SIDELINE
Observations, Opinion & Occasional Silliness by Richard L Gale
Gramatical Error October 7, 2008
Stick a fork in Martin Gramatica — he's done.
When this month's cover star on The American magazine, Reggie Bush, took over the game in the second half of Monday Night Football,
it looked for all the world like today's blog was going to start "Stick A Fork In ...The Minnesota Vikings". Momentum
seemed to be wearing black and gold. Not since Dennis Miller and friends wrote off Vinny's Jets had an MNF commentator sounded
as perplexed as Tony Kornheiser when the final seconds ticked off and Minnesota had eked out a unlikely 30–27 victory.
Unlikely. Unexpected. Perhaps unearned.
Adrian Peterson went nowhere, but the Viking scored 30 points. The Vikings defense gave up 320 yards passing, but yielded only
10 offensive points. Reggie Bush had 269 combined yards, including 2 long touchdown returns, and yet he — along with
Gramatica — was inconsolable.
Saints DT Sedrick Ellis at least appeared to be consoling Gramatica at the end. Of course, he might have been giving him advice
about the fastest and safest route out of town. Gramatica did NOT have a good night.
In his second go–round in the league after an injury–halted first career in Tampa Bay, the kicker has never quite
looked the kicker he once was. When the Saints lined up their first field goal attempt of the evening, a 46 yard effort Gramatica
might once have been relied upon to make, it required a line–drive that was blocked and returned by Antoine Winfield.
10–0 became 7–7 instead. With two minutes left in the game, Gramatica was wide left from 46 yards, setting
up the Vikings winning drive.
Gramatica's misses overshadowed the 53 yard field goal he did make. Fortunately for referee Ed Hochuli, it also overshadowed
some more questionable calls by his crew, including a possible Adrian Peterson fumble that was deemed not to be, and a Reggie
Bush fumble which was — although only after the men in stripes failed to observe a helmet–twisting facemask grab
that might have played a part in Bush losing his grip.
Gramatica and Hochuli may be scapegoats rather than goats after the Saints fumbled three times and were intercepted twice,
but the chance of either being busy come the postseason is looking remote. For the Argentinian kicker, just being around for
this month's flight to England isn't certain. Gramatica's selling point used to be 'the little guy with the big leg'.
Two weeks ago, he missed a 43–yarder at the 2–minute mark in a loss to Denver. The Saints could have been 4–1 at this point.
In the unpredictable world of the NFL, no team is 'done' at 2–3, but for the London–bound Saints and Chargers,
the prospect of both coming to London with losing records is very real. If the Saints find themselves thousands of miles
from home, in the rain, relying on the foot of Gramatica, the bye week that follows could be bye–bye week for Martin.
Observations, Opinion & Occasional Silliness by Richard L Gale