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>>which frankly sounds ridiculous to me. I've coached soccer for many years and it's always been very clear that toe kicks lack accuracy and power.
Tom Dempsey toe kicked, and still (co) holds the record for longest field goal (since 1970). Of course, he may have had an advantage, since he had half a foot and a special shoe, but I don't know if it was really an advantage or not. He was also lacking an arm, I think. I could toe pooch a football further than with soccer-style, but accuracy, not so good. kj.
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[quote kj]>>which frankly sounds ridiculous to me. I've coached soccer for many years and it's always been very clear that toe kicks lack accuracy and power.
Tom Dempsey toe kicked, and still (co) holds the record for longest field goal (since 1970). Of course, he may have had an advantage, since he had half a foot and a special shoe, but I don't know if it was really an advantage or not. He was also lacking an arm, I think. I could toe pooch a football further than with soccer-style, but accuracy, not so good. kj.
I remember that - 63 yards, I think. I didn't know it was still the record.
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The idea of toe kicking a football goes against every intuition from playing soccer. its hard to believe they knew anything about kicking considering the methods they used.
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Jason Elam of the Denver Broncos tied Dempsey in 1998. Elam is still kicking for them. Wonder if that kick was at Mile High and deserves an *?
Sooner or later I am betting Sebastian Janokowsky of the Raiders will do it. He sure has the distance but plagued by being erratic in aim.
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I think Jason Hanson who plays for Detroit could also beat it. He used to kick it through the uprights on kickoffs at WSU when I went there. kj.
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So how the heck do you play with that thing on your foot?...and don't tell me that they let you go over and change your shoes during the game.
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[quote davester]So how the heck do you play with that thing on your foot?...and don't tell me that they let you go over and change your shoes during the game.
Bingo!
Although if the kicker only kicked, he'd leave it on. In American football, the kicking plays are usually short in duration.
I remember the guy that did kickoffs using a shoe string tied from his front cleat over the top of the foot to around his ankle to keep his toe pointed upwards. Fairly common in those days, we also walked to school barefoot in the snow...
=wr=
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[quote wave rider]
Although if the kicker only kicked, he'd leave it on. In American football, the kicking plays are usually short in duration.
Lou Groza, Jerry Kramer and Wayne Walker were excellent regular players too. Groza is one the best players ever personifying the toughness of the 50's NFL. Played defense too.
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[quote spearmint][quote wave rider]
Although if the kicker only kicked, he'd leave it on. In American football, the kicking plays are usually short in duration.
Lou Groza, Jerry Kramer and Wayne Walker were excellent regular players too. Groza is one the best players ever personifying the toughness of the 50's NFL. Played defense too.
I remember Tom Dempsey in the defensive line on occasion too. Always impressed me.
The age of player specialization and changing football from a sport into an industry kind of spoiled the whole thing...
=wr=
