Punter Cody Mandell

[Patler]

Mandell was signed a week after the season to provide competition for Masthay, and he seemed to punt well but was the holder on the only FG attempts that Crosby has missed in camp. Still, some thought it a bit odd that he was released before the first game. The Packers didn't need the roster spot, as they have been under the limit most of camp.

McGinn offers a hint as to why he might have been released so early:


Masthay got the message when Mandell was signed one week after his subpar performance in Seattle capped a bad second half of the season. He responded, and there was no reason to keep a potentially divisive personality like Mandell around.

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/picking-packers-final-53-will-be-a-difficult-decision-b99558686z1-322125701.html

A "potentially divisive personality"?

The quote was from McGinn's annual roster evaluation article, where he classifies the players as "locks", "good bets" "on the fence" and "long shots" for making the final roster.

[run pMc]

Saw that too and wondered if he was a bad locker room fit or what the background to that was about. I normally don't think of punters as being like that, who knows.

[hoosier]

Maybe he was just alluding to the possibility that a guy who knows he's going to get cut and is just playing out the string could become disgruntled.

[pbmax]

I got nothing.

[smuggler]

I agree with hoosier. He was a lame duck and offered nothing except the outside chance of some internal drama.

[Pugger]

The punter has 2 jobs - kicking and holding. If you are screwing up on one like it appeared he was it's no wonder he's gone. It wouldn't surprise me to see someone else in camp later on. Don't we have an open roster spot right now?

[Patler]

Maybe he was just alluding to the possibility that a guy who knows he's going to get cut and is just playing out the string could become disgruntled.

But the same is true for about 15 or 20 other guys on the roster who have no chance of making the final 53. Referencing a "potentially divisive personality" is more specific than that.

[Patler]

[QUOTE=Pugger;841565 Don't we have an open roster spot right now?[/QUOTE]

I think they have had one open roster spot since the start of camp, and now I think there are a couple.

[smuggler]

There were two. Then we signed a CB. And yesterday we cut WR Coxson... Should be 88/90 at present...

[hoosier]

I got nothing.

Sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.

[hoosier]

But the same is true for about 15 or 20 other guys on the roster who have no chance of making the final 53. Referencing a "potentially divisive personality" is more specific than that.

Yeah, you're right, and even those guys who are just playing out the string are still presumably auditioning for a job with the Vikings. Maybe McGinn is just channeling that old stereotype that says kickers are strange ducks. Head coaches never like them, they keep to themselves, they have weird rituals, and they only get noticed when they screw up.

[Bossman641]

I heard Mandell punched one of the ST assistant coaches :-)

[bobblehead]

I heard Mandell punched one of the ST assistant coaches :-)

I heard he banged Mike Holmgren's daughter.

[Patler]

I heard Mandell punched one of the ST assistant coaches :-)

So, the stern letter from the league after the Jets' incident was too late? ;-)

[Patler]

I heard he banged Mike Holmgren's daughter.

Ah, the allure of an older women!

[HarveyWallbangers]

I read some head scratching comments from Mandell in camp. He seemed overly cocky. Maybe McGinn is referring to those comments.

[bobblehead]

I heard he banged Mike Holmgren's daughter.

Come on, someone has to remember this reference.

[pbmax]

Come on, someone has to remember this reference.

I repped the whole exchange. Mainly because I could not believe I forgot those old chestnuts.

[Patler]

Come on, someone has to remember this reference.

I remember it well, In '96 she was a young thing to be in those stories, but now she is an older women! Thus, my response.

[run pMc]

http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/Mike_Holmgren

[Fritz]

Someone on McGinn's chat axed about this - I thought it might be Patler - and McGinn clarified. His scout sources said the guy was cocky and immature and wanted to be the center of attention. He suggested that punters, kickers, and snappers are the red-headed step-children of a team, and Mandell didn't know his place.

[pbmax]

Someone on McGinn's chat axed about this - I thought it might be Patler - and McGinn clarified. His scout sources said the guy was cocky and immature and wanted to be the center of attention. He suggested that punters, kickers, and snappers are the red-headed step-children of a team, and Mandell didn't know his place.

My anonymous football scout/coach translator turns that sentence into "the guy was normal in every respect, was not naturally a shrinking violet, failed to apologize for his existence twice a day and did not understand, because no one had ever explained logically, why kickers are not treated as normal members of the football team".

The Packers get this, even if Bob does not. McCarthy does anyway.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Bob's pre-draft report on Mandell:

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/specialists-in-nfl-draft-bring-strong-skills-have-room-to-grow-b99255497z1-258382861.html



2. CODY MANDELL, Alabama (6-2½, 216, 4.86, 7) – Former walk-on from Lafayette, La., averaged 39.3 in 2010-'11 and 45.5 in 2012-'13, including 47.1 last year. "I thought he was the most improved player on that team over the course of the last three years," said Phil Savage, radio analyst for the Crimson Tide and former GM of the Cleveland Browns. "He won the Mississippi State game for Alabama. He flipped the field numerous times." Career average of 42.6. Has not held. "Didn't like his interview," one coach said. "Didn't like his demeanor and the way he carried himself. Very cocky. Rubbed people the wrong way a little bit." Said another coach: "This kid's immature and he doesn't know it. Got to be the center of attention. But he's really talented. Very strong."


By all accounts, Mandell was punting very well in practice. Yes, he was struggling on holds, but that takes reps. I think Bob is onto something here.