JOHN CURLEY

Tom Tangney: You can’t use NERF during Thanksgiving football

Nov 25, 2015, 3:58 PM | Updated: 4:19 pm

Ronald Reagan had a much smaller backyard football game going here than Tom Tangney’s big Iri...

Ronald Reagan had a much smaller backyard football game going here than Tom Tangney's big Irish Catholic family game that never included adults. (AP)

(AP)

The tradition of Thanksgiving backyard football has been around since the 1880s. As such, you’d think the rules would be generally agreed upon. Not so much, when it comes to KIRO Radio’s Tom Tangney and John Curley.

Tangney’s big Irish Catholic family game consisted of about 30 kids, never adults. Curley said the “cool uncles” would come out, and maybe a dad or two. And when it comes time to deciding whether or not it’s fair to intercept the 8-year-old who is playing quarterback, Tangney draws the line.

John Curley: Why don’t you pick off an 8-year-old? Because he’s 8?

Tom Tangney: Yes.

JC: Then you know what, too bad. Get in the house. Get in the house, cry-baby.

TT: Because it’s family (time), you shouldn’t even keep score.

JC: I would love to get my family against your family. We’d kick your (butt).

TT: Oh, I don’t think so, because we’re talented.

JC: Oh yeah, we’re talented too. And you know what, we pick off 8-year-olds.

TT: Yeah I know, but we wouldn’t put an 8-year-old in the quarterback slot. That’s the difference.

Tangney said his family played tackle football with his family for years, until a cousin broke his leg. The next year they changed to touch-football. Curley, meanwhile, said it’s perfectly acceptable to pick up a little cousin who has the ball and run with him.

JC: And no ball can have wings on it – it either has to be a NERF football…

TT: NERF! You don’t play with a real football? I can’t wait to play with the Curleys, we’re gonna kill you guys.

JC: Hold on, Tom, back east where it’s 33 degrees below zero, sometimes it’s hard on the hands.

TT: You wimps. (uncontrollable laughter) We’ll kick your butts. This is a Tangney throw-down.

John Curley on KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM
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Tom Tangney: You can’t use NERF during Thanksgiving football