Let us now praise... the Long Snapper (1 Viewer)

[daddymag]

Today on Rotoworld:

Packers LS Rob Davis announced his retirement from football.

The team appointed him Director of Player Development. Davis was the Packers' long snapper for 11 seasons. He ranks third in franchise history for games played behind Forrest Gregg and a certain surefire Hall of Fame QB.

Source: Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

This is awesome. Right now is the very first time I've ever heard of Rob Davis. What a career. Do your job, do it right, never screw up, and ride off into the sunset. Rob Davis, I salute you!

 

[trader jake]

Always hustled, from all accounts he was a great teammate, and he was money for over a decade.

 

[Sweet Love]

Right now is the very first time I've ever heard of Rob Davis.

Me too. For all the time I spend on this silly hobby, you would think I knew the first girl he slept with. Congrats to him; people like this are not easily replaced.

 

[zamboni]

The sad thing is that no one knows the names of these long snappers unless they make a ill-timed mistake, a la Trey Junkin of the NY Giants a few years ago in the playoffs.

Link to story

 

[thelongsnapper]

You can never get enough news (or praise) about thelongsnapper.

 

[tombonneau]

Longsnappers are my pet peeve. I cannot for the life of me understand how teams dedicate an entire roster spot to a guy who only long snaps. It boggles my mind that a 3rd TE or something can't also double as the long snapper. Just seems like you'd be able to have a guy fill two rolls instead of just full-time long snapper.

Though I guess it's harder than I realize. But the fact that every college in America can find a guy to long snap and you don't see an inordinate amount of screw ups makes me think that it can't be that difficult of a skill.

 

[daddymag]

I think every team would love to not burn a roster spot on the guy but it's such a specialized skill that for a guy to do it at the NFL level, it's okay to burn a roster spot.

Remember, the guy has to never, never, never, never, never #### up.

And he has to do it at NFL speed. Sports Illustrated did a bit a couple of years ago, they sent a writer to hold on placekicks in Browns camp. He wrote that the ball hits your hands just as hard as a pass from a QB does, and that's coming from a guy firing it backwards through his legs blind.

 

[Golden Mike Tomczak]

The Steelers just signed their long snapper to a 2.3 million dollar deal for the next 3 seasons. Not a bad living there.

 

[thelongsnapper]

I saw the spot on the Browns 'snapper. He put the football into a mailbox from 15 yards away. I may be mistaken, but I think he also snapped a ball through a sheet of plywood. I'm looking for the video on-line and haven't found it yet.

I have broken two different punters noses in practice by snapping through their hands (my current one now wears receiver gloves...and his helmet). Not sure that says anything about my ability, perhaps more why my punters don't play receiver.

I don't think snapping a football takes any great skill (I can do it) as opposed to brain surgery or completeing ones taxes. However, to do it consistantly with a couple 275lb lineman crashing down on your neck...there are more useless skills out there. In addition, saving the life of your punter/kicker by getting it back fast would also be looked upon as an asset.

I am also a starting TE (in a "we're here for the beer" type league).

 

[drummer]

Bow down to Brian Jennings' frosted tips

 

[QuizGuy66]

I feel like a total for knowing that the Bengals LS is Brad St. Louis without the need to look anything up.

And I think his number is 48 if I'm not mistaken

-QG

 

[QuizGuy66]

Yup, I was right.

What I didn't know was that even Long Snappers have websites nowadays:

http://www.flyingcolorssports.com/custom/b...layer.asp?Id=27

-QG

 

[DropKick]

Sorry... thought this was a thread about an old girl friend. Carry on.

 

[DropKick]

I saw the spot on the Browns 'snapper. He put the football into a mailbox from 15 yards away. I may be mistaken, but I think he also snapped a ball through a sheet of plywood. I'm looking for the video on-line and haven't found it yet.I have broken two different punters noses in practice by snapping through their hands (my current one now wears receiver gloves...and his helmet). Not sure that says anything about my ability, perhaps more why my punters don't play receiver.I don't think snapping a football takes any great skill (I can do it) as opposed to brain surgery or completeing ones taxes. However, to do it consistantly with a couple 275lb lineman crashing down on your neck...there are more useless skills out there. In addition, saving the life of your punter/kicker by getting it back fast would also be looked upon as an asset.I am also a starting TE (in a "we're here for the beer" type league).

Post of the year as far as I'm concerned.