By Steve Kaless
January 31st 2009 @ 3:30am
Ben Graham on what it takes to make it in the NFL
My mind was drawn to many pieces I’d read on the Roar over the past year or so when I had the chance to speak to the Cardinals’ Ben Graham ahead of Sunday’s Super Bowl. Watching Graham at ease in front of the world’s media gave me a lasting impression that footballers aren’t dumb, they just get asked dumb questions.
When asked about the interesting parts of his career, Graham gave thoughtful and respectful answers. He is obviously living a great adventure and it was like listening to one of your mates talk about a great trip abroad – albeit with less time spent in a Walkabout pub.
But the USA is in many ways the promised land for Australian sports.
I have read articles on the Roar in which football, league, union and AFL were all set to really make an impact on the land of the stars and stripes.
Well, I don’t know about the football wars, but I watched a documentary about 100 years of Rugby League on a British Airways flight to Miami and my first conversation with an American was about the Spartak Moscow t-shirt I was wearing and the career of Lev Yashin.
So those codes are clearly ready to make a big impact. Look out below!
But more seriously, I thought it would be interesting to get the insight of someone who has made the transition to see if they thought more Aussies would be in the NFL before too long.
Graham was realistic about player’s chances of turning professional in the US.
“It is much harder to make it here than people think. It isn’t just about having the ability and even the will to succeed. It can be tough getting visas and having the money to support yourself before you get signed.”
The ex-Geelong star had only ever kicked an American football for fun prior to 2005, so his first experience was a punting camp which lasted two weeks.
“I had to learn as much as I could. From the start, I was told I had great form, great distance and great hang time. But my get off – the act of actually kicking the ball – was too slow. It was the sort of thing in which most scouts would then just turn the page and look at the next guy.
“So I really had to work on that day after day. Your consistency, your stepping pattern, the drop and everything that has to be done in that period of time.
“That took me a couple of weeks and then it took me a couple of months to earn the trust of the Jets before they decided to give me a contract.”
Graham has introduced drop kick punt into the game, but he is unsure about whether the science used in the NFL will make a big impact back in Australia.
“I think we could maybe use some of their techniques to improve goalkicking, but in AFL there are a 100 hundred different ways to kick a footy where as over here you kick the ball the same way every time.”
Graham believes that a better path for young players is to work through the college system, which probably then negates the chance of an AFL career.
And this is where the real problem lies.
While we may ponder about the impact a Willie Mason (Graham actually helped Mason get a try out at the Jets) or Lote Tuquiri may have on the NFL, the Cardinals’ resident Australian was direct about why it may always be a pipe dream.
“I’ve been surprised that more of the rugby type of players haven’t come across to play in the non-kicker roles. But at the end of the day, you are asking these guys to leave in the middle of your career to try something completely new.
“Most of these guys have all come through various development systems from their early teenage years, so it is a huge gamble.”
And NFL wouldn’t be interested in handing out the sort of security that would make the decision easy.
Of course, some may want to follow the footsteps of the Dallas Cowboys’ Matt McBriar, who decided to attend the University of Hawaii and become a punter rather than look at a AFL career.
As the highest paid punter in the NFL, with a signing on bonus of US$2.5 million last contract, his gamble has paid off handsomely.
But as contrasting sports go, there is a big difference between AFL and NFL. Which one does he enjoy watching and paying more?
“When I started, I would have said that AFL is a far superior game to play and watch. But having learnt all the intricacies of this game, I would say I now enjoy them both equally.”
And finally, for all you patriotic Aussies out there, I can confirm that yes, Ben did have Vegemite shipped to Arizona when he moved there.
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The Cougar said | January 31st 2009 @ 10:04am | Report comment
I’d imagine the life of an NFL punter would be pretty boring. I can’t think of another sports role that has the same level of repetition, aside from quasi-sports like shooting and archery.
Forgetmenot said | January 31st 2009 @ 11:24am | Report comment
I totally agree that perhaps AFL clubs can learn new kicking techniques from their NFL counterparts. More accurate goal kicking could make the game a bit more exciting to watch.
In the past year i have been watching a lot more American football than i usually do, and i have to say that i am gradually becoming hooked. But i doubt it would ever take over from football as my preferred sport.
I think we may see a few football players head over to America to try out the punting, but the success rate will get less and less, and then less people will try.
Ive tried punting an american football, and it is bloody hard to do it right all the time.
The man said | January 31st 2009 @ 1:15pm | Report comment
Brother,
Last thing we need is more player drain to the old USA, what I would love to see a few running backs head “down under” and try their hand at league, sure they would be entertaining (just imagine the return of decent post try celebrations that have sadly been absence since my retirement) and you can’t tell me they wouldnt fit in with the bling atmosphere of say, Parramatta Stadium.
I think seeing a few more Hummers in the Brookie car park would help to inspire the youth to lace a boot and chase that premiership dream. Just what this country needs in time of the G F C.
Come on Gallop, get out the cheque book now!
Can I also suggest Stevo that you submit a customer feedback form on your return journey to blightly requesting that BA add “100 Greatest Tries of the Century” to the inflight entertainment, or even better “99 Hots Up”, that way the next 24 hour flight to pommyland will feel like it is over in 2 shakes of a lambs tail.
Steve Kaless said | February 1st 2009 @ 4:33am | Report comment
As an interesting post-script to this article, I notice the Sun Herald is running an exclusive about the Sam Thaiday switching codes to the NFL.
Knowing a bit more now about how the NFL works I’ve got to say I’d find this highly surprising. While Thaiday, might love the idea of being an NFL superstar appealling and he can’t be blamed for that, I think in reality what might be offered is slightly different to what he is imagining.
It isn’t like the Dallas Cowboys are ging to stump up a 5 year deal because he has played State of Origin.
Surely if an offer from the Reds is unlikely his management team aren’t floating about the idea of a NFL move to bump up the price?
I don’t think we’ll ever see Australians playing NFL in non kicking roles until they go through the college system.
Pippinu said | February 2nd 2009 @ 11:23am | Report comment
Steve
a good follow up article to the last one, it’s really fascinating reading about Graham’s trials and tribulations, and it’s important that people understand it’s not just a case of turning up – the work involved in just getting to first base (long, long before you are even considered for a contract), is massive in its own right.