‘I know people may not agree’ — Longhorns showcase their team unity in naming their favorite Thanksgiving meals
Ham, mac and cheese, green beans, Hawaiian rolls are on every Longhorn plate this Thanksgiving. Turkey? Forget it.
There was universal agreement among the Longhorns this week about one serious topic.
They prefer ham over turkey on Thanksgiving.
“Me, I’m a ham guy,” linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. said.
Safety Michael Taaffe quickly added, “I’m a ham guy, crazy enough.”
Put left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. in that camp, too. “I’m a ham over turkey guy.”
Texas players plan on carving up No. 20 Texas A&M on Saturday. But before that, the Longhorns have some important work to do on Thursday with family.
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Asked to describe the perfect Thanksgiving plate, several Horns had the same idea.
“I know people may not agree with me, but I like ham over turkey,” Banks said. “After ham, mac and cheese, greens. I like stuffing. Stuffing.”
Hill is more flexible. He’s open to anything, it sounds like.
“Maybe some ham, some mac and cheese, maybe some rolls and maybe some green beans,” Hill said. “Finish it with a dessert. I like gooey cake. I’m a big Thanksgiving guy. I mean, I like it pretty well.”
Receiver Matthew Golden has a clear plan for Thursday.
“Dirty rice, mac and cheese. I gotta go yams, and them probably some some ham or some turkey,” Golden said.
Taaffe has similar thoughts.
“Bacon-wrapped green beans, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese,” Teaffe said. “Definitely forgetting some other stuff. Probably one of those Hawaiian rolls, so I can put the ham in the Hawaiian roll. That’s pretty good. And then some apple pie and some ice cream to top it all.”
Taaffe then told a funny story about his time at Westlake and the importance of pacing yourself at the dinner table.
“My senior year at Westlake, it was Covid, so our season got backed up,” Taaffe said. “Our third or fourth round was the day after Christmas. Coach (Todd) Dodge let us, of course, eat Christmas with our families, and I’ve never felt more sick in my life that game after.
“So I’ve learned my lesson on what to do on Thursday for Thanksgiving and then what to do on Sunday after you play a game for Thanksgiving. Yeah, it’s a little different when you’re playing a game on Saturday. So I've learned my lesson playing that game.”
