Eagles kicker Akers had more on his mind than football in playoffs

[Forkboy]

If you wondered why Philadelphia Eagles kicker David Akers had an uncharacteristically bad day against the Green Bay Packers in Philly's 21-16 wild-card round loss, wonder no more. Akers missed two field goals in the game, 41-yard and 34-yard attempts that each went wide right and could have made that game a different story, but he had a lot on his mind. The news broke today on Philly.com that Akers and his wife, Erika, had discovered two days before the game that their six-year-old daughter Halley had a growth in her right ovary that might require removal of the ovary before the growth spread.

Devastated, Akers (who had to be excused from practice on the Friday before the game so that he could attend his daughter's MRI and ultrasound) tried to move forward, but it was obviously difficult.

"In this position, no matter what, you have to be able to put aside for those few hours and go do your job. There are so many people depending on you, other players who have put everything in, the coaches, the fans ... I feel like I can play through anything, but I didn't play well enough, so maybe that had something to do with it."

What really hurt Akers was that Eagles head coach Andy Reid, who was aware of the condition of Akers' daughter, pointed out Akers' performance after the game ("We can all count. Those points would have helped," Reid said after the game). Certainly understandable under normal circumstances, but borderline unforgiveable with these conditions in mind. It would have been just as easy for Reid to give the usual "coachspeak" answer that it takes 53 guys to win or lose a game, and it seemed mean-spirited in retrospect for Akers' coach to single him out. Especially since Reid has had so many family problems of his own.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/Eagles-kicker-Akers-had-more-on-his-mind-than-fo?urn=nfl-314339

[trumad]

1. Reid and his Peachy Kids.

NORRISTOWN, Pa. -- A judge who sentenced Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid's sons to jail on Thursday likened the coach's home to "a drug emporium" and questioned whether his adult sons should live there.

"There isn't any structure there that this court can depend upon," Montgomery County Judge Steven O'Neill said before sentencing 22-year-old Britt Reid to up to 23 months in jail plus probation.

"I'm saying this is a family in crisis," O'Neill said.

Earlier Thursday, O'Neill sentenced 24-year-old Garrett Reid, a drug addict and dealer who said he got a thrill out of selling drugs in "the 'hood," to up to 23 months in jail for smashing into another motorist's car while high on heroin.
http://www.google.com/search?q=julian+assange&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&client=firefox-a&rlz=1R1GGLL_en___US414

[TZ]

2. Reid is an insensitive asshole

This is no more than I've come to expect from him over the years. Winning isn't everything to him, its the only thing.
Yet another reason to despise the Phildelphia Dog Killers.
I'm sure someone will now come along and tell me how winning is more important than worrying about your child.....

[taterguy]

3. Winning is more important than worrying about your child

It's like you're a psychic.

Your prediction came true.

[TZ]

4. .

Okay that was funny....:rofl: :thumbsup: