Local football player Jerry Thompson recently caused controversy when he stated in an interview that he could throw a football as far as the moon.
Thompson bragged, “I mean, I’ve got a strong arm.” If I truly put my mind to it, I think I could reach the moon.
However, Thompson’s teammates and coaches swiftly dismissed his assertions as absurd. His head coach said, “He’s just incredibly dumb.
“Uh, Jerry, I think you might be underestimating the distance to the moon,” said one teammate. “It’s like, a quarter of a million miles away. I don’t think even Tom Brady could throw a football that far.”
Thompson was confident about his skills despite the doubts of people around him.
I know I can do it, he remarked with assurance. My mother told me that I could do anything I wanted, adding, “I just need a little bit of practice and a very, really long field.”
As news of Thompson’s lofty goal spread, observers—including fans and the media—started to examine his chances for success. Many were quick to point out the numerous scientific and logistical obstacles that would need to be overcome in order to throw a football to the moon.
“I’m not sure if Jerry has considered the fact that a football would need to travel at escape velocity in order to reach the moon,” said one astrophysicist. “Even if he had a cannon for an arm, it’s just not possible.”
Despite the criticism, Thompson remains undaunted, insisting that he will one day prove his doubters wrong and throw a football to the moon.
“I know it’s a long shot, but I’m willing to put in the work and see where it takes me,” he said. “Who knows, maybe one day I’ll be the first person to throw a touchdown on the moon.
