The Bobcat Nation

Big debate here in Missoula over lunch. Is a place kicker or punter a "Football player"

I am voting NO for no other reson that a family friend was a college place kicker and I love to tick him off!

I think a kicker is a huge part of the team and the mentality that a kicker isn't a football player is part of the reason so many colleges struggle with the kicking game. How many high school teams encourage a kid to be the kicker? Not many they usually just ask "Who can kick?" and find someone whether he is a line backer or WR to kick. If each school could get a kid to start practicing in about 7th grade you would see some football games one on long field goals and maybe MSU would have a reliable kicking game too!!

rtb wrote:I think a kicker is a huge part of the team and the mentality that a kicker isn't a football player is part of the reason so many colleges struggle with the kicking game. How many high school teams encourage a kid to be the kicker? Not many they usually just ask "Who can kick?" and find someone whether he is a line backer or WR to kick. If each school could get a kid to start practicing in about 7th grade you would see some football games one on long field goals and maybe MSU would have a reliable kicking game too!!

Ask someone who has played College or Pro ball. They have very little respect for the kickers as "football players" or even as athletes!

I voted "yes" based on the semantics of the question. The kicker seems to actually be the one whose title has the most to do with the game of "foot"ball of all of the roster positions. Maybe the real question is, what the heck does the quarterback have to do with a ball used for feet?

mslacat wrote:Ask someone who has played College or Pro ball. They have very little respect for the kickers as "football players" or even as athletes!

I don't disagree, I think there is little respect for kickers and most of them aren't the greatest athletes, but in my opinion they are a huge part of the team and therefore they are football players. I don't disagree with the fact they aren't respected, that is not a matter of opinion, just pure fact!

mslacat wrote:Ask someone who has played College or Pro ball. They have very little respect for the kickers as "football players" or even as athletes!

Boy, I have some stories about kickers... Not at all tough guys or athletic guys, but they sure do some stupid stuff to make you laugh.

rtb wrote:I don't disagree, I think there is little respect for kickers and most of them aren't the greatest athletes, but in my opinion they are a huge part of the team and therefore they are football players. I don't disagree with the fact they aren't respected, that is not a matter of opinion, just pure fact!

Good points rtb. How about this....a kicker must earn the title "football player". Every team has a kicker, but not every team has a kicker who is considered a football player (ie, respected). I cant tell you the last time MSU had a kicker who was considered a football player - Groshelle probably.

Cat Pride wrote:Good points rtb. How about this....a kicker must earn the title "football player". Every team has a kicker, but not every team has a kicker who is considered a football player (ie, respected). I cant tell you the last time MSU had a kicker who was considered a football player - Groshelle probably.

I think I would prefer it if "his" name wasn't used on this board. That's just bad karma...

As to our team having a kicker who is also considered a "football player," well, I think we will have 2 players who fit that bill on our 2005 squad. Tyler Bolton and Eric Fisher are both great athletes, and I think we will be surprised with a very good kicking game this year.

BozoneCat wrote:As to our team having a kicker who is also considered a "football player," well, I think we will have 2 players who fit that bill on our 2005 squad. Tyler Bolton and Eric Fisher are both great athletes, and I think we will be surprised with a very good kicking game this year.

Couldnt agree more!

As we have the only kicker in the NFL Hall of Fame and Adam is Evel's nephew, I'd like to think they're pretty good athletes Jan came to Bozo on a skiing scholarship and Adam made the informed decision that there isn't much hope in the real world for six foot, 200 pound quarterbacks--pretty smart choice

I have to say no.....as Holtz did at Notre Dame he would have them practice for a few and call it a day......most pro's don't care for them....I am going to hell for this especially a day or two after Reggie Roby passed away.

Reggie Roby died? That's sad.

Yes kickers are football players, they wear a uniform, they are on the team, they are paid to be football players. I know how frustrating it can be to have a bad kicking game. I'd like to see anyone who makes the claim they aren't football players try playing a season with no punter or no kicker; rather, go for it on 4th down everytime. See you W/L record after the season.

Kicking is a VERY important part of football. Not only are kickers football players, they are VERY important in the outcome of games. Teams that are upper echelon usually have a very good kicking game and it shows. Kickers put the uniform on, touch/affect the ball/field position of the game so they are DEFINATELY FOOTBALL players. Also, they actually touch the football with their feet as well (ala football ). So I think that definately qualifies them as football players

JJ Redick (Duke) is a 3 point specialist in bball. He doesn't rebound that much, so does that not make him a basketball player? He has his unique skills/assets he brings to the team. FG kicking I compare to 3 point shooting in basketball. It takes practice and skill to make a decent percentage in each one. Each skill is unique to each sport, but having guys that can excell at those skills make your team a lot better.

Yea, if the stupid Patriots didn't have their kicker, my Rams would have won 2 times in 3 years, Warner wouldn't be a mess today, and they'd be talkin bout MY team as the dynasty.

Thanks alot CARDIAC CAT you are getting me to sway my opinion on it.

If he's not a football player what's that helmet doing in his locker? Kicking (off the ground) and punting have always been an important part of the game. In fact, in the early days there was a technique called "drop kicking" sort of a combination of the two and was used for extra points and field goals instead of "kicking". In this age of specialization good kickers/punters (the "kicking" game) is just as important as any other faze fo the game. Maybe your typical kicker isn't going to fill in for a running back, but let's see Marshall Faulk line up and pound one through from 48 yards out with the game on the line. Typically, most teams are well aware of the importance of keeping their kickers tuned up mentally and make a big deal with high-five's and butt wacks everytime they make one.
At the college level coaches take highly different viewpoints. Some do not give scholarships to kickers/punters, some split a ride between a kicker and punter, some give full rides.

mslacat wrote:

rtb wrote:
Ask someone who has played College or Pro ball. They have very little respect for the kickers as "football players" or even as athletes!

Even when those players are jumping up and down after a game when their kicker just made the game winning FG?

CelticCat wrote:Yea, if the stupid Patriots didn't have their kicker, my Rams would have won 2 times in 3 years, Warner wouldn't be a mess today, and they'd be talkin bout MY team as the dynasty.

Hrmmm.. I used to like you Celtic - ur a Rams fan??? - Boo. I have always hated the Rams (goes back to the dislike of SoCal in general )

Neways, back on topic, I enjoy watching kickers who love to hit/tackle people on their way down the field to cover a kickoff/punt. They sometimes get as juiced up as the rest of the special teams guys and want to go out and just level someone. A few of the biggest hits I've seen were by kickers/punters. Usually see this more in college ball though....

Yes, a kicker is a football player, if they are an athlete, and if they love the game of football, and if team members view them as football players. You have to look at the player. Colleges/HS sometimes pickup soccer players who can kick a football, but don't like the athletics of football.

I am glad to see K picking up athletes/football players who can also kick the football. Take Bolton, he was the Schulte of the receiving core (slot back) for Great Falls High when he played HS with schulte. Played bball also. Fisher was a stud for West and proved his athletic ability not only kicking, but as a bball player also. Both these guys are athletes and would put the hurt on other players like grish8r referenced.

The real question is, do kickers love the game of football, or are they just out there to show off their leg. My guess is that both our guys would love to compete at other positions on the football team, but, they were recruited for kicking. Sometimes you have football players that are more valuable to the team as a kicker. Again, they question is, do they love the game of football. So, some are, some are not.

Huhhhh??? So what's the point? Is a kicker an athlete or not. Don't straddle a picket fence too much, for if you slip you surely know what'll wind up your hind end And it'll hurt much more than Preparation H. Yes, a kicker is sometimes the best athlete on the team! Especially if he's got somebody like Dennis Erickson holding for him--he might make the NFL Hall of Fame in that case Guess I just decided who'll be holding in addition to punting this year