Mini Camp report from PFW

[marty]

Read my very thin PFW yesterday, and found a couple of interesting notes I thought to pass on.....

Alumni participants - OTIS was in the building! "Former Patriots Otis Smith and Fred Baxter were on hand to help out at practice. Smith worked with the defensive backs while Baxter helped out with the tight ends."

Thumbs up for Ghost - "Martin Gramatica kicks the ball extremely low. He had a similar problem toward the end of his career in Tampa Bay that led to some of his kicks getting blocked. Both Gramatica nd rookie Stephen Gostkowski hit a majority of their field goal attempts but Gostkowski clearly has the stronger leg of the two kickers."

Can't wait to see for myself at training camp!!!:rocker:

 

[PATSNUTme]

Yes, TC is where we willr really find out what he deal is.

But, I guess you would have to say right now that The Ghost will be our kicker when the regular season starts.

 

[SeanBruschi54]

Yes, TC is where we willr really find out what he deal is.

But, I guess you would have to say right now that The Ghost will be our kicker when the regular season starts.

Without a doubt. I mean no one honestly believed they were going to keep Gramatica right? He was some guy that could show the new kid the ropes teach him some stuff then let the kicker on his way.

 

[SunnyDenmark]

Show the new kid the ropes??? Whats to learn??


Gramatica talking to Gostkowski:

"Ok, the holder puts the ball down and you kick it....OK??? Goood!!!! Now on this one, the holder puts the Ball down and you kick it....I think you're getting it. Think you can do one on your own?...awsome, you're on your way kid"

To FTP - pretty funny - even for a Goober like yourself!

Love and kisses, Homer

 

[SeanBruschi54]

Show the new kid the ropes??? Whats to learn??


Gramatica talking to Gostkowski:

"Ok, the holder puts the ball down and you kick it....OK??? Goood!!!! Now on this one, the holder puts the Ball down and you kick it....I think you're getting it. Think you can do one on your own?...awsome, you're on your way kid"

Gee i dont know. Pressure kicks, what to look for in a special teams alignments, wind factors, weather conditions, previous stories from when Gramatica kicked throughout the years, examples of what he should and SHOULD NOT do, little tidbits of information. You know things of that nature.

Didnt think i'd have to explain it but there ya go.

 

[5 Rings for Brady!!]

My wife complained for weeks when OTIS was cut, she'll be happy if he is doing anything with the Pats.

If it was up to her, our line up would still be the 2001 roster, with a few of the new rookies....

 

[Bostonian1962]

Read my very thin PFW yesterday, and found a couple of interesting notes I thought to pass on.....

Alumni participants - OTIS was in the building! "Former Patriots Otis Smith and Fred Baxter were on hand to help out at practice. Smith worked with the defensive backs while Baxter helped out with the tight ends."

Thumbs up for Ghost - "Martin Gramatica kicks the ball extremely low. He had a similar problem toward the end of his career in Tampa Bay that led to some of his kicks getting blocked. Both Gramatica nd rookie Stephen Gostkowski hit a majority of their field goal attempts but Gostkowski clearly has the stronger leg of the two kickers."

Can't wait to see for myself at training camp!!!:rocker:

Good stuff PC87! I expect mine to be in the mailbox today, down here in VA. I'm expecting it to be "thin".

 

[SeanBruschi54]

How does all that change from HS to College to the Pros?? He's a kicker, he kicks the ball, not much to teach. The wind or weather doesn't change from college to the pros. Formation don't matter because he's not blocking he kicking, so again whats to learn?? You can kick or you can't.

Yea i guess the New England weather is the exact same throughout the rest of the country.

I dont get what your point is. What do you want to know. Thats the real reason Gramatica was brought in for a veteran presence and to make sure Gost's leg doesnt get overworked in TC. If you think thats a lie then too bad. Thats how it works.

 

[Brownfan80]

How does all that change from HS to College to the Pros?? He's a kicker, he kicks the ball, not much to teach. The wind or weather doesn't change from college to the pros. Formation don't matter because he's not blocking he kicking, so again whats to learn?? You can kick or you can't.

If you're going to pretend that the "pressure/timing dynamics/huddle procedures/playclock management/talent of the block team" is the same between HS/College/and the Pros then I'll just have to laugh and move on, as you bring very little to the table here at Patsfans.com.

 

[I'm Ron Borges?]

Good stuff PC87! I expect mine to be in the mailbox today, down here in VA. I'm expecting it to be "thin".

Hey Bostonian, I got mine yesterday and it's the same size all the offseason issues are (32 pages) except the post-draft issue which is bigger. The next issue is the training camp preview issue and then it's back to weekly. To be fair, it must be hard to put out a 56 page paper on one NFL team in the middle of July. There just isn't enough to talk about right now. So your paper should be the same size it's been all offseason.

Also, there's a good article about Bam Childress and John Stone's chances of making the team, so check it out.

 

[5 Rings for Brady!!]

At some point we will have to all agree to simply ignore stupid trolls and simply not respond to them. It would certainly make more sense than arguing point by point with posters that have no reason to be here at all.

 

[spacecrime]

Show the new kid the ropes??? Whats to learn??


Gramatica talking to Gostkowski:

"Ok, the holder puts the ball down and you kick it in between those tall yellow polls, right over there....OK??? Goood!!!! Now on this one, the holder puts the Ball down and you kick it just like before....I think you're getting it. Think you can do one on your own?...awsome, you're on your way kid"

Whats to learn?? You think there is no technique to kicking? That you just go kick the ball any which way? Don't worry aobut steps, lining up, timing, leg plant, swing, follow-through, strength and stretching tips unique to kickers?

You think that all kickers kick equally well so no one can learn from another kicker? That anyone can do what you said above? Kick the ball and it goes through?

Must be the same analysis paradigm you apply when you state that Culpepper is a better QB than Brady.

 

[T-ShirtDynasty]

At some point we will have to all agree to simply ignore stupid trolls and simply not respond to them. It would certainly make more sense than arguing point by point with posters that have no reason to be here at all.

Here, let me help you out.


And while it looks like Mom has grounded him from the 'puter lately, might as well add this one for good measure.

'Course, you'll only want to use these if you become more annoyed than amused by their foolishness. I myself wouldn't miss it for the world.

 

[5 Rings for Brady!!]

Thanks so much!!!!

Did you ever find that stick?

 

[borg]

If you're going to pretend that the "pressure/timing dynamics/huddle procedures/playclock management/talent of the block team" is the same between HS/College/and the Pros then I'll just have to laugh and move on, as you bring very little to the table here at Patsfans.com.

I realize that you have over a thousand posts so you must be very smart and full of useful football information. NOW I understand that a kicker has responsibilities beyond booting it through the uprights. It must be very confusing during "huddle procedure". I bet BB has hired a broadway choreographer in order to get the kicker and holder in the proper position while the 9 blockers are actually in the huddle. And I bet BB is hammering home the point that it is the kicker's responsibilty to worry about the play clock...to heck with the snapper and holder. And it is the kicker that must worry about the blockers, not the lineman. Now I know ...thanks. The "Dynamics" are mind boggling. How does a kicker have time to worry about striking the football when he has to organize the huddle, manage the clock, set up blocking schemes. You would think that BB would just hire a special teams coach instead of laying it all on the kicker. Good thing the Pats brought in a seasoned vet in order to communicate( with a South American accent) with the rookie kicker. I'm sure that MG's non guaranteed minimum contract won't hamper the tutoring process. The ghost must be absorbing all the nuances that MG has to offer....Proper celebrations after a made FG, 90 degree temperatures and humidity, kicking in Florida vs kicking in New England. And the big brother-little brother conversations they must be having..."When the coach tells you to direct the kickoff to the left corner, kick the ball to the left corner." Riveting stuff only a seasoned kicker can offer.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Some folks seem to have forgotten BB's oft stated philosophy that he wants to create competition at every position to get the most benefit out of training camp. Thus the vet & the rook.

 

[5 Rings for Brady!!]

Borg's education is now complete!

 

[bostonbuzz]

As for the kicker thing...

I kinda agree that if you can kick you can kick. One may be able to refine and tweek but if you've been a sucessful kicker throughout HS and College then chances are you have a pretty good handle on what it takes to do it in the pros...at least to get your foot in the door so to speak.
When it's an open competition, as it is this year, there's no reason to think a talented rookie can't boot his way past the vet and onto the team...and...be successful for years to come. That's what they do, that's what they've been doing for years.

SNL had an ongoing skit for years. "I Kick ball! Life has been berry, berry, good to me!"

 

[CrazyDave]

Well, I'm glad kicking is so simple and all.
So, that means losing AV is no big deal at all.
Right?
So i guess the off-season did'nt hurt us as much as some would think.
Right?

 

[5 Rings for Brady!!]

One wonders why the even coach kickers at all, seems like a waste of time.