The Manning Bowl

cubfanindy · Posted: Thu Sep 14, 2006 12:27 pm Post subject:

Sunday night’s game and excellent kicking by the Colts new kicker, Adam Vinteiri, had me thinking about their old kicker, Mike Vanderjagt. I think he missed that kick in the playoffs on purpose last season. I know it sounds ridiculous, but I was at that game in that endzone, and it was a good 20 yards right. Not even close! How does a professional kicker, especially the “most accurate kicker of all time,” miss that badly? Think about it though, he certainly had no love for Peyton Manning or Coach Tony Dungy and their relationship had been seriously strained ever since Vanderjagt mouthed off in Canada about those two, prompting Peyton’s response, calling him “liquored up,” “idiot kicker,” and saying he “gave kickers everywhere a bad name.” Many people thought Vanderjagt wouldn’t be back with the Colts the next season. Vanderjagt was widely bashed by the press and NFL analysts over the incident, and spent the season quiet and humbled. That had to be a tough pill to swallow. I could see him knowing he wasn’t coming back in 2006, and giving the organization one final “screw you” in that playoff game against Pittsburgh.

The Manning Bowl – Thoughts on kickers…