I was there November 8, 1970 when Dempsey went 63 yards, on a soggy,humid day. Some guy I never heard of went 64 in no-air Denver. Dempsey's accomplishment is still more impressive, IMO.
I listened on the radio as a 14 year old, and went nuts when he made it. None of the other 63 yarders or this new record won the game, though.
I don't know man. Any kick from beyond the 50 yard line is pretty impressive. Still, I agree with you because of the altitude in Denver. Just like it's easier to hit a HR there because the ball travels farther. I think there was another kicker from Denver that tied the record a few years ago, so that tells you something right there. When Dempsey kick his, wasn't that before the goal posts were put in the back of the end zone? If so, that means the ball was placed down on the Saints own 37 yard line when he kicked it, right? I know 10 yards from back to front of the end zone makes the difference, but it's still pretty crazy when you think about it. So, dudes kick today was from his own 46. Crazy.
Yes, but you still measure it from point of the kick to the goalpost. I don't think he even attempts that kick if its a 73 yarder. Two things to remember - and yes, any kick beyond 50 yards is impressive: the 64 today, and two of the three 63's that tied Dempsey, were all kicked in the thin air of Denver. Also, Dempsey is the only one who kicked straight on. The soccer style guys get a lot more leg into the kick. Dempsey was about the biggest kicker who ever lived, even bigger than Janikowski.
Right, I knew that. I was just thinking how crazy it would be to see the ball placed on your own 37 for a FG. And, I kind of contradicted myself in previous post because as I was typing, I started thinking about it and agreed with you that Dempsey's kick was more impressive. I'm not one of them because I don't know enough about it, but there are some that say that Dempsey got help from that club he wore as a boot. I don't see how though. In fact, it seems like it would be tougher to kick with that thing on.
Yeah this one needs a big fat asterisk in the record books. 1/2 a foot, game winning FG, fledging football team trying to find their way VS thin air of Denver, before halftime, for a team who was going to score 50 anyway take your pick
It was also the first game for John North, the second head coach of the Saints, who succeeded Tom Fears.
Dempsey's kick will forever be an iconic moment in NFL history. To hell with all these 60+ yard FGs in the Denver air. This is now 2-63s and a 64 in Denver. That kick wouldn't have been good in Tulane Stadium, me thinks.
