Anybody Still Yearning For Stover?

[hammer]

John Harbaugh said a couple weeks ago that Billy Cundiff is a stud. Todays game was a perfect example of what the Ravens have been missing for the last few years. Cundiff actually gives the Ravens team a consistent field-position advantage because of his touchbacks on every kickoff. Also, and for the first time I can remember, I was actually comfortable when Cundiff lined up for the 49 yd field goal try in todays game.

Watching Stover the last few years cost us big-time in the field position battle. This is an extremely important part of the in-game strategy. Especially in close games. You are right Harbaugh. Cundiff is a stud! Cundiff for Pres?

[berad]

[quote name='hammer' timestamp='1290395262' post='547531']
[b]John Harbaugh said a couple weeks ago that Billy Cundiff is a stud.[/b] Todays game was a perfect example of what the Ravens have been missing for the last few years. Cundiff actually gives the Ravens team a consistent field-position advantage because of his touchbacks on every kickoff. Also, and for the first time I can remember, I was actually comfortable when Cundiff lined up for the 49 yd field goal try in todays game.

Watching Stover the last few years cost us big-time in the field position battle. This is an extremely important part of the in-game strategy. Especially in close games. You are right Harbaugh. [b]Cundiff is a stud![/b] Cundiff for Pres?
[/quote]

These sentences and the "yearning" title make me question certain things but...

Anyways, Billy Cundiff has been excellent this year. He's been accurate with his field goals and his kick-offs have been the most impressive thing I've seen in a while. He makes it look easy.

[Ed_Reed20]

Billy for the Pro Bowl!

[hammer]

[quote name='berad' timestamp='1290396256' post='547552']
These sentences and the "yearning" title make me question certain things but...

Anyways, Billy Cundiff has been excellent this year. He's been accurate with his field goals and his kick-offs have been the most impressive thing I've seen in a while. He makes it look easy.
[/quote]

I think Harbaugh was saying that Cundiff is one tough dude (he guranteed Harbaugh he could kick the ball out of the end zone instead of taking a risky directional kick against the steelers).

And as for "yearning" - the better term woule be "calling for" Stover. Hope that put your questions to rest. LOL.

[Alexir]

I just dont understand why some of you fans love kickers so much lol I think there are more kicker threads than there are running back or tight end threads [img]http://boards.baltimoreravens.com/public/style_emoticons/default/34853_shakehead.GIF[/img]

[berad]

[quote name='hammer' timestamp='1290397129' post='547591']
I think Harbaugh was saying that Cundiff is one tough dude (he guranteed Harbaugh he could kick the ball out of the end zone instead of taking a risky directional kick against the steelers).

And as for "yearning" - the better term woule be "calling for" Stover. Hope that put your questions to rest. LOL.
[/quote]

Haha I was only messing with you!

[neoi78]

Look back at a post from like week 3-4.. i posted Cundiff For President. The guy has been a beast all year. I hope the feild goal today showed my buddy that cundiff is our kicker. He always tries to make fun of cundiff, but today he showed his stuff. great job Billy

[hammer]

[quote name='Alexir' timestamp='1290397228' post='547596']
I just dont understand why some of you fans love kickers so much lol I think there are more kicker threads than there are running back or tight end threads [img]http://boards.baltimoreravens.com/public/style_emoticons/default/34853_shakehead.GIF[/img]
[/quote]

People tend to undervalue the importance of the kicker. He is an incredibly important part of the third wheel (offense, defense, special teams). Field position plays a HUGE part of the in-game strategy. Stover consistently gave the oppositon "short fields" to attack the Ravens defense.

The way the defense is playing this year, I would guarantee that if Stover were still the kicker, the Ravens would have a losing record. That's how big of a difference Cundiff makes. With a weaker defense, the Ravens can be assured of avoid ing giving the opposiiton "short fields." So yes, special teams is important, thats why you get these threads.

[K-Dog]

Yeah I am, was, one of those Stover guys.

I will admit at this point in time Cindiff is better.

That said, I stand, and will continue to stand by my origonal remark, that Stover DESERVED a better departure from Baltimore than he recieved.
For all he was to the Baltimore Ravens to send him up the road with little more than a have a nice day and good luck was rightly disapointing.

I know what the next post is going to say "this is a business bla, bla, bla."

Cop out. Stover deserved better.

[Ed_Reed20]

[quote name='K-Dog' timestamp='1290401173' post='547674']
Yeah I am, was, one of those Stover guys.

I will admit at this point in time Cindiff is better.

That said, I stand, and will continue to stand by my origonal remark, that Stover DESERVED a better departure from Baltimore than he recieved.
For all he was to the Baltimore Ravens to send him up the road with little more than a have a nice day and good luck was rightly disapointing.

I know what the next post is going to say "this is a business bla, bla, bla."

Cop out. Stover deserved better.
[/quote]

What did he deserve exactly?

[reediddy]

No doubt he should be representing the AFC in the Pro Bowl. No doubt in my mind at all.

[Ravensdiciple96]

[quote name='hammer' timestamp='1290398266' post='547622']
People tend to undervalue the importance of the kicker. He is an incredibly important part of the third wheel (offense, defense, special teams). Field position plays a HUGE part of the in-game strategy. Stover consistently gave the oppositon "short fields" to attack the Ravens defense.

The way the defense is playing this year, I would guarantee that if Stover were still the kicker, the Ravens would have a losing record. That's how big of a difference Cundiff makes. With a weaker defense, the Ravens can be assured of avoid ing giving the opposiiton "short fields." So yes, special teams is important, thats why you get these threads.
[/quote]

Yeah no doubt!! Why not be pumped up about the kicker on your team who leads the league in touchbacks, and makes their offense have to travel 80 yards on our defense for 6!

Stover will always be loved by the Baltimore Raven fan base. He was a great kicker, had a great career and really helped this team win their super bowl. I mean when they couldn't find the end zone that super bowl season, Stover was there to win us games with his leg! Cundiff is a monster this season and hopefully he will keep it up and be with the team for many seasons to come!

[ravensdfan]

[quote name='K-Dog' timestamp='1290401173' post='547674']
Yeah I am, was, one of those Stover guys.

I will admit at this point in time Cindiff is better.

That said, I stand, and will continue to stand by my origonal remark, that Stover DESERVED a better departure from Baltimore than he recieved.
For all he was to the Baltimore Ravens to send him up the road with little more than a have a nice day and good luck was rightly disapointing.

I know what the next post is going to say "this is a business bla, bla, bla."

Cop out. Stover deserved better.
[/quote]

Stover's last season, I kept saying he'd lost some distance. Accurate but only within 40 yds or less. Still, had to like the guy. I agree that it was time for the organization to move on but I think it could have been handled better. Apparently Stover isn't bitter though as he showed up for the tribute to the SB team and he's said in interviews since that he had nothing but good things to say about the Ravens' organization. I guess if he's okay, we have no right to complain.

[Moderator 2]

Last year the lack of a reliable kicker lost the team 2 games. So Ode to the Kicker lol

[hammer]

During the SB year, Matt Stover was the Ravens Co-MVP (Jamal and Ray Lewis, the others). He was also truly a class act as a person (serious contributions to the community). Add this to the fact that he actually still had the leg to keep the Ravens competitive in the battle for field position.

But somewhere along the line, he lost his leg strength and his short kickoffs were giving the opposition short fields consistently (our dominating defense masked this weakness for a long time).

He then became unreliable outside of 40 yards on field goal attempts and each time he missed, the opposition got short fields again. Then we had to fill another roster spot with another kicker to kick off - further hurting the team. I can appreciate the Ravens loyalty to players past their prime, but Ravens kept Stover about two years past his value to the team. This was too much and Harbaugh did the right thing in making the change. His decision showed courage and leadership.

Matt will always have a place in my heart, but Cundiff is the the right man for the right time.

[The King]

Stover is one of the best players the Ravens have ever had, up there with Ogden, Reed, and Lewis. He was hyper-accurate, and for ten years with the Ravens had as good a leg as anyone in the league. But he was losing leg strength towards the end of his tenure, and he had become a liability on kickoffs and longer field goals. We couldn't afford to kickers on the roster, so we got rid of him thinking that Hauschka could handle it.

We were wrong about Hauschka, but Cundiff has been a great move. He leads the league in touchbacks and has a great FG percentage. He has definitely been a consistently dangerous weapon, and deserves to be a Pro Bowler.

[Ravensdiciple96]

" But somewhere along the line, he lost his leg strength and his short kickoffs were giving the opposition short fields consistently (our dominating defense masked this weakness for a long time). "

Yeah it's called getting older by the year, LOL!! We don't stay young forever.

[K-Dog]

[quote name='Ed_Reed20' timestamp='1290401558' post='547689']
What did he deserve exactly?
[/quote]

I dont know, a little fanfare or something. Again, all he did and all he meant to this team and this City it should have been more than just him cleaning out his locker at the end of the season. Walking away and never coming back.

Matt Stover won a [b]LOT[/b] of games for us. That cant be argued.

[Marc2k6]

[quote name='K-Dog' timestamp='1290470042' post='548343']
I dont know, a little fanfare or something. Again, all he did and all he meant to this team and this City it should have been more than just him cleaning out his locker at the end of the season. Walking away and never coming back.

Matt Stover won a [b]LOT[/b] of games for us. That cant be argued.
[/quote]

Fanfare is for a player that retires, Stover has not hung up his cleats yet! When he hangs them up, then it will be time for fanfare.

[JohnJohnson]

[quote name='K-Dog' timestamp='1290470042' post='548343']
I dont know, a little fanfare or something. Again, all he did and all he meant to this team and this City it should have been more than just him cleaning out his locker at the end of the season. Walking away and never coming back.

Matt Stover won a [b]LOT[/b] of games for us. That cant be argued.
[/quote]

Well he got a lot of [b]fan[/b]fare, and I think he knows how the fans feel. I don't think that NFL teams want to have a ceremony when they cut someone, and I'm not sure that Stover would even want that.

We probably did hold on to him longer than we should have out of sheer affection, and he kicked in the Super Bowl last season. Things worked out the best they could, and it's a perfect example of the right decision being heavily criticized at first.

[Marc2k6]

[quote name='JohnJohnson' timestamp='1290470858' post='548355']
Well he got a lot of [b]fan[/b]fare, and I think he knows how the fans feel. I don't think that NFL teams want to have a ceremony when they cut someone, and I'm not sure that Stover would even want that.

We probably did hold on to him longer than we should have out of sheer affection, and he kicked in the Super Bowl last season. Things worked out the best they could, and it's a perfect example of the right decision being heavily criticized at first.
[/quote]
You Nailed it! I have never seen a party for a guy that may sign with another team! Never!

[K-Dog]

[quote name='JohnJohnson' timestamp='1290470858' post='548355']
I don't think that NFL teams want to have a ceremony when they cut someone, and I'm not sure that Stover would even want that.


[/quote]


Yeah, good point. I mean technically he was never cut, he was just never offered a new contract when his old one expired.
Either way, point taken, but I still think things could have gone better what ever that might mean.

Is he even playing for any one right now?

[JohnJohnson]

[quote name='K-Dog' timestamp='1290478522' post='548537']
Yeah, good point. I mean technically he was never cut, he was just never offered a new contract when his old one expired.
Either way, point taken, but I still think things could have gone better what ever that might mean.

Is he even playing for any one right now?
[/quote]

I don't think he is playing with anyone. Yeah, it would be awkward to have a "we're not resigning you!" party. Stover knows how much we appreciate him though.