What 2 Watch 4: Turkey Weekend 2K18
What 2 Watch 4: Turkey Weekend 2K18
Here's all the wrestling you need to pay attention do during this splendid Thanksgiving weekend!
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Happy Thanksgiving to you, the smartest and chillest wrestling fans in the universe. There's not a lot of wrestling action scheduled over the holiday weekend, but I shall nevertheless walk you through what wrestling we do have.
But first, a shout out to all the 'Thanksgiving movies' out there. Vastly outnumbered by the ubiquitous Christmas films, there are still a few Turkey Day cinematic gems that stand out. The classic 'Planes, Trains and Automobiles' is a crowd favorite. The underrated Dutch, staring the great Al Bundy, is also among the best. People forget Scent of a Woman is a Thanksgiving Day movie, probably because it has that absurd scene where blind Al Pacino drives a Ferrari around New York City, but it is an entertaining flick nonetheless.
Then there is my personal favorite, Addams Family Values. If you're like most people, you don't find the movie nearly as funny as I do. Yet to this day I cannot watch Puglsy Addams deliver this line without busting a gut.
Superb. Now, on to the wrestling!
Friday, November 23
This is no D1 wrestling this Friday! Nothing to do but nurse your turkey hangover with more leftovers. Speaking of feasts, in the absence of any matches, let's discuss our favorite Thanksgiving foods.
First off, I find this claim that the northeast eats more squash than any other part of the country to be preposterous. I grew up in the northeast, and at no point did I or anyone I know ever consume a squash on Thanksgiving.
I don't even know how you eat a squash. Like an apple? As soup maybe? I've seen plenty of decorative gourds but no one has ever placed a side of squash on the table and said 'dig in'.
No, I will pass on the squash, thank you very much, but I will enjoy fluffy croissant, especially at the end of the meal when there is all sorts of gravy and cranberry sauce and what not to sop up. I also used to be very opposed to the canned cranberry that slimily slides out of a can in one thick gelatinous cylinder. Thought it was gross as it gets. Now I can't wait to hack off a blubbery disc of congealed cranberry goodness. That stuff is gold.
What are some of your favorites? I asked on twitter and here were some of the best responses.
Gimme mother in laws homemade stuffing. It’s the “stuffing” of legends.
— leftystrat5 (@leftystrat5) November 20, 2018
Word play!
I would like some of CP's grandmother's gravy, personally.
— Sam Herring (@SamWise_2006) November 20, 2018
LOL.
A toss up between Grandma’s lumpy mashed potatoes and my moms sausage stuffing... both dynamite
— RynoPing23 (@RPing23) November 20, 2018
Would eat.
Deep fried turkey and pumpkin pie.
— Alex Broadwater (@axbroad) November 20, 2018
Yes please.
Leftover turkey on a dinner roll the day after.
— Pops Redfoot (@PopsRedfoot) November 20, 2018
I too love the leftover turkey. Often I think about eating it the next day while it's still on my plate on Thursday. The best Thanksgiving sandwich, by the way, is the Gobbler from the Millburn Deli. I will entertain no other opinions on that matter.
Saturday, November 24
This is rivalry weekend right? Your favorite college football team is probably having a big important game this weekend. You got your Egg Bowl, your Iron Bowl, your Apple Cup, your Territorial Cup, et cetera. Basically everyone is fighting over cups and bowls, like it's really that hard to find something to hold your cereal.
My high school football team and our rival mutually quit their Thanksgiving Day game literally this year. It seems silly to even pretend to care about it this far removed from my glory days but I can't help but feel some emotional pangs.
Oh hey look, here's something to distract me from pesky nostalgia, college wrestling!
Purdue at #3 Iowa, 1:00 PM
The Boilermakers and Hawkeyes have the entire day to themselves. You can even watch it if you subscribe to cable and the Big Ten Network. Purdue's #11 Chrisitan Brunner is probably going to sit out as he reacclimates from his participation in the U23 Freestyle World Championships tournament held in Bucharest, Romania, but if you are one of those lucky cable-having folks, you are still likely to see #10 Jacob Warner finally make his varsity debut at 197 pounds.
Other potential reanked matchups include:
125: #13 Devin Schroder, Purdue vs #1 Spencer Lee, Iowa
141: #17 Nate Limmex, Purdue vs #18 Max Murin, Iowa
157: #18 Griffin Parriott, Purdue vs #15 Kaleb Young, Iowa
Sunday, November 25
Mat Town Open 9:30 AM
Lock Haven plays host to their annual tournament. Lock Haven is a very cool place that loves wrestling. Allow head coach Scott Moore to explain.
#20 South Dakota State at #7 Minnesota, 2:00 PM
Seth Gross is unfortunately likely to miss this dual as well. But you're still going to be able to watch a ton of good wrestlers, for instance, the new #3 heavyweight in the nation, Minnesota true frosh Gable "The Recently Enabled" Steveson. We could also see a top 20 battle with #16 Henry Pohlmeyer of SDSU vs #13 Tommy Thorn of Minnesota.
Minnesota made a huge jump in the team rankings recently, which tends to happen when you have a heavyweight go from unranked to #3 and a 141-pounder go from #14 to #5. Which is also why you shouldn't worry much about rankings this early in the season. I mean I'm thankful that you're clicking on them and reading them but for real, it's November, the rankings will change as the results roll in, that is certain!
North Carolina at Appalachian State, 3:00 PM
Nothing like a good ole fashion North Cackalaky Conflagration.
Wyoming at Oklahoma State, 3:00 PM
Wyoming put up a heck of a fight in Laramie the last time these two programs engaged in Cowboy on Cowboy crime. Your humble correspondent will be in Stillwater to witness and report on the 2018 edition of this Big 12 rivalry. I will also have a preview article about the event, which I will link to here as soon as it's done!
125: #20 Cole Verner, Wyoming vs #4 Nick Piccininni, OK State
133: #13 Montorie Bridges, Wyoming vs #6 Daton Fix, OK State
165: #9 Branson Ashworth, Wyoming vs #6 Chandler Rogers, OK State
Before I go, a quick shout out to my guys on the FloWrestling content and marketing team. I am very thankful to be working with such an outstanding group of professionals who I learn so much from every single day. You'd follow them all on Twitter if you knew what was good for you!
Happy Thanksgiving my friends!