Craig Kolodny: 4 Athletes I'm Thankful for This Thanksgiving

Here's four athletes I'm thankful for in Boston sports.

Of course: family, friends, and good health. Those are the obvious ones. You didn't come here to read about that. Instead, here's four athletes I'm thankful for in Boston sports. 

- Martellus Bennett. As I've written before, the outspoken tight end has brought some much needed personality to the Pats. He's genuine, always available, and, oh by the way, he's getting it done on the field too. 

- Al Horford. Take away the hefty contract. Big Al has brought it every night in which he's played, and he's made a huge difference in the last three games (all wins). His basketball IQ is off the charts and his game is well rounded enough that he can be a difference maker event when he's not scoring. Is he a superstar? No, but he's rock solid and should lead Boston out of the 1st round come April. 

- David Ortiz. I still maintain he should have won the MVP, yet he somehow wasn't even a finalist. He remarkably didn't have a letdown during his age-40 season, and years from now people will recall his 2016 campaign as one of the best ever for an aging superstar. This may be a story for another day, but he deserves to be in Cooperstown. Spare me the DH talk (and steroids talk). He dominated for over a decade, won 3 World Series championships, and always came through in the clutch. It's going to be very bizarre not seeing him in Fort Myers next year. 

- Tuukka Rask. For those who know me well, hockey doesn't rank too highly on the ol' list of Kolodny. But I have to give credit where credit is due. The B's netminder has kept the black and gold afloat to begin the season with some dominating performances, especially early in the season when the young defensemen had the deer in headlights look about them. Rask will inevitably come back to earth if even for a little bit, but he's keeping the B's relevant. 

For more of my opinions and constant sports updates, follow me on twitter @NBCBostonCraig 

Contact Us