Okay, I’ll admit it. I was watching Thursday night as Odell Beckham Jr. crouched under a fluttering leather missile dropped from 150 in the air. And yeah, I was mildly amused. He ended up the first ever “winner” of the NFL Skills Competition’s newly minted “Drone Drop” event.
It’s practical application to actual football skills? None. No punter alive can crank a ball to 150 feet in the air – not even straight up. And none of those punts come knuckling straight down, without a hint of spin or tumble.
But to hear Jon Gruden gush insincerely about “balls dropped from a HELICOPTER” (wrong) with amazement… well… it was the perfect little slice of sports “stupid.”
At least nobody got hurt, killed, or mortally embarassed by it. Unlike a few of the following. I present to you, the unofficial Top 10 of extinct/oddball/stupid/dangerous sports “contests/stunts” of all time.
10. The Superstars Obstacle Course
9. Home Run Derby
8. Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf
7. NBA One-on-One Championship
6. Night Golf: Battle at Bighorn
5. Slamball
4. Beach Football at Pro Bowl
3. Ali vs. Inoki
2. Evil Knievel vs. Ceasar’s Palace
1. Bill Jean King vs. Bobby Riggs
Don’t get me wrong, all of these things had a certain charm and appeal. In fact I sorta with the Home Run Derby and Wonderful World of Golf one-on-one events were still a thing.
I think the NFL is onto something here with the “Drone Drop.” Let’s see what they can do next year, to take it “next level!”
6 Comments
Burton Robertson
Just hear you and Bob & Brian… Love the posting….
You missed the wrestling matches Andy Kaufman did …
Hugh Jorgen
How about Ocho Cinco vs. a horse?
http://bit.ly/2jc6kHj
mike
Evil…..only 40 broken bones and in a coma for 30 days!
…next dude had his aorta ripped from his heart! still survived!
Jon in Indy
Would moving back to this old model of Home Run Derby alleviate some of the modern complaints about “wearing out players” or “ruining their swings?” It would certainly make it suspenseful as the innings got close to the end. The little ‘Jimmys’ and ‘Jennys’ in the outfield would not have as many balls to run after (credit to Czaban on lil’ Jimmy). But overall not as action packed as the flurry of hits at each round.
johnnydomino
Somewhere Les Nessman is fretting to no end.
Hosel Rocket
How about Battle of the Network Stars which was essentially The Superstars but with TV stars or, as SNL described it in a faux commercial, “Battle of the Network T&A.” Nothing better than seeing Adrienne Barbeau and Lee Meriwether competing while wearing bathing suits and 70s style shorts.