Feel free to recognize others. I think DCUM is an appropriate place to acknowledge recent graduates. He's not my kid but I am happy for his accomplishment. Lighten up DC.

I don't thnk any of the pp suggested that the athlete in question desrved recognition. It would appear that the issue is just how brash it is to make such an absurd posting. There are MANY MANY athletes that also deserve recognition.

This is great news for STA and especially those in the STA community that still support the scholar-athlete model and are fighting to keep STA in the IAC.

Anonymous wrote:The person in question - Ivy League Newcomer of the Year - deserved recognition but to create a post on this board for that sole purpose is ridiculous. Why? As folks have mentioned above, a punter is probably the least athletic person on the field after the kicker (Many will argue that it is the other way around). You need an example -- Look at Saturday's Alabama/Auburn game. Did you see the kicker? No. Why, because he is not only small but also slow. It follows that if the kicker is so nonathletic then the punter is even more so. Now, if you want to create a post to highlight the accomplishments of all athletes from independent schools who are playing sports in college, you will likely receive fewer complaints.

Who are you? The post police? Anybody can create any post you want. Nobody has to like it, and if the moderator chooses to delete the thread, it's his option since he owns DCUM.

You want to tell people what threads they should and should not post? Then start your own version of DCUM.

PP here. When I referenced the Alabama/Auburn games I was referring to the last play when Alabama refused to tackle the kickoff returner.

The person in question - Ivy League Newcomer of the Year - deserved recognition but to create a post on this board for that sole purpose is ridiculous. Why? As folks have mentioned above, a punter is probably the least athletic person on the field after the kicker (Many will argue that it is the other way around). You need an example -- Look at Saturday's Alabama/Auburn game. Did you see the kicker? No. Why, because he is not only small but also slow. It follows that if the kicker is so nonathletic then the punter is even more so. Now, if you want to create a post to highlight the accomplishments of all athletes from independent schools who are playing sports in college, you will likely receive fewer complaints.

The punters I played with in my day had a specialized skill set but were definetely not athletes...they were...well...punters.

http://justblogbaby.com/2013/06/18/marquette-king-is-he-the-future-of-the-modern-punter/

Does the future of the modern punter include athleticism?

For heaven's sake. Who is arguing that punters aren't athletes? That is a ridiculous overgeneralization.

Anonymous wrote:

You clearly know zero about athletics. Punters today are much better athletes than they were a few years ago. It's not some skinny dude who happens to have a strong leg. These guys are often very good athletes as well.

Stick to talking about violin lessons.

You're quite right. I did not play professional sports but as a high school varsity letterman (12 in toral) in 3 sports (captain of one) and a collegiate athlete I know a little something about sports and the numerous punters I have encountered then and now. As a rule, punters do not define what we mean by athleticism.

I can not comment on the violin but I can comment on the piano.

Please focus on the piano. We would all be so pleased if you did.

You clearly know zero about athletics. Punters today are much better athletes than they were a few years ago. It's not some skinny dude who happens to have a strong leg. These guys are often very good athletes as well.

Stick to talking about violin lessons.

You're quite right. I did not play professional sports but as a high school varsity letterman (12 in toral) in 3 sports (captain of one) and a collegiate athlete I know a little something about sports and the numerous punters I have encountered then and now. As a rule, punters do not define what we mean by athleticism.

I can not comment on the violin but I can comment on the piano.

Anonymous wrote:A punter is not an athlete. The few that are (e.g., professional soccer player) are exceptions to the rule. Perhaps, in another 50 years (if we are still playing football and the sport is not banned) this position may require much more athleticism.

You clearly know zero about athletics. Punters today are much better athletes than they were a few years ago. It's not some skinny dude who happens to have a strong leg. These guys are often very good athletes as well.

Stick to talking about violin lessons.

A punter is not an athlete. The few that are (e.g., professional soccer player) are exceptions to the rule. Perhaps, in another 50 years (if we are still playing football and the sport is not banned) this position may require much more athleticism.

Anonymous wrote:

I love it when folks start opining on something that shows their lack of knowledge. I would love to see this poster try to catch a snap, get off a punt of over 40 yards all the while being rushed by opponents, and accomplish that feat in just about 2.5 seconds. Nope, no athletic ability needed at all. To quote the ESPN NFL experts, "C'mon, Man!"

A punter is no athlete. Check their NFL combine skills and results. Repeat, punters, like golfers are not athletes despite being good at one task or function. The latter does not an athlete make.

Beware broad generalizations, the exceptions can gobble up the assertion. A punter is a specialist, but it does not mean that the effort is not highly athletic. There is a ball to be caught and kicked and a rush to block the kick that means there is a potential for collision. If a quarterback happens to be a pure passer (e.g. Peyton Manning, Tom Brady), does that mean those guys are non-athletes? No, of course not. In the particular example of the STA punter, he runs a 4.5 forty yard dash, weighs in at 220+, and could play either defensive back or wide receiver on the Cornell team. His punting skill is so valuable, though, that there is a sound justification to have him punt exclusively to avoid injury. So, you are just wrong that punters are not athletes. While a punter might be less athletic than certain running backs or linebackers, the broad brush approach just does not work here.

+1

...because I cannot compete with the top seamstress or golfer does not confer upon them (nor I) automatic high athletic status.