The Buttfumble: A Pats Pulpit Thanksgiving Tradition

There's one reason in particular as to why I think that Thanksgiving is hands down the best day of the year. Yes, we all get to stuff our faces, watch some football, take a nap, eat some leftovers, and get good and hydrated as we welcome in the holiday season, but more than that it's the opportunity for us all to take a minute to just be grateful for what we have, to appreciate the little things in life, and to get together with our favorite people for a good meal free of any real commercialism.

And while it wasn't always the case, among the many things I give thanks for every Thanksgiving is that I'm a Patriots fan. It's a pretty great time to be us, and so I want to make sure I'm as appreciative as possible and don't waste too much time or energy being angry or stressed out over football. I'm failing spectacularly at it, but at least I try. And that has to count for something. There is a lot to appreciate in my life - in all our lives - and the Patriots is most certainly on that list.

And as a Pats fan, something else I get to be thankful for this time every year is everyone's favorite play, The Buttfumble. This article has become something of a tradition here at Pats Pulpit, and one that I'll gladly keep alive and well.

On Thanksgiving night just three short years ago - November 22nd, 2012, to be exact - we all bore witness to what may go down in history as the worst NFL play of all time when Mark Sanchez dove face first into Brandon Moore's dumpster and coughed up the ball, which Steve Gregory picked up and returned for a touchdown.  And while it has some serious competition this year, there's just something about the Buttfumble that transcends sports and takes a place in the overall tapestry of this great country of ours. On a holiday that is uniquely America's, watching a sport that is uniquely America's, against a team that is everything that makes America great, we saw a professional athlete collide with another professional athlete's pooper on national television on a forum that didn't come with a $10,000.00 prize at the end. I'd be remiss if I didn't take some time out every year to bring the play up, reminisce about it a little bit, and share it with you all.

Just for the hell of it, I went back and revisited my Fan Notes from that game to relive the experience a little bit more, and here is what I had to say at the time:

That....that Sanchez fumble...wow. I don't even know what to say. Just absolutely amazing. I mean you couldn't write that kind of comedy with a room full of Hollywood writers and Jack Black, Will Farrell, and Steve Carrell as your cast members.

At first, I was a little disappointed in myself; I mean that play was a gold mine of material, and I feel like I mailed that one in. But after some more consideration, I kind of appreciate the simplicity there. After all, what can you really say about the Buttfumble? It was a sight unto itself, a thing of beauty, and really doesn't need much more than that. That I'm actively choosing to write over 600 words on it every single year for as long as I'm a writer for this site is just gravy - much like the gravy that will soon be overflowing on already loaded plates.

So Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. I'm thankful to have found this site, and all of you, and there's nobody I'd rather share the pure beauty of Jets ineptitude with more than the Pulpit. So raise a leg, and maybe a glass or two, to this community tomorrow, and let's go stuff our face.

Go ahead. Watch it again. The laughs will burn off a few more calories.