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This is the third time we've spent Turkey Day together, and my how the time has flown.

When we first shared mashed potatoes, pecan pie and football anecdotes on this great American holiday, I was a spry 26-year-old who had just moved to the Big Apple and had my whole life in front of me. Two years later, I'm a weathered veteran of the New York City streets, with the gray hairs to prove it.

While living in Manhattan hasn't changed my sports allegiances (if you're reading this, Theo, Roy Halladay is great, but do whatever it takes to get Adrian Gonzalez or Miguel Cabrera this offseason), I have grown to consider myself a New Yorker, at least for the time being.

If you're wondering where this monologue is going, you're not alone; I am too. I guess this is just my way of getting into the spirit of the season and thanking you, New York, for your continued hospitality.

With that out of the way, here are some other holiday musings.

• Last week we talked about the start of the Thuggz and Juggz playoff run. For those who have been living under a rock, Thuggz and Juggz is the Zog Sports co-ed football team that is setting the city on fire. Here's a quick recap of how we fared last week:

In the first round, No. 2 seed Thuggz and Juggz defeated No. 3 NoIInTeam, 35-13, in a game highlighted by a leaping touchdown grab by our stud female receiver, Kim. Then, in the Odie Division championship game, we took on the undefeated and top-ranked Happy Endings, a team that crushed us, 36-6, in the first game of the season.

Well, the rematch didn't have a happy ending for them, as we jumped out to a 20-0 lead and cruised to a 34-13 victory.

Of the 128 teams in the Zog Sports Casual Division, we are now in the Sweet 16, and will get back on the field on Dec. 6. Wish us luck.

• You've got to love Bill Belichick's press conferences. Watching him talk about the Saints this week, he just looks like he's fighting back a smirk while he's heaping mounds of praise on them. Quite entertaining.

• Speaking of Super Bowl head coaches, why would Mike Shanahan go to Buffalo? It seems like there will be better jobs available (Dallas Cowboys?) if he waits a few months.

Also, if Shanahan does end up as the next Cowboys head coach, it will be the second time he replaces Wade Phillips, having done so with the Broncos in 1995. Interesting tidbit.

• It looks like another long year for UMass basketball. On a brighter note, the PC Friars have been very good early on. "Greedy" Peterson has the best nickname in college basketball.

• To me, Michigan State is the best team in college basketball.

• I arrived in Rhode Island for Thanksgiving on Tuesday morning and quickly I realized I forgot to pack any underwear. Well played. Looks like I'll be off to Target in a bit.

On that note, on to the ...

Turkey Day picks

Texas -21.5 at Texas A&M: Our preseason national champion, Texas is playing its best ball of late. The Aggies are a proud bunch and will have their 12th man rocking the stadium, but the Longhorn offense will be too much. This is a great opportunity for Colt McCoy to put on a Heisman showcase, and I think he will. UT, 44-17

Pittsburgh at West Virginia pick: It's been a great season for Professor Jay Rosenstein's Pitt Panthers, but their BCS bowl hopes will go up in flames if they don't win at West Virginia this week. The Backyard Brawl is one of the underrated rivalries in college football and the underdog always seems to play well in this series, as we saw a couple years ago when Pitt ruined West Virginia's national title hopes. The Mountaineers hope to return the favor this year. Pitt, 27-24

Dark meat -4 at white meat: White meat is the traditional powerhouse, but lately the dark meat program has been on the rise. Over the years, we have appreciated white meat's consistency, but lately, we've been very impressed with dark meat's moist and tasty approach. We're going with the upset in this one. DM, 35-31

Rutgers -3 at Louisville: This isn't much of a rivalry, is it? It would be cool to see Rutgers develop a traditional holiday series. The best candidates are UConn and Syracuse. I'll mention it to Tim Pernetti next time I'm down there. RU, 24-17

Alabama -10 at Auburn: If Ohio State-Michigan isn't the best rivalry in college football, then Alabama-Auburn is. I will have to get myself to an Iron Bowl one of these years. The Tigers would like nothing better than to ruin Alabama's perfect season, but the Tide has been rolling since their win vs. LSU. Bama, 27-20

Ginger Ale -10 at Vino: Obviously, the versatility of the vineyard makes wine a popular pick this time of year, but there's something about plucky underdog Ginger Ale that really does it for me. So crisp and delicious. GA, 13-7

Nebraska -10 at Colorado: As we've talked about in the past, this is one of my very favorite games of the year. There's just something grand about how the uniforms look together. The Dan Hawkins experiment hasn't worked out yet at Colorado, but I still feel like it should. Meanwhile, the Huskers are on to the Big 12 championship game after winning the North. A win over Colorado will have them heading into that on a five-game winning streak. Husker Nation, 23-17

Prosciutto-and-Melon at Stuffed Mushrooms -4: The traditional battle for Best Appetizer honors looks on the surface like it might go Stuffed Mushrooms way this year. But a little birdie told me that the melon man got a special shipment from Paraguay last month, so we'll go with the inside tip. P&M, 17-14

Syracuse at UConn -14: Now that they've has gotten the monkey off their backs with that great win at Notre Dame, doesn't it seem like the Huskies are going to finish the season with a flourish? UC, 35-6

Clemson -3 at South Carolina: Clemson has clinched a spot in the ACC championship game against Georgia Tech, but up first is blood rival South Carolina. Can the Gamecocks defense bottle up C.J. Spiller? We think so. SC, 24-20

Ole Miss -8 at Mississippi State: We love the Egg Bowl. The Rebels are finally playing like the top 10 team they were thought to be in the preseason. But beware the Bulldogs in this one. Just a hunch. Miss St., 27-24

Oklahoma State at Oklahoma -10: Again, every so often there is a college football spread that makes no sense to me. Can anyone tell us why the Sooners are double-digit favorites over Oklahoma State? The Cowboys have been good all year and OU has five losses. Now, I can see OU being a small favorite, maybe three points, given their talent level and the fact that the game is in Norman. But 10? OK St., 28-24

Virginia Tech -16 at Virginia: Is this the end of Al Groh in Charlottesville? I know some UVA alums who sure hope so. Va Tech, 34-17

Florida State at Florida -24.5: Mark it down. This one will be closer than the experts think. The Seminoles are playing with a lot of emotion right now and want to help the Bobby Bowden and Mickey Andrews duo go out in style. UF, 30-24

Arizona -3 at Arizona State: After falling short in heartbreaking fashion against Oregon, Arizona hits the road to take on rival Arizona State. It's going to be hard for the Wildcats to get back up emotionally, and the Sun Devils will be ready. AZ St., 31-23

Utah at BYU -7.5: Ah, the Holy War. Another EP favorite. The two teams that made me a firm believer in TCU meet for the title of Mountain West Conference second-best. Both clubs are actually very good, Horned Frog mud-holings notwithstanding, at 9-2. BYU, 35-31

Tennessee -3 at Kentucky: If the Wildcats ever want to beat the Vols, this is their chance. UT, 28-21

Arkansas at LSU -3.5: This game will be played at night, but it's always better during the day. It's always close, and this year will be no different. To be honest, I actually like the Hogs in an upset. Ark, 31-27

Georgia at Georgia Tech: Tech fans will enjoy the steamroll job the Jackets are going to put on UGA. GT 33-21

Notre Dame at Stanford -10: Toby Gerhart and the Cardinal are surely disappointed after losing to Cal, but they'll bounce back and pound the Irish defense this week. Cal, 35-24

UCLA at USC -13: The Trojans are down this year, and if Rick Neuheisel really wants to challenge USC's LA-area dominance, a win here would really help. USC, 17-13

Cranston East vs. Cranston West -13: Gotta go with the Bolts. CE, 21-14