Posted on 12/09/2021 9:30:13 PM PST by Faith Presses On
“The longer field goals are mostly attributed to the soccer style kick rather than genetics.
Credit Jan Stenerud and Pete Gogolak, Europeans who were perplexed as to why American football kickers were kicking “goals” such an odd, inefficient way.”
If I remember correctly, Jan Stenerud’s longest kick was only 48 yards. The record now is 66 yards.
I disagree with your assessment about soccer kickers because the soccer kickers in the NFL today are kicking footballs a lot longer than Stenerud and Gogolak. How do you explain that?
Oh, and prior to those kickers, Tom Dempsey was not a soccer-style kicker but had kicked a 63 yard field goal which was the record for many years.
“Tom Dempsy hit 63 yards in 1970 - 51 years ago.”
And your point would be what, exactly?
“They should ban anabolic steroids in college.”
I agree with you.
As to why soccer kickers kick longer field goals, in my opinion it has to do with advancements in kinesiology/biomechanics in studying leg motion, and not so much that players can squat 600 pounds.
Regardless, no one kicks straight-on in the NFL anymore, and there is a reason for that.
“Tom Dempsy hit 63 yards in 1970 - 51 years ago.”
And your point would be what, exactly?
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The 66 yard example isn’t that strong to show the increase in athletic ability over 50 years ago.
After Tom Dempsey, in 1974, they moved the goalpost back 10 yards. So a 66 yard field goal in reality was a 76 yarder.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/nfl/news-when-nfl-move-goalposts-back
Thanks Kevmo.
I watched football throughout the 70’s and 80’s and always thought the “slingshot” goalposts put the goal over the goal line.
It’s like I’m in the twilight zone hearing this.
Was the 66 yarder placed at the 34?
No question despite the growing number of players who have limited themselves voluntarily. Interesting thing about Favre, though, because he’s having neurological problems now and has come out in favor of no tackle football prior to age 14. I think that’s hardly the issue when later on there’s a 6’5” wall of muscle who runs a 4.5 40 coming for your head.
“And the bottom line is, there really aren’t more severe injuries these days.”
And what do you call CTE? A misdemeanor injury?
;-) There are many CTE diagnosed-players today when there were none years ago.
The first player I have heard of who claimed a CTE injury was John Mackey who played during Johnny Unitas’ time with the Baltimore Colts. Actually, his wife claimed CTE after his death but was never proven but the NFL paid her big money just to shut her up. ;-)
LOL- there were no players diagnosed with CTE years ago??? You’re joking- right??
Take a look at what happened with many of the players from the Super Bowl winning Pittsburgh Steelers teams of the 1970’s.
CTE was not diagnosed back then. ;-)
neither were a host of other issues- but you keep believing what you want and avoid the obvious truth ;)
Just a short list of well known players, mostly from the 70’s, who didn’t suffer from CTE, which was not the cause of their death, because it didn’t exist.
https://people.com/sports/prominent-nfl-players-diagnosed-with-cte-the-degenerative-brain-disease/
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