The Detroit Lions Of NFL Championship

The Detroit Lions are preparing to face a powerful Green Bay Packers team on Thanksgiving.n 1962, Detroit was 8-2 entering its Thanksgiving Day game against Green Bay, which was 10-0. Green Bay won the NFL Championship a year prior in 1961. The Packers were led by future Hall of Fame quarterback Bart Starr. Many did not give Detroit a chance of winning.

In recent years, when the Lions played on Thanksgiving Day, most people outside of Michigan were deciding if they should get a second drumstick or take a nap. Lions games were great times to go outside and toss around the football. If there ever was an opportunity to look through a newspaper for Black Friday ads, the Lions game was it.In the past, the Detroit Lions' annual Thanksgiving game has put fans asleep faster than their turkey.



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US warns Syria over troop movement at Turkey border

The US has expressed concern over reports that Syria is moving troops near the border with Turkey, and warned of a possible escalation of conflict.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the reported Syrian troops movements were "very worrisome".

She said it could increase the risk of a border clash with Turkey and worsen the plight of refugees.

Syrian tanks and snipers reportedly entered the village of Khirbet al-Jouz, forcing resident to flee to Turkey.

More than 1,300 people are said to have been killed since a crackdown on anti-government protests began in March.

Thousands more protesters have been detained, opposition activists say.

Several Syrian cities - including Homs and Hama - have declared a general strike after deadly clashes with security forces and supporters of President Bashar al-Assad earlier this week.

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Obama pardons 2 turkeys on Thanksgiving Eve

A good-natured President Barack Obama on Wednesday spared the lives of two turkeys that played their own parts perfectly.

In what has become a Thanksgiving-eve ritual, Obama offered a presidential pardon to "Apple" and its pal "Cider." The turkeys remained calm and statesmanlike as the president blessed them with a pointed reminder of his own recent political woes.

"Let me say," Obama said, "that it feels pretty good to stop at least one shellacking this November."

Officially, Apple is now the National Thanksgiving Turkey. Cider is the feathered understudy. Both of the 21-week-old birds were raised on the Foster Farms' Wellsford Ranch, outside of Modesto, Calif. Both will now live out their remaining days at Mount Vernon, George Washington's home.

The turkeys will be part of a special holiday display through Jan. 6, and then will live with the estate's other livestock.

Yubert Envia and Ira Brister of Foster Farms served as the chief turkey wranglers during the Rose Garden ceremony. Before the event began Wednesday morning, Brister stood by while Apple gobbled away and checked out part of the Rose Garden.

Weighing in at 45 pounds, Apple attracted some tart audience observations about size that cannot be reprinted in a family newspaper.

While Obama spoke, Envia gently stroked Apple. It was also Envia to whom the self-described "leader of the most powerful nation on Earth" directed a post-pardon question.

"That's some kind of wattle," Obama marveled, upon approaching Apple. "Can someone explain to me what this whole wattle thing is about?"

For the record, a turkey's wattle helps keep the animal cool. It also serves as a show-off display. If they had had time, before the 10-minute-long event concluded, both Envia and Brister could have told Obama that, and a whole lot more.

Envia is the Foster Farms vice president for turkey and prepared food operations. He is also the chairman of the National Turkey Federation, which represents the commercial ranches that produce some 247 million turkeys annually. Foster Farms is ranked seventh nationwide among all turkey producers.

Brister is the Foster Farms turkey grower, a 31-year veteran of the poultry business. Brister directly oversaw the upbringing, selection and extensive pre-White House schooling of Apple and Cider.

"You don't want to wait until the last minute to start training them," Brister noted. "These are animals. You never know how they're going to react."

Apple, Cider and 23 other contenders were selected for special treatment when they were about 5 1/2 weeks old. The 25 turkeys were removed from the general population and sequestered in a specially constructed, 750-square-foot turkey barn.

Usually, turkeys are raised in facilities than span 20,000 square-feet or so. Also, turkeys usually are killed and eaten.

As part of their training, and selection, the candidate turkeys were exposed to music and crowds.

"It's kind of like a turkey version of 'Dancing with the Stars,'" Obama said, "except the stakes for the contestants were much higher."

Their names, kept under tight wraps until Wednesday, were selected by schoolchildren participating in California's Agriculture in the Classroom program.

In Washington, too, the turkeys have been in the lap of luxury since arriving Sunday. Accompanied by Brister and Envia, the animals were carted to the W Washington D.C. hotel, two blocks from the White House.

The turkeys slept in their own room, specially prepared with shavings on the floor. Whether Apple and Cider pecked access to the on-demand movie option is a matter between them and their handlers.

"We're pet-friendly," hotel general manager Ed Baten said, "although we usually don't see fowl."

The event Wednesday marked the 63rd time that a president has recognized a National Thanksgiving Turkey. The public relations conceit of a pardon only began with the first President Bush, in 1989. Before that, the birds served a more functional purpose.

"They used to eat the turkeys," Envia said.


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