Adam Vinatieri activated from PUP list

by BigBlueShoe on Sep 2, 2009 9:08 PM EDT in Colts News Comment 22 comments

Adam Vinatieri has returned to kick ass, chew bubble gum, and make clutch kicks. Photo: images.teamsugar.com

Aaron Wilson at National Football Post gives us the scope:

Indianapolis Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri passed his physical today and was activated from the physically unable to perform list after undergoing offseason surgeries on his right hip and right knee.

Interesting to note that Vinatieri was NOT listed as one of seven players who are NOT traveling with the team to Cincinnati to take on the Bengals for the fourth and final pre-season game for 2009. Bob Sanders, who is still on PUP, will stay in Indy while the Colts close out pre-season.

Having Adam back is a big boost. Hopefully, he'll get some time in against the Bengals, working with rookie punter and FG holder Pat McAfee. ~~Adam's activation means the Colts must cut another player, and that player is likely kicker Shane Andrus~~. Andrus has been magnificent in camp and pre-season. If you are reading this and you are NOT a Colts fan (and your favorite team is desperate for a quality kicker), look no further than Shane Andrus. He hasn't missed a kick yet in pre-season, and his kick-offs have been consistently good.

[UPDATE]: Good point made in the comments by reddogfred; players on the PUP do count against the 75 man roster limit. Therefore, the Colts do NOT have to cut anyone as a consequence of activating Vinatieri. And yes, I used this update as another excuse to place the word NOT in CAPS again.

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Wow, you sure work fast BBS.

It’s great to have Vini back. It just makes me that much more comfortable about our injury situation entering the season. I’ve been the one telling everybody to calm down because none of the injuries are that serious. We have no ligament tears. That should make everyone happy.

It’s nice when the realistic optimist turns out to be right, isn’t it?

Now a proud annoyance on Stampede Blue, 18to88, Indy Football Report, and Phil B's blog.

Man, I need a life...

Random fact of the week from the empty void that is my mind: I don't want this guy to get anywhere near me.

by Cassieper on Sep 2, 2009 9:15 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Good Luck to Andrus

If AV was injured to the point of retirement, I would have no problem with Andrus taking over.

"Put him on the board. Houshmazilli....got it. CHAMPIONSHIP!"

by AceOfSpades on Sep 2, 2009 9:18 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

+1

Andrus won’t be out of work long. He knew he was auditioning for a job with another team, and he did well.

by smonroe on Sep 2, 2009 9:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Andrus

actually missed one field goal, but it was a 50+ yarder. Think it was the first preseason game. However, if by haven’t missed a kick, you mean he hasn’t whiffed any Charlie Brown style, then you’re right.

by npb1985 on Sep 2, 2009 9:33 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Now there's something

I’d like to see in a game. You think we can get a holder to lift the ball away, Lucy style?

Now a proud annoyance on Stampede Blue, 18to88, Indy Football Report, and Phil B's blog.

Man, I need a life...

Random fact of the week from the empty void that is my mind: I don't want this guy to get anywhere near me.

by Cassieper on Sep 2, 2009 9:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

And I know who it should happen to

Ochocinco, since he now fancies himself a kicker.

The fault, dear Brutus, lies not in the stars, but in ourselves.

by Coltsfan58 on Sep 3, 2009 8:59 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Cut a player?

I thought that the PUP was counted against the 75 players, so we don’t have to cut anyone for now? Although Andrus probably get the boot soon, barring severe rustiness from Vini.

by reddogfred on Sep 2, 2009 9:48 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Good point.

You may be right there….

Now a proud annoyance on Stampede Blue, 18to88, Indy Football Report, and Phil B's blog.

Man, I need a life...

Random fact of the week from the empty void that is my mind: I don't want this guy to get anywhere near me.

by Cassieper on Sep 2, 2009 9:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

you're right

though it does mean Andrus is getting the boot. Possibly as we speak if they are letting Vinny kick tomorrow.

It's not just your perceptions that can be wrong. Even your memory is often incomplete or possibly flat out wrong.

by shake n bake on Sep 2, 2009 10:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I am very pleased to see he's back

I will follow Vinny to the end of his storied career. He’s the guy I refer to in my SB Nation signature.

I suffered a long NFL drought when I was studying abroad from 1997-1999, and when I came back, I saw some Pats games and thought, “Who IS this guy?” and “Hey, it’s that fantastic kicker again!” I really admired his cool under pressure, his work ethic (he ran team drills with all the other guys, even though kickers don’t have too). I remember an interview where he talked about being a high school QB and how he wanted to be an NFL QB, but at 6ft even “I just quit growing.”

Vinatieri has given football some of its greatest moments. On our rec room wall, my die-hard Bears fan hubby has given room for, next to all the Butkus and 85 Bears stuff, a spot for my autographed Vinny & #4 football cards, the only non-Bears stuff in the house.

Remember when he tackled Hershel Walker, catching up to him from behind in 1996, because, as Teddy Bruschi put it at the time, “Nobody had told him you can’t catch Hershel Walker!”

What a player. So glad he’s still on!

May the wind be always at your back, and may your placekicker have icewater in his veins.

by juperee on Sep 2, 2009 11:04 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Also, regarding Shane Andrus,

…Robbie Gould did the same thing: signed up as an understudy to Vinatieri, knowing he (Gould) would be cut, but wanting the opportunity to learn from his idol and to show his own stuff.

It worked out great for Gould, and he and Vinny had nothing but great stuff to say about each other. Gould had been a fan of Vinny all through his teen years, and was thrilled to go up against him in SB XLI.

I am sure Shane Andrus made great impressions and will be employed in the NFL soon, even if not right away. Even Gould had to be called back from his job as a carpenter to become the Bear’s kicker!

May the wind be always at your back, and may your placekicker have icewater in his veins.

by juperee on Sep 2, 2009 11:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm gonna miss Andrus

To tell the truth I’ve been losing faith in Vinny since the end of last year, and off-season surgeries in a kicker’s key tools does not make me warm and fuzzy. Here’s to hoping that he can truly kick, and is even better than last year.

How can you not love a team that does this?

by LovinBlue on Sep 3, 2009 12:03 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

A couple 45 yard game winners

isn’t enough for you?

Now a proud annoyance on Stampede Blue, 18to88, Indy Football Report, and Phil B's blog.

Man, I need a life...

Random fact of the week from the empty void that is my mind: I don't want this guy to get anywhere near me.

by Cassieper on Sep 3, 2009 7:48 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I know

He made two big kicks last year to win two critical games, and some people are STILL skeptical. He also dramatically improved his kickoffs.

I’ve given up trying to justify why Vinatieri is so money. If people don’t see it by now, they just don’t understand football.

SB Nation's Indianapolis Colts blogger at Stampede Blue. Please make an account and post a diary, add some comments, and make some noise. Accounts are free, and only require an email address.

by BigBlueShoe on Sep 3, 2009 10:24 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

"Don't understand football"

is a bit extreme, although I’ve openly admitted I don’t understand many of the details and nuances of the game. I’m just providing a different perspective of what I’ve seen – perhaps through selective memory. I would be psyched for Vinny to prove me wrong.

How can you not love a team that does this?

by LovinBlue on Sep 3, 2009 10:36 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I just hope his hip issue will go away and he is back to the Vinny we want him to be….missing fairly easy kicks at meaningless points in a game and coming back to nail a 49 or 50 yarder with the game on the line.

"Put him on the board. Houshmazilli....got it. CHAMPIONSHIP!"

by AceOfSpades on Sep 3, 2009 3:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

ugh, thank God

This was one of those story lines that was sneakily sticking around. Obviously we all hoped he’d be okay, but with injuries you just never know. I was worried that he would be down longer than expected and we wouldn’t find out til week one that it was that big of an issue. After dealing with lingering injuries that always felt like they were a week away from playing (Marvin, Lilja, hell, Mike Dunleavy too), it’s nice to have him back.

"If you don't [draft me], I promise you I'll come back and kick your ass for the next 15 years."

by psvirsky on Sep 3, 2009 8:03 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs