don’t miss it, don’t miss
it, don’t miss it – never want
to say, don’t miss it
Adapted from the article, How Jake Bates went from soccer prodigy to brick salesman to rising star with the Lions by Dan Pompei (New York Times, July 17, 2025).
Many assumed another kicker would be signed, but Lions special teams coach Dave Fipp believed fiercely in Bates and told anyone who would listen they needed to buy in on him. Head coach Dan Campbell trusted Fipp. That meant no training camp competition. There were skeptics, but being underestimated probably was beneficial for Bates. “He’s so determined to prove people wrong who didn’t think he was good enough,” Fipp says.
In the first preseason game, he kicked a 53-yard field goal in bad weather against the Giants. Bates started to think he could do this. Then a 30-yard field goal attempt went wide right.
Before the miss, he told himself, “Don’t miss it, don’t miss it, don’t miss it.”
Fipp encouraged positive thoughts. “You never want to say, ‘Don’t miss,’” he told him. “You want to say, ‘Put it through the middle.’”
I have to say I link that.
You never want to say, “Don’t miss.”
You want to say, “Put it through the middle.”
Encourage positive thoughts.
No Haiku For You 