Ticat 'Makeover' Should Include Both Kicker & Punter

Hamilton Tiger-Cats
1

Since needed change finally taking place in Hamilton, time to change some other approaches that have not worked - one is

Ticats need to redo entire kicking game (even though both kicker and punter are good blokes as reported - my butcher is good person, but cannot kick game-winning field goal or get off pressure punt in CFL)

Ticat kicking game is sad example of outdated theory of keeping Canadian kickers regardless of effect on team (which over last two weeks has been two close disheartening loses - and those who know game can easily see that Ticat kicking game was key direct cause in both loses)

Kicker - misses game-winning field goal two weeks ago and last week team does not even attempt field goal from 40 yards (even high school teams attempt these without hesitation)

Punter - consistently gets off substandard punts that invite long returns - two weeks ago, Ticats outpunted in Calgary by ten yards a punt (led to Calgary having field position to win game with their field goal) -last week, blocked punt was key play in loss and net average continues near league bottom (as usual)

CFL East getting a clue

Montreal - import kicker/punter
Toronto - best Canadian kicker of decade
Winnipeg - on second import punter already
Hamilton - two Canadians and 0-4

TIcat defence has played well enough to win
Ticat offense struggling but should improve
Ticat kicking game sadly bad and in need of serious makeover

2

An even better solution is to keep these guys off the field by ball control and scoring TD's.

3

Now that McCallum is back in BC, Pikula might be available.
He played very well while McCallum was out, but the old rule... you don't lose your position while injured, has him out of the lineup now.

4

I think the thing we need most on this team is a veteran offensive line able to hold a block and blow the dline away from the line of scrimidge. Look at Montreal. i bet I could rush for 1000 yards behind these guys and pass for 5000 yards. Another example is
the Denver Broncos of the NFL. They had their FULLBACK (Reuben Droughns) rush for 1000 yards. The whole offense would improve if we improve the oline. Im not saying ours is bad, it could just be improved.

5

Based on 4 games, I would say, as a unit, they are bad.

6

ticat blokes can change coaches all they want

but until they admit their Canadian kickers are not getting it done and do something else
big change not likely

when ticats take field, blokes know that ticats will lose third of game (kicking and punting areas)

cant win consistently doing that
and this team has already shown it cant win much at all doing that

but it sure can lose some close ones

team hung on old theory of Canadian kickers and punters only

as agap points out general trend is otherwise (to use imports) in CFL East (and those teams win more)- this is loud hint to Hamilton front office and coaches that continues to be ignored (at high cost)

7

I have to agree. Special Teams and the kicking game are all part of a good football team. A good punter can get you out of a hole and well we know what missing the 3 pointers does to your won loss record. Nuff said.

8

offence puts fans in seats

defence and kicking game win championships

sad that we recognize this but ticat front office and coaches do not

long seasons will continue until they do

as someone said, new CFL is not your daddy's CFL anymore

those that adjust will win - others (like ticats) will continue old ways and struggle

9

Just bring in someone that has the talent to kick now before the season ends.

10

dont fret ticat fans

this front office and staff will not figure it out and will not replace either Canadian kicker or punter

but nevermind it will soon be hockey season!!!

11

it is encouraging to this oldster to see that at least someone associated with ticats can see kicking and punting problems (even though it takes their fans to publicly admit it)

kicking game is 1/3 of game, and when it is not up to par, team effort is at disadvantage from very beginning

fans problem now is to get ticat front office to see problems

bigger problem is for ticat front office to do something about these obvious problems

ticats currently have 23 imports listed on roster (not counting QBs) - and they cant take 2 of these 23 slots and bring in a good import punter and kicker? less than 10% of import slots? and how many of these 23 can provide such a positive improvement in team through performance as 2 solid import kickers could?

these moves are no hill for climbers

not admitting error in drafting Fleming as punter and in trying to make defender into kicker for two years is amazing

even more amazing is that the front office and coaches dont do anything to fix problems

ps - if imports had been brought in to fix these problems before season started, ticats would not have had to fire coach

12

ticats have played four games so far

punter has not had one overall positive game-altering performance in four games - average and net average hover near bottom league
(cant believe ticats wasted second round pick on this guy when they could have gotten so many other renegade players who would have helped ticat team)

kicker has had two negative game-altering performances and one positive performance

prediction - simple law of averages says one of two will have positive performance leading to win this week

and publicity mill will churn out info to make fans think things are okay

but it will not change long term outlook or realities discussed in these posts (change of kicker and punter is needed)

ticat kicking ship has hit ice - instead of mending holes to keep from sinking, ticat front office is busy gathering ice chips to put into strong drinks to ease pain

13

It is obvious that the Ticats' serious kicking and punting problems are becoming obvious to many (even casual fans) (read on)

It's nothing new, the Ticats have been having kicking problems - the poor placekicker' problems are becoming legendary - and the punter's only consistent tendency is being near the bottom of the league in net result and allowing double digit punt returns (regardless of which team he's with)

(read on)

But the fans need to realize that this bad situation is not as much the players' fault as the front office's fault

(Read on)

I have a friend who works kicking camps down south during summertime and he told me about
a guy he worked with this past summer (I don't remember what my friend said the guy's name was, so we'll call him "X Man")

(read on)

X Man was with the New England Patriots as a punter during camps last year. My friend said that X Man is obviously a very talented kicker and punter and it is very quickly clear to anyone who watches him (as he did at these camps).
(read on)

X Man told my friend that he sent out tapes to many teams, including New England and Hamilton. When he was invited by the Patriots for a workout in Boston (signed several months later), he knew that Hamilton was having kicking and punting problems, and called to offer to come over to Hamilton (at no cost to the team) and work out for them as well.

HAMILTON TURNED HIM DOWN - CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS??? - AS BAD AS HAMILTON'S KICKING GAME IS AND HAS BEEN - and New England (Super Bowl Champion three out of last five years) signed him several months later (read on)

This was ________________________ (you fill in the blank) on Hamilton's part (read on after you fill in the blank)

And oh, by the way, X Man was in a camp with Fleming this spring down south in Nevada and outpunted Fleming by a ridiculous margin - (read on)

My friend asked X Man if he had heard from Hamilton since NE released him, and he said
their answer (when he called them again, no less) was that X Man was not a Canadian [ignoring the fact that two of their three conference opponents now have import kickers or punters] (read on)

THIS IS FRONT OFFICE INEPTITUDE (PURE AND SIMPLE) - so back off these kickers and blame who is responsible - the front office -even Fleming himself had to be laughing when the team drafted him in the second round (read on)

Meanwhile the Ticat brass will keep handing their fans this inept kicking game - and not even look at someone the Patriots found good enough to sign - (read on)

Oh well, Ticat fans can always join the front office in singing the seventeenth chorus of "But at least he's a Canadian"

(you can quit reading now)