I'm Going to Give it A Try
I'm sure many of us have dreams or have had a fantasy dream of becoming somebody famous but this dream of mine is neither for fantasy or fame. I have a been a patron of Michigan football for 20 years now, since birth. I love this team, these players and our school. Seeing it fall the way it's gone has been heart breaking and I think I could maybe contribute a small portion in it's efforts to get better. I want to kick for Michigan. Now before you fall over laughing and wipe tears from your eyes and restrain from breaking your ribs hear me out. Back in my years of soccer I could kick a ball like Pele could bicycle kick his goals, with power and accuracy. Hell by the end of elementary I ended my career in our league with 113 goals. I was dead accurate evertime I struck it. Then in middle school I continued playing until I decided to quit going into the high school level. Sadly I ended it with only 30. However my junior year in high school made me realize how powerful my leg could be.
On a warm day during our lunch break me and four friends were sitting at our table talking about football and our school's kicker. He was having an aweful year and I made a remark how I could kick farther and longer then him and I hadn't even played a game of football in my life. So my friend bet me 50 dollars that I couldn't make a 30 yarder so I swallowed my pride and took a deep breath and said make it 50 yards. 50 for 50. He shook his head and laughed and I got up and said "stadium's empty right now." He gave me a yeah right kind of look and we snuck into the stadium, grabbed a ball from the bin and placed it on the 40 yard marker. Now I'm not going to lie I felt nervous and with a quick little sprint drove all the power I could beneath the ball and let it soar. It was dead on. Perfect from takeoff to landing. Their faces were priceless and mine was both stunned and proud. I not only won 50 bucks but kicked a fifty yarder. I then knew that maybe I had a gift. High school since has ended and I never tried out for the team nor did I play one game of real league football but damn it I have an ability. And I thought what the hell, why not try out and give it a shot! Who knows what could happen if I don't make it I don't make it at least I tried. What do you guys think?
November 28th, 2009 at 12:02 AM ^
“Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checked by failure...than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.”
Have at it my friend.
November 28th, 2009 at 12:03 AM ^
Someone had to be the first to say it.
November 28th, 2009 at 3:35 PM ^
Do you have a cool name that could be made into a shirt like Zoltan? Then it could be put on the blog for us to all purchase and wear on game days as you kick many many extra points?
November 28th, 2009 at 12:04 AM ^
Wait, so just to be clear: you're 20 years old and a student at Michigan, and you want to know if you should try to walk on the football team?
Hell yes.
November 28th, 2009 at 12:10 AM ^
I don't go to Michigan yet. I'm only going to a community college right now but I'm trying to get into Michigan. I'm not trying to be famous but I would like to try to help our team out.
November 28th, 2009 at 12:20 AM ^
Well then the question isn't whether you've got the guts to try out, it's whether you've got the grades.
November 28th, 2009 at 2:32 AM ^
I've known people to go from CC to Michigan. And really, did you see our kicking this year? If you can make an extra point you can help.
More seriously, lots of kickers are walk ons, and Rich seems to be running the biggest walk on program we ever have. You'd have to be able to afford your own school though. You have 5 years to compete for 4, so you're not too old since you haven't played yet.
And you'll be haunted FAR more by "what if". That's the negative to not trying. The positive even if you fail is that you have a story for a lifetime, no doubts, and you've worked your ass into MICHIGAN! Not a bad consolation prize.
November 28th, 2009 at 11:06 AM ^
Rudy! Rudy! Rudy!
November 28th, 2009 at 12:10 AM ^
that would require an ounce of his story being true
November 28th, 2009 at 12:10 AM ^
If you don't try out, don't ever post here again.
Go for it man. All the best.
November 28th, 2009 at 12:15 AM ^
I don't want to play in the NFL. I never really wanted to be a pro in any sport except the NHL. I've thought about this since the moment the ball landed behind the posts. I don't know it's just a thought but damn it I know that I've got the guts to try out. Question is am I good enough?
November 28th, 2009 at 12:20 AM ^
Only one way to find out.
November 28th, 2009 at 10:50 AM ^
I feel like you might reconsider if the opportunity presents itself.
November 28th, 2009 at 12:17 AM ^
will you sign my children?
But really, go for it, you'll never have another chance to try. It sounds lame but you live one life...[/cliches]
November 28th, 2009 at 12:19 AM ^
Couldn't agree more with the first response. What will you have if you never try? You will always look back and wonder, "Damn, what if I had tried? I could've done it."
November 28th, 2009 at 12:21 AM ^
In order to even try out don't I?
November 28th, 2009 at 12:36 AM ^
Attend sorry.
November 28th, 2009 at 11:39 PM ^
Nah, I knew what you meant. Answer's still yes.
November 28th, 2009 at 12:29 AM ^
"I don't want to play in the NFL" lol, if they offered you $xxx,xxx.00 I'm sure you wouldn't turn that down. All it takes is a chance to show what you can do. Get in the school and start your journey! This thread will go down in history!
November 28th, 2009 at 12:33 AM ^
You gotta go for it dude, bend it like Beckham
November 28th, 2009 at 12:39 AM ^
You're the guy I was talking to on the hockey game chat?!
November 28th, 2009 at 12:42 AM ^
Small world huh lol
November 28th, 2009 at 12:51 AM ^
very lol
November 28th, 2009 at 12:48 AM ^
Yeah, if you don't try out I'll hate you. You should probably try to get in to Michigan first, though. You should have played in High School, too. Then maybe they would have recruited you or something.
November 28th, 2009 at 12:52 AM ^
Just wasn't built for football. I mean I always could kick field goals and drive a soccer ball a good distance but my body was too thin for the game. Hell I was given a basketball player's physique. But I decided to play hockey and stuck with that but this thought's been in my mind for years. I just wish I had the grades to get into UM after I was done with hs unfortuantely it didn't happen so I'm currently stuck at an Ohio University branch.
November 28th, 2009 at 1:00 AM ^
I really hope you're able to get to Michigan and try out for the kicker position. I always thought it would be kind of cool to have a player on the team be a somewhat active member on the blog. It'd be nice to have a good kicker for once, too. My brother considered trying out last year, too, but he never did. Good luck and I hope to hear of you in the future.
November 28th, 2009 at 3:24 AM ^
how is it you claim you "always could kick field goals" yet the entire point of this story appears to be you randomly did it for the first time and are now encouraged by the results?
the post makes no sense and is setting off the bs alerts.
November 28th, 2009 at 12:50 AM ^
I hope you're able to get in to school if only for the education and what the degree will do for you. If you have a real ability to kick then have at it...you only live once.
Best wishes.
November 28th, 2009 at 12:57 AM ^
If this wouldn't work out I would love to teach History at a high school or maybe go for a proffessorship.
November 28th, 2009 at 2:31 PM ^
Not to pee on your parade, but getting to be a professor is really hard.
November 28th, 2009 at 3:23 PM ^
Lol. It's kind of adorable, though. "I'm going to try to walk on to Michigan's football team, and if that doesn't work, as a fallback I'm going to teach in their history department." :) kids.
I KNOW you didn't say that. I'm just kidding...
November 28th, 2009 at 1:05 AM ^
If I am going to go through with this that means it's time to WORK this winter and spring to get ready. Practice kicking, work out every week and get my leg warmed up and ready for summer. But most importantly kicking ass in the classroom before anything but you know what, you do only live once and why not do it?! I'll be able to tell my children someday I tried out for a college team! Hell my dad could of became an NCAAF player with his skill and would of been had it not been for Vietnam getting in the way! I might be able to complete something he never did! I never thought about that! I'm going for it!
November 28th, 2009 at 1:21 AM ^
whats the worst that can happen?
you meet some players and coaches and get to tell your kids you atleast tried
November 28th, 2009 at 1:26 AM ^
I'm sure I'm going to get negged for this, but I really think those who admit to having a degree from our school should at least attempt to use proper grammar.
November 28th, 2009 at 2:07 AM ^
Lolz wut?
November 28th, 2009 at 2:32 AM ^
Anybody else remember when Boston College hauled in a kid (literally) from the student section when they ran out of kickers about 2 or 3 years ago? It was pretty cool, ESPN had video of the kid in the student section like 2 or 3 weeks before, and all of the sudden he's on the team. As I recall, the coach saw him messing around kicking footballs on campus, and got him on the team on the spot.
November 28th, 2009 at 3:26 AM ^
halftime contest. he ended up hitting the game winner against somebody if i recall correctly
November 28th, 2009 at 4:23 AM ^
Same thing happened to current Texas Tech kicker Matt Williams. He hit a 30-yarder during a halftime promotion last year that impressed Mike Leach. Leach arranged for a one-on-one meeting and gave him a spot on the team. He ended up winning the starting job last year and finished 2-3 on FG's and 29-29 on PAT's. This year, he's 7-9 on FG's and 53-54 on PAT's so far.
November 28th, 2009 at 8:23 AM ^
I say go for it. However, while it's amazing to hit 50+, it would be really great to have a kicker who didn't miss from shorter yardage. If you could be automatic from inside the 20 and on XPs, I would take that at this point. A case in point, this year Olesnavage was great from 30+ (8/9; 89%), but 2/5 from less than 20 (I think that one of those might have been blocked). Do that and I think you can start as the short range specialist.
November 28th, 2009 at 10:15 AM ^
the great Cletus Rascune, just before climbing into his pick up truck and attempting to clear the washed out bridge at Cow Knockers Holla, was, "Hold my beer."
So, dude. If you can kickz that footbaw, go kickz that footbaw. Just making the attempt, even if you don't make it, is most excellent and gnarly. Go forth ye and kicketh the footbaw.
The ONLY other thing you really need to know is how to sustain the unfettered attack of some Big Ten caliber special teams player who breaks thru the blocking and airmails you a concusssion.
By any measure, you got to do this.
I will hold your beer.
November 28th, 2009 at 10:17 AM ^
You definitely should try out. Just the experience would be cool, even if you didn't get the results you were hoping for.
And I'm not sure why people are giving you a hard time about this. Your story is plausible and I see no motive to fabricate anything.
So yeah, get outside and start kicking!
November 28th, 2009 at 10:20 AM ^
You will never make it daydreaming on a blog. Get your lazy ass up and hit the books son, it is the only true path to kicking in the Big House. Less excuses more studying
Now, get off this blog pronto and don't even think about posting again until you are enrolled.
PS. they may have an opening for a kicker at State, plus it will be a little easier to get accepted
November 28th, 2009 at 10:27 AM ^
will it matter to you at 40 if you didn't try?
If so, go for it.
November 28th, 2009 at 12:38 PM ^
I hope you get into UM and realize that fantasy of walking on. That would be impressive enough.
Where reality sets in would be going through your first Barwis workout. If you have enough strength left over to lift your fingers to the keyboard after that, you gotta tell us all about it.
November 28th, 2009 at 12:46 PM ^
To thought that you can be among D1 athletes on a whim is brought on by having a total lack of understanding of what it takes.
November 28th, 2009 at 4:10 PM ^
I think that's true except for 1 position - kicker (or punter) Kickers literally do 1 thing. If it's only kicking field goals, they're in for like what, half a dozen plays maybe? So it doesn't require endurance or speed like other positions. And as far as technique, if you've got a strong leg and accurate that's all it takes.
But, like geaux_blue, my BS detector was pinging on the OP.
November 28th, 2009 at 12:56 PM ^
IF YOU MAKE IT DON'T FORGET WHERE YOU CAME FROM (i.e. your mgoroots)
November 28th, 2009 at 1:17 PM ^
Brendan Gibbons will knock your ass out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOhoS1Wf-vs
November 28th, 2009 at 2:41 PM ^
As others have said, for you, your leg is the least of your worries. You need to spend a lot of time in the library, hitting the books, etc. I believe that, in order to apply for a transfer, you need to do so relatively soon in the winter/spring semester. So yeah, might want to get on getting those grades up now.