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Good morning! Squabble (gobble?) up.
Turkey Day Draft: Who made the best plate?
This is the fourth Thanksgiving for The Pulse, which is simply delightful. I am thankful for all of you.
In the past, we’ve used the occasion to discuss the merits of cornbread dressing (delicious, and different from stuffing) and the humble turkey.
But now, in 2024, we have a full roster of Athletic newsletters and, as it turns out, very opinionated writers of said newsletters. In the interest of community, we held a Thanksgiving food draft with simple parameters:
- Each writer gets a main dish, a side and a dessert.
- There were few rules after that, as you’ll see shortly, but any item could theoretically fit in any category.
- You, the readers, will pick the winner.
We randomized the pick order and did a traditional snake draft. Here are the results:
The judges had to approve gravy and sangria being selected as singular dishes, which roiled some of us, but people are free to make plates (and drinks) as they wish. I guess.
I honestly have no idea who will win. We’ll keep this poll open for a few days and publish the results on Monday.
Make your voice heard here.
Barry Chin / Getty Images
News to Know
A swift name change in Boston?
The Boston NWSL expansion team currently known as BOS Nation is considering changing its name, following its widely criticized brand rollout earlier this fall, which also included the problematic “Too Many Balls” campaign. The team, which will join the league in 2026, said yesterday it launched a process to “seek out, listen to, and reflect on” input on its name from fans, supporters and a group of advisers. Certainly not an ideal start.
Ohtani wants cards back
Shohei Ohtani petitioned a federal judge this week for ownership of $325,000 worth of baseball cards fraudulently purchased by Ippei Mizuhara, his former interpreter and confidant who pleaded guilty earlier this year to defrauding Ohtani of nearly $17 million. Mizuhara had purchased cards intending to resell them, but also wrongly had possession of some cards signed by Ohtani, the three-time MVP said. Read the full story.
More news
- The Vikings are signing former Giants quarterback Daniel Jones to a one-year contract after New York released him last week. More here.
- Auburn center Johni Broome made a splash in the No. 4 Tigers’ 90-76 win over Memphis in the Maui Invitational championship yesterday, putting up 21 points, 16 rebounds, six assists, four blocks and a steal.
- Longtime sports and entertainment executive Scott O’Neil is set to take over as CEO of LIV Golf, replacing Greg Norman, The Athletic’s Brendan Quinn reports.
- Inter Miami striker Luis Suarez, 37, signed a contract extension that keeps him with the club through the 2025 MLS season.
Turkey Day Watch Guide: Load up early today
Today is usually seen as a football-crazed holiday, but you won’t need a deft touch to navigate the slate. Save those skills for tomorrow.
Our best recommendations are below. All times ET:
NFL
12:30 p.m.: Bears at Lions — This is the best of what shaped up to be a meh day of NFL football, thanks to lost seasons in Dallas and New York. Come see if Chicago can break through against the league’s best team. Plus, it’s early enough that the afternoon/evening holiday meal crowd can crush some hors d’oeuvres while watching. TV: CBS
CFB
7:30 p.m.: Memphis at No. 20 Tulane — Legitimately the only FBS game on today, and it’s actually a good one. The Green Wave still have an outside shot at the Playoff, but need to win out.
NCAAW
1:30 p.m.: No. 4 South Carolina at No. 15 Iowa State — The women’s landscape shook when the Gamecocks lost to UCLA last week, proving the defending national champions are fallible. If you don’t want football, definitely watch this.
🎧 “The Athletic Football Show”: Dane Brugler joined to explain why this will be the most polarizing NFL Draft class he’s ever covered.
Pulse Picks
The Las Vegas Strip is a pretty singular experience, yet F1’s arrival has brought more new quirks — dog tags, dance clubs, $135 Red Bull margaritas — to one of the world’s most unique stretches. Jeff Gluck has the full scoop.
Zaccharie Risacher might not be your typical NBA No. 1 pick, as Jared Weiss writes, but he’s proven to be a great fit with the Hawks.
There’s a new docuseries about the Madden video game franchise out this week. Jason Jones has five things to know before watching.
Most-clicked in the newsletter yesterday: The plug for our excellent college football newsletter, Until Saturday. Subscribe if you haven’t yet!
Most-read on the website yesterday: Michael Silver’s great piece on how it took quarterback Jared Goff hitting rock bottom for him and the Lions to find salvation.
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(Top photo: Steph Chambers / Getty Images)
