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Gostkowski’s out; now who do we pick on?

By Alan Greenwood - Staff Writer | Oct 2, 2019

Alan Greenwood

Generally speaking, kickers are seldom noticed and generate zero conversation – until they miss four of 15 extra points in four games.

That’s more misses than great NFL kickers endure in a season.

Phones light up and groans turn to angry barks. There is little worse than being the kicker for a championship team and shanking extra points with a consistency shown by duffers finding the trees off the first tee.

Well, now we have an inkling that Gostkowski’s troubles can be explained, at least partially, to a hip injury. He is scheduled to have surgery and will be out the remainder of the season.

Oops. All those snide comments and expletive-soaked outbursts were directed at a guy who is hurt.

We should be ashamed. Of course, we won’t.

We now will go about ignoring whoever Bill Belichick finds in the pile of unemployed placekickers tossed aside by other teams. At least until he slices his first PAT wide right.

TIME TRAVEL: Oct. 3, 1984 – “Nashua High School’s volleyball team continued its drive for the state tournament Tuesday afternoon, but its victory over Portsmouth wasn’t as easy as many of the Panthers’ wins this fall.

“Still, it was enough to make Nashua’s record 10-1 on the season while Portsmouth dropped to 8-3.

“… At one point the Clippers led Nashua (in the first game) 8-3. Eventually the Panther attacking line, including seniors Rachel Ritz, Debbie Gagnon, Jody Ouellette and Kerry Welch, along with junior Allyson Hill led a Nashua comeback.”

FAMILIAR LOOK: There is not a Red Sox fan on the planet (at least an honest one) who didn’t cringe as they watched Brewers right fielder Trent Grisham turn an RBI single into a bases-clearing disaster.

A seemingly secure 3-1 lead with two outs in the eighth melted into a 4-3 loss to the Nationals.

It was the wild-card game, miles and miles away from Game 6 of the World Series, but it ended Milwaukee’s season.

If Bill Buckner’s worst baseball moment did not flicker through your noggin you didn’t suffer enough Red Sox anguish to properly enjoy their four championships in the last 15 seasons.

Fate had befriended the Brewers as they made an improbable playoff push. Their best player, Christian Yelich, suffered a broken kneecap Sept. 10 and Milwaukee responded with an extended hot streak.

Tuesday night, the stars seemed perfectly aligned when Drew Pomeranz – yes, old friend Drew Pomeranz – came out of the bullpen and set down all six batters he faced, striking out two of them.

Then the 22-year-old right fielder botches a routine play that will haunt him beyond the length of his playing career.

May Grisham enjoy great success from here on. It won’t erase the nightmare, but it may make it a bit more bearable.

Contact Alan Greenwood at 594-1248, agreenwood@nashuatelegraph.com or @Telegraph_AlanG.com.

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