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Show 'Like Kicking an Eel9 "I'm kicking," Ken explained. : "Did you ever try to punt, place kick .or drop kick this cigar-shaped ball they have today? It's a ball shaped entirely for the passing game thin and long. Compared to the ball we used to kick 20 years ago, it is like kicking an eel. "The old football was much rounder. It was easy to get your toe into it. It was easier to punt or to drop kick or place kick. It was far easier to kick off to drive one beyond the goal line. But today you hnvA l taro-pt tn hit that is n.hnut the size of a silver dollar and I'm having a tough time betting a kicking kick-ing shoe that has the proper kicking space. You need a square-toed shoe that can drive into the limited space the modern football has to offer the kicker. "No wonder so many college teams have so much trouble getting anyone who can kick off or place kick. And no wonder there are so few fine punters left, either in the college or the pro game. Naturally the pros with their greater experience, experi-ence, have more good punters. But I can promise you it's a tough job. But I still hope to get a few over the crossbar or over the goal line on a kickofl, It's a good thing for me that I have all these kicking years to call on." |