Goose Island is a Chicago institution, even if the brewery was bought be beer giant Anheuser-Busch InBev in 2011. So when Cody Parkey missed a 43-yard field goal that would have sent the Bears into the NFL playoffs’ divisional round, the brewery wanted to give fans a way to make the best out of what’s been another traumatic Chicago sports moment.
Goose Island offered fans a prize package if they could make the field goal that Parkey missed, and they turned out in droves to do what a professional place kicker could not on Sunday. To be entirely fair to Parkey: He made the first attempt at the field goal, but Philadelphia called timeout. His second attempt was then blocked, though the distinction after the fact clearly doesn’t mean much to football fans, who will forever associate Parkey with the miss.
If there’s any silver lining here, it’s that what Parkey does is really damn hard, and Bears fans confident that they can do better than a pro certainly got served their humble pie on Saturday. For one, it was snowing in Chicago, which made the kick ever harder. Seriously, these kicks are abysmal and the people who waited out in the cold to boot that football nowhere near the goal posts should feel shame for what they’ve done here.
https://twitter.com/GooseIsland/status/1084162238120906752
Here’s the first kicker. It went exactly as expected.
https://twitter.com/GooseIsland/status/1084162923654729728
There’s something to be said for nerves here, especially after the long wait, but come on my guy.
He waited 5 hours to attempt a 43-yard FG…this was the result
(via @GooseIsland)https://t.co/YaPDj44LHW
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 12, 2019
At least this guy hit something.
does this count as tipped #chicago #fgchallenge #doink pic.twitter.com/cKglRPuGOg
— Michele Steele (@MicheleSteele) January 12, 2019
Even a Packers fan gave it a try, though he got a bit more hostile of a greeting than most contestants.
That’s what you get for being a Packers fan. (Credit @RyanSmithWriter) pic.twitter.com/GK5qeRAWXy
— Madeline Kenney (@madkenney) January 12, 2019
In the end, none of the 100 people who tried made the kick, which basically anyone who respects just how tough being a kicker is could have predicted. But it’s fun to see some people a bit too big for their britches get embarrassed on a snowy Saturday, and Goose Island donated $20,000 to charity instead of giving out tickets to a football game and some airfare.
