Leftovers From A Freezing Day Of Thanksgiving Football

Leftovers from a freezing cold holiday football game in Stoneham. I would have posted sooner but fingers just thawed out.

● At game-time a reporter's phone said it was 12 degrees. By game's end that same phone was frozen and pretty much useless.

● On the coldest Thanksgiving on record, Stoneham threw six passes, roughly three times its average for the season. The Spartans completed two of them.

● If you were wondering how much coach Bob Almeida would use his starters, the answer was to the bitter end. Both Seth Russell and Christos Argyropolous were hurt during the game and had to be helped off the field. Each returned a short time later, much to the delight of the Stoneham faithful.

● Quick math was impossible on Thursday, at least for me. So to update, Argyropoulos had 14 carries for 155 yards and Russell had 20 carries for 116 yards.

● The 26-point output Thursday was Stoneham's lowest point total for the season and broke a run of four straight games with 40 or more points.

● Bob Almeida's post-game hug of Reading quarterback Matt Sannella was classy and very real. A nice moment, even with temps.

● After Reading's 28-26 OT win, the Thanksgiving series stands at 63-17-4 in favor of the Rockets.

● The most impressive performance of the day might have come from Stoneham center Mike Driscoll. The junior snapped the ball 60 times Thursday without a hitch/drop/fumble/issue. Nothing starts for Stoneham without Driscoll.

● The long-range forecast for Super Bowl Saturday is 39 degrees, roughly three times as warm as Thanksgiving. Shorts and a t-shirt anyone?