Field Goals

[A_Clay_Man]

How far, do you think you can kick a field goal?

Believe it or not, this frame once played college soccer, and I bet I couldn't make a field goal from outside the 20 yard line.

Yet, a pro can execute the feat from much greater distances.

Is there a ball argument here?

A physical one?

Why shouldn't a professional be able to exponentially kick my ass, in distances achieved?

[jeffwarne]

There'd only be a ball arguement if suddenly 65-80 yard field goals became commonplace.
Of course with baseball's recent fiasco,we might have to investigate steroids first.
The pro field goal record is about 40+ years old-set by a guy with 1/2 a foot(unless I missed something in last few years-don't really watch pros anymore)
The kickers are certainly more consistently accurate these days

[THuckaby2]

How far, do you think you can kick a field goal?

Well, since you asked... the longest I ever made was 50 yards, and that was in practice with no rush.  Never did get to attempt a kick in a game - our teams had real kickers.  But I was fairly decent at this.  

Now relating this to golf, well.. if anything I am FAR FAR FAR closer to the capabilities of a pro in kicking than I am in golf.  And I think you are also, Adam.  If you played soccer and had a half-way decent foot, you could make one from 35-40 yards easily.  It just takes a little practice.

TH

[Kyle Harris]

Jason Elam kicked a 62 yard field goal a few years back...

He plays(ed?) for Denver... so the thin air probably helped a bit.

[Ted Kramer]

I played soccer my whole life.
I made a field goal years ago just messing around with some friends from the 30. It was so low starting off, like a driven ball in soccer, that it would have hit the lineman in the ass.

-Ted

[Steve Lang]

 

adam.. got you beat on this one..  played soccer from 4th grade to soph in college at Univ. Cinti.. we played games and practiced on astroturfed football field and we occaisionally used to make field goals from about 30 yards out with stolen footballs from f-ballteam bag.. ( i played center half then, at 165 lbs..) however, no way in hell would I get on a field in a game and try to do so..

[THuckaby2]

So you see? All these fine gents are making kicks from the 30, which is a 40 yard filed goal.  I'd bet with a little more practice and many more tries, anyone who can make it from 40 can stretch to 50.

The top limit for pros remains at 60-65.  They likely could make one from 70 just sitting it on a tee, with no snap nor rush.

To me, normal yokels are pretty close to the top pros who do this for a living.

But maybe percentage wise it's similar to golf... or not.. I'm kinda lost on the real point here.

It is just fun to talk about field goals, though!

TH

[Kyle Harris]

Penn State's place kicker two years ago routinely put kick offs through the uprights and was pretty much garaunteed a touchback in all but the strongest of winds.

College Football kicks off from the 35... so that's a 75 yard field goal.

In the OSU/PSU game in 2003... he was just short from 60 yards for the game winning field goal.

[THuckaby2]

Kyle - we're not talking full run up, as in a kickoff.  Oh hell yes, 75 would be doable for MANY kickers doing that.  We're talking normal two step approach, as in a field goal.

Or at least I am....

TH

[A_Clay_Man]

Huck, It troubles me that lessons learned from golf, are not being adhered to. Specifically on the techno issues of the day, that have so many in an uproar.

The lessons I referenced are subjectivity related and usually culminate in the unfair cry.

It's not fair to let the pros hit the golf ball as far, and as long as is physically possible.

It's not fair that the egos of the few, are disfurguring works of art, enjoyed by many.

Really, I was just attempting to equate distance issues, from a sport that is enjoyed by the masses, to one game played by professionals.

[Scott_Burroughs]

To set the record straight, the NFL record long FG is 63 yards, by Tom Dempsey in 1970 and tied by Jason Elam (at Denver altitude) in 1998.

Don't forget that kickoffs are on a high tee, and FG attempts are off the turf.

[THuckaby2]

Adam:

That whooshing sound was that sailing way over my head.

I honestly have not a clue what your point is here.  I get what you are saying about golf - that makes sense and yes, it sucks - but how this relates to field goals, well...

Some points are meant not to be understood by the masses.

I also don't see the uproar of which you speak.  Oh it exists in this forum, for sure.  But where is the hue and cry outside of here, and the writings of like-minded people?

Damn near everyone I know loves the game more than ever.

Massily yours,

TH
 

[Kyle Harris]

Tom,

Very good point, I hadn't even thought of that...

Either way, still impressive to watch.

[THuckaby2]

To set the record straight, the NFL record long FG is 63 yards, by Tom Dempsey in 1970 and tied by Jason Elam (at Denver altitude) in 1998.

Don't forget that kickoffs are on a high tee, and FG attempts are off the turf.

Absolutely.  College record is 65 or more now, isn't it?  But that was from when they could set it on a block, I think.  They kick off turf now also, right?  Pros always have.

In any case, my 50 yard effort was two steps, off turf.  And I am anything but a great kicker.

TH

[THuckaby2]

Tom,

Very good point, I hadn't even thought of that...

Either way, still impressive to watch.

Oh heck yeah!  I love it when kickers boom it through the end zone, from the 35 in college or 30 in pros.  Doesn't happen that often, but it is damn impressive for sure when it does.

[Kyle Harris]

I wonder what happened to him... he had to have been drafted. David Kimball is the name. I actually had a class with him and he was a big guy.

Made ESPN highlights during the 2002 PSU/Nebraska game for levelling the ball carrier on a return.

[Scott_Burroughs]

Kyle,

Leg strength won't necessarily cut it in the NFL, accuracy is more important (and the goal posts are narrower).  These days, an NFL kicker who kicks lower than, say, 80%, gets canned.

[Kyle Harris]

Yeah, Kimball was a bit wild, but his percentage on long field goals (>40 yards) was still around 90.

[Scott_Burroughs]

Russell Erxleben, who later went on to the NFL.

[THuckaby2]

Right!  I remember him.  His kicks were off the block, as was legal then.  There was another kicker from Texas A&M, who I believe broke his records...or maybe I am dreaming.

Great mention re Elvis Peacock.  If that's not one of the all-time great football names, nothing is.  But of course that begins and ends with:

DICK BUTKUS

 

[Kyle Harris]

Concrete Charlie Bednarick too...

Despite his overly bitter ways these days.

[A.G._Crockett]

To set the record straight, the NFL record long FG is 63 yards, by Tom Dempsey in 1970 and tied by Jason Elam (at Denver altitude) in 1998.

Don't forget that kickoffs are on a high tee, and FG attempts are off the turf.

Dempsey's kick was off artificial turf in the Superdome, I believe.

[Scott_Burroughs]

To set the record straight, the NFL record long FG is 63 yards, by Tom Dempsey in 1970 and tied by Jason Elam (at Denver altitude) in 1998.

Don't forget that kickoffs are on a high tee, and FG attempts are off the turf.

Dempsey's kick was off artificial turf in the Superdome, I believe.

I believe the Saints played in (outdoor) Tulane Stadium back then.  The Superdome opened in 1975.

Super Bowls IV, VI, and IX (Jan 12, 1975) were all played in Tulane Stadium.

[Dan_Callahan]

From Pennlive.com:

'Idiot kicker' at it again

It seems the presence of former Penn State kicker David Kimball is causing some tension within the Indianapolis Colts. And guess who's at the center of it?

Pro Bowl kicker Mike Vanderjagt, who famously got into a public verbal joust with QB Peyton Manning following the 2002 season, is unhappy with management's decision to bring Kimball on as a kick-off specialist, according to the Indianapolis Star. The Colts selected Kimball with its seventh-round pick in the 2004 draft.


"I haven't kicked off once since the Pro Bowl and I don't plan on it," Vanderjagt said. "He can have the job. I'm glad I'm not very good at it. I'll leave it at that."

Vanderjagt insisted he and punter Hunter Smith are "the only two in town" who understand what it takes to deliver good kicks.
Vanderjagt had only four touchbacks on 99 kickoffs in 2003, while Kimball produced touchbacks on 59.9 percent of his career kickoffs with the Lions.

"(Kimball) is not going to do any better than anyone else in the league. He's a good kickoff guy. He's strong. He's got a good leg."

[Kyle Harris]

Thanks for that one Dan...