ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Invades the Sporting World
August 12, 2014
Updates from Wednesday, Aug 20.
Kermit the Frog is not backing down.
The Muppets' leading amphibian answered the call after being challenged by the WWE's Vince McMahon, opting to take the plunge in his natural habitat—the swamp.
Kermit could've died raising ALS awareness. Ice water and frogs do not mix. Remember that when you think about chickening out over a bowl of cold water.
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Chip Kelly is a crazy person.
The Philadelphia Eagles coach is not like you or I in so many ways, namely, he dives headfirst into giant above-ground pools filled with ice water just to raise morale.
Kelly took an emphatic Ice Bucket flop on Wednesday, firing into an inflatable pool filled with freezing water as his team lined up to take the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.
Click Dan McQuade's link for a GIF of Kelly flying like a dolphin into the cold water.
Yup. Chip Kelly is hero Philadelphia needs.
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U.S. women's national soccer team goalie Hope Solo tried to do the Ice Bucket Challenge this week.
The planning was there and all the moving parts were in place, but Solo's friends struggled mightily in the execution.
Solo explained the botched attempt in her video caption:
"Filmed my #IceBucketChallenge a few days ago, but as you can see, it was a pretty epic failure!" Solo wrote. "I almost lost my head!... I'm just going to donate instead, lol."
Donating money to a good cause is cool. Slipping a disc for a good cause...not as cool.
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Michael Jordan accepted the Ice Bucket Challenge on Wednesday morning and passed the initiative on to his Dream Team comrades. Evidently, Larry Bird was one step ahead of His Airness.
Bird took the plunge on Wednesday morning in response to Indianapolis Pacers guard George Hill's challenge. He took a cooler of ice water and dropped down into a tub of icy water.
Your move, Jim Irsay.
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Updates from Tuesday, Aug 19.
Lolo Jones donated to ALS research. We'll give her that much.
I can't in good conscience call this an "Ice Bucket Challenge," primarily due to the dearth of buckets. Jones posted video of her version of the challenge to Vine on Tuesday, spurning the bucket dousing in favor of quenching her thirst.
In her Vine caption, Jones challenged anyone who hasn't donated to ALS research to give money.
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Dallas Mavericks power forward Chandler Parsons took the teeniest, tiniest bucket of ice water ever on Tuesday after accepting his ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.
Parsons has challenged Joakim Noah, Dwight Howard, Mark Cuban and Tim Tebow to answer the call and help raise awareness for the disease. I pray they can find a hotel ice bucket in time to match Parsons' performance.
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Justin Verlander and Kate Upton endeavored in a #powercouple Ice Bucket Challenge on Monday.
Verlander challenged tennis star Andy Roddick, former White Sox slugger Frank Thomas and his brother Ben Verlander to the task. Upton called out actresses Cameron Diaz and Leslie Mann, as well as cosmetic guru Bobbi Brown.
Good job, gang. But we need more ice.
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At long last, the Ice Bucket Challenge has made its way to Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy.
Naturally, Nike CEO Mark Parker challenged two of his company's biggest names to the task. Woods responded by passing the challenge to Nike co-founder Phil Knight and Spanish tennis star Raphael Nadal while McIlroy paid it forward to former U.S. president George W. Bush, actress Meghan Markle and Manchester United's Wayne Rooney.
Notice that Woods ended up pouring half of McIlroy's water back on the Northern Irishman. Solid tactics, Rory.
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Updates from Monday, Aug. 18.
Tony Parker is not a fan of the cold.
The San Antonio Spurs guard was squealing just holding the ice for his "Bucket Challenge," but managed to soldier through with the task with the help of teammate Danny Green.
Parker has called out Gregg Popovich, Manu Ginobili, Boris Diaw, Pau Gasol and Dirk Nowitzki.
Pray Pop capitulates. ALS needs his bucketing more than perhaps any other bucketing to date. His pre-dump speech alone will change everything.
"Tony wants me to do this...thing. Just do it. Alright. Happy now?"
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Throw the Legion of Boom on the board.
Richard Sherman and fellow Legion of Boom members took the plunge on Monday, responding to an unmentionably large number of requests from around the nation.
The LOB handled it well over, despite Sherman's shrieks and jog off camera. Earl Thomas deserves credit for keeping quiet and dancing it off Carlton-style.
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San Francisco 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis took his Ice Bucket Challenge in the bath on Monday, hopping in a vat of ice water in response to challenges from Takeo Spikes and Caitlin Saifi.
The full, shirtless submerge might be the most excruciating plunge you can take, but I could've used more cowbell/ice.
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The WWE's Stephanie McMahon took her Ice Bucket Challenge to the next level on Sunday with a garbage bin of ice.
Not an exaggeration: There were perhaps four tablespoons of water in this bin.
McMahon somehow managed to stay upright as Ronda Rousey and the Four Horsewomen dumped the heavy burden over her head. She challenged the San Francisco 49ers, the cast of Total Divas and all of the WWE.
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After another weekend of Ice Bucket Challenges, we're catching up with the action this Monday with a visit from our good friend Dikembe Mutombo.
Mutombo dumped the bucket this weekend and executed what can only be described as a "Mutumbo Mambo." If you've ever wondered what it would sound like if the Cookie Monster were waterboarded, this is it.
Thank you, Dikembe. This was a gift.
As for Mutombo's three selections—Alonzo Mourning, Todd Jacobs and Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum—you've got 24 hours and plenty to live up to.
Updates from Friday, Aug. 15.
The Professor is in the house!
Professional streetballer Grayson "The Professor" Boucher took the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge this afternoon, calling out his baller compatriots Special FX, Bone Collector and Air Up There.
I'm not saying Boucher should've worn his Spider-Man gear for the stunt. I'm just sayin'.
Well done, Prof.
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Los Angeles Kings winger Marian Gaborik made the Ice Bucket Challenge his own Friday, going with an innovative snow-burial approach in lieu of the traditional bucket splash.
With the aid of a snow-packed Zamboni, Gaborik was smothered under a veritable snowbank on the ice.
I applaud this. No one handles the cold like hockey players.
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The United States men's national basketball team opted for the en-masse bucketing Friday, with Stephen Curry taking up emcee duties.
Curry announced that pretty much everyone on the team had been challenged by someone, and they would all do it together (unless you went to Duke, in which case you apparently get a pass).
The team made some bold challenges of their own, passing the initiative to President Barack Obama, Adam Silver and—since they're in Chicago—Oprah Winfrey.
Let's get a presidential bucketing, America.
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Mario Lemieux is calling all Penguins fans.
The Pittsburgh Penguins legend put it to his supporters Friday, asking the entire fanbase to seize the initiative and submerge themselves for ALS.
It's a big ask, but when you've done the things that Lemieux has done for his city, you're more than entitled to make these requests.
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Kevin Durant has hopped into the act, answering J.R. Smith and Steve Nash's challenges with a rooftop bucketing.
Reports have yet to surface regarding whether Durant and his bird limbs were able to ward away hypothermia, but he did manage to challenge LeBron James (who's already been called out), Russell Westbrook and—huzzah!—Kendrick Perkins.
Perkins just wants to be included, guys.
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Chris Paul answered challenges Friday with a nice, relaxed ice shower in a lawn chair.
The Los Angeles Clippers guard has been one of the most popular bucket-challenge targets, with Jim Caldwell, J.R. Smith and Dez Bryant all picking on the little guy to take the plunge.
In his caption, Paul wrote that he's donating $10,000 to ALS research and passing his challenge to teammate DeAndre Jordan and the littlest guy, Kevin Hart.
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Dale Earnhardt Jr. stepped under the ice Friday, calling out fellow drivers Jimmy Johnson and Steve Letarte to take the Ice Bucket Challenge.
Notice that last challenge?
Junior, a diehard Redskins fan, is calling out Washington owner Dan Snyder. This is Snyder's second (known) ice-bucket callout since Keith Olbermann issued his challenges Wednesday night, and we've yet to get a response from the owner's camp.
We'll keep you posted.
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Ben Roethlisberger and Troy Polamalu took their bucketing like champs Wednesday and made some important call-outs in the process.
Click the Steelers' links for video.
One of those called out by Big Ben was the WWE's Triple H, who responded in kind Friday with own hype-man-style bucketing.
After getting in a quick (shameless?) plug for the upcoming SummerSlam, Triple H called out "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, "the immortal" Hulk Hogan and "the craziest man" he knows, Vince McMahon.
You've been tapped, gentlemen. Don't cheese out.
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Updates from Thursday, Aug. 14
Veteran NFL official/offseason lawyer Ed Hochuli took the Ice Bucket Challenge on Wednesday, taking time off from what appeared to be a romantic, sunset walk on the beach with his wife to sluice freezing water over his head.
Way to go, Ed, but I would've popped the top and shown off the guns. Then again, I like to think you've never removed that referee shirt once.
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Andy Reid took the cold water stoically.
With the help of Jamaal Charles and Chase Daniel, the Kansas City Chiefs coach stood under the bucket of ice without complaints and/or high-pitched squealing.
It's unclear to whom Reid will send his challenge, but I believe Jerry Jones remains un-bucketed.
Just sayin'.
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Detroit Lions head coach Jim Caldwell is in, baby.
Caldwell completed the challenge Wednesday and called out Chris Paul, Tony Dungy and John Harbaugh.
Hopefully at least one Harbaugh will step up to the plate and take some ice water for a good cause.
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Two of the three NFC coaches challenged by Pete Carroll on Tuesday have followed through with the Ice Bucket Challenge.
Bruce Arians and Jeff Fisher took the plunge this week and passed the bucket on to fresh targets.
As it turns out, Arians participated in the Ice Bucket Challenge prior to Pete Carroll's call-out Tuesday.
The Arizona Cardinals coach dumped a bucket on his head Monday in response to a challenge from Virginia Tech football coach Frank Beamer. Arians then passed the onus onto Mike Tomlin and Ben Roethlisberger of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Click the Cardinals' link for video.
Fisher received his bucket of ice water Wednesday evening. Censorship was needed.
Click the Rams' link for video.
The Rams head coach called out Cardinals manager Mike Matheny and all of Rascal Flatts.
Waiting on you, Jim Harbaugh.
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After receiving a "naked" Ice Bucket Challenge from former New Orleans Saints safety Steve Gleason (diagnosed with ALS in 2011), Drew Brees and the Saints quarterbacks took their own bucketing to the next level.
Brees and Co. turned the challenge into a drill, firing off footballs and submerging themselves in tanks of ice water. He also promised to donate $1 for every re-tweet his video receives, because Drew Brees is the best.
Click on Brees' link for footage of the challenge.
It didn't exactly go in Brees' favor, but he champed through it and passed the initiative forward to the rest of the quarterbacks in the NFC South.
Your turn, Cam.
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The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge continues to rip across the nation, forking in all directions and moving faster every day.
It's more than I or anyone else can keep up with, but Keith Olbermann is doing his best to keep us abreast of the action.
ESPN's late-night personality aired a segment during Wednesday night's Olbermann, catching viewers up on the latest bucket challenges. Olbermann gave some background on the challenge's generic, nondenominational roots and then rolled some recent ALS challenge highlights.
John Elway, Alexander Ovechkin, Buck Showalter, Sidney Crosby and, yes, Olbermann himself, stepped up and took the bucketing.
Naturally, Olbermann passed his challenge on to Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder, whom we all know Keith holds in such high esteem.
Updates from Wednesday, Aug. 13
Jimmy Fallon, Rob Riggle, Horatio Sanz, Steve Higgins and The Roots took the Ice Bucket Challenge at the end of Tuesday night's episode of The Tonight Show.
Fallon passed the challenge on to the New York Jets, who responded Wednesday by calling in a fire truck to douse the team.
Rex Ryan sent his challenge to the Cleveland Browns and head coach Mike Pettine, saying he wanted them "to take a page out of [the Jets] playbook" and join the cause.
Ryan's word choice was predicated on Pettine's past claims about a New York Jets playbook falling into the New England Patriots' hands. It's a murky, unsubstantiated situation, and one New York's coach hasn't forgotten about.
Ryan joked that he sent the challenge to the Browns because he hasn't had a chance to deck Pettine just yet.
It's always good when a charitable effort succeeds, and it's even better when some of that success is founded on good old-fashioned passive aggressiveness.
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Tony Romo and Dez Bryant challenged no one but nonetheless participated in the Ice Bucket Challenge on Tuesday.
Warning: Video contains Dez Bryant cursing in response to really, really cold water.
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Tom Crabtree has officially won the title of "Most Adorable Bucket Challenge."
Responding to an earlier call-out from teammate Aaron Rodgers, the Green Bay Packers tight end donned an Iron Man costume and brought his kids into the action Tuesday. Crabtree's son also took the plunge, dedicating his to Ice Cube and Daenerys Targaryen's dragonflies, or something like that.
Now, we backtrack to Rodgers, who called out country singer Darius Rucker and The Office actor Brian Baumgartner, in addition to Crabtree on Monday.
It was decent work by Rogers but nothing compared to the stunt that led to his challenge. Phoenix Coyotes defenseman Paul Bissonnette called out Rodgers, LeBron James and Russell Wilson after flying into the mountains and having a helicopter shower him with glacier water. It was insane.
LeBron James will need dry ice and a parachute to beat this bucket drop.
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And the hits keep coming.
Ronda Rousey took a sheet of ice water to her head after being challenged by UFC President Dana White.
Here's White, who challenged Rousey, Shaquille O'Neal and promoter Lorenzo Fertitta:
Rousey responded immediately, interrupting a media tour with Fox Sports 1 on Tuesday to take the challenge:
In turn, Rousey challenged Sylvester Stallone, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Gina Carano.
While we're here, ESPN's Darren Rovell reports that ALS fundraising has shot through the roof due to the challenge:
We'll keep you posted as more roll in. I wait with bated breath for Stallone to challenge "Adriaaaan."
Updates from Tuesday, Aug. 12
The buckets continue to fly, this time up at the New England Patriots training camp.
After being challenged by New York Giants co-owner John Mara, Bill Belichick, Robert Kraft and seemingly the entire Patriots roster held a giant, mass-bucketing after practice.
I'll be honest: I had my reservations about Belichick going through with it. I figured he'd sprinkle some ice on his arm, fire the PR intern who suggested all this and call it a day:
I was wrong. This is how you get the job done.
Updates from Tuesday, Aug. 12
Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll took Roger Goodell up on his challenge this afternoon, receiving a nice, cold spritzing courtesy of Russell Wilson and Zach Miller (click Carroll's link for video):
Never has such a small amount of water poured from such a large cooler.
In any case, Carroll extended his three challenges to the Arizona Cardinals' Bruce Arians, the St. Louis Rams' Jeff Fisher and, of course, the San Francisco 49ers' Jim Harbaugh:
Let's soak some dad khakis.
Original Text
The Ice Bucket Challenge is continuing to gain momentum, and on Tuesday morning, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell became one of the latest sports figures to go under the bucket.
After being nominated by former Saints linebacker Scott Fujita, the NFL commissioner stepped up and sloshed a big tub of ice water over his head in what we presume is his driveway.
ESPN's Darren Rovell tweeted out video of the spill, which Goodell ended by calling out Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll and NFL great Michael Strahan (click Rovell's link for video).
So what's this all about?
Well, it's about raising awareness for ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease—a degenerative motor neuron affliction with no cure that is capable of striking people of all ages. Challenged participants have 24 hours to dump buckets of ice water on their heads and/or donate $100 to ALS research.
While the challenge's origins are disputed, The Boston Globe's Rachel G. Bowers reports that one of the catalysts credited with the trend's crazy growth is Pete Frates, a former Boston College baseball player living with ALS.
In a July Facebook post, Frates challenged The Howard Stern Show and a number of his friends to participate in the Ice Bucket Challenge.
Clearly, the movement has taken off. Check back here for more updates as the buckets continue to drop.
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