Before Georgia Tech faces No. 1 Georgia on Saturday in Athens, players will be released after practice Thursday to celebrate Thanksgiving. Typically, players from nearby go home to their families and bring teammates who live farther away. Interim coach Brent Key and three players shared their thoughts about Thanksgiving.
Key: “I’m thankful for my daughter, I’m thankful for my wife, my mother. My mother’s been able to see some games this year. I’m thankful for having a job, I’m thankful for my family, I’m thankful for these guys, thankful for how hard they play, thankful for the coaching staff. Thankful for turkey on Thursday.”
Thanksgiving dinner: “”We’ve got enough time left (for the answer)? All right, so I love turkey. I’ve gotten into the different types, whether it be smoked or fried or whatever. I like a good smoked turkey, fully injected – brined and injected. Sides – my mom and my wife do a really good job. Obviously, I was raised in Alabama, raised in the South, so from the mac and cheese, the broccoli casserole – I really, really like my mom’s broccoli casserole. Sweet-potato casserole. A lot of casseroles.
Now the dressing is probably my favorite – and it’s not stuffing, it’s dressing – but the dressing with the cranberry sauce – homemade cranberry sauce – giblet gravy on top, and you’ve got to put some hot sauce on top of that.
At least one type of good green – either collards or turnips – usually with ham cooked in them. I’m a turkey guy on Thanksgiving, but the ham hock cooked with the greens and then a good vinegar-based hot sauce with that.”
Linebacker Charlie Thomas: “I’m thankful for everything. I’m thankful for this opportunity to be at Georgia Tech. I’m thankful for my mom. I’m thankful for my family, my grandma. my coaches, my teammates. I can’t be more thankful.”
His Thanksgiving meal: “We were just talking about this. The first dish has got to be dressing. Some good ham, collard greens, macaroni. Some good dessert. Pecan pie, something like that.”
Defensive end Sylvain Yondjouen (from Belgium): “I didn’t know about Thanksgiving until I got here. I mean, I heard about it, but every year, it’s been a little different. What I love is the green-bean casserole. I usually don’t like vegetables but that one I can eat. I’m pretty excited. I’m going to one of our teammate’s place to go celebrate it over there, so it’s going to be nice. I love it.”
Running back Hassan Hall: “I’m thankful for everything – my family, my friends, I’m thankful to be here. I’m thankful to be alive. I’m thankful for all things. I’m thankful for what I have and what I don’t have – because it wasn’t meant to be. I’m thankful.”
His Thanksgiving meal: “Well, everything is on it, for sure. Everything is going to be on it. You’ve got everything. Not going to give any details. I’m going to take a picture, I might post it.”
Side items: “Yams, for sure. Your dressing, I don’t know if people are a big fan of dressing – I love dressing. You know, you’ve got your mac and cheese, of course.”
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