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Wednesday, October 01, 2003 Page: 7A
OPINION
HE BIGGEST NEWS SINCE JELLIED CRANBERRY SAUCE IS THE RETURN OF HIGH SCHOOL
FOOTBALL TO THANKSGIVING DAY. THIS YEAR, THE ANNUAL UNICO ALL-STAR FOOTBALL
CLASSIC WILL MOVE FROM BALMY JUNE TO BRISK THANKSGIVING. WHILE THE UNICO GAME
IS NOT ONE OF THE LOCAL RIVALRIES (WYOMING AND PITTSTON, WYOMING VALLEY WEST
AND COUGHLIN) THAT WERE TRADITIONS ON THAT THURSDAY IN NOVEMBER, THE MOVE IS A
WELCOME ADDITION TO TURKEY AND A SMORGASBORD OF PARADES AND FOOTBALL ON TV.
THE UNICO GAME, WHICH FEATURES OPPOSING TEAMS OF ALL-STAR SENIORS FROM WYOMING
VALLEY CONFERENCE TEAMS, HAS BEEN A TRADITION FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS. THE JUNE
PLAYING DATE HAS BECOME PROBLEMATIC BECAUSE MANY PLAYERS ARE EITHER GONE OR
WORKING FOR THE SUMMER AND UNABLE TO PRACTICE OR EVEN PLAY. WHILE SOME OF THE
PLAYERS SELECTED FOR THE UNICO SQUADS THIS NOVEMBER MIGHT BE INELIGIBLE IF
THEIR SCHOOL TEAM IS IN THE PLAYOFFS OR IF THEY’VE MOVED ON TO OTHER WINTER
SPORTS, IT STILL SEEMS MORE LIKELY THERE WILL BE MORE SENIORS AVAILABLE.
THERE’S ALSO THE OPPORTUNITY FOR HIGH SCHOOL MARCHING BANDS AND CHEERLEADERS
TO TAKE PART AND FOR STUDENTS AND FAMILY MEMBERS TO ATTEND. CHANCES ARE, A
NOVEMBER GAME WILL ATTRACT MORE PEOPLE. ATTENDANCE AT THE LAST GAME IN JUNE
WAS LESS THAN 2,000 PEOPLE. ALTHOUGH IT’S A FOND MEMORY, THANKSGIVING DAY
GAMES OF 60 AND 70 YEARS AGO BOASTED ATTENDANCE OF 10,000 OR MORE. A LARGER
CROWD MEANS MORE MONEY FOR THE ITALIAN-AMERICAN SERVICE ORGANIZATION THAT HAS
SPONSORED THE CHARITY GAME FOR 52 YEARS. PROCEEDS BENEFIT GROUPS SUCH AS
LUZERNE COUNTY SPECIAL OLYMPICS, THE ARC AND VISION (VOLUNTEERS IN SERVICE IN
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD). FOR ALL THESE REASONS AND LIKELY A FEW MORE, UNICO
OFFICIALS RECEIVED UNANIMOUS APPROVAL FROM WYOMING VALLEY CONFERENCE COACHES,
SCHOOL OFFICIALS AND THE MEDIA. SO AT 11 A.M. ON NOV. 27, THANKSGIVING
FOOTBALL WILL BE PLAYED IN THE WYOMING VALLEY CONFERENCE FOR THE FIRST TIME
SINCE 1977. (WHERE THE GAME WILL BE PLAYED ISN’T OFFICIAL YET.) IT TAKES
LEADERSHIP AND VISION TO CHANGE A TRADITION. WE THINK THIS ADJUSTMENT WILL BE
GOOD FOR UNICO, FOR THE PLAYERS, THE HIGH SCHOOLS AND THE PEOPLE OF THE
WYOMING VALLEY.