Here's what we're thankful for at press time.

Shaq's free throws.

ESPN's Nerd Squad of anchors.

Vince Young's passes that look like something out of fast-pitch softball.

The writer's strike, for TV stopping sit-coms.

Six people standing in line for Celine Dion tickets when the windows opened in Tulsa.

TV sports anchors being paid by the teams they cover.

The philosophy of Bill Walton.

Football in slow motion: the Big Ten.

The Mute button.

The traditional Kansas basketball collapse.

Meteorologists riding in Christmas parades.

Bobby Knight's bad teams.

Writers on the radio.

Kelvin Sampson getting caught.

We're thankful for an abundance of material.

And we're also thankful for the important things as well.

Soldiers.

Family.

Good dogs.

Fair dogs.

Good readers.

Cops.

Docs.

The Better Business Bureau.

The Picks

Thanksgiving

USC (-3-1/2) at Arizona State: BCS hates State.

Erickson seems to have been one step ahead of the bloodhounds.

OU versus USC in what was formerly the Weedeater?

State by 4.

Green Bay (-3) at Detroit: Favre and Green Bay are like a sit-com dealing in hocus-pocus, Angels in the Backfield, something magical like that as invisible forces knock the old guy's passes back on line.

Green Bay by 1.

Jets at Dallas (-14): Former Sooner Roy Williams in the turkey suit.

Typical foe's play call in the huddle: OK, run to Roy Williams and turn around.

Pass the pillow.

Dallas by 10.

Friday

Nebraska at Colorado (-6): Callahan looks bad even when he's winning -- having started the wrong quarterback all year.

Colorado is after a bowl of crumbs. Colorado by 3.

Texas (-6) at Texas A&M: Will the last option quarterback please turn out the lights. Get the air sick bag: Some actually think Texas could still play for a national title.

Frannie's last note.

Texas by 2.

Boise State at Hawaii (-5): Game to decide this year's Boise.

Boise by 3.

Arkansas at LSU (-12): Loopy Les about to trade foes Florida and Alabama and Tennessee for Iowa and Michigan State and Indiana.

The question being: Who in his right mind wouldn't?

Take that Tiger fans: Not even your coach thinks you're No. 1!

Can't imagine the players letting Frequent Flyer Miles stand in the way of a party.

LSU by 14.

Saturday

Oklahoma State at OU (-13-1/2): Drippy weather could be back in the picture.

Talk about another important game: An OU loss here could mark the worst eight-day period in the Stoops regime; and one of the worst ever.

A loss here means: OU would go from national champ possibility to Big 12 champ possibility to a Beggar's Bowl!

The point spread of almost two touchdowns seems high.

Obviously, OU will have its scowl on.

But it will probably overreact to the injuries and run too much. This would be a big mistake, as OSU's pass defense is about like the Sigma Nu's.

It seems possible that OSU's offense could light up the Sooner defense like a cheap Christmas tree.

Time for Stoops to re-evaluate the outdated defensive philosophy of stopping the run first. Because many good teams don't run much at all.

Also time for fat-cat assistants to earn their gravy.

OU by 4.

Tulsa (-12) at Rice: Why anybody would think TU quarterback Paul Smith is anything but a pro prospect is impossible to believe.

He's better now than half the stiffs throwing picks in the NFL.

Brady can't throw one through a brick wall.

Rice fans are livid at the TU coach for leaving, all 450 of them.

TU by 14.

Missouri versus Kansas (-2-1/2) in Kansas City: Who would have thought it. Who would have dreamed it.

Who would have hallucinated it.

This is the national college football game of the year.

Conference's best defense versus best offense.

Could have major overtones if KU tiptoes its way to a championship game after playing a nonconference schedule comprised of chopped liver.

Should be about 70-30 Missouri money in Vegas, which is a frightening premise for Tiger fans.

Still, Missouri by 4.

Tennessee at Kentucky (-2): Next to last lap of SEC Destruction Derby.

Kentucky by 4.

Florida State at Florida (-13): Time was, you could have kicked Bowden upstairs.

Now, he'd have to be toted.

Florida by 10.

Sunday

Raiders at Kansas City (-6): Please let the clock run.

KC by 4.

Baltimore at San Diego (-9-1/2): Nothing wrong with this that turning the clock back a year wouldn't help.

SD by 9.

Eagles at New England (-17): Will New England remain undefeated next year as well?

NE by 20.

Monday

Miami at the Steelers (-16): Dancing With the Stars final obliterates this in the ratings.

Steelers by 17.