American NUFC Fans Get Real Football On Thanksgiving

It's the Thanksgiving holiday in America, second only to Christmas in stature, and broader in appeal, cutting across all faiths including the faith of football. For English and global readers who may not be aware, Thanksgiving in America has become synonymous with the US style of football, with nationally televised NFL games throughout the day and evening - the only weekday all year featuring such a feast. This Thanksgiving, though, brings a special treat for Newcastle United fans here: "real" football in the afternoon, as Newcastle kicks off its Europa League game against Maritimo at 3 p.m. Eastern/noon Pacific.

Now the tricky part about Thanksgiving is that it's supposed to be a time for gathering with family. And the family members who don't love sports can be touchy about divided attention between them and the lavish turkey dinner and the TV. For Newcastle fans this will be especially complicated today, given that many of our family members will never have heard of Newcastle United, and the match will overlap one of the biggest NFL "derbies" (Dallas versus Washington - don't ask how that's a derby, it just is). What's more, the Maritimo match is on Fox Soccer "Plus" - an obscure pay TV channel most households don't receive. It's one thing to keep an eye on a nearby television during dinner or drinks or snacks; it's another thing to be scraping for a stream on an indiscreet computer.

American soccer fans are nothing if not resourceful, however, and I have little doubt the rabid Toon supporters among us will find a way. I myself am timing the one-hour drive to our family's gathering to coincide with the first half of Newcastle-Maritimo, which I will be watching in the back seat via a 4G signal, Fox Soccer's online app and my iPad. Arriving at my aunt's house during halftime, I hope to access WiFi and set up a laptop computer near the main TV, which will be tuned to the Dallas-Washington affair, my family being made up of NFL fans here in the Green Bay Packers hotbed. If any of this shall fail, the fallback is a DVR replay when I arrive back home late night with a belly full of turkey and its famously sleep-inducing L-tryptophan chemical compound. I'm about as likely to fall asleep during a Newcastle match as I would be with my finger in an electrical socket. I'll crash afterward.

Are you watching the match today, fellow US Mags? Feel free to share your story below. Meanwhile, on this American holiday of thanks, allow the three of us to thank all of you who generously share your fandom with us here and via @NUFC_US in the Twittersphere. We hope you enjoy it even a fraction as much as we do.

Comments

[rob]

Made me mother schedule the meal around the NUFC match. We are eating at 2 then I bunker down in the basement where I get FSC+. We'll win 3-0, clinch a berth to the knockout round, and I will nap immediately after with college hoops on TV greeting me when I wake up.

[Stephen RUssell]

If you need a good site to stream from i use this one all the time, well when im not at the match anyway

www.lshunter.net

[Cheryl]

My husband works until 2:00 and he told his sister we wouldn't be there until 5:00. Perfect timing for me to catch the match in full. Tomorrow I head to my folks for my family's celebration and wlll be back in time to join Toon Army Dallas for the Southampton match on Sunday. Should be a great Thanksgiving weekend!

[Andrea]

We scheduled dinner later so I could watch the match in full. After so many years of having to suffer through American football, I am thrilled to be able to watch the game today. I watch on Foxsoccer.tv and just transfer the game to my TV. I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends. HTL

[Brad (NUFCmke)]

We are playing like garbage lately..."uninspired" is the perfect word for it really. We don't look like the NUFC of last year, more like the relegation team and its starting to scare me/frustrate/piss me off a little bit and part of that could be do to injuries, injuries, red card, and injuries! Its got to happen against Southampton or I feel we are effed.

[Michael M.]

Hope your elaborate viewing plans worked out, with little in the way of technical difficulties.