Is This Board Too Hard On Rackers!

[cardsfanmd]

I'm sorry but this is such a bogus statement.

If somebody disagrees with you, now all of a sudden they think every thing is hunky dory and everybody is super. I challenge you to show me anywhere 40 said that ?

I guess I should have put a smiley on the end of that post to show I was just busting his balls a bit. I figured the cartoon at the top would have been sufficient.

If somebody disagrees you, you just say something rude and close the thread, so I will try my best to refrain.

I would like to clarify for everyone else that 40 and I go at it all the time and SOME people (like 40) aren't so sensitive that they are bothered by a little harrassment.

Great, despite the fact that I think it is pretty common knowledge that the holder messed up not Rackers. Oh Yeah and I'm sure you can do better ... NOT.

Except that it isn't common knowlege. There was a rumor of that.

And uh yeah, I could nail a 32 yarder. Anyone with any type of remote athleticism could. Were you saying that that is a tough feat or just that I suck?? I am taking my son to the park later and I will be sure to bring a football and my camera. When I post the video I will be waiting eagerly for your acknowledgement.

Though I expect he will have competition, that seems pretty common for kickers.

Thats all I have asked for.

 

[cardsfanmd]

This sums up the mindset of so many on this board perfectly. Blame Rackers for every mistake, give him no credit when he comes through, even in the same game. That's real fair.

In other news, as has been stated on this board, the Washington kick was 55 yards, the Cardinals lost by two and the extra point was the holder's fault anyway. Is Rackers expected to make a kick when the holder drops the snap? Really?

At least nobody on this board expects him to make a kick when the line doesn't do its job and the kick is blocked...oh wait, they do, we learned that in the Chicago game last year. There were even some fans who blamed Rackers for not hitting a 70-yard field goal against St. Louis...a kick that he never actually attempted!

I've never seen so much irrational hatred for one player, on ANY of my teams.

I didn't say that I hated Rackers, I said there should be competition for his job.

I also have given him credit on his accomplishments. I have stated repeatedly that he is the best onside kicker I have ever seen and probably the toughest kicker in the league. He is a great leader and seems to be a really good guy as well. I love every part of his game other than his abilty to come through in the clutch. Unfortunately, that is the defining characteristic in a good kicker IMO.

 

[BigRedRage]

the bears game was NOT a blocked kick.

 

[cardsfanmd]

Why is it that all of these "blocked" kicks go wide left like the rest of his chokeshots?

 

[40yearfan]

Sorry, but that's looking the game in the wrong context. Coming back to win after surrendering the lead in that fashion would have blown the lid off the stadium (if the roof hadn't been open at the time). A far more enjoyable win than just beating the Bears 23-3. It would have been a game Cards fans still talk about 20 years from now just like they do the 1988 win over the 49ers after trailing 23-0. Nobody talks about the 31-14 win over the Steelers that year do they? (except for me right now). A more exciting end than the 1997 win over Dallas on take back our stadium night. The party afterward would have been phenominal.

But Rackers misses and robbed me of a chance to enjoy that win that night and for years to come. Nothing he does will ever make up for that.

They had the Bears beat. All they had to do was finish the game and they couldn't do it. If there has ever been a game that could be classified as a total team loss, it has to be this game.

You are willing to absolve everyone else on the team for their poor play and insist on sticking Rakers with the dufus tag when all he did was play at the same level the rest of the team was playing at. Don't you think that he was pretty upset that he was even in that position?

Prevent defense and senselessly and continuously running the ball into the middle of an offensive line that couldn't run block to save it's life was the main culprit. Inept coaching gave the Bears the opportunity and poor field execution on the part of the players gave the Bears the game.

 

[NightHawk11and81]

the bears game was NOT a blocked kick.

Actually, it was revealed later that the final kick was partially blocked. Hunter Hillenmeyer of the Bears confirmed after the game that he got his fingers on the kick.

http://www.chicagobears.com/news/ChalkTalkStory.asp?story_id=2553

 

[Duckjake]

They had the Bears beat. All they had to do was finish the game and they couldn't do it. If there has ever been a game that could be classified as a total team loss, it has to be this game.

You are willing to absolve everyone else on the team for their poor play and insist on sticking Rakers with the dufus tag when all he did was play at the same level the rest of the team was playing at. Don't you think that he was pretty upset that he was even in that position?

Prevent defense and senselessly and continuously running the ball into the middle of an offensive line that couldn't run block to save it's life was the main culprit. Inept coaching gave the Bears the opportunity and poor field execution on the part of the players gave the Bears the game.

I fault Rackers for failing to do his job. Make a FG. That other players and coaches failed to do their jobs earlier does not excuse his failure.

It is worse to me because it would have been tremendous to have been able to experience live the Cards finally snatching victory from the jaws of defeat on that stage.

As I said before, a much more exciting way to win than just beating the Bears 23-17 or 23-3 or whatever. A win in that fashion would have been sweet but not near as sweet as giving the game to them and then wrenching it back at the end with a clutch drive by our rookie QB and a clutch FG for the win.

As for the loss I blame that on Pottsville.

 

[Pariah]

The fact is football is a team sport, but it's made up of inividual components. None of us bat an eye when we look to improve other parts of the team. The same should hold true for the kicker. If we can get a better one, great. If we can't, we should stick with Rackers.

Let's not cut off our nose to spite our face.

 

[40yearfan]

The fact is football is a team sport, but it's made up of inividual components. None of us bat an eye when we look to improve other parts of the team. The same should hold true for the kicker. If we can get a better one, great. If we can't, we should stick with Rackers.

Let's not cut off our nose to spite our face.

My sentiments exactly. We don't need another Player debacle.

 

[TigToad]

sigh

After reading this thread, I have to go with the support Rackers camp. The supporters, while fewer in number are making much more logical arguments.

That being said, I take two of his misses very personally. The 49ers game this year in overtime and the Monday night Bear's miss the year prior. Those two should both have been made.

On the other hand, had he made that Bears kick, we might not have had the horrible 3-game break down right after... which might have lead to Denny Green still being here.

So... maybe we owe Rackers. I would definitely like to see this thread again in a year and have the judgement be on whether or not he's making 30-40 yarders late in games for meaningful kicks. If he's missing from those ranges consistantly, clutch or not, there is a problem.

As it is, I think he is a slightly above average kicker. If the coaches think he can work out the issues and become a solidly above average kicker great.. if he's cut, I guess we'll know they don't think he can.

The one thing I want to see avoided at all possible is booing of him during a game. Don't make a touchy situation worse.. wait until after to do the fan bashing... but hopefully, that won't even be necessary.

 

[NightHawk11and81]

That being said, I take two of his misses very personally. The 49ers game this year in overtime and the Monday night Bear's miss the year prior. Those two should both have been made.

You should not take the Bears miss personally, the line blew that one by allowing a Bear to get his fingers on the kick.

 

[cardsfanmd]

You should not take the Bears miss personally, the line blew that one by allowing a Bear to get his fingers on the kick.

I for one am glad he missed that kick. Had he made it we would have won and Denny Green may very well still be the coach.

 

[TigToad]

fair

You should not take the Bears miss personally, the line blew that one by allowing a Bear to get his fingers on the kick.

Fair enough... however, having been at that game in a crowd of Bears fans.. with one of them cursing the whole game for how lucky our team was... and then cursing in the 4th quarter at me and the other Cardinals fans in such a way to make my mother seem like a much less respectable person... it was hard not to take the chance to win that game personally.

It was so much a harder loss to swallow than any of the 30-40 point losses in 100+ degrees at Sun Devil.

 

[Feeble Mcjackson]

rackers = worthless

 

[PACardsFan]

rackers = worthless

Very efficiently said. I am so tired of the Racker's apologists on this board. Some of you deserve each other. I had better not hear some of you complain next year when he again rips our collective hearts out. Please, someone put his thread to bed. I can't tolerate any more stupidity.

 

[40yearfan]

Very efficiently said. I am so tired of the Racker's apologists on this board. Some of you deserve each other. I had better not hear some of you complain next year when he again rips our collective hearts out. Please, someone put his thread to bed. I can't tolerate any more stupidity.

Well that's nice. If someone disagrees with you, they are stupid? Talk about a lack of tolerance.

 

[NightHawk11and81]

Very efficiently said. I am so tired of the Racker's apologists on this board. Some of you deserve each other. I had better not hear some of you complain next year when he again rips our collective hearts out. Please, someone put his thread to bed. I can't tolerate any more stupidity.

I can't tolerate any more stupidity either. So why don't the Rackers haters with nothing intelligent to say go do something productive with their time?

Fair enough... however, having been at that game in a crowd of Bears fans.. with one of them cursing the whole game for how lucky our team was... and then cursing in the 4th quarter at me and the other Cardinals fans in such a way to make my mother seem like a much less respectable person... it was hard not to take the chance to win that game personally.

It was so much a harder loss to swallow than any of the 30-40 point losses in 100+ degrees at Sun Devil.

I can definitely understand that. I can't say I know the feeling, because for me it was the easiest loss to take I've had as a Cards fan, the reason being that I never once thought we were going to win the game. But I can definitely understand how difficult it was for those who were there and had to deal with it.