The Oakland Raiders got the best of the Philadelphia Eagles 13-9 two Sundays ago. Although the Raiders were able to win the game for their second win of the season, the real star of the game was not wearing a helmet or pads.
When I was watching the game live on Fox, the announcers and camera men noticed a pigeon on the field. The game was a wet game in Philadelphia, where birds have been known to perch on the field. However, this was an unusual situation. The pigeon stayed on the field for nearly the entire game. It even lined up with the Raiders on a kickoff and seemed to be in better position to defend the return than some of the Oakland players. You can see the Raiders pigeon power below.
Although this video is not focused specifically on an athlete, it shows a great example of what type of elements athletes must endure during competition. In most professional sporting events, nature plays a huge role and is something that athletes cannot control. Whether you are playing a match in rain, sleet, snow or high wind, or an animal comes onto the field, athletes must continue to play and block out these aspects and play through them. Sometimes squirrels and pigeons appear during golf and football competitions. Dealing with nature and situations like the video above are just another example of unexpected obstacles that athletes must deal with during their professional careers.