Who remembers Matt Katula?

[Shas]

He was the Ravens long-snapper for five years, (and supposedly a great golfer). Now he's the Steeler's long-snapper. Just signed him today. He had bounced through the Vikings and Patriots rosters over the last couple of seasons.

[BcRaven]

He was the Ravens long-snapper for five years, (and supposedly a great golfer). Now he's the Steeler's long-snapper. Just signed him today. He had bounced through the Vikings and Patriots rosters over the last couple of seasons.

I do remember him as our long snapper, but didn't he get hurt (2009 or 2010) and we released him? He's one of those guys who fly under the radar, but have long careers (I think he's been in the league for 6 or 7 years now), and don't get paid much by NFL standards... Bc

[Ravenswintitle]

Yup as Bc said above. If I recall, Pitt had long snapper issues. Didn't they put James Harrison there and it resulted in a bad play that some say cost them the game? May have my facts mixed up

[AirFlacco]

As far as not getting paid much, I remember him saying fans don't even know who
the long snapper is until he screws up a game.

Then everyone knows.





I played every position on both lines including Center at my lowly level and laughed
the first time I ever heard of a long snapper. They're making the game too complicated
when they have to hire someone just to snap, even if they're long snaps.

You can either hike the ball or you can't.

[Rxdoxx]

They're making the game too complicated
when they have to hire someone just to snap, even if they're long snaps.

You can either hike the ball or you can't.

True, but aren't there coverage issues also? Downfield lane assignments on punts?
I would also think that practice with the holder and the punter and ST might be a little much to add to someone who is practicing with the offense.
As far as I know every team has one so there has to be some valid reasons even if my thinking doesn't hold water.

IIRC Katula injured the elbow of his snapping arm and his accuracy wasn't real good when we made the move to replace him.... it wasn't because he lost his skills, and if he is healthy he should still be good.

[festivus]

I liked that guy so much I'm willing to forgive him for being a Steeler.

[ed from Bel Air]

I liked that guy so much I'm willing to forgive him for being a Steeler.

I'm not.

(Isn't he the guy whose own father rooted for the Packers when the Ravens played in Green Bay)?

[mfdoom42]

I played every position on both lines including Center at my lowly level and laughed
the first time I ever heard of a long snapper. They're making the game too complicated
when they have to hire someone just to snap, even if they're long snaps.

You can either hike the ball or you can't.

I think that's an oversimplification of things. On punts, the long snapper has to snap the ball on a perfect line 15 yards straight back to the punter, hold his ground until the kick is off, and then suddenly become a gunner - if you pay close attention the long snapper is always up the field with the rest of the coverage team. On FG's, the long snapper has to snap it perfectly to the holder and then maintain his balance to support the wall of blockers holding back the opposing team. Most of the time the long snapper has his head upside down and between his knees while blocking for a FG attempt. The position requires a very unique blend of throwing power + accuracy, flexibility, speed, and strength. I'm not trying to make the position out to be more than it is - it's by far the lowest paid position in the NFL (possibly in all of pro sports), but it is a niche that exists for a reason.

[AirFlacco]

Great posts guys but I know all that about accuracy and power. I used to do it. That goes w/o saying but in the old days you only had one Center.

Hell, in the 50s and 60s the Eagles had the meanest player in football named Chuck Bednarik who played Center on offense and when they went off the field he just turned around and played middle linebacker. He didn't have the speed or range of Ray or any of these guys but none of them today could hit like him.

He once picked up Alan Ameche and carried him off the field and slammed him on the table out of bounds. Lenny Moore was a rookie and said that was the most frightening thing he saw in football and had second thoughts of being a RB in the pros. He was a DB at Penn State. BTW, Lenny also played DB in pros as well as WR and RB.

Then Bednarik was the guy who ruined Frank Gifford's career on a tackle as he cut across the center taking a pass and it was a clean hit. Hell, he knocked Gifford out who stayed knocked out for two days, I think. Gifford never ran the same again.

Then Bednarik turned around and played Center after knocking Gifford out and with a smirk on his face. I saw him on TV and he was about 80 and he still looked scary-lol.

That's the way we played back then.

[AirFlacco]

Here's a pick of Bednarik's hit on Gifford.

Hell, look what he does to Gifford as he is knocked out on the ground. Gifford looks
like he's dead.

He says today the NFL is soft and BS. ILMAO.



http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/21/sp...1anderson.html

[AirFlacco]

Ok, here's a vid of the hit. Looks like a clothes line, the ancestor of the horse collar.
They were legal back then. I got clothes lined running the ball once and you never
forget it. It's like when you have sex for the first time. You never forget the feeling.

At the end of vid Bednarik explains why he did that motion to Gifford.

Tom Matte said Bill Pellington clothes lined him in practice.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sv_vu...eature=related

[festivus]

I'm not.

(Isn't he the guy whose own father rooted for the Packers when the Ravens played in Green Bay)?

He treated the fans great on a miserably hot day in Westminster, including signing my kid's football. On my list of Why I'll Like a Player, treating my kid great is number one.

I really couldn't care less who his father roots for. I hope he's still rooting for Green Bay, if Matt is now a Steeler.