0-for-100: 43-yard FGs not as easy as they look

If any of the 100 CHICAGO — amateur kickers was going to nail a 43-yard field goal Satur- day during the Goose Island Beer Co.’s marketing stunt, Zach Laszkiewicz seemed like the best bet.

The 23-year-old special edu- cation assistant was a kicker in high school and was first in line when he arrived at the brewery at 7 a.m. — six hours before kickoff for the outdoor event.

Laszkiewicz was determined not to follow in the missteps of Bears kicker Cody Parkey, whose tipped 43-yard field-goal attempt six days earlier hit the left upright and crossbar before falling into the end zone — a “dou- ble doink,” as it has been labeled — to doom the Bears in a 16-15 playoff loss to the Eagles at Soldier Field.

But Parkey’s miss also inspired Saturday’s “Fieldgoal Challenge.”

With a moderate snow falling, Laszkiewicz took four steps back from the football, lined up the angle with his hand and took more two steps to his left. He then ran up to the football, planted and — just as a random onlooker yelled “doink” — ate some icy artificial turf.

“I know I can make the kick,” Laszkiewicz said. “I just slipped.”

Goose Island had offered anyone who made the 43-yard attempt a prize of airfare, hotel and tickets to any regular-season NFL game next season.