I'm thankful in sports for ... um ...

By Mike Schopp

It's been a really long time since we've had big fun with our sports teams. It's five years since the Sabres won a playoff round, and an incredible 17 (!!!) since the Bills did.

Today, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I'll try to think of 10 things in Buffalo sports I'm thankful for. I'm hoping I get to 10 before my column for next week is due.

1. C.J. Spiller. The Bills aren't winners yet but Spiller has come to look like a fabulous player. In the stadium for the Miami game I noticed myself wondering every time he touched the ball if he was going to score. The Bills have had good running backs in their 12-year playoff drought but no one that did that to me. I wanted Wilis McGahee to be like that but he really wasn't. As much as I admire Fred Jackson as a player he hasn't shown the same breakaway-ability. I get excited to watch Spiller run.

2. The new Blue Jays-Bisons partnership. One reason to enjoy having a Triple-A team is the prospect of having big-leaguers stop by on their way back from injury. With the Mets though, this almost never happened. If David Wright ever set foot in Buffalo, I missed it. Goodbye Mets, hello Toronto. As Buffalo is the Jays' closest minor-league affiliate on any level I'd hope to see their players here more than rarely.

3. Sabres players that haven't opened their mouths during the lockout. Ryan Miller implied that Gary Bettman should be fired -- a playable argument for sure -- but most Sabres have kept their feelings to themselves. Good job, because one word about how disadvantaged you are might turn fans against you for a long time, and it would start with me. Just be quiet and keep walking.

4. Stevie Johnson. I like Johnson as a player, and as a weekly guest on our show. Since joining us to start last season he's come across as sincere and honest. And, he's easy to talk to. This season Johnson has always joined us on time and for an athlete these days that's saying a lot.

5. The memories. I'm starting to struggle here. Much of the joy I ever feel with local sports is when I think back to the great times I've had watching the Sabres and Bills excel. My favorite Sabres memory of late is Daniel Briere's 2OT goal in Game 1 of the 2006 playoffs. Too bad that after the next season an injury forced his retirement from hockey.

(Trying to stay positive here.)

6. The passion. If we didn't enjoy talking about these teams, even when it's out of frustration, my life would feel a void. Buffalo hasn't won, well, pretty much ever, but I much prefer the pro sports scene here to a city where teams were more a casual interest. That we live and die with them is the fun part.

7. Mikhail Grigorenko. Straws being officially grasped at. I imagine someday there will be a day when I will look forward to seeing this kid play at First Niagara Center. Maybe.

8. Jim/Thurman/Steve. It's great that we can run into the stars of the Bills' best-ever teams around town. Kelly, Thomas and Tasker, none of whom is a native, have all made Western New York their home. There are others too but these guys were stars.

9. (Intentionally left blank because I refuse to put "we have teams" as an entry.)

10. Our listeners. There it is, the gratuitous blown-kiss to the crowd to end it. I've stooped so low. But even though it's lame to read I really am thankful for the listeners that have helped all of us at WGR keep working at a job we love. Thank you.

Well, I made it. If the Sabres were playing surely I'd have one or two here for Tyler Myers or Steve Ott or someone else. But they're not, and who knows when that will change. I'm hopeful that the Bills can win Sunday to keep the conversation going (or start it anyway) about their making a playoff push. These days, that's about the best you can do.

Life of course is not all about sports but sports can help make it more fun to be alive. I think we're about due for some of that.