Believe it or not, players don’t think about football 100% of the time when they’re in the locker room. Sure it’s their job and even obsession but there are down moments to every training camp or offseason. Those voids must be filled by various activities to help build camaraderie and pass the time. For the Chicago Bears back in the Lovie Smith era, that was ping pong. Now when imagining which players likely owned those battles, names like Brian Urlacher and Matt Forte come to mind, right? Well, apparently no one was ready for Robbie Gould.
Former receiver Earl Bennett played witness to these table tennis wars. It didn’t take him long to realize that the all-time Bears kicker ruled the locker room. He went so far as to say that if it was one-on-one? Gould wasn’t losing.
“Top 5
1. Robbie Gould
2. Brian Urlacher
3. Johnny Knox
4. Devin Hester
5. Patrick Mannelly/Matt ForteBottom 5
1. Brandon Marshall
2. Eric Weems
3. Jay Cutler
4. Brad Maynard
5. Anthony AdamsPing pong was a game that everyone thought they were great at playing. I would love to put together a game where fans who are good at ping pong can play against their favorite players. Robbie had the most time to practice as a “Specialist.” The guy is great at returns, serving and spiking. Rarely saw him lose unless they were playing doubles.”
Robbie Gould will forever be a Bears treasure
This story is just another reminder of how much of a joy Gould was in Chicago. The guy is one of the great characters in franchise history. He had to be to survive in this town. It is hardly surprising that he didn’t flinch when facing off against guys like Urlacher or Marshall with their much more imposing physiques. The guy was always ice cold under pressure. No doubt the extra practice time helped too. It was nice to see him find success in San Francisco after leaving. Hopefully, he’ll retire in navy blue when the time eventually comes.
