Getting her new kicks

I don't know that I would want to be a football placekicker - the guy who kicks off after scores or to begin halves of the game, and kicks the field goals and extra points.

Or not.

There's a lot of pressure in that job.

This week was a bad week for guys who do that job in the National Football League. The entire football-watching world saw the Cleveland Browns lose again. They have not won a game in 636 days, but they came sort of close on Sunday when their erstwhile kicker, Zane Gonzalez, missed two field goals and two extra points in a loss to the New Orleans Saints. 

I say "erstwhile" because the Browns got rid of him on Monday, and on his way out the door he paused long enough to mention that he was trying to play while coping with a sore groin, the time-honored excuse of all men in failing situations. I hope Gonzalez paused long enough to grab some Browns jerseys, jackets and whatnot, because I love their team colors.

Also saying bye-bye this week was Minnesota Vikings kicker Dan Carlson. Carlson missed three field goals on Sunday as the Vikes tied the Packers. Against all odds, he shanked two tries to win the game in overtime, including one from just 35 yards out.

Carlson said his groin was all right, so the only reason for his poor performance must be that he went to Auburn.

I'm sure my wife and I are not the only football watchers to say it's only a matter of time before one of those NFL kicking jobs is being held by Kaylee Foster.

You might have seen Kaylee on the news the other day. She kicked two field goals and the game-winning extra point at the homecoming game at  Ocean Springs High School in Ocean Springs, Mississippi.

And before the big game,she was also crowned homecoming queen. Kaylee has been a placekicker since middle school and made the team in high school.

“I really don’t have any words,” Foster told the Mississippi Press after the game. “This has just been so wonderful. I love football and I love Ocean Springs.”

The newspaper asked if she was more nervous about the choice of homecoming queen or making the kick, and she said, “I was pretty sure I wasn’t going to be homecoming queen, but I was pretty sure I was going to make that kick.”

I'm waiting for her to star in college ball and then get her chance in the NFL.