The Laurinaitis family gathers for Thanksgiving Dinner in Nov. '07. Family gatherings like this will no longer be possible due to Big Ten schedule changes. (Please note James is fifth from the left)


In an effort not to be forgotten or become unimportant nationally, the Big Ten has agreed to make the football schedule 13-weeks, extending it into the weekend of Thanksgiving. Many coaches say they really like the fact that their players used to be home for Thanksgiving dinner with the families; Joe Tiller is one of them.

Obviously though, Purdue ate turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing during many of the halftimes of their games this past season (ref. 3rd quarter performances of CMU, Minnesota & others...). My idea is simple: Invite the players families for a halftime banquet dinner in which everyone is together during that final game. I think it will breed a lot of unity within the team.

I'm sorry, while I'm a big proponent of time with family, I've never thought it was a big deal that players wouldn't be able to be home for Thanksgiving due to football...Hell, why doesn't the Big Ten ban recruiting of players outside of a 4-state radius as it would be too difficult to get home for such a holiday with airline security the way it currently is.

Jim Delaney has been and continues to be a fool.