Farewell to the GOAT of Crooked Fingers

Philadelphia Eagles legend Chuck Bednarik died this week at the age of 89.
He is known for three things:
1) he was the last player to play both offense and defense regularly in the NFL
2) he knocked out Frank Gifford, causing Gifford to miss a year and a half, and then stood over his stiff body

3) he was generally a tough son of a bitch. He is Godfather of the mangled finger. Anthony Munoz, Charles Mann, Alan Page and our own beloved Billy have Bednarik to thank for the glory he brought to hideously unaligned fingers.

Perfect Bedtime Story For Kayls

Having a deformed finger doesn't need to hold you back in life. I think that's the motto of a new children's book written by Alan Page, former Minnesota Vikings defensive lineman and leader of the Purple People Eaters, Alan and the Perfectly Pointy Impossibly Perpendicular Pinky.

In the story, Page, who really is a Minnesota State Supreme Court Justice, visits a school and one inquisitive child, asks what happened to his pinky. The Page in the story then goes on to tell the true story of a pinky that had been severely dislocated several times during a football career.

Success and Sacrifice

On a recent episode of NFL Films Presents I caught up with some childhood heroes as the show visited a retreat sponsored by Coach Gibbs, gathering every player from the 4 Super Bowl teams he coached.
I was particularly moved by defensive end Charles Mann. He said when he wants to be reminded about his successes in life he looks at the ring finger on his right hand, where he wears his Super bowl ring.


When he wants to be reminded about the sacrifices needed to achieve that success he looks at the ring finger on his left hand.

Gruesome Sports Injury

Turkish wrestler Serkan Ozden breaks his finger during a competition and will join Billy and Anthony Munoz in living the rest of his life as a deformed freak.

And You Thought Billy Was Deformed

Check out the freakishly right angled finger of former Cincinnati Bengals offensive lineman Anthony Munoz. He said he thought about getting it fixed, but then decided against it. I guess not being able to wear gloves was not a concern of his.
This is the way is finger normally is, he is not holding it like that, or doing a trick, that's how his finger always looks.



Note: Billy ignored repeated requests by me for a picture of his deformed finger.