OT: RIP Ray Guy
November 3rd, 2022 at 12:27 PM ^
Childhood memories of this rail thin guy coming out and punting the hell out of the ball.
November 3rd, 2022 at 1:25 PM ^
When I was a kid everyone knew who Ray Guy was. The only other punters name you might know in the rest of the league likely played for your home team. I'd have to search for who that was on the Lions.
November 3rd, 2022 at 1:35 PM ^
Tom Skladany.
Ray Guy was a man amongst boys when it came to his punter peers.
November 3rd, 2022 at 9:11 PM ^
Herman Weaver was the Lions punter during the Ray Guy years. Nickname "Thunderfoot", one of my all time favorite Lions.
RIP Ray Guy.
November 3rd, 2022 at 9:19 PM ^
Thanks for reminding me about Herman Weaver. I hadn't heard his name in years.
November 3rd, 2022 at 1:39 PM ^
Until the end of his career in the mid-80's. Anyone who watched the NFL during this time period knew the name of the Miami Dolphins' punter.
November 3rd, 2022 at 2:10 PM ^
What was the name of the Miami Dolphins punter, Reggie Roby?
How was he brought up in the Ray Guy post?
November 3rd, 2022 at 4:05 PM ^
And Reggie Roby punted in college for IOWA!
November 3rd, 2022 at 4:15 PM ^
"How was he brought up in the Ray Guy post?"
It was a direct response to the statement:
"The only other punters name you might know in the rest of the league likely played for your home team."
Unless the Miami Dolphins were your home team in the mid-80's, being able to name Reggie Roby validates the point I attempted to make - unsuccessfully.
November 3rd, 2022 at 2:08 PM ^
Ray Guy was the original punter that kicked where his standing/planted foot never lifted off the ground.
Avg kick was 42//yds, which at the time, was big.
RIP
November 3rd, 2022 at 5:09 PM ^
It wasn't necessarily the distance that made Ray Guy's punting so impressive. It was the height of the punts. They hung in the air forever. He hit the ceiling of the Superdome with one of his punts, for crying out loud.
November 3rd, 2022 at 12:28 PM ^
Elite punter! Could’ve played in any era. Then, now and in future!
November 3rd, 2022 at 12:30 PM ^
Shit. I also remember him punting the hell out of the ball when I was a kid.
How many punters are in the Hall of Fame? One.
RIP, Ray Guy.
November 3rd, 2022 at 12:49 PM ^
Guy might be the only pure punter in the Hall, but back in the dim mists of history punting and placekicking duties were normally handled by guys who played other positions.
One example: former Detroit Lion DB Yale Lary—one of the best punters in the pre-specialist era—is in the HOF. His average of 48.9 in 1963 was the second-highest punt yard average in NFL history until 2007.
November 3rd, 2022 at 7:36 PM ^
Yale Lary was terrific. I learned how to punt from watching him demonstrate technique on the weekly Lions show (George Wilson, I think was the coach).He was part of the Lions four "L" backfield along with fellow HOF er Dick "Night Train" Lane, Dick Lebeau, and Gary Lowe.
November 4th, 2022 at 8:09 PM ^
Ray Guy was the man. Sad to lose a legend.
Used to like Danny White, too. QB always a threat to punt, but Ray Guy could get that air!
November 3rd, 2022 at 12:35 PM ^
First punter to be a first round draft pick.
Good call on that.
72 seems young to me now
November 3rd, 2022 at 12:36 PM ^
Best ever at his craft, Ray Guy could punt like nobody before or since.
Distance, placement, hang time, whatever, the Raiders had THE weapon who consistently won them the field-position battle.
May he rest in peace.
November 3rd, 2022 at 12:37 PM ^
People knew he was awesome when he played, he was just that much better than any of his contemporaries or, for that matter, anyone who had played before (with the possible exception of Slingin' Sammy Baugh). The original bringer of Thunder to the field.
November 3rd, 2022 at 12:37 PM ^
RIP to the punting GOAT.
Sad day for Raider nation and Iowa man crushes.
November 3rd, 2022 at 12:39 PM ^
Sorry to hear; for a kid growing up in the 70s/early 80s, he was the first of teh Boomers.
November 3rd, 2022 at 12:45 PM ^
He turned punting into a specialty while defining "field position" and special teams.
IIRC, there were stories about Al Davis putting helium in the footballs that Ray Guy punted "just in case" it increased the hang time. And, this in no way is intended to cloud anything Ray Guy did on the field - he was awesome. It does, IMO, reflect Al Davis' mantra: "just win baby"...
RIP - and, peace to his family.
November 3rd, 2022 at 5:11 PM ^
Al Davis - man was something else! Right up there with Charlie-O Finley
November 3rd, 2022 at 1:10 PM ^
Hence, the Ray Guy Award. Never been won by a Wolverine -- yet!! (though M has had some terrific candidates)
November 3rd, 2022 at 1:14 PM ^
When i think of punters, Ray Guy and Reggie Roby are the first 2 to come to mind (not Tom Skladany!). Guy was a beast.
November 3rd, 2022 at 1:42 PM ^
When we were kids, we'd play 'backyard football' and we'd pretend we were the best players of the day... we were Walter Payton, Jerry Rice, Dan Marino and whenever we punted "Ray Guy".
RIP Legend.
Go Blue.
November 3rd, 2022 at 2:20 PM ^
First round draft pick. The award is named after him. Says it all.
RIP Mr. Guy
/coffin corner, he had great placement more times that not.
November 3rd, 2022 at 2:20 PM ^
First time a punter became a weapon
November 3rd, 2022 at 2:29 PM ^
It’s a shame about Ray.
November 3rd, 2022 at 2:42 PM ^
What a Guy! RIP.
November 3rd, 2022 at 3:09 PM ^
RIP Ray. And I will always remember Don Bracken's first punt in the Big House.
November 3rd, 2022 at 4:35 PM ^
Ray Guy may have been the first NFL punter who people actually knew because he was so good. He also opened the door for non-American players who were coming from other sports to be punters.
RIP to a great one.
November 3rd, 2022 at 5:47 PM ^
Nailed the coffin corner with his last punt
November 3rd, 2022 at 5:56 PM ^
And in the arts, he was known as Man Ray Guy.
OK, I made that up.
November 3rd, 2022 at 7:36 PM ^
IIRC? Jan Stenerud is the only other pure kicker who's been inducted in the HOF. I believe he was inducted before Guy.
November 3rd, 2022 at 9:44 PM ^
not to be confused with link ray. great boots not rad licks. as an old vikings fan definitely my favorite raider of all time.