in the “good old days” kickers weren’t specialists. they all played another position on the team as well as doing the kicking. however, the last one i remember doing more than one task was Dan Pastorini who was a Quarterback/Punter for the Oilers.
Paul Hornung used to run the ball, pass the ball, catch the ball, and kick field goals. He was even a great blocker. That was back in the day when Heisman Trophy winners did well in the NFL.
Yeah, and in the “good old days” guys had leather helmets, the goalposts were on the goal line, guys with 40 receptions on a season were All-Pros and the NFL had twelve teams. Even fifty years ago, more often than not teams had specialists. By forty years ago, almost every kicker was.
I can remember Jim Martin playing for the Lions when I was a kid. He was a tackle, a very good field goal kicker, and also did the kickoffs. That was about the last time the Lions won a championship. Or even finished a season above .500.
But if they can hang on and get 22 more #1 or #2 draft picks, they just might make it to three or four wins.
yyyguy–Long before Dan Pastorini, George Blanda was a combination QB/placekicker for the Oilers. When he retired, he was the highest point scorer in pro football history.
Speaking of Pastorini, when he played for Houston, people were always coming up to me and asking for my autograph because they mistook me for Dante. We really did look similar. Of course, when they found out I was only the guy who drew Tank McNamara, they lost interest in the autograph.
Good old days didn’t have HDTV or those Cowboy cheerleaders or even color TV or the NFL on every time you looked around. Or, sometimes, even indoor plumbing or “negro” players in the same room as white ones or…Let’s ditch the selective memory or we’ll think this is Focus On The Family.
Bill, clearly you are an oiler fan— did that transcend to the titans , or are you a frustrated texans fan?— either way you surely must curse peyton and company every year for their dominance of the afc south
I still remember when the Oilers decided George Blanda was “too old” and traded him to Oakland. In Oakland, he scored another hundred or so points kciking field goals and throwing a few touchdown passes as the backup quarterback.
I don’t know about Bill Hinds but when the Oilers finally left Houston, most of the fans were of the opinion, “Don’t let the door hit you in the backside.”
Bill i remembered about Blanda but figured Pastorini might be better known, being a little more recent. a CFL guy, Noel Prefontaine is a punter/kicker who loves to make tackles - and has some fame in the league for doing so. if memory serves, he was a safety in his college days, but that would have been too far afield for most people to know about.
NO TIES! If you leave open the possibility for a tie at the end, why bother with overtime at all? Narrow the uprights, eliminate FG attempts outside the Red Zone, mandate a no-huddle offense, ANYTHING else, but an NFL game that ends in a tie would be an abomination.
For a time, Walter Payton was the Bears’ starting running back, the 3rd-string QB, and the 2nd-string placekicker. (I don’t know how many times he was called upon to fill either of the latter roles, but he practiced them. He threw 8 TD passes in his career, but I don’t know how many of those came from the Halfback Option, the best play in all football.)
My question is, why is a field goal in overtime any different from one in regulation? Sudden death overtime in playoff games has been the norm for how many years now? During the regular season, if neither team scores, a game can still end in a tie. During the playoffs when a winner has to be determined they play until one team scores. Why would a field goal in the first overtime be any less of a score than one in say a second or third overtime? This rule change is a bunch of cr@p which is a slap in the face to the New Orleans Saints who by the way also won the SuperBowl after beating the Vikings in overtime for the NFC championship. Don’t get me wrong, the Vikings had an excellent team as well, but they had their chance to win the game in regulation and gave it away.
NO TIES! If you leave open the possibility for a tie at the end, why bother with overtime at all? Narrow the uprights, eliminate FG attempts outside the Red Zone, mandate a no-huddle offense, ANYTHING else, but an NFL game that ends in a tie would be an abomination.
For a time, Walter Payton was the Bears’ starting running back, the 3rd-string QB, and the 2nd-string placekicker. (I don’t know how many times he was called upon to fill either of the latter roles, but he practiced them. He threw 8 TD passes in his career, but I don’t know how many of those came from the Halfback Option, the best play in all football.)
Ties rarely happen in the NFL. Only two since 2000.
Misng, its not so much the field goal, its the coin flip deciding which team gets it. Then that team can get to about the 35 yard line, get 3, and advance.
yyyguy over 14 years ago
in the “good old days” kickers weren’t specialists. they all played another position on the team as well as doing the kicking. however, the last one i remember doing more than one task was Dan Pastorini who was a Quarterback/Punter for the Oilers.
ksoskins over 14 years ago
Paul Hornung used to run the ball, pass the ball, catch the ball, and kick field goals. He was even a great blocker. That was back in the day when Heisman Trophy winners did well in the NFL.
Ravenswing over 14 years ago
Yeah, and in the “good old days” guys had leather helmets, the goalposts were on the goal line, guys with 40 receptions on a season were All-Pros and the NFL had twelve teams. Even fifty years ago, more often than not teams had specialists. By forty years ago, almost every kicker was.
Ray_C over 14 years ago
I can remember Jim Martin playing for the Lions when I was a kid. He was a tackle, a very good field goal kicker, and also did the kickoffs. That was about the last time the Lions won a championship. Or even finished a season above .500. But if they can hang on and get 22 more #1 or #2 draft picks, they just might make it to three or four wins.
Bill Hinds creator over 14 years ago
yyyguy–Long before Dan Pastorini, George Blanda was a combination QB/placekicker for the Oilers. When he retired, he was the highest point scorer in pro football history. Speaking of Pastorini, when he played for Houston, people were always coming up to me and asking for my autograph because they mistook me for Dante. We really did look similar. Of course, when they found out I was only the guy who drew Tank McNamara, they lost interest in the autograph.
freeholder1 over 14 years ago
Dante also punted a few times, didn’t he, Bill? Had one of the great “Player’s coaches” of all time, too.
freeholder1 over 14 years ago
Good old days didn’t have HDTV or those Cowboy cheerleaders or even color TV or the NFL on every time you looked around. Or, sometimes, even indoor plumbing or “negro” players in the same room as white ones or…Let’s ditch the selective memory or we’ll think this is Focus On The Family.
Bill Hinds creator over 14 years ago
The combination of Dan Pastorini, Earl Campbell and Bum Phillips was hard to beat.
Bill Hinds creator over 14 years ago
Emphasis on Earl Campbell.
Nighthawks Premium Member over 14 years ago
Bill, clearly you are an oiler fan— did that transcend to the titans , or are you a frustrated texans fan?— either way you surely must curse peyton and company every year for their dominance of the afc south
TexTech over 14 years ago
I still remember when the Oilers decided George Blanda was “too old” and traded him to Oakland. In Oakland, he scored another hundred or so points kciking field goals and throwing a few touchdown passes as the backup quarterback.
I don’t know about Bill Hinds but when the Oilers finally left Houston, most of the fans were of the opinion, “Don’t let the door hit you in the backside.”
WaitingMan over 14 years ago
15 minute overtime for the NFL. All controversies eliminated.
Plods with ...™ over 14 years ago
And if it’s still tied, it’s still tied. Can I get an Amen?
mroberts88 over 14 years ago
They arent taking away game winning field goals, just making them harder to get.
Do what the NCAA does, each team gets one possesion, only kick off.
yyyguy over 14 years ago
Bill i remembered about Blanda but figured Pastorini might be better known, being a little more recent. a CFL guy, Noel Prefontaine is a punter/kicker who loves to make tackles - and has some fame in the league for doing so. if memory serves, he was a safety in his college days, but that would have been too far afield for most people to know about.
fritzoid Premium Member over 14 years ago
NO TIES! If you leave open the possibility for a tie at the end, why bother with overtime at all? Narrow the uprights, eliminate FG attempts outside the Red Zone, mandate a no-huddle offense, ANYTHING else, but an NFL game that ends in a tie would be an abomination.
For a time, Walter Payton was the Bears’ starting running back, the 3rd-string QB, and the 2nd-string placekicker. (I don’t know how many times he was called upon to fill either of the latter roles, but he practiced them. He threw 8 TD passes in his career, but I don’t know how many of those came from the Halfback Option, the best play in all football.)
MisngNOLA over 14 years ago
My question is, why is a field goal in overtime any different from one in regulation? Sudden death overtime in playoff games has been the norm for how many years now? During the regular season, if neither team scores, a game can still end in a tie. During the playoffs when a winner has to be determined they play until one team scores. Why would a field goal in the first overtime be any less of a score than one in say a second or third overtime? This rule change is a bunch of cr@p which is a slap in the face to the New Orleans Saints who by the way also won the SuperBowl after beating the Vikings in overtime for the NFC championship. Don’t get me wrong, the Vikings had an excellent team as well, but they had their chance to win the game in regulation and gave it away.
mroberts88 over 14 years ago
fritzoid said, about 5 hours ago
NO TIES! If you leave open the possibility for a tie at the end, why bother with overtime at all? Narrow the uprights, eliminate FG attempts outside the Red Zone, mandate a no-huddle offense, ANYTHING else, but an NFL game that ends in a tie would be an abomination.
For a time, Walter Payton was the Bears’ starting running back, the 3rd-string QB, and the 2nd-string placekicker. (I don’t know how many times he was called upon to fill either of the latter roles, but he practiced them. He threw 8 TD passes in his career, but I don’t know how many of those came from the Halfback Option, the best play in all football.)
Ties rarely happen in the NFL. Only two since 2000.
Misng, its not so much the field goal, its the coin flip deciding which team gets it. Then that team can get to about the 35 yard line, get 3, and advance.