Scanning the Savanna

Two years ago, Lions quarterback Drew Stanton showed up at a local retail store to support former teammate Ephraim Salaam, who bought presents and hosted a shopping trip for needy children around the holidays.

Stanton was so moved by the experience that he decided to get involved and help fund his own holiday shopping trip for children through Southfield-based Orchards Children’s Services.

They’re 5-3 and going home to play an opponent they’ve come to hate: the loud, brash, brawling badass Detroit Lions. Briggs called it “a big-time, big-time, big-time game.” The Lions whupped the Bears good in Detroit a few weeks ago, on “Monday Night Football,” no less.

Jahvid Best still doesn’t have a timetable for his return from his second concussion of the year, but he said he expects to play again this season and the Lions have no immediate plans to put their running back on injured reserve.

To my family, Thanksgiving is a day of tradition, family and appreciation. It’s with those thoughts in my rear view mirror that I headed out to Las Vegas the day before Thanksgiving in 2001 to watch a college basketball tournament and try my luck at the great American pastime of gambling.