DAILY DIRT: Pass the mincemeat pie, stuffing and eggnog? Nope.

DAILY DIRT for November 25, 2022.

I really do miss Kenny Mayne, but you’ll get to him a minute … Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 458 of The Daily Dirt.

1. It’s now officially the Christmas season, and beyond the tree, the trimmings and shopping that all help accent this time of the year, you know what else does? Food. Bad, bad food. 

Between now and when the world returns to normal sometime after the first of the year just think of all of the simply awful “holiday food” you will consume.Here’s my three top bad foods of the season, and I can promise none of these will ever touch my lips again. Not so much because of calories and that kind of thing, simply because I don’t like them.

Gold medal: Mincemeat pie. Despite the name, this pie isn’t made of meat, but it has a list of ingredients including sugar, butter, shortening and eggs that make it a high calorie dessert option. And why again is this a “meat”?

Silver medal: Stuffing. This item has puzzled me for decades. What exactly is the attraction? It neither tastes or smells very good. “Stuffing is certainly a quintessential holiday food, but it can also be high in fat and calories,” writes author Leslie Beck, who penned “Leslie Beck’s Healthy Kitchen.” “Usually, you use lots of butter and margarine. Then if you’re cooking it inside the turkey, you also get all those drippings from the turkey, so that’s adding to the fat.” 

Bronze medal: Eggnog. I realize I’m quite biased, largely because I don’t care for this mixture. But too me, it’s like a holiday version of Pepto-Bismol. Somehow, this festive drink has become a symbol of the season for many people, but it’s also packed with cream, sugar and eggs — not the most nutritious combination of combinations. 

2. Let’s wish happy birthday to the following public figures who have birthdays during this holiday weekend:

• Competitive eater Joey Chestnut is 38 today.
• Former NFL quarterback Bernie Kosar is 58.
• Christian singer Amy Grant is 61 today.
• If alive, former Cardinals outfielder Joe Medwick would have been 111 on Thanksgiving. “Ducky” died in 1975 at age 64
• Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Tina Turner turns 83 on Saturday.3. 

Best current ESPN sports anchors? Here’s my updated rankings:

Gold medal: Max McGee: He’s only been the Worldwide Leader since January, but he’s moving up the ladder quickly. He previously worked in Baltimore.

Silver medal: Ashley Brewer. As soon as I see she’s co-hosting, I’m glued to the TV for the next 60 minutes. She’s extremely knowledgeable and obviously has a good time. She does tend to to talk a bit much and occasionally trips over her words, but hey, who’s perfect?

Bronze medal: Scott Van Pelt. The veteran often pairs well with Stanford Steve, who has emerged as a worthy sidekick.

Best all-time ESPN anchors? I thought you’d never ask.

Gold medal: Keith Olbermann. In his prime, there were none funnier — or better.

Silver medal: Dan Patrick. He was always like the guy next door you enjoyed talking sports with on a Saturday afternoon during college football season.

Bronze medal: Kenny Mayne. Years ago, his dry wit and off-the-wall assessments were boffo box office. His late-night schtick was priceless.

Steve Thought O’ The Day — Was there ever a better era of ESPN Sports Center than the years of Patrick, Olbermann and Mayne?

Steve Eighinger writes daily for Muddy River News. Olbermann should have stuck to sports.