T hanksgiving is the only holiday you can trust.

Christmas music starts in early October, with holiday advertisements not far behind. Commercialization has hijacked every American holiday.

Halloween is sponsored by Hersheys.

That time you got drunk and shot off fireworks on Fourth of July was brought to you by Miller and Busch. Meanwhile, Hallmark subtly sponsors everything, while introducing holidays of its own.

Does anyone actually celebrate Sweetest Day?

Luckily, Thanksgiving has been able to somehow withstand the commercial onslaught and is the only holiday where people genuinely reflect on their blessings.

So what if it’s followed up by the annual 6 a.m. trampling of senior citizens at the mall the very next day?

Point being, there were a handful of things to be grateful for that sports fans might have forgotten about before digging into the cranberries and sweet potatoes this Thanksgiving.

Of course there are the obvious: Illinois’ Final Four run, the first-place Chicago Bears and the Illini hockey club’s national championship.

And depending on which side of the city the doctor slapped you in at birth, the White Sox World Series win.

Something overlooked, but long overdue for Detroit Lions fans was cornerback Dre Bly making public what’s been known for a while now – Joey Harrington flat out can’t play football.

“We’re all at fault, but I just feel like Joey (Harrington)’s been here four years, and being the No. 3 pick in the draft, he hasn’t given us anything,” Bly told the Detroit Free Press. “He hasn’t given us what the third pick in the draft should give us.”

Even though both Bly and quarterback Jeff Garcia pulled a T.O. and publicly criticized management and the starting quarterback, it’s justified.

Lions general manager Matt Millen has drafted three wide receivers in the first round in the hopes of giving Harrington some targets. Meanwhile the Lions struggle to hold their psycho-family together. Maybe a sex-romp on Lake Minnetonka could cure what ails them.

It worked for the Vikings.

It’s also good to be thankful for the little things, like the return of the NHL and the addition of a shootout to end tie games.

Imagine watching Saturday’s 15-round shootout between the New York Rangers and Washington Capitals at Madison Square Garden without the new rules.

The scoreless third period and overtime would have sent fans to Starbucks for a caffeine enema.

Defenseman Marek Malik’s slick between the legs shot iced the game for the Rangers. The shootout in combination with other rule changes have added a playoff atmosphere to every game.

Aided by new rules and last summer’s superstar merry-go-round, attendance is up in markets nobody thought could draw fans. In fact, the Columbus Bluejackets (6-18) are outdrawing the Chicago Blackhawks by more than 2,000 on average. But to be fair, Hawks owner Bill Wirtz has been known to steal lollipops from toddlers.

But let’s not forget to be thankful for not being Christopher Noteboom of Tempe, Ariz.

Noteboom was arrested Sunday evening when he ran onto the field during the Philadelphia Eagles game against the Packers. In his hands was a plastic bag containing his mother’s ashes which he spread on the 30-yard line before being apprehended by police.

Don’t worry Christopher, there will be plenty of “ash spreading” where you’re going.

Thankfully, Hallmark has yet to publish a card for that.

Dan Berrigan is a senior in engineering and can be reached at [email protected]