Ray Guy dead. Best punter I have ever seen.

[1VikesFan]

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20...ies-at-72/

RIP Ray

[Guest]

Outside of the Vikings, he was the only punter’s name that I knew back in the day. He was that good.

[Guest]

Madden always raved about Ray Guy. He never had a punt blocked until Super Bowl 11. Vikings 1st and goal at the one, no score, Ah Vikings….
i say that as someone who was too young to know what a super bowl was in 1977)

[Guest]

He still has no equal! May he rest in peace for eternity.

[Guest]

@kmillard said:
Madden always raved about Ray Guy. He never had a punt blocked until Super Bowl 11. Vikings 1st and goal at the one, no score, Ah Vikings….
i say that as someone who was too young to know what a super bowl was in 1977)

I'm not.  Watched it live.  Couldn't believe they just didn't hand it to Foreman three straight times.   I also believe had Tark faked it to Foreman running left the bootleg would have been wide open and Francis would have walked in.  The Raiders sold out for the run both attempts to get in.

[Guest]

So....6X All Pro, best punter of all time. If you had magic vision and could know he would be all those things, would you still take him in the 1st round, which is what the Raiders did?

[Guest]

@MaroonBells said:
So....6X All Pro, best punter of all time. If you had magic vision and could know he would be all those things, would you still take him in the 1st round, which is what the Raiders did?

I think specialists like P and K were more important back in those days where field position was so crucial.  This was before the NFL neutered the defenses and low scoring games were the norm.  A great punter that could flip the field and control his kicks would have been much more important IMO in those days so its likely that it would be worth the pick.  now a days...no way in hell.   you get shitty field position just throw it up and let the WR run into a DB and you will get PI called negating that shitty field position so why not look for better WRs and DBs? 

[Guest]

@JimmyinSD said:

@MaroonBells said:
So....6X All Pro, best punter of all time. If you had magic vision and could know he would be all those things, would you still take him in the 1st round, which is what the Raiders did?

I think specialists like P and K were more important back in those days where field position was so crucial.  This was before the NFL neutered the defenses and low scoring games were the norm.  A great punter that could flip the field and control his kicks would have been much more important IMO in those days so its likely that it would be worth the pick.  now a days...no way in hell.   you get shitty field position just throw it up and let the WR run into a DB and you will get PI called negating that shitty field position so why not look for better WRs and DBs? 

Beat me to it Jimmy. Basically my exact answer. Yes I would have taken him in the first round in 1973. Now I wouldn't. 

[Guest]

@1VikesFan said:

@JimmyinSD said:

@MaroonBells said:
So....6X All Pro, best punter of all time. If you had magic vision and could know he would be all those things, would you still take him in the 1st round, which is what the Raiders did?

I think specialists like P and K were more important back in those days where field position was so crucial.  This was before the NFL neutered the defenses and low scoring games were the norm.  A great punter that could flip the field and control his kicks would have been much more important IMO in those days so its likely that it would be worth the pick.  now a days...no way in hell.   you get shitty field position just throw it up and let the WR run into a DB and you will get PI called negating that shitty field position so why not look for better WRs and DBs? 

Beat me to it Jimmy. Basically my exact answer. Yes I would have taken him in the first round in 1973. Now I wouldn't. 

Yeah, I think there's too much riding now. Too much money, too many potential screw ups (see punt god), too many teams who go for it on 4th down. It would be hard enough to justify a day-two pick today. 1st rounder? Probably never again. And, actually, it never did happen again with a punter.