jjakq27 Posted April 15, 2005 Report Share Posted April 15, 2005 http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/art...SPT02/504150424Friday, April 15, 2005 Graham going for distance Improving kickoffs Bengal's goalBy Mark CurnutteEnquirer staff writer Shayne Graham has made 81 consecutive extra-point attempts with the Bengals and has missed just seven of 56 field-goal tries.Though his accuracy is among the league's best, the fifth-year NFL kicker is not satisfied with his overall performance.Since the end of the season and now into the team's offseason strength and conditioning program, Graham has adjusted his training regimen in order to increase the depth of his kickoffs. He's adding more muscle to his 6-foot, 197-pound frame."I'm going more into core-intensive training," Graham said. "Last year, my leg strength wasn't the reason I wasn't kicking off well. I'm still making 50-yarders with plenty of leg to spare."But it came down on kickoffs to core strength, below your chest and above your knees, your hip area. The kickoff is such an aggressive all-out movement, and I didn't have abdominal and hip strength. I wasn't giving my body a chance to reach my full potential."Like a pitcher in baseball throwing more on the sidelines and between games, Graham also has been doing more repetitions on kickoffs."Last year, I tried to take too much of a break because I didn't want to overuse my leg," he said. "I didn't want to overkick in the offseason. This year I'm taking that chance. I did put work into it last year, but not near enough."The Bengals tied for eighth in the 16-team AFC in 2004 in average drive start allowed, at the 28.5-yard line. In 78 adjusted kickoffs - not counting onside kickoffs or kickoffs at the end of a half - the Bengals held opponents to 11 drive starts inside the 20-yard line.Still, Graham had just two touchbacks in 2004, leaving the Bengals tied with San Diego for the fewest in the AFC."The shot to the pride last year was when I was kicking off and it was not going near where it should go. It was embarrassing," he said.Graham is entering the second season of a five-year contract that pays him $3 million guaranteed in split signing bonuses."I'm getting paid a lot of money here, too," he said. "The field-goal accuracy was still there this year, but I've got to help our coverage teams out this year."He has a reminder in his home office, a clipping from The Sporting News about his short kickoffs."It's a knock-off on my kickoffs," he said. "I've got it clipped to my bulletin board. It's more people noticing that my kickoffs weren't very good, not just me and the team. It's pride and professionalism. But I'm also kind of an anal-retentive perfectionist. I hate coming in the locker room, even through I made my field goals and extra points, knowing that my kickoffs were short."I'm going to sacrifice a few more bags of ice this year for my leg to make sure I get it there."GRAHAM'S STATS Statistics with the Bengals:Season FG XPT Points 2003 22-25 40-40 106 2004 27-31 41-41 122 Totals 49-56 81-81 228 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BengalPappaw Posted April 15, 2005 Report Share Posted April 15, 2005 Graham knows what his weakness is and is apparently trying to working correct that problem. I hope he is successful!! We need more distance and accuracy on our kickoffs. I am rooting for him to get better. If Shayne were a poor field goal kicker, I'd be excited about drafting Mike Nugent (I'm a big OSU fan) -- BUT Shayne is a GOOD field goal kicker and we have a few other areas that need help from the draft. Come on Shayne -- get those kickoffs deeper!!!!! :player: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AGrizzlyBaer Posted April 15, 2005 Report Share Posted April 15, 2005 this should make everyone happy now about shayne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BengalszoneBilly Posted April 15, 2005 Report Share Posted April 15, 2005 this should make everyone happy now about shayne Shoot. I was happy with our boy Shayne before this news. Any extra happiness is pure gravy! Wheather he does begin demonstrating deeper kickoff ability or not, the Bengals could do much, much worse as far as place kickers are concerned! :player: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
membengal Posted April 15, 2005 Report Share Posted April 15, 2005 Given Graham's FG accuracy, I have been plenty happy with him, length or no on his kickoffs.That said, it is nice to have yet another Bengal step forward and talk about how they are getting better and working to get better while noting that their paycheck, among other things, demands the effort.So nice to hear. The days of James Francis recede all the more when I read articles like that.Damn but Francis and his cronies used to make me mad about this time of the off-season.Compare that to now, in year three of Marvin, when it is no longer news that 50+ players show up and get about their business... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjakq27 Posted April 16, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 16, 2005 That said, it is nice to have yet another Bengal step forward and talk about how they are getting better and working to get better while noting that their paycheck, among other things, demands the effort.So nice to hear. The days of James Francis recede all the more when I read articles like that.Damn but Francis and his cronies used to make me mad about this time of the off-season. Yep I guess $250K wasn't enough to get him to come in during the offseason to work out, That is pretty sad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jditty47 Posted April 16, 2005 Report Share Posted April 16, 2005 exactly. i love graham. hes the best thing to hit our special teams in decades. but to win a superbowl, everything, and i mean everything from kickoffs to how they were breast feed when they were a baby, matters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Cat Posted April 16, 2005 Report Share Posted April 16, 2005 exactly. i love graham. hes the best thing to hit our special teams in decades. but to win a superbowl, everything, and i mean everything from kickoffs to how they were breast feed when they were a baby, matters. Shayne has tried to improve each year, and he tried to do what he thought would make him better through a whole season, not just the beginning. He is taking a gamble with his regiment this year. He isn't sure it is the best thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jditty47 Posted April 16, 2005 Report Share Posted April 16, 2005 ya, it better not backfire on him.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BengalSIS Posted April 30, 2005 Report Share Posted April 30, 2005 I think ranked 8th in avg drive start was pretty good to begin with. I'm still a believer in shorter, higher kickoffs. I also hope he doesn't overuse his leg. We'll see I guess, but we haven't been hurt by kickoffs and we can be hurt by missed FG. Here's hopin my boy can achieve his goals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobcat Bengal Posted April 30, 2005 Report Share Posted April 30, 2005 Shayne did right by me. I had him on my OTHER (I had two teams, Ditty) FF squad and he was one of the reasons why I won the title.Of course, his KO's could be longer, but as a pro, you're always working on facets of your game. Either that, or become complacent.BTW, THIS GOES OUT TO DITTY, BILLY, KIRK AND EVERYONE ELSE WHO PLAYS FANTASY FOOTBALL.......I WILL BE AT THE DRAFT THIS YEAR, COUNT ON IT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bengalsfan33 Posted April 30, 2005 Report Share Posted April 30, 2005 Shayne is the most underrated kicker in the league IMHO. And I'm very glad to see him working even harder to get better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jditty47 Posted May 1, 2005 Report Share Posted May 1, 2005 BTW, THIS GOES OUT TO DITTY, BILLY, KIRK AND EVERYONE ELSE WHO PLAYS FANTASY FOOTBALL.......I WILL BE AT THE DRAFT THIS YEAR, COUNT ON IT. not like its gonna help u.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobcat Bengal Posted May 1, 2005 Report Share Posted May 1, 2005 BTW, THIS GOES OUT TO DITTY, BILLY, KIRK AND EVERYONE ELSE WHO PLAYS FANTASY FOOTBALL.......I WILL BE AT THE DRAFT THIS YEAR, COUNT ON IT.not like its gonna help u.... Ok.....In my other league when I was there drafted, I won the whole thing, comfortably.We'll just have to see what's what. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BengalszoneBilly Posted May 1, 2005 Report Share Posted May 1, 2005 Shayne did right by me. I had him on my OTHER (I had two teams, Ditty) FF squad and he was one of the reasons why I won the title.Of course, his KO's could be longer, but as a pro, you're always working on facets of your game. Either that, or become complacent. I too used him in FF leagues, and he did much better than the majority of kickers! Shayne rocks! He's an accurate F/G kicker, and people need to get off his back about kickoffs! BFD he doesn't have the most distance! I'll bet his F/G percentage is better than the majority, if not ALL of those kickers!! And if I'm choosing between the two...give me the accurate guy! You can do far worse for kickers in the NFL! Do I need to name names here? BTW, THIS GOES OUT TO DITTY, BILLY, KIRK AND EVERYONE ELSE WHO PLAYS FANTASY FOOTBALL.......I WILL BE AT THE DRAFT THIS YEAR, COUNT ON IT.So what are you telling us here? To have a few more beers and snacks on hand for you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jditty47 Posted May 1, 2005 Report Share Posted May 1, 2005 BTW, THIS GOES OUT TO DITTY, BILLY, KIRK AND EVERYONE ELSE WHO PLAYS FANTASY FOOTBALL.......I WILL BE AT THE DRAFT THIS YEAR, COUNT ON IT.not like its gonna help u.... Ok.....In my other league when I was there drafted, I won the whole thing, comfortably.We'll just have to see what's what. whats what is that i hope u pick in front of me so that i know ill get who i want Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jet23 Posted May 2, 2005 Report Share Posted May 2, 2005 I appreciate the fact that he is trying to get better. I just hope it doesn't mess with his accuracy. Didn't Doug Pelfrey's accuracy go south when the Bengals told him he need to work on his kickoffs? I have always believed in getting a punter that can also double as kickoff specialist, ala Lee Johnson. I will take a guy like Jim Breech every time. Get inside the 30 and you know he's good for 3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Next_Big_Thing Posted May 2, 2005 Report Share Posted May 2, 2005 Speaking of Shane and FF, he and TJ were my two draft picks in 3 out of 4 leagues last year. I got Shane in the 9th round or so, and TJ was a last round pick.I didn't want too many Bengals on my team because I didn't want to over rate someone, so Shane was my "value pick" kicker, and TJ was my get another Bengal on my squad in the final round pick.Something tells me I won't be able to pick Shane rounds after the best kickers go this season... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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