Who is the Saints placekicker: John Kasay or Garrett Hartley?
 

METAIRIE — The New Orleans Saints’ kicking duel between Garrett Hartley and John Kasay is apparently going down to the final two exhibition games, starting with Saturday night’s matchup with the Houston Texans.

Hartley, one of the heroes of the team’s run to a Super Bowl XLIV title in 2009, is being challenged by Kasay, who capably filled in last year when Hartley was sidelined for the entire season with a hip injury.

On Wednesday, special teams coordinator Greg McMahon said the coaching staff is no closer to making a decision than when training camp started July 26.

“We’re going to go to the last two games and just let it play out,” McMahon said. “I think that is the fair process. That is what we decided to do going into camp, and we’ll stay true to that.”

In the first three exhibition games, Hartley has made both of his field-goal attempts, while the 42-year-old Kasay is 2-for-4.

“It’s the whole process and there are a lot of elements involved in it,” McMahon added. “We will sit down as a staff once we get through (the preseason) and decide which direction we want to go.

“We’re just not ready yet. It’s not just who makes the most kicks. We have to look at the whole picture just to be fair to it.”

“It’s a great competition,” interim coach Joe Vitt said. “They have been competing every day in practice, they’ve been competing in the games. So we’ll let it play out.”

Full article.
Who is the Saints placekicker: John Kasay or Garrett Hartley? | Saints | The Advocate — Baton Rouge, LA

Re: Who is the Saints placekicker: John Kasay or Garrett Hartley?
 

Hartley ... but he seems to need competition to keep him honest. Glad Kasay is around in case we need him.

Re: Who is the Saints placekicker: John Kasay or Garrett Hartley?
 

Hartley... gotta go with youth.

Also, Hartley has quite a resume' already, and has been through many of the TOUGH psychological challenges of a placekicker!

Kasay will land with another team before week 5.

Re: Who is the Saints placekicker: John Kasay or Garrett Hartley?
 

Hartley ... but because he's younger, not because Kasay is bad. Like Stealthman, I think they'll both kick in the league this season. Kasay filled in very capably last year, and some other team will fall outta love with their kicker sooner than later.

Re: Who is the Saints placekicker: John Kasay or Garrett Hartley?
 

I figured it would be Kasay till I read a thread on here in which someone (sorry I don't remember who) suggested that the Saints will hire Hartley as the Kicker and Kasay as a kicking consultant. That's sounded brilliant to me.

Re: Who is the Saints placekicker: John Kasay or Garrett Hartley?
 

Hartley, but we're gonna keep Kasey on speed dial.

Re: Who is the Saints placekicker: John Kasay or Garrett Hartley?
 

Hartley for years to come.

Re: Who is the Saints placekicker: John Kasay or Garrett Hartley?
 

So they both have two field goals!... Even contest.

Honestly we need them both....

Hartley for grass and long and Kasay for short.. I can stomach a 57 yarder being missed... I lose my mind when a 27 yarder is missed.

Re: Who is the Saints placekicker: John Kasay or Garrett Hartley?
 

CRAP! I clicked the wrong one for the polls.

Re: Who is the Saints placekicker: John Kasay or Garrett Hartley?
 

CRAP I picked the wrong one in the polls by accident and now I've double posted.

Re: Who is the Saints placekicker: John Kasay or Garrett Hartley?
 

Put the keyboard down and step away from the computer before anyone gets hurt.

Re: Who is the Saints placekicker: John Kasay or Garrett Hartley?
 

Fitting username :-).... And now I know who else voted the way I did LOL!


I would put an adorable picture of a kitten here but I have an affinity for cats.:bng:

Re: Who is the Saints placekicker: John Kasay or Garrett Hartley?
 

Personally, I would go with Kasey. He is pretty much automatic from 40 yards and under. However, I think the Saints will roll with Hartley, due to the fact that eventually you will need someone who can pop a 50 yard field goal with time running out, and we all know Kasey is not that guy anymore. Should be interesting to see who they keep, and forget about 2 kickers because that doesn't appear to be happening this year.

Re: Who is the Saints placekicker: John Kasay or Garrett Hartley?
 

Hartley because I feel like some team would take a chance on him, when Kasay can be cut, and remain out there and available to us.

Re: Who is the Saints placekicker: John Kasay or Garrett Hartley?
 

Hartley, so let the anxiety begin. Just imagine the first time he has to come out and kick to win for us, whatever Saint fan that isn't chewing the carpet by that time is unconscious. I hope he has himself together mentally.

Re: Who is the Saints placekicker: John Kasay or Garrett Hartley?
 

In case some of you missed my breakdown: here is why I cant go Hartley.

http://blackandgold.com/saints/47286...tml#post424981

Re: Who is the Saints placekicker: John Kasay or Garrett Hartley?
 

I went with Kasay in the poll out of respect. But, all things being equal, as I believe the battle is, I think the Saints will go with Hartley because of youth and his contract.

The one thing that scares me with Hartley is the dreaded "left hook". Every once in a while he will hook it and miss the uprights. It always the same deal where hooks to the left. I seen it in the several games over the years and once so far in the preseason.

Re: Who is the Saints placekicker: John Kasay or Garrett Hartley?
 

My money's on the young guy which definitely means Kasay's on the inside track.

Re: Who is the Saints placekicker: John Kasay or Garrett Hartley?
 

Super Bowl Winning Kicker.

Re: Who is the Saints placekicker: John Kasay or Garrett Hartley?
 

Hartley. Karney stays on as a coach and mentor. I think we squeezed enough blood out of the turnip last year with Karney. I love him, and wish we would have had him long ago, but his days are done. Only way he comes back is if Hartley gets his hands on some more adderol.

Re: Who is the Saints placekicker: John Kasay or Garrett Hartley?
 

Who is that?

Re: Who is the Saints placekicker: John Kasay or Garrett Hartley?
 

Hartley with Kasay on standby

Re: Who is the Saints placekicker: John Kasay or Garrett Hartley?
 

Look Hartley helped us get to the promised land with a very clutch kick. He is the future for the Saints if not get another young kicker but Kasay is only a stop gap.

Re: Who is the Saints placekicker: John Kasay or Garrett Hartley?
 

1 clutch... 3 chokes...

For those who haven't gone back and read my reply thread.... There is a reason Hartley will never be as good as he was in 2008. A medical reason.

Re: Who is the Saints placekicker: John Kasay or Garrett Hartley?
 

Well, that 53-yard miss last night was fugly ... "short" does not suffice, it wasn't even close.

Re: Who is the Saints placekicker: John Kasay or Garrett Hartley?
 

I missed that one, fell asleep... I am going back and look at the reply.

Every time I bring up Hartley's xtra point shanks that barely go in... I get told good is good.... Its all trajectory... 3 feet good at 35 yards is 3 feet bad at 45 yards...

Re: Who is the Saints placekicker: John Kasay or Garrett Hartley?
 

Damn officials... Iver never had to ad a 30 min extension to my DVR to get a whole game before!

Re: Who is the Saints placekicker: John Kasay or Garrett Hartley?
 

Interesting statement:


Asked whether Hartley's relative youth and long-term prospects give him an edge, Saints special teams coordinator Greg McMahon said, "I have done this for thirty years. I am looking at this season."

Re: Who is the Saints placekicker: John Kasay or Garrett Hartley?
 

What are you referring to? What condition?

Re: Who is the Saints placekicker: John Kasay or Garrett Hartley?
 

I did some digging:
Hartley suffers from ADHD, giving him problems focusing and controlling his actions. He was suspended in 2009 for taking Adderall (he had a prescription).
My hunch is that in 2010 he didn't take it because it is a banned substance and his accuracy went to crap.

My version of the Garrett Hartley Story

• 2008 100% accuracy (Taking his Adderall)
• 2009 81.8% accuracy (off the adderall) he burned a test in August before the season
• 2010 80.0 percent accuracy (no adderall)

This is not something he can just "shake off", or "get over".

http://blackandgold.com/saints/47286...tml#post424981

Re: Who is the Saints placekicker: John Kasay or Garrett Hartley?
 

There are quite a few good kickers on the street right now. I'm just sayin'!

Re: Who is the Saints placekicker: John Kasay or Garrett Hartley?
 

WalterFootball.com: 2012 NFL Free Agents - Kickers and Punters

Longwell is out there.

Ryan Longwell, K at NFL.com

Re: Who is the Saints placekicker: John Kasay or Garrett Hartley?
 

No matter anyone's opinion on Hartley, if a guy can't take a legitimately prescribed drug for a legitimate medical condition, there's something wrong with the NFL's drug policy. Crap, are we gonna tell Jay Cutler he can't treat his diabetes?

Re: Who is the Saints placekicker: John Kasay or Garrett Hartley?
 

They told Ricky Williams he couldn't smoke dope.

He had glaucoma for Christ Sakes ...

Re: Who is the Saints placekicker: John Kasay or Garrett Hartley?
 

Is it illegal for Hartley to take adderall with a prescription? I thought he was found taking Adderall without a prescription.

I know amphetamines are no-no's in sports, but if the person has a real diagnosed condition, why is that not treatable?

Re: Who is the Saints placekicker: John Kasay or Garrett Hartley?
 

IIRC he took an over-the-counter "stay awake" drug that had a banned substance in it. He was driving home and needed a boost.

Re: Who is the Saints placekicker: John Kasay or Garrett Hartley?
 

Yeah, I heard that story too. He was driving back from Dallas overnight.

Don't know if it's true but that's what I had heard back then.

Re: Who is the Saints placekicker: John Kasay or Garrett Hartley?
 

Well I suppose it may be debatable... Insulin for Cutler is a matter of life and death not focus. Insulin is also not a banned substance, nor is it performance inhancing.

"Many athletic organizations have restricted the usage of Adderall by athletes. The NCAA has banned the use of Adderall for its collegiate athletes without a prescription and adequate records of evaluation and diagnosis of ADHD.[45] Nevada State Athletic Commission has also banned athletes in the state from using Adderall. Tim Credeur was removed from a UFC fight on the finale of The Ultimate Fighter 7 because of a positive drug test due to his use of it. In the National Football League, New Orleans Saints kicker Garrett Hartley served a four-game suspension when the 2009 NFL regular season began because he tested positive for the banned stimulant. The Arizona Cardinals tight end Ben Patrick received a four-game suspension as a result of using Adderall.[46]"

Adderall - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Hartley said Sunday he obtained the Adderall prescription pills from a former college friend and used them to stay awake while driving at night from Dallas to New Orleans for an offseason workout."
New Orleans Saints signs kicker John Carney after Garrett Hartley gets four-game drug ban - ESPN

All of that being said... If Hartley does not have a prescription then he has not been diagnosed by a physician... After all that is said and done.. When he is off of it, his consistency sucks....

So today we have a Hartley off Adderal and a large reduction in consistency since he was on it. I gave Hartley the benefit of the doubt that he had a LEGIT prescription.


Holy Crap Bad Man.... hartley is messy LOL.. I found this digging for ADHD info
Garrett Hartley's Girlfriend

Re: Who is the Saints placekicker: John Kasay or Garrett Hartley?
 

I actually can't remember off top my head. It was adderall which contains amphetamine. If he legit has ADD or ADHD, there are non-amphetamine medicines that treat it.

All this is speculation as neither Hartley nor the team have said anything about it since it happened.

And I thought he was having hip flexor problem that had been nagging him and eventually turned into crap when he played in the preseason game last year?