I'll make the comments brief, but a few things to be thankful for (with a football twist, of course) this time of year.

I'm thankful for...
* Well...football. A great sport at any level, but something unique at the Division II level.

I'm thankful for...
* The fan base: While the fan bases at the Division II level might not get the attention of LSU's Death Valley, Michigan's Big House or Penn State's Beaver Stadium, each team has it's own respective group of rabid fans. I'm talking about the fans who are there no matter if it's a sell out or the wind chill is so cold that you can sit in any seat in the house since the attendance has dwindled. The fans that travel. The fans that bleed whatever color their school's logo is themed.

I'm thankful for...
* Terrell Watson. Watson isn't the only guy on Azusa Pacific's offense or team, but he took advantage of schemes, his offensive line and God-given talent, combined it with superb work ethic and put together a season we're going to be talking about for a long time. Hopefully we're talking about it during Sunday afternoons in the fall when we're watching him on TV and we can tell others, "Yeah, I remember watching him scorch XYZ defense for 200-plus yards and four trips to the heeee-ouse in college."

I'm thankful for...
* Humboldt State's turnaround. Last year was a fluke and we all knew it. Even rivals knew it. This year was back to Lumberjack football.

I'm thankful for...
* Western Oregon's muddy field in November. People frown on "poor facilities" but there's something about a muddy football field that makes football seem even tougher. Field turf is so common now, but man do I like straight-up, no-frills, takes-a-beating grass.

I'm thankful for...
* D2football.com fantasy football. Messageboard poster KleShreen keeps the game alive with a schedule, stats and spreadsheets that make an old school sports information director proud. I've played fantasy football for a few years, but this was my first year playing on this site. It was much more fun because I could actually watch my team play every Saturday.

I'm thankful for...
* The appreciation for D2 fantasy football is much greater when you win it all..................I did, thanks to my GNAC-only squad. Looking forward to defending the title in 2015. You can't coach that kind of skill I showcased in fantasy football.

I'm thankful for...
* The fact that most of you know I'm not that arrogant about my fantasy football skill and my win was based on the skill of others and a smidgen of luck.

I'm thankful for...
* The fact that 99 percent of us football nutcases on this site wouldn't know each other if it wasn't for D2football.com. What a great place for Division II football. It's well-run and it's pretty much the only site I check daily.

I'm thankful for...
* The bloggers on this site. I enjoy reading different takes and different styles. Some of us are more X's and O's. Others are more about commentary. They all get read and we're all appreciative of them.

I'm thankful for...
* Us GNAC guys who always know we're backed up against the wall in terms of national respect, but we have each other's backs...at least through the computer screen.

I'm thankful for...
* While it's without a GNAC representative again, I'm thankful for playoff football. I don't know who's going to win it, but it's anyone's trophy that's up for grabs.

I'm also thankful for...
* I'm thankful for the Apple Cup. I'm a U-Dub Husky fan. I'm a Wazzu Cougar fan. I tend to route for the Cougars during the Apple Cup. This is their bowl game and it's in Pullman. I'm hoping for an Apple Cup in the snow, but I'll "settle" for a Cougar win no matter the weather.

Good luck to those playing this weekend. Be safe in your travels. Toast your friends, family and your favorite team.