FB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[emma17]

My favorite "rule change that will never actually happen" also involves the elimination of kicking specialists.

Stipulate that any kick (PAT, FG, Punt, Kickoff) must be taken by one of the 11 players who was on the field on the previous play. You can't sub a guy into the game and have them kick the ball. Since sometimes scoring plays happen at unexpected moments (and even when you're on defense) teams would need to have a few different guys capable of kicking the ball. If you absolutely had to have your specialist, you'd have to use a roster spot to keep them, and you'd have to always sub them into the game one play before you needed to kick the ball, and you still likely wouldn't be able to use them when a team scored a long, unexpected touchdown. I doubt many teams would choose that option.

I like it because it adds a skill back into football that has been taken over by specialists, and it would make those PAT kicks far less certain. Might encourage teams to go for two more often depending on who is on the field to take the kick, and more going for two is always an improvement!

On the downside, it would probably also mean fewer touchbacks on kickoffs and therefore more kickoff returns and more danger to players.

Back in the Lombardi years Jerry Kramer a guard kicked PATs and FGs would the Packers be able to substitute for Kramer?

If Kramer was on the field when the TD was scored, or on the 3rd down play before the FG, then yes he could kick it. If he was on the sideline, then no.

I'd vote for this rule in a heartbeat.

Emma, I thought of you immediately when JB posted this idea. I can't remember, were you a back-up kicker and only kept from kicking by a dang "specialist"? Or are you just a purest and want all roles to be filled with all around football players?

I'm pure Charlie Brown when it comes to kicking, and a purist when it comes to the players.
No matter how hard I try, I can't get comfortable with a clean-uniformed, fully-oxygenated, warm, dry, exertion free specialist isolated from the physical and mental drain from the one on one battles the 11 guys on the field have been engaged in coming onto the field to participate in and influence the outcome.

[Brian R. Carroll]

Emma 17 has persuaded me. I am now even more of a football reactionary.

[doolittledog]

I was born in the 1960's in St. Louis.  The Cardinals kicker was Wisconsinite Jim Bakken.  When he had a 7 field goal game back in 1967 no one complained about a kicker influencing the outcome of the game.  No one considered him a specialist isolated from the physical and mental drain from the one on one battles the 11 guys on the field have been engaged in.  He was just considered a member of the team.  Everyone knew that was part of the game and was happy the Cards had a kicker they could rely on.   

The Dave Revsine book The Opening Kickoff is a good read and it focuses on how the kicking game was once the most important part of the game and Wisconsin kicker Pat O'Dea was a big part of that. 

My thoughts are this is a recent phenomenon of negative opinions of kickers in the game.  Perhaps it coincides with soccer participation levels rivaling football that feeds it. 

[emma17]

I was born in the 1960's in St. Louis.  The Cardinals kicker was Wisconsinite Jim Bakken.  When he had a 7 field goal game back in 1967 no one complained about a kicker influencing the outcome of the game.  No one considered him a specialist isolated from the physical and mental drain from the one on one battles the 11 guys on the field have been engaged in.  He was just considered a member of the team.  Everyone knew that was part of the game and was happy the Cards had a kicker they could rely on.   

The Dave Revsine book The Opening Kickoff is a good read and it focuses on how the kicking game was once the most important part of the game and Wisconsin kicker Pat O'Dea was a big part of that. 

My thoughts are this is a recent phenomenon of negative opinions of kickers in the game.  Perhaps it coincides with soccer participation levels rivaling football that feeds it.

That's some fine kicking.
I can only speak for myself- my feelings about kickers are long seated, well before the soccer revolution. I love soccer and I greatly admire guys that can punt and kick field goals. I think UWW may have won some games, including Stagg Bowls because of exceptional punting. I just prefer the player doing the kicking have more skin in the game.

[bleedpurple]

My favorite "rule change that will never actually happen" also involves the elimination of kicking specialists.

Stipulate that any kick (PAT, FG, Punt, Kickoff) must be taken by one of the 11 players who was on the field on the previous play. You can't sub a guy into the game and have them kick the ball. Since sometimes scoring plays happen at unexpected moments (and even when you're on defense) teams would need to have a few different guys capable of kicking the ball. If you absolutely had to have your specialist, you'd have to use a roster spot to keep them, and you'd have to always sub them into the game one play before you needed to kick the ball, and you still likely wouldn't be able to use them when a team scored a long, unexpected touchdown. I doubt many teams would choose that option.

I like it because it adds a skill back into football that has been taken over by specialists, and it would make those PAT kicks far less certain. Might encourage teams to go for two more often depending on who is on the field to take the kick, and more going for two is always an improvement!

On the downside, it would probably also mean fewer touchbacks on kickoffs and therefore more kickoff returns and more danger to players.

Back in the Lombardi years Jerry Kramer a guard kicked PATs and FGs would the Packers be able to substitute for Kramer?

If Kramer was on the field when the TD was scored, or on the 3rd down play before the FG, then yes he could kick it. If he was on the sideline, then no.

I'd vote for this rule in a heartbeat.

Emma, I thought of you immediately when JB posted this idea. I can't remember, were you a back-up kicker and only kept from kicking by a dang "specialist"? Or are you just a purest and want all roles to be filled with all around football players?

I'm pure Charlie Brown when it comes to kicking, and a purist when it comes to the players.
No matter how hard I try, I can't get comfortable with a clean-uniformed, fully-oxygenated, warm, dry, exertion free specialist isolated from the physical and mental drain from the one on one battles the 11 guys on the field have been engaged in coming onto the field to participate in and influence the outcome.

Hey, Charlie could boot the ball! He didn't have the best choice of holders, though.

[bleedpurple]

Proud Papa moment alert!  Cool article below that recognizes my son's work as the Director of Strength and Conditioning for the Ohio University men's basketball team:

http://www.athensmessenger.com/sports/ohiouniversity/bobcats-eye-weight-goals-and-gains-this-summer/article_9d640b3d-5844-54b7-805d-c9b5d4cfac61.html 

[emma17]

Proud Papa moment alert!  Cool article below that recognizes my son's work as the Director of Strength and Conditioning for the Ohio University men's basketball team:

http://www.athensmessenger.com/sports/ohiouniversity/bobcats-eye-weight-goals-and-gains-this-summer/article_9d640b3d-5844-54b7-805d-c9b5d4cfac61.html

Well that's pretty darn cool. Congrats to Zach on his accomplishments and I hope for good things for the basketball team.
Where did he get his training?

[WarhawkDad]

Proud Papa moment alert!  Cool article below that recognizes my son's work as the Director of Strength and Conditioning for the Ohio University men's basketball team:

http://www.athensmessenger.com/sports/ohiouniversity/bobcats-eye-weight-goals-and-gains-this-summer/article_9d640b3d-5844-54b7-805d-c9b5d4cfac61.html

Really awesome Bleed!   I get the Proud papa stuff!   

[badgerwarhawk]

Very cool.

[BoBo]

Proud Papa moment alert!  Cool article below that recognizes my son's work as the Director of Strength and Conditioning for the Ohio University men's basketball team:

http://www.athensmessenger.com/sports/ohiouniversity/bobcats-eye-weight-goals-and-gains-this-summer/article_9d640b3d-5844-54b7-805d-c9b5d4cfac61.html

Well done bleed...another new, favorite team to root for.

[LB40]

Any word on conference recruiting classes? Who's looking to return the most from last year?

[BoBo]

Any word on conference recruiting classes? Who's looking to return the most from last year?

Most WIAC schools don't publicly announce their recruits, but I remember a post by screaming eagle a short time ago that linked a story from the LaX Tribune listing many of UWL's higher profile recruits.  I think you'll have to wait for rosters to be posted or at least the opening of camps for the individual schools to announce anything on their web pages. I know the WIAC homepage will list returning starters when they post the results of the coaches/SID predicted finish for this season. That should be in a few days if it hasn't been already posted. There are other ways to find out these numbers as well if you want to pay for it.

[BoBo]

I was born in the 1960's in St. Louis.  The Cardinals kicker was Wisconsinite Jim Bakken.  When he had a 7 field goal game back in 1967 no one complained about a kicker influencing the outcome of the game.  No one considered him a specialist isolated from the physical and mental drain from the one on one battles the 11 guys on the field have been engaged in.  He was just considered a member of the team.  Everyone knew that was part of the game and was happy the Cards had a kicker they could rely on.   

The Dave Revsine book The Opening Kickoff is a good read and it focuses on how the kicking game was once the most important part of the game and Wisconsin kicker Pat O'Dea was a big part of that. 

My thoughts are this is a recent phenomenon of negative opinions of kickers in the game.  Perhaps it coincides with soccer participation levels rivaling football that feeds it.

That's some fine kicking.
I can only speak for myself- my feelings about kickers are long seated, well before the soccer revolution. I love soccer and I greatly admire guys that can punt and kick field goals. I think UWW may have won some games, including Stagg Bowls because of exceptional punting. I just prefer the player doing the kicking have more skin in the game.

emma, did you know that the Pat O'Dea, the "Kangaroo Kicker" from the Revsine book, was actually a AA Fullback at Wisconsin? Back in the day, the fullback also doubled as kicker and sometimes punter - which probably would make you happy to know!! Not only did he drop kick a 62 yard FG (in a blizzard as the story goes), but was also credited with a 116 yard punt. Obviously, the rules on measuring punts differs from today, but can you imagine the cannon in that leg. His kicking skill brought him so much unwanted celebrity that he decided to go into hiding under an assumed name during the late teens into the early 30's.  It wasn't until a San Fransisco reporter discovered that a guy running around calling himself Charlie Mitchell was actually the alias of the Kangaroo Kicker Pat O'Dea and he was brought back into the mainstream of things. O'Dea was so famous that when he was 90 years old and ill in the hospital, even Pres. JFK sent him get well greetings.  He died of that illness the day after he was elected into the college football Hall of Fame. I remember my dad telling me of O'Dea's exploits when I was a kid growing up.

[palum]

Proud Papa moment alert!  Cool article below that recognizes my son's work as the Director of Strength and Conditioning for the Ohio University men's basketball team:

http://www.athensmessenger.com/sports/ohiouniversity/bobcats-eye-weight-goals-and-gains-this-summer/article_9d640b3d-5844-54b7-805d-c9b5d4cfac61.html

Proud Papa moment indeed, another example of the Ohio University men's basketball team's strong ties to the WIAC:
Head Coach Saul Phillips-UWP
Assistant Coach Will Ryan-UWP
Assistant Coach Jason Kemp-UWL

[badgerwarhawk]

State finally approves UW-WHITEWATER football and baseball projects.

http://www.gazettextra.com/20160810/state_approves_uw_whitewater_athletics_project