Yesterday the Erie BayHawks made their final two cuts and unveiled their official opening day 10-man roster. The roster includes players from nine different states as far west as California and as far south as Florida. With the team headed to Fort Wayne for Friday night’s season opener, the players are going to miss out on home cooking this Thanksgiving. And with a cold winter in a new city looming, many of these players may be struggling to find reasons to be thankful this holiday season.

So this one goes out to the players. On the eve of the 2009-10 NBA Development League season, here are 10 reasons (in no particular order) for the 10 members of the team to be thankful they’re an Erie BayHawk:

1. Home Ice Advantage
   Your three returning players (Jarvis Gunter, Ivan Harris, and Jackie, Manuel) know what’s coming. As for the newcomers, just give it a few weeks. You may never fully warm up to the idea of Erie winters (at age 25, I still haven’t), but once you endure December’s fifth blizzard number, you should develop a sort of reluctant acceptance of the way it is around here. Sure, the games are played indoors, but that doesn’t mean you can’t reap the benefits of Erie’s winter climate. Surviving an Erie winter is badge of honor that we natives take for granted. So don’t fight it; embrace it. And when your opponents fly in from Rio Grande Valley, Texas, and Bakersfield, California, take joy in whatever fun twists Mother Nature throws their way.
2. Filling the Void
   Since Erie doesn’t have any major league teams, we tend to gravitate toward Buffalo, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh (though I personally do not). That gives us three “local” NFL teams, two MLB teams, and two NHL teams, but only one NBA team, the Cleveland Cavaliers. And prior to the emergence of LeBron James earlier this decade, there was little fanfare coming from that organization. Therefore, very few Erie basketball fans have established their local professional basketball allegiance. Enter the BayHawks to fill that void.
3. Minor League Support
   We understand that the NBA is the end goal, but in the meantime, we’ve got your back at the D-League level. Erie has a pretty strong track record with minor league sports. Just look at the SeaWolves and Otters. Put forth effort and a winning product on the court and the fans will follow.
4. Major League Status
   In Erie you’ll be big on and off the court, especially with the kids. You’ll play in front of young people who will model their game after you in the same way you grew up emulating the moves of your favorite pros. Whether you realize it now or not, you’re already stars in their eyes.
5. More Bang For Your Buck
   We know that D-League salaries don’t compare to their NBA counterparts, but thankfully Erie’s prices don’t compare to New York City or Los Angeles either, so you’ll be able to live comfortably. Just don’t forget about our city if and when you do get that call-up.
6. Proven Coaching
   John Treloar and Ben McDonald have impressive coaching resumes, but nothing says more about them than their ability to lead Erie to the D-League playoffs last year as an expansion franchise.
7. Quality Facilities
   You get to practice and train at the world-class LECOM Medical Fitness & Wellness Center. It’s nothing short of awesome.
8. A Committed Organization
   From ownership to the team president to the sales staff and game-day crew, the BayHawks organization is a dedicated group of people that want to see the BayHawks succeed. Moreover, they know the franchise’s success is tied into the team’s success, which depends upon your performance as players. Quite simply, when you look good, they look good, so they’ll be working to make sure you get everything you need off the court to be your best on it.
9. Post-game Fun
   There’s a bar on almost every corner and drink specials that are hard to beat. I’m not sayin’, I’m just sayin’…
10. Light at the End of the Tunnel
    And finally, now that you’re in Erie, the NBA really is just a phone call away. Yes, it’s true that call-ups are more D-League general than Erie specific, but the BayHawks have a great relationship with the Cavs and their new affiliate in Toronto just happens to be the team that called up Quincy Douby from the BayHawks last season.

Thanksgiving definitely cracks Matt Hubert’s list of top-10 holidays. This year he’s thankful for professional basketball in his hometown, all of his readers over at Blog Talk BayHawk, and anyone entertained enough by this post to leave a comment below. Throughout the season, Matt will write a once-a-weekish guest post about the BayHawks here at ErieBlogs.