Adam Vinatieri

[oldrover]

We will see him Sunday... hey, I love Gostkowski... but there's always been a part of me that wished both AV and Brady could remain Pats until they retired.

 

[Froob]

The GOAT (no disrespect to Gost he's great too), I wonder if he'd get #4 retired if he makes the hall. Its easier to retire a number like that than it is a guy like Bruschi's.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

He moved on for a combination of reasons. More money and the opportunity to kick in a Dome and add to his stats, since he already had three rings. In the process he picked up a fourth ring and kicked three FG's in the Colt's four-point win over the Pats in the AFCCG in 2007. (Hopefully, this week the Pats can help assure that he doesn't have a chance to pick up a fifth.)

But, I also think he wanted to go on his own terms and not wait for BB to trade him "a little sooner rather than too late" to a team he didn't choose.

I've never held any of that against him and I hope that one day the Pats do retire his number. He's going to Canton, he made his reputation here and they should.

 

[Patriot Missile]

His career in New England was what dreams are made of. Those 2 in the Snow Bowl and the game winners in 36&38 are epic. For one kicker to have so much glory is almost unfair to every other kicker who has played. Although he has played for the Colts for a long time now I will forever be awed and grateful by what he did here. I still get chills watching his highlights.

 

[ALP]

That man is still kicking very well to this day, that's impressive

But I forget, does he do kickoffs? If not, BB would have cut ties regardless....

 

[RayClay]

Thought he was dumb to leave, but it was really smart. His leg strength was waning. Still accurate and, obviously, as clutch as they come.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

That man is still kicking very well to this day, that's impressive

But I forget, does he do kickoffs? If not, BB would have cut ties regardless....

No, Indy's punter does.

 

[Tunescribe]

Just think of the legend he'd be owning had he remained a Patriot all these years. By the way, apparently there is a plaque in the parking lot at Gillette marking the spot of his famous game-tying Snow Bowl kick at the old stadium. Anyone know exactly where that is? I'd like to see it.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Thought he was dumb to leave, but it was really smart. His leg strength was waning. Still accurate and, obviously, as clutch as they come.

I almost fell for it, but you really ought to have used a when you wrote that his "leg strength was waning."

In 10 years with the Pats he made 8 of 17 (47%) FGA's of 50+ yards and 70 of 99 (71%) from 40--49 yards.

In 8 1/2 or so years with the Colts, he's made 13 of 22 (59%) FG's of 50+ yards and 62 of 74 (84%) from 40-49 yards.

Overall, he made 82% of his Attempts with the Pats and 86% with Indy.

I hope my strength wanes like that someday.

 

[sb1]

Belichick quote on AV: "there's nobody kicking better"

Florio: BELICHICK SAYS VINATIERI IS BETTER THAN GOSTKOWSKI

 

[Oswlek]

I almost fell for it, but you really ought to have used a when you wrote that his "leg strength was waning."

In 10 years with the Pats he made 8 of 17 (47%) FGA's of 50+ yards and 70 of 99 (71%) from 40--49 yards.

In 8 1/2 or so years with the Colts, he's made 13 of 22 (59%) FG's of 50+ yards and 62 of 74 (84%) from 40-49 yards.

Overall, he made 82% of his Attempts with the Pats and 86% with Indy.

I hope my strength wanes like that someday.

Dome inflation. Indy has actually had to have two placekickers at times on the roster due to Adam's inability to put KOs deep. Fans may not care, but there is no way Bill would have kept Vinatieri around through that, nor should they have.

 

[sb1]

AV is more than a fine choice to be the second kicker inducted into Canton.

I said it before...and this is absolutely no disrespect to Ghost... if Vinatieri was still here there is no way Belichick goes for it on 4th and 13 in the first Giants Super Bowl. I think AV makes that kick too. I mean they did lose by 3. Just sayin.

 

[Froob]

AV is more than a fine choice to be the second kicker inducted into Canton.

I said it before...and this is absolutely no disrespect to Ghost... if Vinatieri was still here there is no way Belichick goes for it on 4th and 13 in the first Giants Super Bowl. I think AV makes that kick too. I mean they did lose by 3. Just sayin.

How long was that kick again? in the '50's?

 

[sb1]

How long was that kick again? in the '50's?

Only a 48 yarder.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Dome inflation. Indy has actually had to have two placekickers at times on the roster due to Adam's inability to put KOs deep. Fans may not care, but there is no way Bill would have kept Vinatieri around through that, nor should they have. Moving on was clearly the right decision.

Well, the numbers are what they are, but, yes, I actually cited the opportunity to pile up Dome-aided stats as a reason for his moving on in my first post in this thread.

Since Gostkowski has been so effective, any other debate is moot since it would hinge on arguing intangibles; Gostkowski has, for example, never been called on to make a kick like the one Adam made in the snow bowl (the first kick to tie the game) nor has he ever either had to make a 48 yarder to win one SB with no time left on the clock or a 41 yarder with a few seconds left to win another. Since Gostkowski has never been called on to do anything that major, we don't know what we might or might not have lost, just as we don't know what Adam might or might not have done under the same, purely hypothetical, circumstances.

And, yes, the Pats pay Allen a lot less than the Colts pay McAfee to do two jobs, but that too is relative to things we can't measure.

Bottom line for me? I wish we'd kept #4, but I can't make a thoroughly rational argument on the numbers because things have worked out fine with Gostkowski. Vinatieri's going to Canton and I hope the Pats retire his number when he does, just as I hope he misses every goddam kick he tries this Sunday.

 

[Ring 6]

Thought he was dumb to leave, but it was really smart. His leg strength was waning. Still accurate and, obviously, as clutch as they come.

If he stayed he would have eventually missed a clutch one, and half the fan base would have hated him.

 

[Shed83]

If he stayed he would have eventually missed a clutch one, and half the fan base would have hated him.

And Giselle would have had to scream 'my husband can't throw and kick the ball!!'

 

[Michael]

"Varitek between the uprights" - The mayor

 

[Halifax_Pats_Fan]

Adam was a great player for us...hugely important in all our superbowl wins.

Never understood all the hate for him after he was traded.

Much respect for #4...the second best #4 to play in New England!!

 

[West Philly Patriot]

I still call him the Vinatraitor, it's just really clever, I can't help it. (Kudo's to whomever thought of that)

Will never forget dancing around my best friends room like a maniac as a kid, when he put it through the uprights in the super bowl. Get goosebumps thinking about it.