I emailed Steve Hoffman and got a response!

[Bob Sacamano]

Ha! B.S!!! Let's take the most remarkable turn arounds in kicking history in the NFL - Neil Rackers.

In his first journey through with the Bengals he was 10 - 21 from 40-49 yards out - Less than 50%!!!! From 30-39 yards he is 16 of 23! His first year with Arizona he misses 3 FGs inside the 40!

Then the miraculous occurs. In his second year of his Arizona stay he stabilizes himself somehow and becomes a 85% kicker inside of 50 yards. MVP type numbers for a kicker, then this year he goes to 97% - basically one kick short of perfect inside the 50.

How?? Kevin O'Dea. Who? Well this guy just happen to be a little known kicking coach specialist when he was picked up by Dennis Green. Actually he was the head of NFL Europe Kicking Camp prior and during his first year with the Cardinals. A specialist, a guru dare we say??? A hand holder/babysitter.

He took Rackers and stabilized him to the tune of a 2 million dollar SB this year. O'Dea unfortunately cannot coach coverage teams and Green has elected to dump him this year. Let's watch with anticipation if Neil Rackers "kicking superstar" goes BAD all of a sudden.

could this also be the case of natural, player progression? after all, Rackers was a draft pick, not some scrub picked off the way-side aka Hoffman's pedigree

 

[MapleLeaf]

Funny I saw that game and seen him say no such thing, maybe I missed it.



SO in your opinion there is no way Parcells can win, good kickers wont come here because their feelings may get hurt if they DO BADLY! So we will only get a crappy kicker and then you can blame parcells again! I see how it works now

...can most definitely win in this league. He needs to change his attitude to mistakes made on the field during the course of a season.

For a kicker he only gets three maybe five plays to make an impact in a game. That is his curse and a coach needs to understand that and temper his response accordingly.

Unlike other players he gets limited kicks at the can so his mistakes are magnified already. He doesn't need a coach to over react.

 

[MapleLeaf]

could this also be the case of natural, player progression? after all, Rackers was a draft pick, not some scrub picked off the way-side

...at google pictures of him from Bengals to Cardinals. His kicking motion has been altered along with his set up. It's much more mechanical. Basically O'Dea has worked with the guy to give him a fluid, repetitive motion that takes out the "yips" in his swing.

I haven't seen him kick in person, but I would be willing to bet that he has never had more consistent contact on the ball in his professional career as this past season.

O'Dea's departure this year will be very interesting to watch because it may be a justification the profession of kicking coaches.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

...at google pictures of him from Bengals to Cardinals. His kicking motion has been altered along with his set up. It's much more mechanical. Basically O'Dea has worked with the guy to give him a fluid, repetitive motion that takes out the "yips" in his swing.

I haven't seen him kick in person, but I would be willing to bet that he has never had more consistent contact on the ball in his professional career as this past season.

O'Dea's departure this year will be very interesting to watch because it may be a justification the profession of kicking coaches.

but think about it, if O'Dea leaves, and Rackers still has the same success, isn't it an indication of how Hoffman failed as a kicking coach, cuz don't you think Hoffman was doing the same thing for Cundiff? but he hasn't progressed, he actually got worse this year...

 

[MapleLeaf]

what does that have to do with anything? that's like saying you've never been a coach on a football team, so you have no right questioning Parcells

and what does being a kicker on a pop-warner team have to do with what we're talking about?

... university ball here in Canada. Frozen turf, people in stands, not professional pressure, but personal pride and it's puts in perspective what it feels like to stand seven yards back alone with people yelling at you to make it and miss.

Kicking is a mental game, I can't stress that enough. Having been one and now 40 years older with some wisdom it is easy to see that the majority of my problems as a kicker were in my head. As a 18 year old freshman was I prepared for that type of situation - probably not. I can't even imagine what the NFL is like.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

... university ball here in Canada. Frozen turf, people in stands, not professional pressure, but personal pride and it's puts in perspective what it feels like to stand seven yards back alone with people yelling at you to make it and miss.

Kicking is a mental game, I can't stress that enough. Having been one and now 40 years older with some wisdom it is easy to see that the majority of my problems as a kicker were in my head. As a 18 year old freshman was I prepared for that type of situation - probably not. I can't even imagine what the NFL is like.

if it's mental, how is Vinatieri able to go out and kick clutch fgs, but be hurt by what his coach says? if he's able to drone out the pressure of the situation, and the crowd noise, and nail a kick, he should certainly be able to channel out his coach screaming and yelling at him in practice and the sidelines...

 

[Jimz31]

if it's mental, how is Vinatieri able to go out and kick clutch fgs, but be hurt by what his coach says? if he's able to drone out the pressure of the situation, and the crowd noise, and nail a kick, he should certainly be able to channel out his coach screaming and yelling at him in practice and the sidelines...

He may be doing that.

 

[wileedog]

...can most definitely win in this league. He needs to change his attitude to mistakes made on the field during the course of a season.

For a kicker he only gets three maybe five plays to make an impact in a game. That is his curse and a coach needs to understand that and temper his response accordingly.

Unlike other players he gets limited kicks at the can so his mistakes are magnified already. He doesn't need a coach to over react.

The problem with all your arguments is that you only see what the television shows you.

For all you know after the game, the team walks into the locker room, Parcells mosey's on over to McBriar and throws his arm around him and gives him a big "we'll get 'em next time, don't get down son."

A good combination of fear with encouragement.

We just don't know.

But we do know that plenty of players fall all over themselves to play for Bill again. And its a good bet he's told most of them to f*** off at one point or another during a game. So something in your scenario is not adding up.

 

[MapleLeaf]

but think about it, if O'Dea leaves, and Rackers still has the same success, isn't it an indication of how Hoffman failed as a kicking coach, cuz don't you think Hoffman was doing the same thing for Cundiff? but he hasn't progressed, he actually got worse this year...

... an advocate for having the kicking coach there on the sidelines. I dont' get this resistance? You can have Hoffman for cheap compared to a coordinator and he doesn't count ofn the salary cap.

If you don't like him go to this article to see the recap of Hoffman's work.

http://www.cowboysplus.com/topstorync/stories/011805cpcowlede.66b89.html

I can't justify everything for you guys, but I have to go with Jimmy on this one. This was a big mistake for Parcells and it has cost us.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

... an advocate for having the kicking coach there on the sidelines. I dont' get this resistance? You can have Hoffman for cheap compared to a coordinator and he doesn't count ofn the salary cap.

If you don't like him go to this article to see the recap of Hoffman's work.

http://www.cowboysplus.com/topstorync/stories/011805cpcowlede.66b89.html

I can't justify everything for you guys, but I have to go with Jimmy on this one. This was a big mistake for Parcells and it has cost us.

no resistence against Hoffman, just bring in a quality kicker and you have no use for him, the mistake BP made was cutting Hoffman loose w/o having a quality kicker

 

[WoodysGirl]

sidebar: I have to say I'm impressed we got a 100 post thread going and it's not about a quarterback. Amazing...








ok now back to your regular chitter-chatter

 

[MapleLeaf]

The problem with all your arguments is that you only see what the television shows you.

For all you know after the game, the team walks into the locker room, Parcells mosey's on over to McBriar and throws his arm around him and gives him a big "we'll get 'em next time, don't get down son."

A good combination of fear with encouragement.

We just don't know.

But we do know that plenty of players fall all over themselves to play for Bill again. And its a good bet he's told most of them to f*** off at one point or another during a game. So something in your scenario is not adding up.

...it's not what we speculate in the behind the locker scenes that builds Parcells reputation with other players, it's what we see and read in the media.

What do you think Vinatieri knows about what goes on in the Dallas locker room? If he talks with Jerry the first thing he is going to say is Parcells comes off as a real donkey during the games and Belechick has added personal anecdotes to the same. How can you guarantee this is going to be a good situation for me to bring my talents to this team - SuperBowl or no SuperBowl?

Remember W-dog this guy already has three rings. As I've said before we are only going to get bites from kickers who are desperate for jobs, not the cream of the crop. And getting those types of kickers means we have to develop them not grind them to dust.

 

[MapleLeaf]

sidebar: I have to say I'm impressed we got a 100 post thread going and it's not about a quarterback. Amazing...








ok now back to your regular chitter-chatter

...I'm only passionate about this topic because I believe it has been one of the principle reasons why the Cowboys are out of the playoffs.

I'm trying my darndest to put forward my useless opinion on how we can improve the situation all Cowboy fans are despondent over - from 7-3 to 9-7 in one month.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

ok now back to your regular chitter-chatter

is that all this is to you, chitter-chatter?!! *shakes fist*

 

[WoodysGirl]

...I'm only passionate about this topic because I believe it has been one of the principle reasons why the Cowboys are out of the playoffs.

I'm trying my darndest to put forward my useless opinion on how we can improve the situation all Cowboy fans are despondent over - from 7-3 to 9-7 in one month.

Hey no opinion is useless on this forum...


Carry on with vigor. I didn't want to interrupt, just wanted to chime in at the dialogue you guys got going... It is impressive.



Summerisfunner: keep ur fists to yourself or I'll sic a Commanders fan on you.

 

[wileedog]

...it's not what we speculate in the behind the locker scenes that builds Parcells reputation with other players, it's what we see and read in the media.

Not even remotely. Players talk to other players - even kickers. I would bet most players in the league have a better idea what Bill is about than just about any guy in the media anywhere. And Bill wants it that way.

What do you think Vinatieri knows about what goes on in the Dallas locker room?

I bet if he was considering making amove to Dallas, he could make one or two phone calls and know more about life with Parcells than Randy Galloway ever will in a lifetime.

Remember W-dog this guy already has three rings. As I've said before we are only going to get bites from kickers who are desperate for jobs, not the cream of the crop. And getting those types of kickers means we have to develop them not grind them to dust.

Kickers go where the money is. Anybody with the ice in their veins to nail a 42 yarder with time expiring in playoff game is not going to have serious problems with a coach who throws around an expletive once in a while. You don't think they got 5 times worse from the fans every away game?

These guys aren't children, and kickers by nature HAVE to be tougher skinned than most.

This Dr. Phil routine you're pulling here is total hogwash.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Summerisfunner: keep ur fists to yourself or I'll sic a Commanders fan on you.

it could be worse, you could sic Nors on me and all his chest-thumping

 

[Kilyin]

Didn't Cundiff post in his online Journal that he'd been working with Hoffman during his hiatus from the team this season? Well if Hoffman was doing such wonders for Cundiff, why did he just have the worst collapse of his career and get cut?

 

[Cajuncowboy]

can't believe that they would rather have Hoffman and a non-descript kicker instead of a VIniteiri

WHo in the world in this thread said they would rather have a non-descript kicker? I sure didn't. I would love to have a guy like Vanderjact(sp) but the reality is that even those guys sometimes lose their stuff and even if they didn't, what is the likelyhood we get someone like that?

But no one on here said they would rather have a mediocre kicker and a good kicking coach. The point is that there is this stupid argument that we shouldn't have the coach. You talk about spending the money. It is a non issue. Jerry Jones loses more money by passing gas than what it would take to hire Hoffman back. Even with the so-called savior of Vandy or Venitieri, what would be the problem with having the coach?

Maybe some folks just like to argue for the sake of arguing when there really is nothing to argue about.

Yeah, let's get a great kicker in here. Let's also get a coach that specializes in kicking so if we need him, we have him. I don't get the resistance at all. It's crazy.

 

[Jimz31]

Didn't Cundiff post in his online Journal that he'd been working with Hoffman during his hiatus from the team this season? Well if Hoffman was doing such wonders for Cundiff, why did he just have the worst collapse of his career and get cut?

Ummmm...maybe you missed it....he did great during his try-out to make the team again. Got away from Hoffman and his fundamentals went to crap. Not that hard to figure out.