Thread: Prater is a stud

According to my dad who is a pilot and therefore better at math than me, there was a density altitude of 3,532 when factoring in the cold... So while the kick wasn't at sea level, he didn't get the full benefit of the mile high either.

Originally Posted by Buff

According to my dad who is a pilot and therefore better at math than me, there was a density altitude of 3,532 when factoring in the cold... So while the kick wasn't at sea level, he didn't get the full benefit of the mile high either.

your dad sounds like a great man

IMO, Tom Dempsey's feat will live forever, regardless if anyone broke the record.

I'm very happy for Prater and he deserves the props. Now try doing it straight on with a stump for a foot at below sea level with the game on the line like Dempsey did and you'd truly have my respect.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hu73YSmtiXU

(Don Criqui's original call for CBS back in 1970)

Originally Posted by dbfan2007

Thankfully, the FO didn't cut him and gave him another chance.


http://www.broncosforums.com/forums/...ht=matt+prater

I didn't reread it. Were people saying they should cut him?

During the Tebow year ('11?), Prater had a DWI while he was also transporting a stripper (or was it a prostitute?) to a hotel. I could see the Broncos at least contemplating releasing him at that point because he wasn't all that special in 2010.

Originally Posted by slim

I didn't reread it. Were people saying they should cut him?

Read it while you're pooping or something.

Originally Posted by OrangeHoof

During the Tebow year ('11?), Prater had a DWI while he was also transporting a stripper (or was it a prostitute?) to a hotel. I could see the Broncos at least contemplating releasing him at that point because he wasn't all that special in 2010.

I went to the Denver @ Arizona preseason game. Someone had a sign that said "No KUI (Kicking Under Influence)".

Originally Posted by OrangeHoof

IMO, Tom Dempsey's feat will live forever, regardless if anyone broke the record.

I'm very happy for Prater and he deserves the props. Now try doing it straight on with a stump for a foot at below sea level with the game on the line like Dempsey did and you'd truly have my respect.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hu73YSmtiXU

(Don Criqui's original call for CBS back in 1970)

The straight on part, yes, but kicking the ball with a block of wood really diminishes rather than magnifying the record. There's a reason the NFL banned that almost the moment he retired.

Originally Posted by Joel

The straight on part, yes, but kicking the ball with a block of wood really diminishes rather than magnifying the record. There's a reason the NFL banned that almost the moment he retired.

Certainly and interesting look at it. I dont know much about how his shoe or foot was set up, im guessing the block of wood was secured in front of his foot if i recall correctly? It was pretty much square right?

Either way, it was great for Dempsey at the time but beating the record is beating the record no matter who does it and im extremely happy that its a Bronco that did it.

Originally Posted by Northman

Certainly and interesting look at it. I dont know much about how his shoe or foot was set up, im guessing the block of wood was secured in front of his foot if i recall correctly? It was pretty much square right?

That was my understanding; squared off so he was kicking with an almost literal "club" foot. There's a pic in his Wikipedia article, a paragraph of which deals with the media controversy over whether the kick was legit, as well as the Tom Dempsey Rule (apparently created a couple years BEFORE he retired.) The previous record was 56 yds and stood for 21 years; Dempseys record was unmatched until Elam tied it 24 years later, and only Akers has matched it outside Mile High (even THAT kick BOUNCED in off the crossbar.) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Dempsey

Originally Posted by Northman

Either way, it was great for Dempsey at the time but beating the record is beating the record no matter who does it and im extremely happy that its a Bronco that did it.

No argument there, and he doesn't have to share it. Funny, after Elam tied the old record so early in his career I was sure he'd break it before he retired, but I don't think he ever had the chance. Not many coaches have the guts to risk giving an opponent the ball at midfield unless it's the final play of a half.

Dempsey's foot could be compared to a croquet mallet - a good strike could make a ball go far but the accuracy was unpredictable. I'm not saying in any way that Prater's record should be stricken. Only that Dempsey's feat was so improbable in so many ways that it deserves to remain an NFL legend.

BTW, Joel, if you had read the entire Wikipedia page you had cited, a test by ESPN Sports Science claimed that the shoe gave Dempsey no advantage over other kickers and, possibly, made it even more difficult than a traditional kicker.

The impact on the Ball from Dempsey's flattened shoe is really no different than a soccer style kickers. Back then everyone kicked straight on, not soccer style.

Originally Posted by OrangeHoof

BTW, Joel, if you had read the entire Wikipedia page you had cited, a test by ESPN Sports Science claimed that the shoe gave Dempsey no advantage over other kickers and, possibly, made it even more difficult than a traditional kicker.

I did see that, but ESPN Sports Science isn't exactly MIT. Heck, the whole network was co-founded by a guy whose scientific analysis said Romney would win the 2012 election by 5 points.

I'm not trying to bash Dempsey, really, but when the NFL feels obliged to pass a rule against something, it tends to taint any records set doing it.

Originally Posted by OrangeHoof

During the Tebow year ('11?), Prater had a DWI while he was also transporting a stripper (or was it a prostitute?) to a hotel. I could see the Broncos at least contemplating releasing him at that point because he wasn't all that special in 2010.

Any respect I lost for him because of the DUI was quickly regained because of the stripper.