Ten Things About Today's Game

[gblowfish]

Originally Posted by sedated

If Haley would have kicked a FG in the first half, perhaps Succop would have been more used to aiming in that wind, and he wouldn't have missed his first attempt

Maybe.
If they take that three the game probably doesn't go to OT.

But if you try that kick in the 2nd quarter, it's kicking at the West End Zone.
The winning OT kick was in the East End Zone. Winds swirl different -usually its worse- on the east side, because the wind goes up a tunnel in the southeast corner of the playing surface.

Succop hit the game winner on the tougher end to kick. Kudos to him.

[Coogs]

Originally Posted by gblowfish

Succop hit the game winner on the tougher end to kick. Kudos to him.

OK, if that was the tougher end to kick, when Buffalo won the toss for OT, why in the heck did we choose to go in that direction?

[gblowfish]

Originally Posted by Coogs

OK, if that was the tougher end to kick, when Buffalo won the toss for OT, why in the heck did we choose to go in that direction?

Well, I thought about that too. I think it's because the east end is where Succop was kicking all his warm up FGs during halftime. I think since that's the side he warmed up on, he may have wanted to kick that direction. Or, maybe the coaches didn't even think about it. Who knows? Plus, you can't tell when the wind is going to gust. The kick he missed got pushed like crazy. The winning kick went left too, but I don't think it went left as severely as the first kick. Just one of those things. Also, he was closer on the second kick than the first.

[Coogs]

Originally Posted by gblowfish

Well, I thought about that too. I think it's because the east end is where Succop was kicking all his warm up FGs during halftime. I think since that's the side he warmed up on, he may have wanted to kick that direction. Or, maybe the coaches didn't even think about it. Who knows? Plus, you can't tell when the wind is going to gust. The kick he missed got pushed like crazy. The winning kick went left too, but I don't think it went left as severely as the first kick. Just one of those things. Also, he was closer on the second kick than the first.

If I read Haley's presser remarks yesterday correctly, what you said here is pretty much spot on. I also think we have to thank the wind a little bit on Buffalo's miss going the other direction. Even though it was an ugly kick, it looked like it was going to sneak just inside the right upright, and at the last possible moment, the wind pushed it hard right into the upright. The previous kick that Haley called the TO on though, the wind did not seem to have any effect on at all. Tough conditions for a kicker Sundy all the way around.

[keg in kc]

Originally Posted by gblowfish

Maybe.
If they take that three the game probably doesn't go to OT.

But if you try that kick in the 2nd quarter, it's kicking at the West End Zone.
The winning OT kick was in the East End Zone. Winds swirl different -usually its worse- on the east side, because the wind goes up a tunnel in the southeast corner of the playing surface.

Succop hit the game winner on the tougher end to kick. Kudos to him.

That may be the tougher end to kick in terms of a worse amount of wind, but isn't the wind on that end actually easier for a right footed kicker, because it hooks left. If they were going the other direction at the end of the game, he'd have had to kick at the left upright and hope for the wind to break it back to the right. Is that right? (I don't know for certain, I'm not nor have ever been a kicker...)

[patteeu]

Originally Posted by keg in kc

That may be the tougher end to kick in terms of a worse amount of wind, but isn't the wind on that end actually easier for a right footed kicker, because it hooks left. If they were going the other direction at the end of the game, he'd have had to kick at the left upright and hope for the wind to break it back to the right. Is that right? (I don't know for certain, I'm not nor have ever been a kicker...)

Ask Frankie. He's a kicking expert.

[Frankie]

Originally Posted by patteeu

Ask Frankie. He's a kicking expert.

A basic idea does not an expert make. As such I never claimed to be one. But I played Soccer for years and coached it a few years more. Experienced, yes. Expert, is something you want to say just to be cute.