The Redskins Blog

Uprights Hang From Practice Bubble Roof

There’s a new twist on goal posts here at Redskins Park.

As some fans may know, the field goal has counted for four, five, one and eventually three points, at some point in the last 120 years.  Kicking tees have been invented, instituted and subsequently banned from field goal tries, as kickers have moved from a straight-approach to a soccer-style boot.

The goal posts were originally placed at the goal line of the end zone, before good sense prevailed and it was moved out of the field of play.  The width between the uprights was also reduced to 18 feet, six inches.

The point, is that changes to the offensive kicking game are nothing new.  So fans shouldn’t be surprised to learn that the base of the goal post has been eliminated from the practice bubble’s uprights, replaced by chains that hang it from the ceiling.

Larry Michael takes fans inside the bubble on this month’s special episode of Inside The Redskins.  We may be looking at the future of indoor goal posts with this concept:

Eliminating the base of the goal posts does several things for the Redskins, the least of which is conserve precious space under the bubble.  There is a 10-foot track that runs around the outside of the field, and constitutes most of the available sideline area.  The Redskins will not be forced to pander to the post, and can execute almost anything underneath the crossbar, which hangs 10 feet off the ground.

No more speculating by the media on whether or not a kick over the top of the upright was good.  Inside the bubble, a kicker’s accuracy will be fairly obvious to whoever is watching, followed by a thump off the inside wall of the bubble.

With a limited amount of space, the Redskins have eliminated the cumbersome goal post and better guarded the players’ health.  Sure, not many people run into the goal post, but it would only take one to make it a problem.

Problem solved before it was a problem.  Just please no ‘hanging slam dunks’ from the crossbar.

To watch the rest of this special offseason edition of Inside The Redskins, check it out here.