There was a lot of humor running around in the Falcons locker room today and the source was the team’s new long snapper and field goal kicker. Of course, there is nothing funny about someone with the career accomplishments and stand-up character of Jason Elam losing his job and the same goes for Bryan Pittman.
But new long snapper, Joe Zelenka who played for Jacksonville from 2001-2008, showed himself to be something of a character. Zelenka was asked what he had been doing before he signed.
“Oh, I was just getting ready to put up Christmas lights… I was going to be Clark Griswold. Forty-thousand twinkle lights. Some are twinkle and some are not. I don’t understand how that all works… Other than that, I’ve been working out for some teams.”
http://video.atlantafalcons.com/video/206463/206463_2009-12-02-131906.flvAnd this when asked how he was staying ready:
“I have two 3-year-old kids, twins, so I chase them around a lot. I lift them, that’s my workout program. I do a lot of child-lifting in my house, which is fun. So that’s kind of my workout regimen is to chase them. They’re very active. So that’s pretty much it. The mental side of it, it pretty much never leaves you you’re always ready to play as a pro.”
Then there was this coming from Tony Gonzalez when he was asked if kickers are football players:
“[Sigh]. They’re specialists. No, they’re not football players. They’re not going out there and hitting anybody. At least you don’t want them to. But you’ve got to give them respect. The game is always in their hands, it seems, like in close games. I respect the [heck] out of them.”
And there was this from new kicker Matt Bryant when asked about the difference between kicking at an outdoor stadium as opposed to in a dome:
“There’s no wind.”
http://video.atlantafalcons.com/video/206459/206459_2009-12-02-131248.flvBut on a more serious side, Bryant talked about what it was like being out of the NFL. Last season, he made 84.2 percent of his kicks (38 of 49) while with Tampa Bay. For his career, he has made 82.1. Elam made 63.2 percent of his kicks this season.
“It was tough,” said Bryant, who played in the UFL until its season ended last week. “I probably never should’ve been out of the league. But that’s just how it goes sometimes. That’s all right. Stay focused and wait for that next shot and make the best for it.”
Falcons Head Coach Mike Smith said the decision to cut Elam was “very difficult” and that it was “strictly a football decision.” He noted that his staff was familiar with Bryant from playing against him last year and that Bryant’s workout was “very impressive.” Asked about Zelenka’s being a character, Smith laughed and said Zelenka “has quite a personality.” He pointed out that Zelenka was one of the league’s longest-tenured long snappers.
Zelenka, serious for a moment, spoke about the suddenness of the changes in his life.
“It’s awesome and it can only happen in America,” he said. “And it’s an adventure and I’m on it. And I love every single second of it…. I can’t wait to play on Sunday. As you’re sitting out, you realize how much you love the game. And just the game of it. Not all the other stuff that goes along with it. Just the actual playing side of it and you miss that, it’s tough.”
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9 Comments
Well, they have one problem fixed(I hope). Know if we can get the running back issues and the corner back issues fixed we will be in business. I like Redman, he is a good backup quarterback, but he isn’t the man that can get us through the rest of the season and through the playoffs.
I like that move too. I knew it would happen. Arthur Blank doesn’t play…it’s all about business and the Falcons have been making all the right moves for the past two years. Time for Chris Houston to feel the heat too. Abraham should be gone too after the season.
dude wtf did none of you people see chris redman play in baltimore,for those of you who didn’t here is his career stats in baltimore
Year Age Tm Pos No. G GS QBrec Cmp Att Cmp% Yds TD TD% Int Int% Lng Y/A AY/A Y/C Y/G Rate Sk Yds NY/A ANY/A
4 yrs RAV 10 6 3-3-0 106 198 53.5 1111 7 3.5 5 2.5 36 5.6 5.2 10.5 111.1 71.3 17 113 4.6 4.2
not too shabby if you ask me so don’t put the guy down till he let’s you down,he is a damm good back up and has always been one,he can get the job done while ryan is out or if the numbers above are too jumbled here is the link
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RedmCh00.htm
abraham gone? are you nuts? the people around abraham need to be better for him to be effective,this man had 13.5 sacks last yr,give me a break
sorry my bad wasn’t tryin to use your name i have to switch it everytime for some reason
Here’s the deal in a nutshell. Abraham gets tackled every time he gets near the opposing qb. Don’t believe me; go back and watch the replays. I would be screaming at refs and don’t understand why he isn’t more vocal since he gets paid for sacks, etc. The defensive backs have played rather well considering we don’t put pressure on the qb’s. Van Gorder should be fired. Every time we blitz, run stunts, etc. we have success against teams, but VG pulls us out of the pressure packages and we start getting picked apart. I’ve heard it said over and over again, don’t put pressure on qb’s and even the poor ones will pick you apart. Again, if you check replays and see how much better we play with blitzes,etc., you wonder what is VG thinking. I would much rather play with reckless abandon and give up a few burns (and even lose games) then to sit back and play boring zones and get beat all the time. And while I’m on it, I don’t get why Brent Grimes who has been said to be the most athletic of our db’s, doesn’t get starting status. See him go up and over the receiver the other game for the pick. Size is not a factor to some players. They play well above their stature. He is a winner! PLAY HIM!!! Finally, Redman is a quality player. I have a lot of confidence in his abilities. I know Matty Ice is our starter, but to tell you the truth, he has been struggling a little lately and needs to watch the veteran under pressure. He can still learn some things. My last concern is the offensive play calling. When Gonzalez was acquired, all the talking heads around the league was how anyone was going to stop our offense. Well, have you noticed we don’t have a screen play in our playbook. How many of you remember San Fran beating the crap out of us year after year by using the screen and backs out in the flats to knock off long chunks of yardage when we would put consistent pressure on their qb’s. I believe any playcaller worth his salt would have screens and such ready for these teams who pin their ears back and just rush for sacks. A few plays like these would give them more to think about. Why don’t we run screens or backs out in these situations? Other than all this, we’re great! Are you listening Mike Smith and Thomas Dimitroff? I am starting to believe that all these games are rigged. Even though I have traveled to many games including the Charlotte game in Charlotte this year and sat through ineptness, I have been a fan of the Falcons since the inception. I think I’ll sit out the games from now on or at least until we get better play calling offensively and defensively. The season all comes down to this week. Lose to the Eagles and it’s all over. Good luck.
Thats a good move cutting Elem because he missed field goals in important games that we needed one against divisional saints which should have been won. Now we need to go ahead and move brent grimes to a nickle back and let ty hill get his starting role like he deserve. Maybe we even need to get a ty law off free agent and use his awareness at nickle back
BRING IN CHARLIE WEIS AS OC
Bring in Charlie Weis??? Are you serious Max? He failed at Notre Dame the last 5 years he was there. He had a winning percentage of .573. which is worse then the previous two Notre Dame coaches that were fired before him.