Theo Epstein Was Going To Show Up At The Field Goal Challenge After Cody Parkey's Double Doink

It's been a frustrating offseason for Theo Epstein, who saw the core he built melt down at the end of 2018, and was all of a sudden restricted in free agency by ownership. He's seen the rest of the division get better, while dealing with backlash of the Cubs deciding to give Addison Russell a second chance and signing only a few lower-tier free agents. But even Theo couldn't help but relieve some of the tension and a few weeks ago he was actually going to attend the field goal challenge hosted by Goose Island in Chicago. Remember that?

Epstein told The Athletic's Jon Greenberg in a recent Q&A that he was planning to go, but didn't because he got hurt practicing kicking field goals. It turns out that Epstein's biggest athletic achievement was hitting a wind-aided 53-yarder some time in the 90s. Via The Athletic.

How’s the leg? (Epstein pulled his quad muscle kicking practice field goals for the Goose Island Cody Parkey field goal challenge. His athletic claim to fame, post-high school, is kicking a “wind-aided” 53-yard field goal in La Jolla, Calif. in the late 1990s.) It’s not bad, but I still feel it a little bit when I sprint. But in spring training, I will be in full field-goal kicking mode. Would you have really gone to that thing? Yeah. Would you have worn a disguise? Not a disguise, but I was going to have a winter hat on and try to be a little under the radar. But it would’ve been a blast. I had a few friends who were going to go with me. We were going to stay and drink beer and watch a little of the playoff games.

Hmm, would have been very hard to spot in one of his disguises. His gorilla suit could have come in handy to keep warm. Oh well, Theo ended up not going to the event, where no one made the 43-yard field goal, and he didn't get to watch this live in person either.

Hopefully Theo never gets another chance at a field goal challenge in Chicago because that would mean another kicker missed in a big spot for the Bears.