Billy Cundiff appreciation thread

**Jsmoove** · 08-27-2012, 02:28 PM

Originally Posted by LukeDaniel

Again, it was a 52 yarder. The success rate at that distance is below 50% league wide. Cundiff wasn't great last year, but the bulk of his misses were from outside of 50 yards, which are no sure thing. It's not as if he was missing easy FGs all year long.

The blame for the missed FG is split evenly with Cundiff and Harbaugh. Had Harbaugh called a timeout as any sensible coach would have done in that spot, the result would likely have been different. FG kicking is all about rhythm and preperation as much as it is the kick itself and Harbaugh stripped his kicker of his chance to have those two important elements present in that kick.

About 12-15 years ago when I was in college, I was an expert free throw shooter. I would shoot hundreds per week and was usually around 90-91% over a sample size of thousands of free throws. At times, I could make 50-60 in a row. My record was 119 in a row. It was all muscle memory. Even this day, I can still walk into a gym and hit about 82-85%. I had a certain sequence down in terms of how I would toe the free throw line, spin the ball, rotate it and grip it before shooting. It was that routine that made me so efficient at it. If you asked me, during my best stretches of free throw success, to run in from the bench, step up to the line and make a free throw without that preperation, I would have disappointed you as often as I made you happy. I had to be one of the best free throw shooters in the country and soon as you threw my rhtym and preperation off, I started to flail a bit.

My point? Had Cundiff's kick been under normal conditions and he missed it, I would permanently label him as a choker. However, when his coach interfered with two of his most fundamental elements of potential success, I remove a good chunk of the blame from the kicker. Had there been no timeout remaining, it would have been an unfortunate break, but having a timeout and still hanging your kicker out to dry like that is inexcusable. Kickers, more than any other type of athlete out there, are creatures of habits. I have a guess than more than one NFL kicker would have missed that kick if put in the same situation by their head coach.

I would guess Cundiff knows this. Perhaps that's why he wasn't so flowery when asked about his treatment by the Raven coaching staff. I'm actually happy with Tucker as our kicker. I wanted him to beat out Cundiff, but to badmouth the guy is wrong IMO. At least the Raven front office had some of the class that the coaching staff lacks and released him a week early to increase his chances of landing somewhere else.

i see where you coming from, good post too, but at a 30something yard FG rushed or not should be a chip shot easily, they pracrice these scenarios all year long, i agree Harbs could have burned the TO to set up Billy right, but it didn't happen it wasn't like Billy was just sitting there diggin his nose on the sidelines then he got yanked out on the field, he seen where the game was going he knew it was coming to a FG rushed or not and 30plus yards out you make that period no excuses.

**nickh0801** · 08-27-2012, 02:29 PM

Originally Posted by wickedsolo

I agree.

Now everyone is going to have to keep in mind he is a rookie and will have rookie moments.

Can't wait to see the "should have kept Cundiff" threads.

That thread will come on the first missed FG, even if it's blocked or a bad snap! lol

**Ravens44** · 08-27-2012, 02:30 PM

Originally Posted by festivus

It's a message board, slick. We get to talk about Cundiff if we want without washing his testicles, no matter what the OP wanted. ;)

Ok, you just made me throw up.

**nickh0801** · 08-27-2012, 02:31 PM

Originally Posted by burnwood

I think you aren't comprehending the thread title much. It's an "appreciation" thread, not a 'you shouldn't have cut Billy' thread.

Just wishing him well on his accomplishments here. Nothing wrong with that, and no need to get deeply philosophical with either. He's gone. "I" appreciate him and I've moved on.

Why is this so hard for people to grasp? Skulls too thick or something?

It's an "appreciation thread" and some of us "appreciate" the fact that he's gone. :) If it were titled "Appreciate Billy Cundiff's services with the Ravens", then yeah.....

**ravensnhokies** · 08-27-2012, 02:36 PM

Remember.. Billy's 51yd FG to end the 1H in Pittsburgh makes up for the 40yd miss in the 1Q. Missed the one he shouldve made, and made the one he shouldve missed. So, its a wash in my eyes.

Look I don't think Billy deserves any praise for his Ravens tenure, but for christ sake, he doesn't deserve some of the nasty hate some of you are spewing. He screwed the pooch... big time, but let him leave in peace. Onward with Justin.

**LukeDaniel** · 08-27-2012, 02:37 PM

Originally Posted by Jsmoove

i see where you coming from, good post too, but at a 30something yard FG rushed or not should be a chip shot easily, they pracrice these scenarios all year long, i agree Harbs could have burned the TO to set up Billy right, but it didn't happen it wasn't like Billy was just sitting there diggin his nose on the sidelines then he got yanked out on the field, he seen where the game was going he knew it was coming to a FG rushed or not and 30plus yards out you make that period no excuses.

Well, having your preperation and timing altered is an excuse, but I can agree with you that Cundiff still should have made it. At some point, you just have to get the job done. We agree there. Cundiff knows that part of his failure was based on the break from normalcy. He's had all offseason to relive that moment and I'm sure part of his mind takes him to the "if I only had a little more time to set up as I normally do" place. I'm sure there was a bit of resentment directed towards Harbaugh because it's going to be henceforward known as a "Cundiff" when a kicker blows a big kick. Scott Norwood is no longer the name used. It's Billy Cundiff. And Cundiff knows his name will go into sports infamy for a kick that happened when he wasn't properly prepared thanks to his coach's boneheadedness. Then that same coach only gives him a token chance of making the team the following year, even though he's been kicking the ball great all summer. I'd be a bit miffed too.

**LukeDaniel** · 08-27-2012, 02:40 PM

Also, so many people here who are calling him all sorts of names and denigrating his character were some of the same ones who gave him kudos for his postgame courage in facing the media directly after the failure. Which one is it? The guy didn't go from a stand up guy to a malcontent overnight. I have a feeling six months of mentally reviewing how his head coach left him out to dry might have shifted his mindset a bit, and then it was set to a tinder once his job came under fire.

**festivus** · 08-27-2012, 02:40 PM

Peter King's thoughts:

But the Ravens, bugged more by his 1-of-7 from 50-plus in the last two seasons than his crucial miss in the AFC title game last January, cut him Sunday.

Good enough for me!

It must really have stung when he saw Tucker nail that 53 yarder in the Jacksonville game.

**LukeDaniel** · 08-27-2012, 02:45 PM

Originally Posted by ravensnhokies

Remember.. Billy's 51yd FG to end the 1H in Pittsburgh makes up for the 40yd miss in the 1Q. Missed the one he shouldve made, and made the one he shouldve missed. So, its a wash in my eyes.

Look I don't think Billy deserves any praise for his Ravens tenure, but for christ sake, he doesn't deserve some of the nasty hate some of you are spewing. He screwed the pooch... big time, but let him leave in peace. Onward with Justin.

Well put.

**AirFlacco** · 08-27-2012, 03:12 PM

Yea, just check out this thread on scout if you think we're bad. Like I
said, it's all over town and old Colts fans still hate Shula and Morrall for
choking in SB 3.

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=118&f=1666&t=9266668&p=1

**RavenusMaximus** · 08-27-2012, 03:15 PM

Think also about how many times last year, we were close enough to attempt a 45-50+ yard FG, and punted instead because the coach had no confidence in Billy.

**Jsmoove** · 08-27-2012, 03:15 PM

LukeD, you put it well, it is what it is, speaking for myself i thought Cundiff already seemed defeated when Tucker entered the picture you can see my post i have made since the kicking competition, I never gave any praises during, before or after towards Cundiff i personally thought he should have been left in NE tp find his own ride home after the game..well I'm over it, on to Tucker, i wish Tucker a great season of success with the club.