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By
Arizona Daily Wildcat
November 26, 1996
Thanksgiving is a special time of year when families get together and show their gratitude by stuffing their faces with inordinate amounts of food.This begs the question € what are we thankful for? As I am not familiar with the lives of the general public, I cannot comment on what they could be thankful for. What I do know is University of Arizona athletics, and in that regard there is much to be thankful for.
First, we can be thankful that this is the special time of year when the throngs of Arizona faithful make the transition from Arizona Stadium to McKale Center. The gridiron becomes the hard court, and the road to the Final Four begins.
The Arizona fans can be thankful that they are not Arizona State fans. The ASU fans should be studied as an example of the missing link between man and ape.
We can be thankful that they had neither the strength nor the intelligence to pull down the Arizona goal posts. UA fans can also be thankful that the bulk of the football team is returning next year, including quarterback Keith Smith. Come this time next year, the Sun Devil fans will be thankful that the Wildcats were merciful.
Is there more to be thankful for? How about Marisa Baena and Amy Skieresz, for starters? Baena is the defending NCAA individual women's golf champion and Skieresz is the NCAA women's cross country champion. We can be thankful that these women are consistently successful while we wait for the rebirth of Desert Swarm.
Be thankful for the men's and women's basketball teams. The women's team won the Women's National Invitation Tournament last season, and the men's team is coming off an NCAA Sweet 16 season.
If indoor sports are what you like, then you should be thankful that the women's volleyball team has emerged from last year's ashes to become a top 20 team, headed for the NCAA Tournament. This year Barb Bell became the most prolific hitter in Arizona history. With their best recruiting class ever, volleyball fans can be thankful the Wildcats will be good for years to come.
Of course, there are still those people who would give up all that Arizona athletics has to offer in exchange for an undefeated football team headed to the Rose Bowl.
The Wildcats, in all forms, are something that should inspire pride and gratitude. Now is the time when we should all be thankful that we can eat our turkey while watching Wildcat basketball, and thankful that the ASU fans have ridden their dinosaurs back to Tempe.
Sam Spiller covers women's volleyball for the Wildcat.
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