FOX Sports Presents a Thanksgiving Day NFC East Rivalry at 4:00 PM ET

FOX SPORTS NOTES, QUOTES & ANECDOTES

FOX Sports Presents a Thanksgiving Helping of an NFC East Rivalry as

Cowboys Host Redskins Coverage Begins at 4:00 PM ET

College Football on FOX Covers Friday & Saturday with Trio of Matchups

Bradshaw Goes One-on-One With Brees Sunday at 12:00 PM ET

THANKSGIVING DAY FOOTBALL AIRS ON FOX – This Thursday, FOX Sports and the NFL continue a tradition: NFL football on Thanksgiving Day.  FOX Sports is proud to provide the NFL’s second course of NFL action on Thursday, Nov. 22 (4:00 PM ET) from Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, TX as Tony Romo and the Cowboys host Robert Griffin III and the upstart Washington Redskins.  Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Pam Oliver are joined by Erin Andrews to call the excitement from this NFC East rivalry.

Coverage begins at 4:00 PM ET with a special edition of FOX NFL SUNDAY live from Cowboys Stadium co-hosted by Terry Bradshaw and Curt Menefee along with analysts Howie Long, Jimmy Johnson and Michael Strahan.  NFL Insider Jay Glazer breaks the latest league news and scoops from the FOX NFL SUNDAY studio while NFL rules analyst Mike Pereira discusses the previous week’s important impactful calls and points of emphasis in officiating. Comedic prognosticator Rob Riggle provides his Thanksgiving Day picks. Oliver explores the nature of the Cowboys team chemistry and how some of the veteran players have taken younger players under their wing.

Once game action concludes, Buck, Aikman, Oliver & Andrews have the distinct honor of presenting the game’s most valuable player with one of the most prestigious awards in all of professional sports: the NFL ON FOX’s GALLOPING GOBBLER.  The new and improved “Gobbler” has seen a few incarnations and this one promises to be its finest, though giving any further detail on its improvements would compromise the integrity of the award.  First introduced on Thanksgiving Day in 2002, the trophy was won by Cowboys legend and Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith when he rushed for 144 yards en route to a 27-20 victory over the Washington Redskins.

RECIPIENTS OF THE GALLOPING GOBBLER

2002 – Emmitt Smith, Dallas Cowboys RB

2003 – Dré Bly, Detroit Lions CB

2004 – Julius Jones, Dallas Cowboys RB

2005 – Michael Vick, Atlanta Falcons QB

2006 – Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys QB

2007 – Brett Favre, Green Bay Packers QB

2008 – DeMarcus Ware, Dallas Cowboys DE

2009 – Donald Driver, Green Bay Packers WR

2010 – Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints QB

2011 – Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers QB

2012 – ???

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 25

FOX SPORTS GOES FOR SECOND HELPING OF WEEK 12 ACTION – On Sunday, Nov. 25 FOX Sports continues its presentation of Week 12 action with doubleheader coverage of five intense matchups. It’s crowded at the top of the NFC North and two of those teams face-off when Adrian Peterson and the Vikings are in Chicago to take on the division-leading Bears. Meanwhile the 9-1 Falcons meet the 6-4 Bucs in an NFC South tilt. Closing out the first half of FOX’s doubleheader, Pete Carroll and the Seahawks bring their stringy defense to South Florida as they look to shut down Reggie Bush, Ryan Tannehill and the Dolphins. FOX Sports kicks-off the second half of doubleheader in the Big Easy as Frank Gore, Alex Smith and the 49ers visit Drew Brees and the Saints, who are winners of three-straight. The NFL on FOX closes out Week 12 in the desert as the Cardinals host Steven Jackson and the Rams.

Coverage begins at 12:00 PM ET with America’s No. 1 pregame show, FOX NFL SUNDAY. Terry Bradshaw and Curt Menefee co-host the Emmy Award-winning program and are joined by analysts Howie Long, Michael Strahan and Jimmy Johnson.  NFL Insider Jay Glazer breaks the latest league news and scoops from the FOX NFL SUNDAY studio while NFL rules analyst Mike Pereira discusses the previous week’s important impactful calls and points of emphasis in officiating. Comedic prognosticator Rob Riggle provides his weekly picks segment.

This week on FOX NFL SUNDAY: Terry sits down with Saints QB Drew Brees to discuss the tumultuous Saints season that has seen them right the ship and win three-straight. Also, the network airs BEING: Jared Allen.  In this edition, FOX Sports takes an off-the-field look at the Vikings eccentric defensive end.

For instant updates during the week and games from the entire NFL on FOX crew, follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/NFLONFOX. Fans can gain more access to exclusive FOX Sports content by logging on to www.facebook.com/foxsports.

LONG:  9-1 FALCONS ARE HARD TO TRUST – Atlanta has the best record in the NFC but FOX NFL SUNDAY analyst Howie Long isn’t convinced they are the team to beat. “To say that Atlanta is resilient is the understatement of the year,” said Long. “They haven’t necessarily been a dominant team on the field but they find a way to win. The defense bailed out the offense against the Cardinals in a five interception game for Matt Ryan but they found a way. With the schedule they have remaining, they’ll be in the hunt for not only the division, but home field advantage in the conference.  At 9-1, how good are the Falcons? No one has won more games in the first five years of his career than Matt Ryan but he hasn’t been successful.  I still don’t know how good they are.”

GAME                                                                                     PLAY-BY-PLAY/ANALYST/SIDELINE                COV.                       TIME 

Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears                            Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston                          64%                        1:00PM 

                                                                                                & on-field analyst Tony Siragusa

Soldier Field – Chicago, IL

MARKETS INCLUDE: Albuquerque, Austin, Baltimore, Buffalo, Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Dayton, Denver, Detroit, Hartford, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Louisville, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, New York, Norfolk, Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Richmond, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, St. Louis, Tulsa, Washington

Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Bucs                              Thom Brennaman, Brian Billick                      17%                        1:00PM

                                                                                                & Laura Okmin

Raymond James Stadium – Tampa, FL

MARKETS INCLUDE: Atlanta, Birmingham, Boston, Charlotte, Fort Myers, Greensboro, Greenville, Knoxville, Memphis, Nashville, New Orleans, Providence, Raleigh, West Palm Beach

Seattle Seahawks at Miami Dolphins                           Chris Myers, Tim Ryan                                      12%                        1:00PM 

                                                                                                & Jaime Maggio

Sun Life Stadium – Miami Gardens, FL

MARKETS INCLUDE: Orlando, Portland, Sacramento, San Francisco, Seattle

San Francisco 49ers at New Orleans Saints              Joe Buck, Troy Aikman                                     93%                        4:25PM

& Pam Oliver

Mercedes-Benz Superdome – New Orleans, LA

MARKETS INCLUDE: Albuquerque, Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Birmingham, Boston, Buffalo, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas, Dayton, Denver, Detroit, Fort Myers, Greensboro, Greenville, Hartford, Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Knoxville, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Louisville, Memphis, Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Nashville, New Orleans, New York, Norfolk, Oklahoma City, Orlando, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Portland, Providence, Raleigh, Richmond, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Tampa, Tulsa, Washington, West Palm Beach

St. Louis Rams at Arizona Cardinals                             Dick Stockton, John Lynch                                5%                         4:25PM 

                                                                                                & Jennifer Hale

University of Phoenix Stadium – Glendale, AZ

MARKETS INCLUDE: Phoenix, St. Louis

FOX SPORTS PRESENTS TWO-DAY RIVALRY WEEKEND COLLEGE FOOTBALL SLATE – As the Thanksgiving weekend continues, FOX Sports presents a trio of rivalry matchups over Friday and Saturday.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23

On Friday, Nov. 23, FOX Sports brings the Apple Cup to broadcast TV as the 25^th-ranked Washington Huskies travel east to Pullman to take on their long-time rival Washington State Cougars. Craig Bolerjack, Joel Klatt and on-field analyst Petros Papadakis call the 105^th edition of the Apple Cup from Martin Stadium.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24

On Saturday, Nov. 24 FOX presents its final Big 12/Pac-12 doubleheader of 2012 as the Baylor Bears and the Texas Red Raiders meet at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, TX (2:30 PM ET). Justin Kutcher, Eric Crouch and Darius Walker call all the action in this Big 12 matchup. At 6:30 PM ET, the 8^th-ranked Stanford Cardinal travel to Pasadena to battle the 17^th-ranked and Pac-12 South Champion UCLA Bruins. FOX’s lead broadcast team of play-by-play announcer Gus Johnson, analyst Charles Davis and reporter Julie Alexandria call the matchup from the Rose Bowl.

FOX’s coverage begins Friday, Nov. 23 (3:00 PM ET) with a special Friday-edition of FOX COLLEGE SATURDAY, originating from FOX’s brand new state-of-the-art studio in the FOX Network Center in Los Angeles. Host Erin Andrews is joined by analysts Heisman Trophy-winner Eddie George and former Oregon All-American quarterback Joey Harrington.  On Saturday, Nov. 24 (2:00 PM ET) Andrews, George and Harrington welcome viewers to another exciting Saturday of college football and handle all halftime and postgame studio coverage for both games.

For instant updates during the week and games from the entire CFB on FOX crew, follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/CFBONFOX. Fans can gain more access to exclusive FOX Sports content by logging on to www.facebook.com/foxsports.

DAVIS BREAKSDOWN PIVITOL ND/USC AND HEISMAN RACE – College football on FOX lead game analyst Charles Davis joined Fox Sports Radio’s Dan Patrick Show earlier today to recap an exciting weekend in college football and look ahead to Saturday’s Notre Dame vs. USC matchup and who he thinks will win the Heisman Trophy.

Davis on Saturday’s Notre Dame vs. USC matchup:  “Notre Dame should fly out west and win.  Their defense is more than good enough to get it done.  Their offense will surprise you at times like what they did against Oklahoma,” said Davis.  The former Tennessee defensive standout believes the spirit of USC is wounded and wonders whether they can be motivated enough to play their last game of the season. “We’ll know very early in this game if the kids at USC can motivate for one last game…their spirit right now, it’s hard for them to wake up and say ‘what is there to play for at this point’ and that’s the tough part for USC.”

Davis reveals who he believes will win the 2012 Heisman Trophy:  “I think we’re going to have an upset with the Texas A&M freshman Johnny Manziel.  He’s really starting to capture the fan base.  I’m saying, I think people are going to with ‘Johnny Football.’  I’m not saying I am but I’m feeling a momentum for this kid that I haven’t felt in a while.  It’s the same momentum I felt when Charles Woodson was coming on against Peyton Manning.”

Click here for the complete audio file including what Davis thinks of Matt Barkley’s pro prospects:
http://tinyurl.com/d8oncwt

FOX SPORTS MEDIA GROUP WEEKEND COLLEGE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

*All Times Eastern

CELEBRATE AN AMERICAN HOLIDAY WITH EUROPA LEAGUE ACTION ON FOX SOCCER – This Thanksgiving, FOX Soccer is home to highly anticipated UEFA Europa League action as American Clint Dempsey and Tottenham Hotspur travel to Rome to take on Lazio, Thursday, Nov. 22 (12:50 PM ET). The London-based club can take the pole position in Group J with a win against the Italians. On Sunday, Nov. 25 (10:30 AM ET) FOX Soccer airs one of the biggest games from the Barclays Premier League this season as Chelsea and league-leader Manchester City clash. The match features two high-powered offenses anchored by Manchester City talisman Edin Dzeko and Chelsea’s Fernando Torres.