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View Full Version : Great Read: Al Davis War Room and Sebastian Janikowski



pbmax
04-18-2020, 08:29 AM
https://theathletic.com/1743143/2020/04/17/raiders-draft-kicker-sebastian-janikowski-in-first-round-20-years-ago/



Prominent NFL players Rae Carruth and Ray Lewis faced murder charges in early 2000, spurring a directive from commissioner Paul Tagliabue for teams to reemphasize screening for character in the evaluation process. Janikowski’s indiscretions seemed to be mostly of the frat-boy variety, but they were serious enough entering the draft that deportation to his native Poland was a possibility. That meant absolutely nothing to the NFL owner who kept at least one middle finger raised in the direction of the league office at all times.

Lombardi: Al could give a shit about that. He could care less.

Kebric: Three of us scouted Janikowski and we all gave him a second-round grade. We just didn’t feel we could give him a first-round grade. He had off-field problems, was arrested, could have been deported. I actually found my report on him from Florida State. This is what they said about him: tough, competitor, enjoys pressure; born in Poland, has been in U.S. five years, father lives here, mother still lives in Poland; likes to drink, party; hit a male Florida State cheerleader in a bar, no charges brought; doesn’t like school or go to class; suspended academically. It went on and on.

Bob Casullo, former Raiders special teams coach: I had coached at Georgia Tech against Janikowski. Mr. Davis grilled me on him, and I told him I had never seen a guy like this. I mean, you close your eyes and just listen to him kick a ball, it sounds different. So, they sent me down to Florida State and the day I was there, Janikowski wasn’t there. I really didn’t know what to do. Long story short, I get to go to the emperor’s palace and I was thrilled. I mean, I got to meet Bobby Bowden. He never said anything bad about Sebastian. He just said, “He’s is his own guy, we kind of let him do his own thing and he’s been very good for us, and you know, you’re going to have to watch over him, but all in all, exactly what you see — he is as good as there is.”

I went back and met with Al Davis and told him what Bobby Bowden felt. And he said, “How was Janikowski?” I said, “Never got to see him — he wasn’t there.” Al goes, “Did you have a problem with that?” I said, “Not really. I don’t know where he was. Could have been in class.” Which I knew wasn’t true, but to be honest with you, I wanted the kid.

pbmax
04-18-2020, 08:35 AM
As a young player:


Gruden:
We played at New Orleans his rookie year and, opening possession, we made three or four first downs and I sent the field-goal team out there to kick a 50-yarder or something in the Superdome (it was 49 yards). Janikowski had been late for curfew the night before the game and I was really pissed, so I yelled, “Field goal!” and I remember Bob Casullo, the special teams coach, he said, “He didn’t get into the room till 4 a.m.! There is no way he can make it.” I said, “Field goal!” I was hoping he would miss it, just so I could MF him on the near hash. He made that thing by 20 yards and I hugged him. I said, “I love you, man!”

Kingdon:
Sebastian moved in with Shane Lechler and that really helped to stabilize him a lot. And when he got married, I think that really helped him get focused.

Kebric:
I knew Shane from Texas and I said, “Let’s see if Shane will room with Sebastian.” Shane is just the opposite of him. He came to me late in the season and said, “I’m not going to do it for Year 2, I just can’t do it. The guy shows up every morning at 6 o’clock, I have to put him up and such.” We struggled through the immaturity things and then he met a girl, got married and he completely changed.

texaspackerbacker
04-18-2020, 01:03 PM
Does that make Janikowski the second best Polish kicker ever?

QBME
04-18-2020, 10:38 PM
Does that make Janikowski the second best Polish kicker ever?

Chester Marcol!!

Best spec's in the day.