David Akers and the Case of the Pink Left Shoe
by Bob_Q on Oct 18, 2010 8:34 PM EDT
in Philadelphia Eagles News
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As you probably have noticed by now, many NFL players have been sporting pink accessories on gameday in support of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. From wristbands to gloves to the football itself, the presence of the "Crucial Catch" campaign is certainly felt in that the NFL stands united in the fight against breast cancer. It's a fantastic gesture and an unparalleled method of raising awareness around the world.
However, the gesture has not been without its minor problems. You may recall that David Akers, sporting a vibrant pink cleat on his kicking foot, missed field goals of 37, 47, and 37 yards - during a home game, no less. Now, if our kicker were, say, David Buehler, this occurrence wouldn't exactly be newsworthy, but this is David Akers we're talking about: the guy who has a lifetime 81% success rate and was 6 of 7 before yesterday. Three misses in a row at home is highly irregular.
So what could be the cause? Well, the guys over at The700Level.com noticed that for each of Akers' three misses, he was wearing the aforementioned pink cleat on his kicking foot and for the one 30-yarder that Akers nailed, he had returned to ol' reliable. Now, as The700Level mentioned, the shoe isn't necessarily the culprit. Akers himself, being the classy guy that he is, refused to assign blame as well:
"I kicked with it all week and didn't have an issue with it. I just went back to a trusty one for the last one. But I don't think it was the shoe. I think it was the person that was wearing the shoe."
The plot thickens after the jump...
I was all ready to write this one off as a fluke until I remembered reading an article that Chris Chase of Yahoo! Sports had written last week. Former NFL quarterback Tim Hasselbeck had been in contact with current QBs around the league about the condition of the breast cancer awareness balls. Apparently, an issue existed there, too:
"They're playing with these breast cancer awareness balls. These balls are brand new, right out of the bag. Now they get slick -- I texted a couple quarterbacks during the game. They all said, 'These balls have been a disaster.' So I think that's something to note."
Now, of course, this could just be a coincidence, or just a series of excuses made by and for good players who happened to have bad games. However, if there is even a 0.001% chance of the logo negatively affecting gameplay, don't you think that is reason enough to discontinue using that piece of breast cancer awareness equipment? There are still plenty of ways for the NFL to create awareness. Keep the on-field logos, keep the wristbands and hats, hell, make the players all wear pink jerseys for crying out loud. Just don't mess with our kicker's game.
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I agree.
Everything from the chin-straps, to the shoe-laces is fine…but why mess with the ball?
Fans can’t even see that at any point in the game, from any seat at the stadium or at your house. Maybe it has something to do with auctions afterwards? I don’t know, but they should probably get rid of it if even one starting quarterback has complained.
"If I was one of our offensive opponents, I’d be scared shitless"
-Antrel Rolle
"We’re going to hit the quarterback as many times as possible, and if he doesn’t make it through the game, then that’s unfortunate for him."
-Barry Cofield
by tito (eight and oh) on Oct 18, 2010 8:41 PM EDT reply actions
A little off topic...
Why the chin-straps, shoe laces, shoes, gloves, and balls?
Honestly they should not have any of this. Now I am not against breast cancer awareness month or anything like that but I think it would be money well spent if the NFL took all of the money they put into all the pink stuff and just donate it to research. That would be a whole lot better in my book.
child please
by worldphuckinchamps on Oct 19, 2010 12:59 AM EDT up reply actions 4 recs
I kind of agree.
Just mention it during broadcasts and at the stadiums and send all that pink money straight to research. Let’s face it, everyone is aware of breast cancer these days I think. I feel like everyone either a) knows someone personally who has/had breast cancer or knows someone that knows someone. We don’t need to be made aware anymore. Curing and treating it should be the goal.
Agreed.
The only thing I can think is that they would be spending that money on equipment regardless (NFL players get new equipment every game), so perhaps there might not be any extra added cost? Who knows, your point is valid regardless, rec’d.
"If I was one of our offensive opponents, I’d be scared shitless"
-Antrel Rolle
"We’re going to hit the quarterback as many times as possible, and if he doesn’t make it through the game, then that’s unfortunate for him."
-Barry Cofield
by tito (eight and oh) on Oct 19, 2010 9:47 AM EDT up reply actions
Marketing, thats why.
Sure the NFL could donate the few thousand it takes to buy all this pink stuff (branding & licensing to them is free)… But to be able to 1) Sell it to you 2) Advertise the charity for relatively free 3) Preach awareness… the money is actually greater to the cause for them to put down a couple thousand in change on the pink gear, and the millions of fans to each pitch in a few bucks. Plus they get an image boost out of it too.. so in reality its a win-win for both the Pink Ribbon & the NFL… not sure why this is hard to see.
I watched him pregame and halftime out there with the pink shoe, and all the wind, and he had no issues at all nailing 47 yarder after 47 yarder (tee at 30) off of the practice holding tee.
True, but how many times have you seen a kicker nail it in practice or pregame warmups and then totally whiff come gametime? There are so many additional factors to consider – the biggest being having a holder vs. a tee and facing the pressure of an oncoming defense.
"you are bobQ aka the dark horse !"
-NorthPhillyKid
I agree Bob, my only point is I think it has less to do with a new shoe then Dave just having a bad day, or the wind for that matter.
And for as bad as he was with FG’s, let’s not overlook the fact that he was great kicking off. He deserves a lot of the credit regarding kickoff coverage, his 1st touchback was into the wind.
by captain nodar on Oct 18, 2010 9:01 PM EDT up reply actions
Chris Chase is such garbage
I cant believe he wrote an article about how it was a bad idea for reid to put vick in the pressbox and allow vick to cine late. Wow.
Me Gusta Los Eagles
by RanjeethR on Oct 18, 2010 8:55 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Is that the cock sucker's name?
I sent him an email and told him what the hell I thought about his journalistic instinct.
MARK IT ZERO.
the media is pissed
reid told vick to show up late and leave early so the media storm didnt come and start interviewing him on the “controversy” so now they have to make a story out of nothing
E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!!!
the article
i posted the article on the side in fanposts…its the … Who else is annoyed with Where was vick questions and stories.
Dont mean to sound insensative, but is there really anyone that isnt aware of breast cancer? And if someone does happen to live under a rock, I dont think a pink pair of reciever gloves are going to change anything. Kinda makes me wonder if this whole thing is a little overboard.
by philiafan14364 on Oct 18, 2010 9:10 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs
no it doesn't.
Bills everywhere, trill everything, and Drake just stand for Do Right And Kill Everything...
Well, I do agree somewhat, and I do understand breast cancer very well. But, I do believe focusing research on specific types of cancer is not where the focus of the research should be. Cancer, as a disease, should focus more on an overall, top down approach, with the goal of ultimately discovering the root cause. I understand that some cancer variations are more marketable in regards to their ability to generate public sympathy (and therefore donations), cancer research should be much more focused than it currently is.
by captain nodar on Oct 18, 2010 9:57 PM EDT up reply actions
we know the cause of a lot of cancers, and the majority of research is pretty general. google herceptin if you’re interested. It’s a breast cancer drug, but is also a proof of concept sort of thing. It shows that you can use the body’s immune system to fight cancers, so a lot of pharm companies are working on other drugs like it. I also saw a researcher talking about her work, and her top down approach was pretty incredible as well.
We do not know the cause of any cancer. What we have identified are some of the catalysts of particular cancers. Herceptin is not a cancer cure by any means, it targets a specific catalyst of a specific type of cancer.
by captain nodar on Oct 18, 2010 10:39 PM EDT up reply actions
Herceptin is an antibody that targets a protein on the surface of breast cells. Antibody binds, immune system attacks the cell like it were an invader. Because that protein is specific to breast cancer cells, those are the cells that get killed. I realize it’s not a cure, and I realize it’s specific to breast cancer, but it’s definitely promising, and the fact that it can be generalized to most cancers is also promising. I think it also works in the way you’re suggesting as well (blocking enzyme activity) (according to wikipedia).
Also, we do know the cause of many cancers….mutations in tumor suppressor genes and oncogenes. We know what cause mutations, too (not every mutation, obviously, and not every cancer, but in my estimation, we know the causes of many cancers).
Maybe I’m wrong, but I’m pretty confident that I didn’t say anything inaccurate. Either way, probably a strange forum to get into a debate about the biology of cancer :)
Its not just about funds for research
A lot of the focus on Breast Cancer awareness month is geared toward keeping women in touch with the issue and what they can do to prevent or catch it. Breast cancer survival rates go up exponentially with early detection, so if the NFL can remind just one woman to get a mammogram and it saves her life, than I’d trade 300 David Akers missed kicks.
Oof.
SAVE THE TA TAs
UDDDDAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!
Η κόλαση δεν έχει μυστικά
E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!!!!!!!!
"fuk u i hate peas"- CNCITINFO (Random BGN troll)
We have a big fundraiser on campus in March for Breast Cancer and they sell these really cheap shirts that everyone wears in March. Kinda cool seeing 35,000 students walking around campus wearing pink shirts that say “We <3 Boobies.”
Oof.
I dye my hair pink and run a race
This year it was a half marathon paid 300 to run the thing. all of it goes to breast cancer
I tried shaving “Save the Ta Tas” in my head didnt work
UDDDDAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!
Η κόλαση δεν έχει μυστικά
E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!!!!!!!!
"fuk u i hate peas"- CNCITINFO (Random BGN troll)
I remember it being mention on TV
They even had a solo shot of a lonely pink shoe on the sideline (why is that not the lead pic for this story) around when he kicked the good one. Pickers are the only ones allowed to wear mismatching cleats, usually so their kicking shoe can be their ‘trusty one’, I was surprised he chose pink for his kicking cleat, as opposed to the plant shoe? (unless its not good)…
Merrill Reese
kept calling it a pink slipper. He made a few jokes about it but also stated the program the NFL had with breast cancer awareness was very important. I’m sure we all agree.
I was in the stadium that day and it was a windy day. Remember that the Falcons kicker missed a very make-able FG at the same end.
Now, it wasn’t crazy windy and David Akers of all people shouldn’t be all that affected by wind at Lincoln Financial Field. He knows more about kicking there any person alive.
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Yeah…people started hating on me when I said wind shouldn’t be an excuse for kickers especially kickers like Akers to miss field goals. I only say that because I know Akers is better than that and he himself would probably not use wind as an excuse for missing those kicks. Not every field goal is going to be in the ideal condition you want it to be in, you’re paid to make the easy kicks and the tough kicks as well. He just had a bad day though, he’s made plenty of tough kicks.
Must be the logo.
I was just drinking a bottle of smartwater that … coincidentally has the pink ribbon logo on the side and it slipped right out of my hand and spilled all over. Its gotta be the pink, or the logo.
All NFC East kickers seriously suck right now
Here’s the FG percentage of the NFC East teams and their NFL rank:
21. WAS: 75% (12-16)
28. DAL: 67% (6-9)
31. PHI: 64% (7-11)
32. NYG: 62% (5-8)
I would like to add that the Cowboys released Nick Folk last year. Nick Folk signed with the Jets who are now 13 for 15 and ranked 7th in the league with 87%.
by One.Cool.Customer on Oct 19, 2010 3:37 AM EDT reply actions
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