It's been a long November and if we take the long view, an action-packed year. Every major holiday is a pivot point to reflect on what has happened and in the world of BE I am always amazed at what we've become and where we are headed.
I would ask the readers to submit what they are thankful for (MMA-related only, please) in the comments section.
In addition, I would ask the staff to add to this post by identifying what they are thankful for this Thanksgiving as well.
As for me, I would say this:
I am thankful for the staff here at BloodyElbow.com. I am grateful for their first-rate analysis, passions, expertise and vigor. They have blossomed into the kind of staff every editor would like to work with or lead. I take my hat off to you all and congratulate you on a job well done.
Particularly, I am thankful for Nate, who in a time of personal crisis for me this past summer was not only able to give me helpful counsel, but turned into a BE work-aholic keeping the site moving at a pivotal moment in the sport. When others were unable to commit as needed, Nate accepted the enormous task of leading daily operations. I am very grateful for his hard work and leadership.
Don't drink and drive. Safe travels. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.
CHRIS NELSON: There's a 33-pounder - a "Larry Bird," in the parlance - waiting for me out there, so I'll keep this short and sweet. This Thanksgiving, I'm most truly and sincerely thankful for my family (especially brother Mark, without whom I wouldn't have fighting in my life), my MMA e-familia (especially J.Breen and Mr. Loiseleur, with whom I communicate more than most of my relatives), and, of course, the entire BE staff, for making this place more than just another turkey farm. Thanks also to every fighter out there who trained hard throughout the year (and even as we speak) and put his/her neck on the line, making it possible for us to do what we do here and for everyone to enjoy the sport we love so much. I'm thankful for the promoters who churned out shows in record numbers this year (especially the ones who kept tight records) and all the fans who went out to watch and support (even the ones who booed once a fight hit the ground). Have a happy Thanksgiving, everybody, and please be safe.
MIKE FAGAN: I remember being ten years old and going around the table with my dad's side of the family, giving thanks for all the things we appreciated over the past year. It got slightly less embarassing and slightly more meaningful every year. And now that all my cousins and I are adults, my dad and aunt are at AARP status, and my grandparents made the typical move to Florida, I understand the lessons that they taught us. I'm thankful for being back in Chicago, about to move in with my three best friends since grade school and a short drive from most of my family. I'm thankful for Bloody Elbow, which has exploded in growth that I couldn't have imagined when Luke brought my cantankerous ass on board 18 months ago. I'm thankful I write with a group of guys who share the same passion for MMA as I do. I'm thankful for our readers, who appreciate the good and call out the bad. And last but not least, I'm thankful fo all the fighters who give this site a reason to exist (that includes you, Shane Carwin). Happy Holidays, y'all. Go MEGATRON!
NICK THOMAS: I'm thankful for Strikeforce trying to book Fedor vs. Alistair Overeem (ranked 11th) in 2010, all the awesome FanPost's and FanShot's you guys have been submitting and the UFC continuing to push for regulation in Ontario Canada. =) Happy Thanksgiving everyone.
KID NATE: I'm just happy to be here enjoying another year of discovery and wonder. I'm thankful to be around at a time when a wonderful new sport is exploding into the mainstream -- more than fulfilling the wildest dreams I had for it when I first saw UFC III and became obsessed. I'm thankful to be part of the great team here at BloodyElbow and thankful for the amazing community that has grown up around us -- especially the critical thinkers who hold my feet to the fire when I screw up. I'm thankful for having had the opportunity to live in the D.C. area and get to watch fights with my main man Luke Thomas. I'm thankful for the great team at SB Nation who didn't just listen when I suggested they have an MMA blog but insisted that I run it. I'm most thankful of all for my family and friends -- especially my wife and son. Happy Thanksgiving!
BRENT BROOKHOUSE: My journey with SB Nation has been all over the place. I started out reading and commenting over at South Side Sox back in the day, Scott Christ asked me to come on board and write about boxing at BadLeftHook when he first got it going, then I weaseled my way onto the BE staff back when it was just Luke and Nate, and now I'm MMA editor for SBNation.com in addition to the roles I fill here. I'm sincerely thankful for every step of this journey and deeply thankful to Nate and Luke for taking a chance on me back when I was doing the boxing thing. I'm thankful for a tremendous year of MMA action that gets overlooked due to our focus on whatever happens to be the news of the day. Think about how many major events there were this year, the level of competition, and the size of the sport and really reflect on it sometime. When you're not caught up in who has staph and who should be ranked where and if this promotion is better than that promotion it can really amaze you just where the sport is right now. I'm thankful that I was able to see Fedor fight live in 2009. Lastly, I'm thankful for my wonderful wife and my amazing family and friends. Oh...and I am thankful for rum.