players I have identified who have the qualities it takes to be franchise cornerstones.
MLB:
CORBIN CARROLL (23 Years Old) - Arizona Diamondbacks - Outfielder (Nominated in 2023)
NFL:
C.J. STROUD (22 Years Old) - Houston Texans - Quarterback (Nominated in 2023)
NBA:
TYRESE MAXEY (23 Years Old) - Philadelphia 76ers - Point Guard (Nominated in 2023)
THE PRO FAN LEAGUE: QUESTION OF THE WEEK?
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THANKSGIVING TRADITION?
I love time with the family and friends at Thanksgiving. I also look forward to the Thanksgiving snacks and day after Turkey Sandwiches. I really like cheese and crackers and actually prefer the pre-meal snacks to the traditional Thanksgiving meal. But the day after Thanksgiving, sign me up for cold turkey sandwiches, on white bread, with mayo, cranberry sauce, and stuffing. YESSIR! Now we are talking. How about you? What are the core moments you look forward to every year at Thanksgiving?
PRO FAN LEAGUE: BUSINESS OF THE MONTH SPOTLIGHT
Beginning in December I plan to spotlight a business each month in this space that is doing incredible work at taking dominion in this world, providing an excellent product or service, and making a difference in the community. COMING DECEMBER 2023.
PRO FAN LEAGUE FAVORITES: BLESSINGS OF HOPE - blessingsofhope.com
Blessings of Hope is an organization based out of Lancaster Country Pennsylvania that will have a prominent place often on this page and in "The Pro Fan League Podcast". Blessings of Hope uses all sorts of channels to rescue food that would otherwise be thrown out and sources that food into the hands of people who need it and can use it. I will write more at length about them in the future. This ministry makes an amazing difference with multiple levels of impact. This is not a sponsored post, I put them on this blog and in my podcasts because they have earned the right to be known. If you are looking for a way to serve or give this holiday season, please check them out. They are always in need of volunteers. For now, please view this video, I will let it do the communicating.
NOT JUST FANS THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK:
This week we celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday and the launch toward the Christmas season goes into full swing. Even more present than the reality of Thanksgiving today is the opportunity to deploy Thanksgiving as an attitude present in our lives each and every day. Thanksgiving as an attitude is a dynamic opportunity. What does it look like to bring Thanksgiving with us into each part of our lives?
You may have heard it said that in order to consistently win football games you need to be excellent in all three phases of the game. Offense, Defense, and Special Teams. In the spirit of that idea, what does it look like to be thankful in four phases of our personal lives?
Phase 1: Thankful for where your feet are at! Take some time to praise the Lord for where you find yourself today. Praise the Lord for the gifts you have been given. Take a few minutes to reflect on how gracious it is of the Lord to have provided you with breath in your lungs today, and the gifts he has made available to you to serve others with. Where you find yourself today is not a glitch. The gifts and talents you have been given are not mistakes.
Phase 2: Thankful for your family! Whatever family situation this article finds you in, Do the people you care about know you cherish them? Do your parents know you are thankful for them? Do your kids know you like them and enjoy them? Does your wife know you cherish her? Is your husband aware of your respect and affection for him? If it has been a little while since you expressed your sentiments of thankfulness to those you love, what better time than right now to get current.
Phase 3: Thankful for your work! Every single one of us is working at something. Whether school, job, business owner, stay at home mom, or caretaker for elderly parents etc. we are all at work. We were created to work. Remember the Lord says, for six days we will labor in Exodus 34:21. Work is a huge part of our lives. Praise the Lord for the opportunity to work. Think about the blessings of your work. Do the people you work with know you value them? Do you marvel at the opportunities you have to take dominion over the earth God has created? Reflect this week on how phenomenal it is that we get to work and serve others through work. Could your attitude towards working use an audit in this Thanksgiving season?
Phase 4: Thankful for the communities you are part of! A core value of the Pro Fan League community is "Alone We Die". You have opportunity to make a difference for all the groups of people in communities you are a participant. You live in a city, township, or borough; that is a community you are impacting. You go to the gym, go to school, work in a business, part of a church? All communities you are part of. Praise the Lord for the joy of relationship. What communities are you part of? What is your impact? What is your desired impact? Are there communities you should be leaving? Are there communities you should be joining?
Just like winning football teams play winning football in all three phases of the game. Let's pray to the Lord that we can be making plays consistently in the four areas outlined above. Much of having a positive impact starts with having a positive attitude. Bless the Lord today, we have so much to be thankful for. A thankful attitude as a core value sets the table for a feast of serving opportunity in life. I am cheering for you. Go make plays. We are "NOT JUST FANS"!
GIBBS
Photo Credit: Turkey Leg: www.tennessean.com /Ludvig Aberg: www.golfmonthly.com
コメント