HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!!!

We at I’m just sayin… would like to wish all of you a very Happy Thanksgiving! We have a lot to be thankful for and we hope you do, too.

I am thankful for The Wife and am lucky to have her (just ask her if you don’t believe me).

I am thankful for my three great children.

I am thankful for Jeremy and Rebecca and my Godson, Lucas.

I am thankful that the cartoons I grew up with are now on DVD.

I am thankful for the cartoons today that don’t stink… like Veggie Tales and Phineas and Ferb. I love Phineas and Ferb.

I am thankful for TV shows like NCIS, Psych and Modern Family.

I am thankful for Winthrop basketball… sure, they’ve started this season 0-5… but I still enjoy it.

I am thankful for Maverick.

I am also thankful for Scooby… because he makes me realize how lucky I am to have Maverick.

I am thankful that I have a family who lives all over the state and not all over the country or world.

I am thankful that I don’t know what Sonny’s outgoing voicemail message sounds like because he always answers the phone when I call.

I am thankful that No-Name Teri seldom answers the phone when I call (and rarely calls me back)… because she makes me realize how lucky I am that Sonny answers my calls.

I am thankful for Danny (yes, that Danny) and his wife (my favorite nurse) Jen; my buddy Adrian and her dead-to-me husband Michael; long-time I’m just sayin… fan Ashley and Cory (Husband of Ashley); of course my good friend and fellow blogger KC and his lovely wife LA; my friends from the House of Clark (Clark and Jenn) and all of friends who I won’t name on here for fear that I will forget someone.

Speaking of friends… I’m thankful that I have a group of friends who, when they found out I had ranked them, did not turn on me but instead did their best to move up in the poll. How great is THAT?!

I’m thankful that my cousin Susan is going to let me be the opening act for her wedding. What? Was she not going to do that? Oh well, it’s on the internet so I guess she can’t say no now…

I am thankful for these guys




The oldest and youngest living Medal of Honor Recipients

I am thankful for my parents, aunts and uncles.

I am thankful that I got to know 3 of my 4 grandparents. Sure, I wish it would have been 4 of 4… but when I think about how many people don’t know any of their grandparents (or worse, don’t have a good relationship with them) it’s hard for me to complain about my situation.

I’m thankful for college football… and college basketball… and college baseball.

I am also thankful for the NFL, MLB and the fact that the NBA is in the middle of a lockout.

I am thankful for my books.

I am thankful that starting December 12, I will have a new job (though I will miss the people I work with now).

I am thankful I got to play baseball for the best high school baseball coach at the best high school baseball program and with the best teammates.

I am thankful for good music and great movies.

I am thankful for good comedians.

I am thankful that we have a working, seldom used oven. Funny story: Last night I’m pulling up to KFC to get some wings that I had been craving all day. The Wife calls to tell me the oven is on fire. What are the odds that the one time this month she decides to use it, it catches on fire? Anyway, it’s sparking and she decides that with my extensive fire fighting skills (over 30 years of blowing out candles) I’m the person she should call. I tell her to get the fire extinguisher and (after checking to make sure it would work on electrical fires) use it. Hindsight being 20/20, I would have told her to try turning the breaker off first. She asks where I am and I tell her I’m about to walk into KFC (she knew I was going there). She makes it clear that she doesn’t want me to go into KFC… instead, she wants me to rush home. Here’s the thing, I was hungry. Not only that… I was sure she would get the fire out before I got home. Finally, if she was not comfortable fighting the fire, she should have called the fire department. But no… I had to go home (without my wings) to find out that… wait for it… wait for iiiitttttt……. She had already put the fire out (by turning off the breaker… after making a mess with the fire extinguisher). Long story short, someone (I won’t name names) now has an excuse for not cooking.

I am thankful it wasn’t our microwave that caught fire.

I’m thankful that I live in a country where I can go to church and not have to worry about getting in trouble.

And I am thankful for you, my readers.

The I’m just sayin... Football Predictions

High School
Summerville at Byrnes – I picked Byrnes to win this game and I was RIGHT! Summerville lost, 20-56.

Ashley Ridge vs. Stratford – I picked Stratford to win this game and I was WRONG! Ashley Ridge won, 24-21.

Dorman at Gaffney – I picked Dorman to win this game and I was WRONG! Dorman lost, 3-33.

College
#14South Carolina vs. The Citadel – I picked USC to win this game and I was RIGHT! The Revolutionary War Heroes won, 41-20.

#7Clemson at NC State – I picked Clemson to win this game and I was WRONG! The Tigers lost this game, 13-37.

Navy at San Jose State – I picked Navy to win this game and I was WRONG! Navy lost, 24-27.

CSU at Presbyterian College – I picked PC to win this game and I was RIGHT! CSU lost, 14-45.

Wyoming vs. New Mexico – I picked Wyoming to win this game and I was RIGHT! Wyoming won, 31-10.

Appalachian State at Elon – I picked Appalachian State to win this game and I was RIGHT! Appalachian State won, 28-24.

NFL
Pittsburgh at Kansas City – Oops… looks like I jumped the gun on this game. The Steelers were off last Sunday. I’ll pick this game this week.

Miami vs. Buffalo – I picked Buffalo to win this game and I was WRONG! Miami won, 35-8.

I’m just sayin… Football Prediction Record

High School: 35-12

College: 49-15

NFL: 11-9

Overall: 95-36



Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients:

Major Ralph Cheli (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on August 18, 1943 near Wewak, New Guinea. His citation reads:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action with the enemy. While Maj. Cheli was leading his squadron in a dive to attack the heavily defended Dagua Airdrome, intercepting enemy aircraft centered their fire on his plane, causing it to burst into flames while still 2 miles from the objective. His speed would have enabled him to gain necessary altitude to parachute to safety, but this action would have resulted in his formation becoming disorganized and exposed to the enemy. Although a crash was inevitable, he courageously elected to continue leading the attack in his blazing plane. From a minimum altitude, the squadron made a devastating bombing and strafing attack on the target. The mission completed, Maj. Cheli instructed his wingman to lead the formation and crashed into the sea.

Corporal Benjamin H. Child (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on September 17, 1862. His citation reads:

Was wounded and taken to the rear insensible, but when partially recovered insisted on returning to the battery and resumed command of his piece, so remaining until the close of the battle.

Second Lieutenant Ernest Childers (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on September 22, 1943 at Oliveto, Italy. His citation reads:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty in action on 22 September 1943, at Oliveto, Italy. Although 2d Lt. Childers previously had just suffered a fractured instep he, with 8 enlisted men, advanced up a hill toward enemy machinegun nests. The group advanced to a rock wall overlooking a cornfield and 2d Lt. Childers ordered a base of fire laid across the field so that he could advance. When he was fired upon by 2 enemy snipers from a nearby house he killed both of them. He moved behind the machinegun nests and killed all occupants of the nearer one. He continued toward the second one and threw rocks into it. When the 2 occupants of the nest raised up, he shot 1. The other was killed by 1 of the 8 enlisted men. 2d Lt. Childers continued his advance toward a house farther up the hill, and single-handed, captured an enemy mortar observer. The exceptional leadership, initiative, calmness under fire, and conspicuous gallantry displayed by 2d Lt. Childers were an inspiration to his men.