The 10 Most Important Bears in 2010 - #10 Robbie Gould
by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Jun 29, 2010 11:00 AM CDT
in Notes
Email
PrintI'm back with one of the most highly anticipated Windy City Gridiron series of the off season (by me anyway), The 10 Most Important Bears in 2010! I'll use the same criteria I used last year, in trying to rank the Bears in order of who'll need to contribute the most for them to have a successful season. I'm not only going to look at any potential on field impact they may have, but also depth at the position (would losing him be a huge blow or not) will come into play, the individuals leadership will be a factor as well. This list will be so subjective, there really is no right or wrong. My hope, as it was last year, was that this will spark some solid off season debate and discussion.
I can't believe I'm going to write this but... Kicking off the list, #10 - Robbie Gould. Not unbelievable because I went a with a kicking pun (I have no shame...), but because I never thought I'd weigh the importance of a kicker so high.
But Robbie Gould just ain't any kicker, the number four all time Bears scorer should move past Bob Thomas to number three at some point in 2010. Gould only needs 55 points to pass Thomas, and if the Mike Martz offense is exploding like we all anticipate, and if Jay Cutler can cut down on throwing so many gosh darn red zone picks, I think he'll become number three around week 8. He's the most accurate kicker in Bears history (and 4th all time in the NFL), and last year he even got the 50+ monkey off his back (making 2 of 3), and if he can simply maintain his accurate ways I think a return trip to the Pro Bowl could be in his future.
Those two if's up there are critical to the Bears and to Gould in racking up points, and critical to my ranking him number 10. I think many of us take for granted what Gould brings to the team. Getting his start the way he did, signed off the street a few games into the '05 season, he didn't start his career with any type of pedigree. And even though he's had his share of game tying and game winning field goals, playing on a losing team the last three years did little to raise his profile league wide. But looking at his stats, in his short career, he's one of the best kickers in the history of the game. That's why I'm giving him his due, and putting him on the list this year. Even though he's just a kicker...
67 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Robbie for President
We’re gonna be a pretty violent bunch. ~Lance Briggs
by BearNecessities on Jun 29, 2010 11:13 AM CDT reply actions
Best kicker on active duty in the NFL.
No further commentary required.
by Suffering from Chicago Sports on Jun 29, 2010 12:16 PM CDT reply actions
NFL Career Field Goal % Leaders
Rank Player (age) FG% Years Teams
1. Nate Kaeding (27) 87.209% 2004-2009 sdg
2. Dan Carpenter (24) 86.792% 2008-2009 mia
3. Mike Vanderjagt 86.466% 1998-2006 2TM
4. Robbie Gould (27) 85.897% 2005-2009 chi
Pro football reference says he’s 4th all time
In the 8th grade Mike Ditka won his school's Science Fair with a model of a working volcano. There were 17 other working volcano's made that day, but only one named Mount Ditka.
by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Jun 29, 2010 1:56 PM CDT up reply actions
Does that make this true?:
Best kicker on active duty in the NFL.
Hey, I’m as big a fan of Gould as anyone else, so don’t think I’m bashing the guy. I just don’t think he’s the best in the league. Clutch? Yes. Consistent? Hell yes. Just not the best.
Well he is a Bear so by that logic he defaults to the best. :)
If Mike Ditka punched you in the face, you'd have to fight off the urge to thank him.
by Ditkavsworld on Jun 29, 2010 2:43 PM CDT up reply actions 3 recs
Wrecked
Bears ALWAYS default to the best.
He does kick
in adverse conditions as opposed to the other three on that list. Also, he kicked a game-winner versus the Seadawgs at Soldiers in ‘06, while Kaeding couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn in the playoffs.
"Is there any truth to the rumor that the Bears gave up their first-round pick in 2011 for the decals?" - Someone registered as the DailyNorseman at PFT suggesting the Bears gave up picks in order to get Gaines Adams tribute decals. Stay classy Minnesota fans!
I guess that depends on what you define "Best" by.....
If you’re looking for the most accurate, that’s either Kaeding or Gould. Period. Kaeding is 1st All-Time in regular season accuracy. Gould is 1st All-Time in over-all accuracy.
If you’re looking for who’s the most accurate in a specific season, then Gould isn’t your guy. But I would suggest that being the best over the long haul is is significantly more important than being the best in a specific season. It speaks to consistency, which, IMHO is the single most important factor in a kicker (assuming that the player is consistently good). If you’re looking for the biggest boot, then Robbie ain’t so fine. If the idea is a mix of the two, then that changes the landscape again. But then you have to determine how much weight each attribute carries.
Best is a subjective term. I would say that the argument can be made for Gould as the best in the league, currently. I’m not making the case for it, or against it. I’m just saying that the argument could reasonably be made.
in•san•i•ty \in-ˈsa-nə-tē\ noun
1 : The practice of repeating the same action while expecting different results.
by Timothy Hockemeyer on Jun 29, 2010 3:57 PM CDT up reply actions
Nate Kaeding?
Isn’t he the same guy that absoluetely sh*t himself in their playoff game against the Jets?
by GriggsBriggs on Jun 29, 2010 5:42 PM CDT up reply actions
Actually....
You are right, he is THE best kicker on active duty in the NFL. He is the most accurate kicker in NFL History….If you include his postseason numbers.
“After making 24 of 28 field-goal attempts (85.7 percent) this past season, Robbie Gould has now connected on 134 of 156 tries in five years with the Bears. His 85.9 career percentage ranks third on the NFL’s all-time list behind Nate Kaeding (87.2) and Mike Vanderjagt (86.5). Statistics compiled in the playoffs do not count, so Kaeding’s three misses against the Jets don’t factor into the equation. I was curious, however, and figured out that if you do include post-season numbers, Gould is the most accurate kicker in NFL history. He’s 6 of 6 in the playoffs, giving him an overall success rate of 86.4 percent. Mike Vanderjagt, who was 11 of 14 in the post-season, is second at 86.1 percent, followed by Stephen Gostkowski (84.8), Shayne Graham (84.54) and Kaeding (84.49), who is just 8 of 15 in the playoffs.”
by Brendan Hess on Jun 29, 2010 1:47 PM CDT up reply actions
he's money
In the 8th grade Mike Ditka won his school's Science Fair with a model of a working volcano. There were 17 other working volcano's made that day, but only one named Mount Ditka.
by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Jun 29, 2010 1:50 PM CDT up reply actions
Every year
my wife gets me a new Bears jersey for xmas, and every year she asks why I don’t get #9 since he’s the most consistent player on da team. I can’t argue, I just remind her he’s a kicker.
"We can do it any way you want to. We can go right out back and get it on or you can shape your ass up," Da Coach
How does Robbie Gould figure into the importance of the 2010 season?
Les, I respect your opinions very much, but if the ideology of a Mike Martz system is to find the big play and score points…
… I can’t see Robbie Gould being as impactful as he has been in past years.
That is not to say that Robbie Gould isn’t a great FG kicker or a good option to have on this football team. I think he has been one of the most consistent things on a very “inconsistent” team since 2007.
My thoughts are that with increased offense (given Martz past stops and statistics) and an emphasis to make the big play using the passing game, I think you will see less reliance upon Gould as they have in the past.
No?
Semper Fi
Lets be honest
The 2010 Bears will not be the 1999 Rams… getting into field goal range and not turning the ball over will be a must for the Bears. The bugaboo for Cutler has been his interceptions, and those picks he threw when in Gould range were particularly devastating. So if Martz can reign in his mechanics and get him thinking “score” instead of trying to force something that isn’t there, I think Gould will have more opportunities for field goals than usual… and if he’s as steady as he’s been he’ll be huge for Chicago.
Now I realize a Martz offense likes to take it’s share of downfield chances, but this is still a Lovie team, and if they are faced with a 3rd and long in the redzone, I think they may play it a little safer to unsure a FG chance.
In the 8th grade Mike Ditka won his school's Science Fair with a model of a working volcano. There were 17 other working volcano's made that day, but only one named Mount Ditka.
by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Jun 29, 2010 1:43 PM CDT up reply actions
oops... damn no edit button!
In the 8th grade Mike Ditka won his school's Science Fair with a model of a working volcano. There were 17 other working volcano's made that day, but only one named Mount Ditka.
by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Jun 29, 2010 2:54 PM CDT up reply actions
That's the big "if"
So if Martz can reign in his mechanics and get him thinking "score" instead of trying to force something that isn’t there
If he buys into Martz’s system of throwing the ball to a spot, he should indeed cut down on the amount of picks he throws. This will take away his penchant to try and rely on his arm strength.
"Is there any truth to the rumor that the Bears gave up their first-round pick in 2011 for the decals?" - Someone registered as the DailyNorseman at PFT suggesting the Bears gave up picks in order to get Gaines Adams tribute decals. Stay classy Minnesota fans!
But, you hire Mike Martz to increase FGs opportunities?
If you look at past teams, Martz’s FG kickers have been almost non-existent. The highest number of FG attempts by a competent offense (I didn’t include the 49ers) was 35. Gould has kicked around 31 FGs per year with highs of 36 in 2006 and 2007. I think there has only been one season where any kicker under Martz has kicked near 36 FGs with a low being 22.
With so many other players being crucial to the success of the Bears season…
… Robbie Gould would not be in my top 10.
Great kicker though.
Semper Fi
by ChicagoMarine on Jun 30, 2010 10:28 AM CDT up reply actions
The Martz offense should bring more scoring opportunities.
With Detroit his kicker was 29 for 33 then 29 of 35, and in San Fran his kicker was 29 of 33… all more attempts than Gould’s had the last 2 years.
I’ll pose a question to you… If Gould breaks his leg in preseason and they are forced to sign a guy off the street, then how would you feel about the kicking game?
The drop off between the 4th most accurate FG kicker in the history of the NFL to an unsigned free agent could be substantial.
In the 8th grade Mike Ditka won his school's Science Fair with a model of a working volcano. There were 17 other working volcano's made that day, but only one named Mount Ditka.
by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Jun 30, 2010 11:39 AM CDT up reply actions
I would feel bad, but...
… Would I feel like the season is over because Robbie Gould can’t kick FGs and XPs?
No.
You?
Semper Fi
by ChicagoMarine on Jun 30, 2010 2:37 PM CDT up reply actions
if the guy they bring in is worse, then yeah
He’s been money through his career, a guy off the street may not be as good as Gould
In the 8th grade Mike Ditka won his school's Science Fair with a model of a working volcano. There were 17 other working volcano's made that day, but only one named Mount Ditka.
by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Jun 30, 2010 3:26 PM CDT up reply actions
But, let's be real Les...
… The Bears wouldn’t just “pick up some kicker off the street”?
There is ALWAYS a large number of kickers who are available on waivers to fill in in the unlikely event that an injury occurs to a team’s kicker. That’s the reason that:
a) there salary’s are modest in comparison to other position
b.) teams typically keep just one on roster.
c.) they are expendable (as we learned years ago with Adam Vinateri & Patriots)
I have never seen a team gameplan for a kicker?
Again, I’m glad that we have the consistent Gould, but is he top ten worthy on a team that has SO many vital positions (i.e.— QB, CB, FS, LG, etc) with so much new and unproven talent on it (Chris Williams, Julius Peppers, Jay Cutler, WR & 2, 3rd CB, etc)?
I respectfully disagree.
But, I wait to see how your top ten rounds out.
Good post!
Semper Fi
by ChicagoMarine on Jun 30, 2010 3:39 PM CDT up reply actions
They'll have to pick up a free agent off the street
They won’t trade for a guy, they’ll end up with either a retread veteran that couldn’t find a job or an untested rookie.
This list will provide some good discussion… & I’m sure this won’t be the only time we don’t see eye to eye!
In the 8th grade Mike Ditka won his school's Science Fair with a model of a working volcano. There were 17 other working volcano's made that day, but only one named Mount Ditka.
by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Jun 30, 2010 4:15 PM CDT up reply actions
A retread?
There are probably 100-150 FG kickers looking for work in the NFL, yet only 32 make it each year. That’s not a slight on the ones who do not make it— just that the demand is less than the supply.
Robbie Gould was a “retread” that latched on with the Bears after not making the cut with two other teams.
Nick Folk was a “retread”.
Adam Vinateri was a “retread”.
My point is that although Gould is an outstanding addition to have, he’s just not top 10 priority to the 2010 Bears season.
It’s a kicker.
Semper Fi
by ChicagoMarine on Jul 1, 2010 10:51 AM CDT up reply actions
no love for the kicker....
In the 8th grade Mike Ditka won his school's Science Fair with a model of a working volcano. There were 17 other working volcano's made that day, but only one named Mount Ditka.
by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Jul 1, 2010 11:22 AM CDT up reply actions
Haha! Just not "top ten" love, bro.
Semper Fi
by ChicagoMarine on Jul 1, 2010 11:26 AM CDT up reply actions
Just wait til you see where I put Mannelly and Maynard
kidding, kidding…
Or am I?
In the 8th grade Mike Ditka won his school's Science Fair with a model of a working volcano. There were 17 other working volcano's made that day, but only one named Mount Ditka.
by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Jul 1, 2010 11:44 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
no love for the ball boy...
-------
Stupid babies need the most attention!
by David Taylor on Jul 2, 2010 12:00 AM CDT up reply actions
The Bears ball boy is fast!
In the 8th grade Mike Ditka won his school's Science Fair with a model of a working volcano. There were 17 other working volcano's made that day, but only one named Mount Ditka.
by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Jul 2, 2010 10:54 AM CDT up reply actions
It would be hard to find anyone who would be as adept at kicking FGs as Gould
Methinks you underestimate his value
I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren
by lookingdeadred on Jul 1, 2010 9:49 AM CDT up reply actions
+1.....
Ask Buffalo about Norwood. Or San Diego about Kaeding.
How many times does a goame come down to a kick in overtime or in the last seconds. I good Kicker can mean the difference between 7-9 and 10-6 realistically. # bad kicks in say, 4 close games and the playoffs are just wishful thinking.
Kaeding is the most accurate regular season kicker in League history. Yet he stinks in pressure situation, which is why he isn’t the most accurate overall. If any old guy was just fine, SD would have beaten the Jets in January. Instead Kaeding missed three field goals in a game that San Diego lost 17-14. I wonder how important the kicker was in that one………
in•san•i•ty \in-ˈsa-nə-tē\ noun
1 : The practice of repeating the same action while expecting different results.
by Timothy Hockemeyer on Jul 1, 2010 8:56 PM CDT up reply actions
actually yes, you do
and to increase touchdown productions, too.
I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren
by lookingdeadred on Jul 1, 2010 9:47 AM CDT up reply actions
Sorry Les...
I’m right there with you on most of these, but CM is right 100%. Gould is a fantastic kicker, just not top 10 in importance to this Bears team. He is important to this Bears team, just not top 10 important. Mostly for the reasons stated below, but also if this team is winning and losing games by 1-3 points, then more than 10 other Bears are failing to live up to their importance!
IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO FIRE LOVIE!
When the Bears get to the opposition's 30,
three points is practically a given with Gould. That makes him a very valuable commodity.
I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren
by lookingdeadred on Jul 2, 2010 9:21 AM CDT up reply actions
I really tried to not have a kicker on the list
But every time I went over it, I just kept coming back to Gould…
In the 8th grade Mike Ditka won his school's Science Fair with a model of a working volcano. There were 17 other working volcano's made that day, but only one named Mount Ditka.
by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Jul 2, 2010 11:07 AM CDT up reply actions
Having a kicker who is close to automatic from inside 50 yards
like Gould, is a big deal. The problem is that a lot of fans think kickers are dime a dozen, and that is probably true, but kickers as good as Gould are not. Sure an argument can be made that the Bears have ten more important players than Gould, but very good arguments can be made (and you made them) for including Gould in the top ten, too.
I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren
by lookingdeadred on Jul 4, 2010 11:13 AM CDT up reply actions
Robbie Gould is definitely top 5
The guy is almost automatic inside of 50 yards
by Dominique Blanton on Jun 29, 2010 1:33 PM CDT reply actions
Robbie...
My wife and I have a bunch of jerseys we ‘share’ and then she has one that I got her that is the ‘girls’ cut. I asked her what one she wanted and she says “Robbie Gould” I was a bit perplexed, but she said he is the most consistant and she feels bad for him, since people say kickers arent real football players and such. I asked her to think about it for a while before her Bday and she still wanted it then so I got it for her. It still makes me laugh when she wears it…
Gould
Very constistent, that is true. When you think that the other 31 teams had a shot at bringing this guy in and they still didn’t. It’s great to have a kicker you can count on at the end of the game too. The Sun-Times had an article before the 06 Super Bowl comparing that team to 85 and one of the matchups that went in 06’s favor was Gould over Butler, so I think he’s getting recognized for his ability in the clutch.
Let's not forget that Gould is this guys friend and owes a lot of his success to him.
If Mike Ditka punched you in the face, you'd have to fight off the urge to thank him.
by Ditkavsworld on Jun 29, 2010 2:44 PM CDT reply actions 2 recs
That boy is a brick shithouse!
"Is there any truth to the rumor that the Bears gave up their first-round pick in 2011 for the decals?" - Someone registered as the DailyNorseman at PFT suggesting the Bears gave up picks in order to get Gaines Adams tribute decals. Stay classy Minnesota fans!
And the man-crush rears it head yet again...
"The time has come to get deeply into Football. It is the only thing we have left that ain't fixed." - HST
I would like to tell you how much I hate you...
but I submit this instead as an explanation. Linky POP
If Mike Ditka punched you in the face, you'd have to fight off the urge to thank him.
by Ditkavsworld on Jun 30, 2010 7:57 AM CDT up reply actions
One of the funniest shows. Ever.
-------
Stupid babies need the most attention!
by David Taylor on Jun 30, 2010 7:59 AM CDT up reply actions
One of my favorites. Thought you might enjoy the video.
If Mike Ditka punched you in the face, you'd have to fight off the urge to thank him.
by Ditkavsworld on Jun 30, 2010 8:32 AM CDT up reply actions
Unfortunately I can't see it.
It’s blocked at work, and my home cpu is crashed.
"The time has come to get deeply into Football. It is the only thing we have left that ain't fixed." - HST
The coolest part is that he actually owns the domain:
It’s a pretty cool website, with lots of photos, faqs, and such. Go Mannelly!
Is it football season yet?
Who is this guy? Does he really play in the NFL??
sarc//
Adrian Pedestrian!! Now that's funny Mr. Bayless...
Lets hope he leads the NFL
In extra points
by DaHamsta on Jun 29, 2010 3:37 PM CDT reply actions 2 recs
+1000000000000000000000000
And an AMEN to you, brother!
in•san•i•ty \in-ˈsa-nə-tē\ noun
1 : The practice of repeating the same action while expecting different results.
by Timothy Hockemeyer on Jun 29, 2010 3:59 PM CDT up reply actions
That’ll be 56 PATs he needs to break the record…..
"44 years of football history and nothing to show for it. I wish I wasn’t banned at the Norseman.." - tfrabotta
"Fellas, what are they, unblockable? Is that the '85 Bears over there?" - overheard at Giants' '06 training camp
~~~ Check my profile for links for SB20 and America's Game: '85 Bears ~~~
Good as Gould
Lifelong Arizona Cardinals/Chicago Bears fan [I have always lived in Arizona, dad is from Chicago].
I can't stand fair-weather/bandwagon fans, stick with your team, throughout the good and the bad. And don't switch to whichever team wins the Super Bowl each year.
Outstanding caption, Wilt.
The kicker asking for a juice-box; absolutely perfect, considering where most kickers start their careers.
"The time has come to get deeply into Football. It is the only thing we have left that ain't fixed." - HST
I hate you.
-------
Stupid babies need the most attention!
by David Taylor on Jun 29, 2010 11:41 PM CDT up reply actions
Somehow I thought I would see your name in this thread.
Or at least that strange pseudonym which you now go by.
"The time has come to get deeply into Football. It is the only thing we have left that ain't fixed." - HST
Not a crazy choice at all
Gould is gold
I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Community Guidelines
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
