The NFL made a stupidly specific rule after a toeless kicker's record-setting field goal

[@cronoros]

Ye should have included the direct quote from Dempsey which essentially amounted to "cut their toes off and see how they like it"

[@dwagon41]

Think during the first dorktown Jon pretty much said chart party was done.

[@demondog7505]

Conor O'Shea g

[@mangcrow5738]

Bro try kicking a football with a square shoe instead of a pointed one. I guarantee it will go farther.

[@tiny_toilet]

@@mangcrow5738 I guarantee it won't since you still can't kick with the front of the shoe unless you're missing half your foot.

[@BartBasquiato]

@@tiny_toilet you ever played soccer? The people who don't know how to play kick w their toes.. it can make you kick further but you have no control as if you were to kick it w the side or lace part of your foot. In soccer there's soccer shoes w a pointy end & others w a square (not completely square) shape at the end.. so you could use the square looking ones to have more surface when you hit the ball

[@williamjackson3582]

Imagine being so good at something in a sport that it's league has to write in a new rule because of you.

[@thebigbear4696]

Bob Gibson has those feels

[@notmenotme614]

Michael Phelps: so good at swimming that the sports governing body banned his swimming costume

[@robertsprouse9282]

Wilt Chamberlain and George Mikan and the wider lane in the NBA= yep..

[@robertsprouse9282]

@@thebigbear4696, the mound height reduction in '69..yes..

[@10Peter25]

There's the Mel Blount Rule that outlaws bump-and-run coverage farther than five yards away from the line of scrimmage because of how Mel manhandled receivers. And how about the Lew Alcindor Rule that banned dunks in college basketball games for a few years because of how Lew (later Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) embarrassed so many opponents by dunking over them?

[@KnoxCarbon]

Because there's nothing more damaging to a man's ego than knowing a cripple did something better than them.

[@eatfacer8993]

Like Brolylegs ruining people in fighting game competitions.

[@ilickyourtoesatnight9535]

Oofed

[@kyrlics6515]

@Fast Internet that would be a reason why he's doing it other than being gay. Doesn't mean he wants to, just means mommy told him.yo.

[@CarlosSanchez-en6mr]

It’s probably so people won’t purposely do something to themselves to make them “better” in the sport area Yea, this guy was born that way But maybe someone else may cut their own foot to do the same I think this is what they are trying to prevent

[@obi-wankenobi9871]

While the rule is technically fair it just really sucks. A guy with half a foot (running with half a foot is really hard) manages to get good enough to play in the NFL and then the only small advantage he has instantly gets negated by a new rule, that only applies to him.

[@troubledjoe6201]

The NFL is lack-toes intolerant.....

[@JungleCrook]

if you thought of this yourself...bravo. if you copied it...not so

[@troubledjoe6201]

My own dumb joke, thanks !

[@Robert-xp4ii]

Troubled Joe LMAO Well done!

[@RICO_SUAVE_86_]

Lol good one!

[@NarendraWicaksono]

This comment is impressive

[@empaynster925]

The weird rule of this show is that Ryan will not tell the story unless the guest says they want to hear it

[@naverilllang]

I wanna see the video now where someone says no

[@SingularMechanicalCitrusFruit]

That is the apex of weird rules, where they have to make a weird rule for the show weird rules

[@pissfrog]

Ryan is a story vampire. Or a weird subculture of fae.

[@waldothewalrus294]

​@@naverilllangthey just don't get uploaded

[@B3Band]

Select guy born without half of his foot still somehow manages to become a kicker is a problem, but breaking the record at mile high altitude doesn't get an asterisk. Cool.

[@thatboijay3268]

Blood Bath and Beyond - Pop Goes Metal Covers I️t wasn’t I️t Denver he just played for Denver when he broke the record

[@liammcelroy3741]

That boi JAY first of all, it was in Denver, but what someone just pointed out to me that it was very cold, which basically negates the advantage from the altitude.

[@thatboijay3268]

Liam Mcelroy it wasn’t in dever dude 😂 im a bronco fan I know this look it up it was against the Tennessee Titans in Tennessee.

[@thatboijay3268]

Liam Mcelroy wait nvm I’m sleep it was in Denver 💀💀

[@Supersaintsfan]

Dempsey hit that field goal in New Orleans witch btw is like 20ft below sea level not to mention this was before the super dome they play in Tulane stadium (outdoors) so I think the Tom Dempsey field goal was more impressive

[@mcj88]

The kicker is (no pun intended): "When an analysis of his kick was carried out by ESPN Sport Science, it was found that his modified shoe had offered him no advantage - in fact, it was found that the smaller contact area could have reduced, not increased, the margin for error." -Wikipedia on Dempsey's "sledgehammer" boot

[@gallyturndrop5320]

On the other hand, when you get into a routine like that, it basically only involves finding the exact sweet point on that shoe. Regular kickers have to line up their steps perfectly and find a sweet spot on the side of their foot, which is definitely a little bit harder than being able to go straight on. That creates a little bit of an advantage for him.

[@gallyturndrop5320]

How so? If you memorize the exact spot on the shoe where it can be hit well, you have no problem. Regular kickers have exact steps they have to follow, on top of hitting that spot. It is all a routine.

[@gallyturndrop5320]

The bottom line is that the soccer style kickers (and even straight-on kickers for that matter) don't have a hard piece of whatever in their shoe to hit the ball. Dempsey does. That is a piece of equipment that is not necessarily needed, as it was said that he was a barefoot kicker before the shoe anyway. The shoe gave an advantage so they took it away. This didn't just say, "screw disabled players." It was setting a precedent for future instances of this happening.

[@nonsensecrusade2741]

>kicking strait isn't easier

[@reyanshpatel757]

dar'man beskar Ordo Both of your arguments fly in the face of modern physics, dummies. While it is true that larger contact area will reduce margin of error for the kick, your wood generate more power than your bone b/c it is more powerful and harder. What would you rather be hit by. A femur or a plywood. I know, a femur. This man had all advantages evened out b/c he had hard wood but larger contact area. therefore he is fine. however, i know this because i took JEE (scored sargent rank and top 5000) and played cricket. for you americans, imagine hitting a baseball with a bat or a bone hand. which one gets the home run, i know, the bat. dar'man, you sir, must not speak about topics of which you proclaim to have knowledge on, but have none at all.

[@thinkcivil1627]

I saw Dempsey kick for the Eagles when they played the Vikings at MN in the early 70s. Before the game, he was crushing kicks from increasingly longer distances as he warmed up. As the practice kicks got longer, the "smack" got louder. Even Vikings players were watching the show, and the crowd really got into it.

[@thud9797]

The sound from the 63-yard kick was shocking. A stunned Alex Karras told Saint receiver Danny Abramowicz after that Dempsey didn't kick that ball, God did. 😀

[@tennisdude52278]

If anything, Prater’s record should have an asterisk because he was kicking in the much thinner air of Denver.

[@robertsprouse9282]

And, if he mis-kicks it it will not be slow enough to self correct or spin-correct. That is why in DENVER, you either make it, or you miss long ones badly, worse than you do at sea level= the speed of the ball and its spin.

[@dallasbrubaker6054]

Yadda, yadda, yadda

[@ntdscherer]

Kickers from other teams are welcome to come break the record in Denver. ;-)

[@jameswatson6732]

@@ntdscherer He also gets to train there, kickers in lower altitudes such as New Orleans or San Francisco don't have that advantage

[@asonofliberty3662]

@@jameswatson6732 damn I guess your guys suck that bad huh. Got any more excuses

[@bernie2231]

I remember watching Tom Dempsy in the '70s, when he was on the Eagles. I saw him make many tackles on opposing returns. He was not just a kicker, he was a football player.

[@glorkYT]

that's so inspirational. missing the one part of the body a kicker needs and is STILL the best

[@dizziedylan]

Guess we should ban people with good genetics too. It's unfair that they have an advantage.

[@njackson6807]

Let's just make the damn thing communist and force everyone to be equal. Quarterback has great accuracy? Remove his eye. Wide receiver talented at making catches? Chop his arm off, etc.

[@x2ceyez]

Head coach winning too many games? Lobatamy

[@notthatyouasked6656]

See Kurt Vonnegut's story "Harrison Bergeron"...

[@Patrick-ic7vg]

N Jackson wasn’t that a book?

[@liammcelroy3741]

I swear if OBJ had only one arm there would already be a rule that a player must have 2 arms, especially since the Giant are rivals with Dallas.

[@error-dc2ox]

Tall people should be banned from basket ball then because they have a natural advantage.

[@Ryan-yu5kt]

Being tall isnt a piece of equipment dumbass. If a basketball player only had one arm, and he had a prosthetic arm that calculates how to make every basket, then it should be banned. THAT is a valid comparison, not your stupid comment

[@dolphindrawings9331]

@@Ryan-yu5kt Somebody is offended

[@Ryan-yu5kt]

@@dolphindrawings9331 You got me

[@alexandruseizu5465]

@@Ryan-yu5kt you are a hysterical moron. he had a shoe that fits to his foot, same like a helmet for a big and squared head like yours.

[@commander8625]

@@alexandruseizu5465 The big thing, however, is that his shoe allowed him to kick the ball differently, thus giving him a large advantage. Its weird, but his abnormalities gave him a huge advantage.

[@IllaMatik222]

"Damn I wish I was better at kicking with all these TOES in the way."

[@RockySmithsen]

Lol just cut them off

[@qspencer8137]

R.I.P The legend Tom Dempsey❤️❤️❤️

[@Paul-fp3qn]

May he rest in peace. He was an inspiration to many of us, and he will not be forgotten.

[@TheT0N1c]

The biggest Story Here is that Tom Dempsey was the only barefoot kicker who didnt have toe nail problems. Btw are the any specific rules about barefoot kicking?

[@ianakers7359]

ToN1c no players just outgrew it

[@blackhawkswincup2010]

Tony Franklin used to kick barefoot for the Eagles back in the 80s

[@cvn6555]

Crazy. Saw him at training camp kicking them from the opposite goal line. Of course the trajectory would be too low to clear opposing players but it was impressive.

[@jonashelmke2564]

I'd say there's almost certainly going to be some rule mandating footwear if only for safety reasons.

[@zachbeckham6520]

Jonas Helmke youd be surprised. Barefoot kicking just fell out of favor despite being quite popular in the 80's

[@michaelhill3700]

"Which half?" The front half. That's right, he kept his toes in a jar.

[@robertsprouse9282]

He was born without them, and righthand fingers.. And, he died of COVID this weekend.. Now, don't you feel like you are STORED HIGHER IN TRANSIT?

[@dustinpeterson6511]

Michael Hill you never know, maybe he kept the left half

[@michaelhill3700]

@@dustinpeterson6511 ahhh. True.

[@AllenHanPR]

Imagine creating a rule for the disabled because they excelled at something.

[@ioangogov2993]

Well if you try to set a record for most pull ups and you dont have legs you are at a huge advantage,40% less weight

[@sarowie]

this is a "pretty normal" dilemma in the special Olympics/paralimbics. There is "sweet spot" of amputation/disability in each category and it is hard to resolve. Also with running: Prosthetic legs/sprinters can be faster then "normal" sprinters - so prosthetics are not allowed in "normal" competition. But for the "normal sport": You do not want to look up a graph of world records and drug testing correlation.

[@Iam0ne1]

@@ioangogov2993 so it’s his advanced, then no man should hold a record cause males higher strength. This is just the mass able bodied people discriminating against the minority disabled people.

[@Volkbrecht]

The thing is, they generally don't, not with the equipment everybody else has to use. Which is why they are called "disabled". Also, imagine what American Football with hammerboots for kickers would look like... sometimes it's just sensible to have equipment restrictions.

[@CatacombD]

@@Iam0ne1 The thing is, the video (jokingly) covered exactly why you need a rule like this. How do you deal with a situation where a person invents a prosthetic that is so superior that it renders standard humans obsolete? Hell, we actually already have that problem for running events, which is why prosthetic running legs are heavily tested/regulated so that they aren't *too* good, lest they become so dominant that the only way to win at the olympics would be to cut off your own legs. Ideally, we want prosthetics that offer performance equal to a regular human. No one wants to watch a swimming race where you have 9 contestants going barefoot, and then the last contestant gets to wear flippers.

[@DissociatedWomenIncorporated]

If the record's since been broken by someone with a full foot, clearly the rule should be reverted. The only part of the rule that even makes sense is maybe rounding the front of the shoe, there's no point having a hollow space in there, it'll put any future players with the same condition at an unfair disadvantage. It'd be like playing in clown shoes.

[@KoiSpain0]

It took nearly 50 years for two players to beat that record, during which the approach to how players train, perform and even live to become as capable as possible has changed. A guy with a sledgehammer for a leg needed no more training than the rest at his time to absolutely crush the competition. Makes sense?

[@DissociatedWomenIncorporated]

@@KoiSpain0 wait why do you think this is akin to a guy having a sledgehammer for a leg? He had a prosthetic lump of plastic, not a cybernetic foot-cannon.

[@KoiSpain0]

@@DissociatedWomenIncorporated because of the way feet work. if you've ever played any sport involving kicking, you'd know that you need a lot of force to "whack" the ball far, but using the tip of the shoe to kick the ball transforms the most weight into the ball. the only drawback to this is that your toes aren't solid blocks, but rather small conjunctions of bones that have no rigidity when being pushed upon from above. if you somehow managed to bypass this issue, you could easily convert all the kicking energy into the ball. if you have a deformity that somehow doesn't let you fairly compete with the rest, then it's not fair to give yourself an advantage.

[@TheBuckman7989]

RIP Tom Dempsey. Forever a legend.

[@redram5150]

"I think its wrong that guy has the record. He has an advantage!" **Record is broken in, of all places, Denver

[@matsumoku1]

There was plenty of time for people to bring up the "grievance" of Tom having an advantage, but they didn't. In the law. we call this a "waiver". NFL handled this correctly.

[@MsShortstuff333]

R.I.P. Mr. Dempsey. A Saints Legend.

[@roshango125ab]

As I type this Tom Dempsey passed away yesterday at the age of 63. RIP you legend. You may be gone but you and your special foot will live forever in the rule book

[@waltwilliams7063]

*73

[@georgeorwell4534]

Tom Dempsey is one of the nicest guys in the world. Good natured and was gracious when his record was broken in Denver.

[@Ted_DiSanti]

"Which half"? 😂 Mike should really be in more of the newer SB Nation videos, his approach to humor is great!

[@Jeterfan906]

He broke it in Denver, everything done there deserves an asterisk.

[@Nick-dq8tf]

He made a 59 yd field in Chicago a few years back with quite a bit of room to spare. He kicked a 76 yd field goal during practice at the pro bowl. He can make a 64 yd field goal anywhere, it's just getting the chance is hard

[@KleyDeJong]

I believe he could make it. But do you think the air in Denver isn't relevant? Thinner air = less resistance = further distance?

[@liammcelroy3741]

Kley De Jong that is exactly how it works

[@caseyryan1]

Jeterfan906 Gostkowski made a 63 yarder in Mexico City last season

[@liammcelroy3741]

InfinityArch Mexico City has an even higher altitude that Denver.

[@Darkash150]

RIP Tom Dempsey, thanks to this video i know who he was

[@theshawshankinception1220]

Love this story. Also do a weird rule on Robert Di Vincenzo’s 1963 Masters scorecard blunder.

[@Sai4651]

This is a perfect example of a Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUE) which is something that is used for athletes who have a physical disability. TUE's are basically tools/treatments that are allowed for an athlete to use if they have a condition that gives them a disadvantage. However, the TUE must only bring them back to an even playing field, not a single level above it. Nobody would be giving Tom Dempsey credit for this achievement if he had a bionic leg. TUE's are studied heavily in order to see if they indeed give an athlete an advantage. I believe the NFL was reasonable for creating these rules, this isn't about banning players with disabilities, it's about making the game fair for everyone. Now, given the time, I highly doubt they did the research to determine if he did have an advantage.

[@sarowie]

by grandfathering him in, the transition is somewhat "smooth" as any aspiring kicker without toes (never born with or lost in accident) now "starts" or rehabilitates with this rule in mind, while he after years of professional training and experience did not have to relearn his craft.

[@henrymccoy2306]

@@bobjohnson7020 Exactly. Imagine all the teenagers out there who considered cutting off their toes to get to his level. People are comparing to banning tall people but becoming taller artificially is not as easy as taking some prunes to your toes.

[@ianjacka469]

@@henrymccoy2306 How would you become artificially taller? The only way I know of is to get those leg lengthening operations like they get in China, which only give you extra inches and are insanely painful.

[@henrymccoy2306]

@@ianjacka469 exactly. It’s an awkward, ineffective procedure that wouldn’t get the job done and is too expensive for most to even consider. Garden shears to the toes however might just work looking at this guys kick

[@Nekufan1000000]

@@ianjacka469 The problem I see with the comparison is that while our kicker was born without his toes and a person would need to lose theirs to match his needs, a person doesn't need to lose anything to gain height through a mechanism. I'll do basketball in platform shoes that give me an extra six inches. It'll be awkward, I'll have to train harder, but I'll go from, basketball height here not my real height, a player of 6 foot 6, to 7 feet even. A shoe with a flat front could reasonably be made for other NFL kickers. The real question is if that actually helped anyone, and I think that's something you could take to a science lab. Test normal kicks with normal shoes vs ones with a flat front to them and see if a flat-ended kick gets you more distance. We all know that a player using platform shoes, given they train in them, would have a notable advantage, but there's a huge question mark on how useful this guy's modified shoe actually was. That's the real problem.

[@AlibiSZN]

Who's here after Justin Tucker 66 yard field gold🤯😤😤

[@hieronymusnervig8712]

If it was a rule prohibiting the shape of an actual prosthetic, like having an artificial leg with a sledgehammer on the end, I could actually understand that. But prohibiting FITTING shoes for a person with an unnaturally formed foot... That's like forbidding someone from playing basketball just because he is higher than 2m

[@gallyturndrop5320]

What? That makes no sense. His equipment was specially made to give him the ability to kick those field goals better than he was doing barefoot. He was able to do it barefoot, but it was obvious that the shoe gave him better results. Also, he wasn't banned from football, he just had to find a different way to kick.

[@hieronymusnervig8712]

No sir, YOU make no sense because that's the reason ANY shoes are used in sports, he didn't have any more of an unfair advantage than what his genetics gave him. They didn't tell him to find a "different way to kick" they told him that he was only allowed to use boots that didn't fit. Maybe you don't understand that Basketball example so here's a better one: Imagine every boot had to have the same size: then all players would have to find a different way to run or would have to play barefoot. As I said, disallowing artificial legs that have certain gadgets that give an advantage is good, disallowing someone from using fitting footwear just because he has no toes is really, really bad.

[@gallyturndrop5320]

Wearing fitted shoes is fine, but if they obviously provide the purpose of helping you in a specific task within the game, that is where it gets iffy. I am positive the NFL was not trying to spite this man, they were just trying to set a precedent for future cases. Again, he did kick barefoot, but that shoe was SPECIFICALLY designed to help him kick field goals. That is why the NFL could not allow him to use it.

[@hieronymusnervig8712]

Maybe it was actually made in a way that would further help him in his kicking but forcing him to use shoes that do not conform to his feet is just stupid lobbyism trying to get and advantage over a team that got natural talent.

[@gallyturndrop5320]

I am positive he could still use shoes that form to his feet but it is obvious that he had a little piece of a hard object in there that could be used to help him get the kicks up. You can see that in online pictures of his shoe.

[@jol6817]

Not really relevant, but when I was in youth football I played against a team that was coached by Tom Dempsey. But that was... 21 years ago?

[@cameraman1234567890a]

That’s actually really cool

[@zachbeckham6520]

Dopeeeee

[@coolguy02536]

Now THAT...is a coincidence.

[@omarkhan5223]

Damn right that's not relevant. Keep you weird stories to yourself! On that note let me tell you something relevant, when I was 13, I played against a team that was coached by Kevin Hughart, who is he you may ask, he was none other than the generic man who coached the other team.

[@jeffw1267]

Did his team KICK your ass?

[@jackashmore]

Coach: it’s a 60 yard field goal, I don’t think anyone can make that.... Dempsey: hold me toes

[@abdul.r7855]

God: dont mind if i do.

[@brianchieffo2427]

Rest in piece Tom Dempsey

[@AnotherStatsGuy]

If you're going for weird and obvious rule patches, the Trent Tucker rule about jumpshots requiring 0.3 seconds has to be on there. (Never mind that's it's basically moot in the era of HD/4k replays.)

[@DN_13]

The guy on the right took Quaaludes before the taping.

[@bobbob465]

I thought he was doing his best to imitate early Joe Buck.

[@scenepointjudge]

Took too many quaaludes*

[@rickyrick5586]

Probably opiates

[@stevencooke6451]

He's definitely low-key.

[@spartus]

RIP- just passed away in CORVID-19 ...2020...

[@hustonswanson4106]

"Imagind having a commissioner that was cool" we all felt that.

[@kourii]

Not only did they enact the Tom Dempsey rule in 1977, but they moved the goalposts in 1974 to discourage long kicks

[@martyc909]

I liked that they moved the field goals back. But the rule SUCKS!

[@fasteddie9970]

A stupidly specific rule? Hmm... trying to think if they’ve done that again recently..

[@jasonmatteson9909]

FAST EDDIE they haven't

[@weeman5697]

Hmmm I just can’t seem to put my kne- I mean finger on it

[@thespongemonkey]

I don't seem to CATCH your meaning...... I'm not sorry.

[@saveusjay]

The Sponge Monkey He’s not talking about the catch rule. He’s talking about the anthem rule.

[@thespongemonkey]

They both work tho.

[@SamOrthodoxy]

R.I.P. Tom Dempsey. I literally found out about him from this video right now, clicked on a news website, saw he died. I'm speechless.

[@churdle92]

So the Lions were victim to dempsey’s 63 yarder, and now Justin Tucker’s 66 yarder

[@BiggestRedditor]

The way these two interact with each other feels like it could be a British comedy sketch. Just the deadpan monotone voice they use creates humor on its own.

[@cababyboomerq6012]

I remember how we all liked watching Dempsey kick. I saw him make that recording setting field goal on TV when it actually happened. As far as kickers go, every knew who Tom Dempsey and George Blanda were!

[@austingessner8269]

I use to kick in high school and I had a “ Tom Dempsey” cleat because I was a straight on kicker as well and it was amazing how much more range I got. My furthest kick in a game was 38 yards and my furthest in practice was a 55 yard field goal.

[@craigpaulson3503]

I lost the front of my right foot due to Squamous cell carcinoma. Dempsey's 63 yard FG means a lot to me for obvious reasons. Here's the kicker(pun intended)... Dempsey set the record against the Lions and I've been a huge Lions fan all of my life.

[@tannhauser7584]

Oddly, that new rule doesn't apply to Tom Dempsey. He didn't have an "artificial limb on his kicking leg". Also, his kicking shoe was not "modified". It was custom built.

[@timsmith1125]

Perhaps kicking a record field goal in Denver, CO should have an asterisk. Less air resistance because the stadium is at a higher elevation means the ball will go farther with the same amount of force.

[@sp3ctor20]

The delivery of the line, "with half a foot" is for some reason one of the funniest things I've ever heard in my life. I'm not sure if its his cadence, or the set up perfectly complementing the line delivery (likely both), but bravo.

[@t4texastomjohnnycat978]

R.I.P. Tom Dempsey🏈

[@rafpach87]

I don't know what was the rule, but there was this time when Brazil lost on purpose to Bulgaria in the 2010 Volleyball Men's World Championship. Apparently, the path to the final for the team qualifying second was easier than the path for the team qualifying first. Maybe it's interesting for you to show - and I could finally understand.

[@FransLebin]

feels like an episode of Antiques Roadshow

[@Ancient_Regime88]

Mike's gesture at 1:14 is seriously the funniest way I've ever seen someone say 'yes' in my entire life.

[@raphaellopes5715]

And then justin tucker went beast mode and ended both Prater's and Dempesy's record for longest field goal in the NFL

[@BigShaneGillis]

Guy brings a whole new meaning to the term “club foot”

[@jaystrickland4151]

Tom Dempsey Taken by Covid, you will be missed sir.

[@abudietrich]

So what was the guy on the right in the video there for?

[@jrupp2823]

literally

[@tmage23]

audience surrogate.

[@tomstoughton]

his wonderful comedic timing and ability.... lol

[@logan_nowicki]

The premise of the series is two guys sharing stories. One acts like the knowledgeable one sharing the story and the other is the (slightly) interested person learning about it.

[@EmptyHand49]

Eye candy

[@ruthlessjack7367]

Now held by Justin Tucker of the Baltimore Ravens In 2021 vs the Detroit Lions.

[@MrLemonsChannel]

Game winning record breaking kick

[@vambo13257]

I worked with Tom years after he retired, a great guy!

[@nover0570]

"I never liked that guy" LOL

[@joshmontagne924]

look at that advantage 5 toes instead of 10 toes

[@mangcrow5738]

The advantage was the fact that he was hitting with a square instead of a pointy shoe. Square exerts more force on the ball and is easier to kick with.

[@willdawg0053]

Mang Crow r/woooosh?

[@6thwilbury2331]

Question: is Mike only pretending to have never heard of Tom Dempsey, or was he genuinely unfamiliar? For a guy like Mike, what with his extensive sports history knowledge, Dempsey (or the position of the goal posts, for that matter) should not be some obscure tidbit from NFL lore.

[@leesalt]

6th Wilbury not only that but every kid with Scholastic book orders always got the Guinness Book of World Records. Dempsey was one of the first sports records I ever learned about from that book.

[@krybling]

well that he didnt understand the goal position means he has never seen a match from before the 1974, so yea lol

[@dinamosflams]

He seems Very awkward and high

[@5roundsrapid263]

I grew up near New Orleans, and was always a Saints fan. This record was all we had until they won the Super Bowl!

[@joekurtz8303]

He was one of the great kickers in his time, saw him at the pro bowl in 68.

[@ngolakante5208]

R.I.P Tom Dempsey to coronavirus

[@wearethewhodatnation4123]

nfl even back then hating on our team sadly

[@5roundsrapid263]

We Are The Who Dat Nation Yep. Hartley kicked the Saints into the Super Bowl, and the league changed the rules the next season!

[@notoriousbig6199]

And still hates you now lol

[@mangcrow5738]

It is unfair to have a square when hitting something rather than a pointy shoe. Did no one pay attention is common sense class? It's also easier to kick with a square for obvious reasons.

[@calo4_942]

@@mangcrow5738 also easier to walk with a full foot instead of a square

[@rayhs1984]

In baseball you can't run the bases backwards because a guy kept stealing first base in a attempted double steal with a man on third.

[@rayhs1984]

Morgan Yes. There was a guy named Herman "Germany" Schaefer. He was on first and a teammate was on third. He stole 2nd hoping to draw the catchers throw for a double steal. It didn't work so he stole first. It again didn't work, so he stole 2nd again for a successful double steal. A few years later in 1920 the MLB wrote rule 7.08i saying that you could only steal bases counter-clockwise.

[@rayhs1984]

Fox D this video is 5 minutes, the rule wasn't written until after he retired and I think after he died, he died young there are available quotes from the first baseman who said that "I'm glad that the pitcher didn't throw it too me because I'd have dropped it." They have better research than me that could easily make a 5-10 minutes video on this.

[@diggsfather]

Raymond Smith jean segura ended up stealing first in a failed run down against the cubs a few years back

[@GiDD504]

He’s still loved by all of Louisiana. Legend. Rip. 😔⚜️

[@douglaslatham9904]

A player in the Australian Football League, kicked the exact same style kick for a distance of 97metres back in the early 1900's when "place-kicking" was used in this league. It stands as the record to this day.

[@kylem9476]

Can you do Ultimate frisbee rules? They don’t have a referee and any player can call a foul... but yet it works!

[@roguishpaladin]

K M It's because ultimate frisbee players are so crescent fresh.

[@PRIZOOMY]

K M hi I play ultimate frisbee and I will argue it doesn’t work. The best games either have officials, or ‘observers’ who are able to make some active calls and overrule foul play.

[@coast2coast00]

Curling is similar, they have officials in competitions, but half the time when an official comes out with a ruling, both teams argue with them because the officials know less about the game than the players(and the players basically always play fair).

[@EMETRL]

Curling doesn't count because it's almost exclusively played by Canadians. The last time I saw an argument in curling, it went something like this: "I think your stone is closer to the middle" "No I think YOUR stone is closer" "You sure? Let's get the official" *official isn't sure* "Alright, your stone is closer, let's move on" "No no no, YOUR stone is closer" for about 6 more minutes

[@caseysmith544]

​@@PRIZOOMY I agree, they have a single reff for the Ultimate league games in the MLU as it is called now as of late 2000's. I saw that league championship on TV in 2017 and now 2018.

[@getraided9023]

What dope thought having the field goal in front of the end zone was a good idea

[@Painfulpierre]

The way they interacted with each other in this video made me fell awkward.

[@alicel2572]

Claude Pierre I had to shower afterward.

[@robertsprouse9282]

Imagine how they felt..

[@b0zz1380y]

How do you usually fall?

[@robertsprouse9282]

@@b0zz1380y, when I am in the Time Tunnel, Doug and I fall progressively or digressively..

[@jeffk393]

Yeah the whole format of this video is really strange

[@owenshores3358]

This guy is like the guy who shows you what music he listens to and tries to get you obsessed with it

[@unclecreepy9202]

I think “Detachable Kicking Toe” was the B-Side of the King Missile’s single.

[@nolanross4404]

ncaa uniform rules

[@JoeMama-tp6cq]

Maybe it's to prevent players to cutting part of their foot off now that they know it can be used as an advantage.

[@TheAlfrulz]

The reason why the league cracked down on this was because they were afraid it would set a precedent where all straight on normal toed kickers would start wearing modified shoes with flat front surfaces and possibly more. I remember Al Davis of the raiders making a big stink about this, accusing Dempsey of using a metal plate in the front flat part of the shoe which was an advantage over rounded shoes. There's an article here that briefly talks about and has a picture of Dempsey with his shoe and more. sportslens.com/9-sportsmen-who-bent-the-rules-and-got-away-with-it/59697/ Just shows you there are two sides to every story. It's not like the league wanted to punish Dempsey solely because he looked different.

[@joenieuwendyk91]

Finally an intelligent person.

[@fivesidedpixels4991]

I was wondering if there was more to the story than the video let on. It's unfortunate, but an unfair advantange is still an advantage.

[@Koolaidviewer]

Its not really an advantage they showed it on sports sceince

[@TheDevilRejectsNone]

"Solely..." made me laugh

[@tygrkhat4087]

I have the NFL's 50th Anniversary book, The First 50 Years, and it has color plates showing the evolution of the uniform from the 20s to the 60s. One of the pictures is of Paul Hornung, who kicked for the Packers. He's shown wearing a shoe on his right foot with a squared off front. The accompaning text even says that he's wearing a special kicking shoe.

[@scastro41797]

I love this conversation because its just a good conversation.

[@toby6790]

Two words "Justin Tucker"

[@hustler3of4culture3]

His foot has half the mass of a normal foot so there's that

[@Halfbreedmofo]

This just shows that Pete rozelle was the best commissioner the nfl ever had

[@thunderthrustable]

*Gimme Them Toes Boi*

[@EatScrabbleGoo]

So much more power is generated when the knee is coming through in line with the hip.

[@FosukeLordOfError]

I found this channel by accident and i love the energy.

[@jonathanbroughtonreacts]

Honestly, that really is an advantage...

[@robertsprouse9282]

No, it isn't.. ESPN'S SPORTS SCIENCE did a show on that and proved that Dempsey had a smaller margin for error, and distance was not affected.

[@rinrin4711]

@@robertsprouse9282, they didn't take to an account that players can't kick with the full strength, because guess what? They will likely break their toes.

[@robertsprouse9282]

@@rinrin4711, but he still took a pounding on the ends of his feet everytime he pounded it, and the toes can flare off a little of that shock, the ends of the feet before toes with in his case NO TOES meant that he felt not only some pain, fleeting or not, in his feet, but a higher degree of jarring stress on his feet, legs, hips, back and torso, that toed kickers would not, and I am sure that wore his body down faster. And, the harder he kicked the more jarring it was, so I am sure he didn't always let it go full bore when he did not have to do that.

[@briobrio6047]

Advantage don’t have toes ...

[@valeriefolse9452]

I'm a huge saints fan, tell your buddy that matt prater has the asterisk next to his name because he broke the record with a whole foot@!!! Dempsey will always hold the record for me lol

[@5roundsrapid263]

Me too. My dad raised me on the Saints. He saw the kick live on TV! He passed soon after their Super Bowl, but got to see that, too. Who Dat!

[@n9nealive816]

Been a fan sence 06’ an been a huge fan of Dempsey sence

[@CajunFyre92]

Always!! Dempsey for the win!!!

[@patrickcooke577]

soccer player here- kicking barefoot with the bony part of the top of your foot is incredibly powerful

[@statealchemistkev]

Its not soccer its football, and kicking a ball bare footed in general is more powerful then shooting with boots or something

[@kvltizt]

@@statealchemistkev It is soccer though, even if you don't like that name.

[@statealchemistkev]

Butter Johnson its not. Its called Football

[@kvltizt]

@@statealchemistkev Explain "calcio" for me then, please. :)

[@statealchemistkev]

Butter Johnson Calcio is football in italian..

[@apbuggygaming]

To be fair, the 2013 record was kicked in Denver, which (the stadium) is ~a mile above sea level, meaning the air density was much thinner. This allows for the ball to travel easier. Supposedly, up to around 80 yard kicks have been attempted and made in practice, but I doubt we will see one any time soon in real play.

[@reedr7142]

I think only one or two of the 63+ yard kicks have not been at Mile High Stadium.

[@54handdrives]

The format of these videos is so awkward to me....the way he's talking to one person. Then says things like, "do you want me to tell you this story"....I don't get it

[@silhouette82]

When he said "Do you want to see the video?" the other guy was like "Meh!". "I'll take that as a yes."

[@bfay2950]

He’s from scotch plains NJ we’re us the boys live

[@bmteasternmrroute109]

Who is?

[@londonrhodes2429]

NFL seems to have a reasonable stance here.

[@shuffleB]

Even more impressive he took like a two-step run-up, kickers nowadays take like a five or six step run up.

[@zzyzxx13]

I noticed that, too. That only adds to the degree of difficulty, imo.

[@cherylmajors9265]

I remember watching Tom Dempsey..he was awesome

[@StanleyTinyhat]

I guess they should ban Michael Phelps and his mutant dolphin ankles from swimming in the Olympics then

[@Statalyzer]

No, because he isn't using special equipment.

[@dfgdfg_]

@@Statalyzer what is this, an xmen film?

[@tompw3141]

@@Statalyzer What's special about shoes that are the same shape as your feet? You know, like Shaquille O'Neal wears.

[@TheCakenukeism]

I don’t understand why this is controversial. It’s perfectly reasonable

[@NaruSanavai]

How? Considering Dempsey's record - which was only impressive in how _bad_ it was, and he somehow kept a job - I fail to see the "reasonable" nature of the rule, or how his deformity gave him an advantage.

[@Ultra_Pear]

The rule kind of makes sense, but keep in mind that kickers have matched him since without this "advantage" Jason Elam got it in '98, Janikowski in '11, and Akers in '12. Prater then broke 63 by kicking a 64 yarder in 2013.

[@hunterp913]

They matched him because they were better. That's like saying someone who uses steroids is fine as long as they are matched by someone.

[@mangcrow5738]

Yes people have matched him with this advantage and even beaten him, but that doesn't mean that he didn't have one. Just think about it. He's kicking with a square. It would be easier to kick a ball with a square than a point. The square would also have more total surface area kicking the ball thus sending it further than kicking with a normal pointy shoe.

[@fredwright987]

@@mangcrow5738 Soccer style kickers have an unfair advantage in that they can generate more lift and height than Dempsey did. That squashes your argument, and makes Dempsey's feat even more remarkable.

[@mangcrow5738]

@@fredwright987 and wait. Why are you just assuming that they can generate more lift and height? That's basically saying you're wrong, so you're wrong.

[@fredwright987]

@@mangcrow5738 try the experiment yourself, then come back to me and say I'm right, because I am.

[@BenK-dw7gc]

And now the record is Tuckers. Also against Detroit. Also a game winner

[@bradenrenner7161]

rest in peace brether

[@BeakerPD]

Please stop using two people to tell a story better told by one.

[@apples2apples88]

B