Breakable and Unbreakable records

[CSKreager]

2 records that I consider unbreakable given how teams are less reckless and more careful with the ball nowadays:

Most turnovers in a season: 63, 1978 49ers

Most takeaways in a season: 63, 1984 Seahawks

[RichardBak]

Boris Shlapak holds a record that will never be broken. The former Michigan State placekicker played one year in the NFL with the 1972 Baltimore Colts. He holds the record for lowest field goal percentage with at least eight attempts. His 1972 and career totals were eight attempts with none made for a percentage of .000. Considering the quality of today's kickers there is no way a placekicker would be around to try number nine. Mr. Shlapak has etched his name in the NFL record book for all time!

I was a big Colts fan back then (then they left Baltimore, so screw 'em). Anyway, I remember the story from that '72 team. The Colts' kicker was Jim O'Brien, who had originally been drafted in 1970 as a wide receiver. The Colts discovered O'Brien also could kick, so the rookie end wound up being their everyday kicker and booting the winning FG in Super Bowl V against Dallas. By 1972 the Colts were using O'Brien as originally intended, but doing double-duty was affecting both his receiving and his kicking.(O'Brien was no Gino Cappelletti.) So they brought in Shlapak (whose parents were Ukrainian immigrants) to ease the burden. He was used for long-distance FGs only, so all 8 of his failed attempts were from 40+ yards w/ 3 of them being from over 50 yds. O'Brien continued to be used for XPs and shorter FG tries.

Funny thing is, Shlapak never practiced with the team. He was still attending classes at Michigan State, so he'd fly in on game days to kick, then go back to East Lansing.

For the record, Shlapak made all 4 of his XPs.

By the following year both O'Brien and Shlapak were gone from Baltimore (as were some of my other old Colts favorites like Unitas and Matte). O'Brien came here to Detroit for his final NFL season while Shlapak changed his name and played either pro soccer or maybe the WFL.

Still have a 1970 Colts pennant on my basement wall, bought through Pro Football Digest for probably $2.99. Good memories of those days, even of ol' Boris Shlapak.