00:00All right, Lawrence, you knew at some point in the show, we would have to transition to your favorite topic, one that we've discussed many times, probably too much for some people, but we have to get to the kicking game.
00:12And look, I want to ask you, because what's going on with Graham Gonneau is is a little or a lot unusual.
00:18OK, let me ask you a couple of quick questions and then we'll get to Graham.
00:22OK, how many times when you kicked in the NFL, right, in a game, was there another kicker kicker active with you ever?
00:32Never, never.
00:34Oh, wait, I apologize. Wait, wait. One time, NFC, what was that?
00:41The divisional round against the Eagles. Remember when John Carney was in town?
00:46Yeah. And had a great season after my injury in the in the summer.
00:50I was healthy by the start of the season, but, you know, John was kicking so well, they kept him and was actually a really good year for me in terms of learning from a veteran.
00:58But having said that, that playoff game, which I still gives me nightmares that I didn't get a chance to kick those field goals in that playoff game, because that was the single best team I've ever been on.
01:10But to answer, I got long winded there.
01:13That playoff game, I was I was active with John Carney and that's the only time that's ever happened.
01:18OK, but it's very unusual. So but that was a distance thing.
01:22That was not an injury thing. That was purely Lawrence, you kick off and then maybe do some longer field goals, which, you know, we know didn't happen in that playoff game.
01:30I get it. And Carney was going to take them.
01:32Well, he missed two field goals in that game short, like in the 40s. Right.
01:37So. Not to not to bring up old stuff, but yeah, again, but but I'm saying because there's been a lot of discussion because Graham three times in the last few years, he has either gone into a game, you know, on the injury report and then gotten hurt in the game.
01:54Right. We remember, you know, Washington, I guess. Right.
01:57He comes in with it with a groin and he kicks off the opening kickoff.
02:01He chases the guy down on a bit on a long return, hurts his hamstring.
02:05The Giants are left without a kicker. Right.
02:07This year he got hurt. The Giants are left without a kicker.
02:11The punter has to kick or, you know, now he's on the injury report this week.
02:15I don't know how severe it is with a neck. OK, neck for a kicker.
02:19OK, maybe that's better than a groin or a hamstring. So, you know, I mean, is this right criticism that the Giants either stuck with Graham, who's 38 years old and he has these injury issues or that they go into a game?
02:34They have to activate two kickers because in case Graham gets hurt because he has done that before, we need another kicker is, you know, because you just don't see two kickers being active.
02:45So so where are you on that? Because you're inside that debate.
02:49OK, so I will give the team the benefit of the doubt in some regards that when Graham says he's healthy on Saturday, right, like I'm thinking of the hamstring injury, the groin injury, the coaches, you know, based on his history, potentially now you do it.
03:06But like that's not their fault that that Graham got hurt in pregame.
03:11It's not. I don't know. I look, I I tend to trust the kicker.
03:15But again, what I would have done this season is no disrespect.
03:18And I love Graham, you know, and he knows that he's a friend of mine.
03:20I would have cut him because of the money.
03:24And then, you know, just I just think there's been too much injury history with him over the last two or three seasons.
03:31And I have a great deal of respect for him.
03:34I want to make sure that's known.
03:35But again, from a business perspective, I definitely would have gotten a young guy.
03:39There's a lot of young talent in this draft and guys that are capable.
03:44And, you know, you're seeing it with some young guys playing really well in the league right now.
03:49So I probably would have went that route strictly from a business perspective, not necessarily.
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