Please Gano, for us fans

by skinsrgods on Jan 5, 2011 10:13 PM EST

As my past posts have very blatantly shown that i hate Graham Gano because 1) some of his missed kicks could have really really helped in getting a few more victories, and 2) he is a Seminole, I have seen how dedicated he seems to be at getting better and how upset he is over missing all those critical, and pretty easy (by NFL standards) kicks. Now I will never say that I love a Seminole, but I will accept him if he can get his shit together. Redskins site even has a story about how he is focused on getting better, and he better be cuz his coach has gone full out and backed his ass, so if Shanahan has that much faith that he can get better than I will follow his words and hope with him, because the last thing we all need is another season like he had this year, all those gut wrenching misses that could have changed entire games. I would enjoy not having to worry about the kicker missing chip shot field goals. Now obviously they should be trying out other kickers and long snappers for that matter, but I won't be sad to see Gano back next year knowing (or at least thinking that I know) he worked his ass off to get that number of misses down. It would be a different story if he missed 11 FGs from 40-45+ yards, but a few of them were well under that. So for us fans, may Gano get his ass in gear and make those easy ones. Even though my opinion won't effect anything that this organization does, I hope Gano comes back for next season just so we can see if he has fixed his shit. Why can't we just get another Mark Moseley.

Poll

What should they do?

Cut his ass

17 votes

Keep him, tryout news kickers in offseason

48 votes

Count on him and give him total confidence, no others

8 votes

73 votes | Poll has closed

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Or chippy Lohmiller..

by RiggoPosse on Jan 5, 2011 10:55 PM EST reply actions

Gano is one of the few Seminoles that I’ve ever even considered liking. However, the only one that I’ve ever ended up liking was Warrick Dunn.

That being said, Gano has had chance after chance…after chance. Cut him. He is a bum.

The Once and Future King

by FlaGators on Jan 5, 2011 11:03 PM EST reply actions

we need tryouts for 2 kickers...he's avg enough to be 1 of those 2

He got quite good at kickoff touchbacks, that can’t be understated. I don’t want to defend the guy, there’s just not a lot out there that can do both (kickoffs and long kicks).

The fact he’s money in practices consistently is really alarming. Gotta convert that after 16 weeks.

Hogs Haven. On Twitter. And Facebook.

by Kevin Ewoldt on Jan 5, 2011 11:10 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

Yeah. Good point. I fully agree.

The Once and Future King

by FlaGators on Jan 5, 2011 11:14 PM EST up reply actions

Worst Case Scenario: We cut him and...

Goes on to some other team and becomes their Kicker for the next decade. Not saying it’ll happen, but you know with our luck it’s not out of the realm, He could join the Ex-Redskin Greats.

Dear Passionate fan, I know you are passionate, but please reply with a logical answer or I will ignore you.

by TerpsAllTheWay on Jan 5, 2011 11:19 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah. Every team in the NFL has that happen more than anyone can count. That isn’t worth worrying over.

The Once and Future King

by FlaGators on Jan 6, 2011 12:12 PM EST up reply actions

He must be a bit of a head case

Good in practice, misses chip shots in games. Sounds like he’s thinking about it too much. How do you fix head stuff?

what you've just said... is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

by gopens44 on Jan 6, 2011 9:50 AM EST up reply actions

He said on Monday that he was already switching from a 3 step kick to a 2 step kick...

Hopefully that will help?

I know ‘77 has pointed to Sundberg (?) the holder as maybe a source of the problem, but I honestly don’t know enough about the long snap/kick exchange to judge that either way.

by Parks Smith on Jan 6, 2011 9:54 AM EST up reply actions

Wasn't the old holder hunter smith

by the maroon bird on Jan 6, 2011 10:38 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

I meant to say snapper not holder, my apologies...

by Parks Smith on Jan 6, 2011 10:44 AM EST up reply actions

Well, 1/3rd less the time to think. That may be it.

I can’t see how the how the holder can be doing anything that can’t be corrected, unless he just smells really bad. Snapper could have something to do with it if the trajectory is distracting (once again, head thing I guess). But really, how damn hard is it to hold a ball while considering the specific requests of the kicker? Seams to the back or whatever, 80 degree angle or whatever. not leaning, etc. I guess I just don’t get it. Then again, I’m not a kicker…..

by gopens44 on Jan 6, 2011 10:42 AM EST up reply actions

Kicking is just like a golf swing

If anything messes up your timing, even a little bit, you don’t get the shot you want. Some guys could hit a perfect tee shot with bombs landing all around them, and some guys hear somebody sniff a hundred yards away and it throws them off. Kickers are the same, and Gano just has to develop a better way to concentrate and ignore the external stimuli.

by tuckwell on Jan 6, 2011 10:47 AM EST up reply actions

What is this “perfect tee shot” you speak of? I thought it was SUPPOSED to cut hard left after you hit it??

Kickers, goal tenders and relief pitchers. Truly the oddest animals of all athletes…

by gopens44 on Jan 6, 2011 11:08 AM EST up reply actions

I think it's really hard to evaluate the kicker fairly this season

He’s had a rookie snapper and three different holders in 16 games. As stated below, a good place kick is a lot like a golf swing, if one thing goes wrong, it can avalanche into a really bad snap hook.

I think the reason things go so well in practice, is that Nick Sundberg doesn’t have an opposing player trying to distract him in practice as he does in a real game.
I dabbled in placekicking in high school, but I am not an expert by any means-but to me, it sure looks like the snapper is most of the problem at this point. The three holders this year (Bidwell, Smith, and what’s his face) have really not been the problem in my opinion.

I think the best thing for the team this off-season, would be to bring in another right footed kicker and more importantly and other long snapper for competition at those spots. I think Graham can probably win the job easily in a competition-it would do a lot to restore his confidence if he could.
Long snapper really needs to be looked at carefully by Smith this off-season and I really hope that he decides to hold a competition.

I think it’s a mistake on Graham’s part to be messing with a two-step approach. I think this is a reaction by him to try to minimize any mistakes that he can’t control (holder/snapper). Again, to use the golf analogy, it’s not like changing your putter, it’s more like completely reengineering your swing, not a great idea.

The world looks mighty different when you're peeking out your belly button

by Skins Fan '77 on Jan 6, 2011 11:20 AM EST up reply actions

Lets just hope Gano isn't the Ian Baker-Finch of the Skins...

by Parks Smith on Jan 6, 2011 11:28 AM EST up reply actions

If nothing else,

make Gano the punter and kickoff/long FG specialist. The guy has a cannon for a leg, and in addition to winning the Lou Groza award for best placekicker in college, he was also one of the top punters. I think he’s going to do fine in the offseason and bounce back from this year. I briefly spoke to him not long ago, and he said there’s nothing wrong he can’t fix with a good offseason’s work. I didn’t have time (or want to put him on the spot) to ask if he hadn’t had proper coaching prior to this season, but I suspect after the ‘Skins signed him late last year, there hasn’t been a lot of time for Gano with competent coaching.

by tuckwell on Jan 6, 2011 10:45 AM EST up reply actions

Good idea put the guy that has never made a 50+ yarder in the NFL as the long FG specialist.

And that 35 yard punting average in the Rams game was special. O and did I mention only 9 TBs all year.

He definitely needs some competition in training camp this year.

by Parks Smith on Jan 6, 2011 11:00 AM EST up reply actions

I've personally watched him hit 2 60+ yard FGs in one game.

He has the leg for it. I don’t know if it was all mental, or the snapper, or what, but he can hit those. I’m fine with competition in training camp, but don’t be surprised when he’s still the starting kicker next year.

by tuckwell on Jan 6, 2011 11:01 AM EST up reply actions

I'm just curious when did you see him kick 60+ yarders in one game?

His career long at FSU was 53 and it was 52 in the UFL? Maybe High School?

I mean all these guys can hit 65-70 yarders in warm ups, but the NFL and the rush is a lot different than HS.

How many games have you watched in your life where you’ve heard the announcer say “We were watching this guy in warm ups and he was making them comfortably from 65 yards” and it never translate unless your Jason Elam kicking in mountain fresh air.

I know you have a thing for Gano, know him personally or whatever, but he really sucked balls this year and their is no denying that. And its disturbing how he seemed to continue to miss at an almost higher rate as the season went on, you would think he would improve. People point out the game winners or tying FGs he missed, but he missed a lot of others too, especially @ Tenn and @ Chicago. I mean if we were making a push for the playoffs do you really think Gano would have been kept around for the contending/playoff stretch.

Golf is a great example you can get the yipps, shanks, or in any kind of a funk. But for a guy that works on his craft day in and day out and continues to regress, its disturbing to say the least.

by Parks Smith on Jan 6, 2011 11:17 AM EST up reply actions

Yes, high school

Right down the middle. He hit two other FGs that game and his team beat the team favored to win the district 12-7. I know it’s different, but the leg is there. The odds of it getting blocked are very low, so you don’t have to worry too much about that.

I know he sucked this year, he does too. Just give him an offseason to work on it, he’ll be fine.

by tuckwell on Jan 6, 2011 11:23 AM EST up reply actions