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The Football Diner Big Interview:
Rhys Lloyd
interviewed by Brian Davis
30/1/2010
Kicking. It’s easy right? Hold on there Einstein, then why are so many kickers missing clutch FGs these days? The Diner asked Carolina Panther kicker Rhys Lloyd back for a second visit to help clear the mystery up and tell us exactly why special teams is the most crucial part of the game.
Diner
How do you feel 2009 season went for Carolina? At one point it looked like you were heading for a top 10 draft pick (which youd already traded away) and then you turned it round massively at the tail end of the season, what changed? Was it confidence, rub of the green, coaching?
Rhys
 Well the 2009 season was an up and down season really, the games we lost, we were in it till literally the last play of the game really, except for the Philly game, but thats how it goes. Its a shame really because we would have been hot in the playoffs, we were playing our best stuff at the end of the year, its all just a domino effect when you win, or lose for that matter, but its a lot easier to get rolling with a win, than a loss.
Diner
Matt Moore looked really good when he started, which coincided with your turn around in form, you described him before as the most under-rated guy on the team, how do you think he did and how does Matt fare in 2010?
Rhys
He has done extremely well, he is confident when he his under centre, which i think the lads feed off and at the end of the day, he didnt make any mistakes. Thats a huge plus on the offensive side of the ball. I think matt will play a bigger role next year, hopefully its at the panthers, but you never know.
Diner
If you are Nate Kaeding, post Jets game, or Shayne Graham post Jets game, how are you feeling?
Rhys
Well that is never an easy feeling after missing some big kicks like that, but you have to remember unfortunately you cant make them all, and they just picked a bad time to miss, obviously they didnt plan on missing but thats just how it is.
Diner
Can you explain to us, the pressure and intensity thats going on around you when youre kicking in that situation?
Rhys
To be honest its hard to explain, you understand the situation but you try not to get caught up in it, treat it like you have been there before, and like it is a kick you have made a 100 times before. If you can do that, that is what will seperate you from other, take the thinking out of it, is my mind set.
Diner
And after missing such pressured kicks, how much pressure is on you, by those around you and by yourself, to make that next kick? How do you get the confidence back up? Are you mentally telling yourself you can do it, are you picturing your technique and the posts over and over again?
Rhys
Me personally, its all about walking off the field and as soon as i walk over the lines to the bench, its gone, you cant have it back, you cant worry about others and what they think, just prepare for the next kick. Its very similar to golf and taking it shot by shot. very cliche but true.
Diner
How does somebody like Nick Folk, who was a Pro Bowler in 2008, then go on to miss so many kicks in 2009, that the team ended up cutting him?
Rhys
You know thats a tough one, how did David Duval lose his swing? Its hard to pin point, you know you have days when the target is easy to hit, and looks massive, then there are days where you cant hit a barn door from 10 paces, but to lose it all like that, thats something you cant put your finger on. Im sure he will be back in fine form.
Diner
With the amount of changes in kickers going on in the league over the last few weeks and Carolina holding 2 on their roster, including yourself, how does that feel on the outside looking in?
Rhys
 Umm well, two ways I look at it. One would be that I’m very lucky not to be in that situation and have a somewhat stable job, the other way is that, I wish i could be available to those teams, because I want to be a field goal guy again, thats not to say I dont want to be at the panthers, cause I honestly love it there.
Diner
Can you relate Goal kickers in football to goalkeepers in Soccer? Not many people remember your great kicks, or saves, but everybody remembers your misses and howlers, like Scott Norwood for the Bills or David James for Portsmouth?
Rhys
Hahahaha oh yes, the big kicks are great, but the misses are the remembered for some reason. I guess thats how us as humans process things, bad things are more memorable than good.
Diner
Texas Techs kicker, Matt Williams, (who was a high school kicker) was a guy who walked onto the field between the 3rd and 4th quarter, to enter a competition to kick the ball through the posts, to win a years free rent, and is now their regular kicker, how easy, or hard is that to do?
Rhys
Haha, right place, right time. free rent would have been great for me, I shall have to see what I can do at halftime in an NFL game, sure I can talk to someone about that!
Diner
Due to an injury to Steve Weatherford, We saw the Jets Jay Feely handle kick off, place kicking and punting duties against the Bengals in a playoff game, just how hard is that to do at such short notice? He not only just did it, he did an excellent job of winning field position on every punt.
Rhys
You know, most guys can fill in for each other, kickers more so than punters. Punters have a harder time because of there technique. I wouldnt say its hard to fill in at short notice, cause most guys punt during the week to warm up, or just to do it. I do it every week…you never know
Diner
Where are the best, and worst places to kick?
Rhys
The best places are domes, no elements to deal with, fields that have baseball still going on during the season is tough,
Diner
How easy is it, for a holder, to adjust from a left footed kicker, to a right footed kicker? (I ask this, because when my teams kicker, Joe Nedney, was injured, we took another lefty in Ricky Schmidt. However, Id have quite liked to have picked up Folk, as a confidence boost of two fairly easy games could have put him back on his way, and maybe then even have kept him on for 2010).
Rhys
Well, I am the back up holder for John, if you have a good holder they can adjust, Jason Baker in my opinion is one of the best, he holds for both John and I and makes it look easy, that gives a kicker one less thing to think about, got to love that…
Diner
They say defences win championships but they never say how much of a crucial part special teams play in all of that too. So, should people be recognizing special teams more than they do? Do they/you get a good or a bad deal in your eyes?
Rhys
To be honest, not being biased, but special teams is the most crucial part of the game, heres why; field position is the biggest part of the game, dont care what any one says, thats a fact. Also, special teams is a combination of players from both sides of the ball, so everyone plays a part, the fact is that guys coming out of college 9 times out of 10 have to make the team by being a great special teams player. You cant argue with that.
Diner
Are you disappointed that Carolina werent selected for a game at Wembley? Just in case the NFLuk offices read in…care to try and sway their thought patterns?
Rhys
Yeah! Right, I got a bone to pick with them. Im calling you out Henry (Hodgson) next Wembley game should be with me involved in it, and not in the program…hahahahaha! I would love to play at Wembley, wrong sport to play but its Wembley none the less, although I still dont agree with getting rid of the 2 towers.
Diner
Any kickers we should look out for, coming out of college this year?
Rhys
To be honest, I have no idea, I don’t pay attention, I only pay attention, to football (soccer) nothing else matters. haha!
Diner
Who wins the Super Bowl?
Rhys
Im going with Colts. I think they are a more well rounded team. although I have a great friend who plays for the Saints, so i will pull for them.
Diner
Thanks once again for taking the time out to speak to us.
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