Football
Associated Press 18y

Vinatieri hopes old traits follow him to Indianapolis

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- Adam Vinatieri has three Super Bowl
rings.

He's been more dependable than the U.S. Postal Service when it
comes to kicking in the wind, rain, sleet or snow, and he even
carved out his own following in one of sport's toughest towns --
Boston.

Not bad, for a kicker.

So why does the 33-year-old veteran suddenly feel like a rookie
again? Because he's starting over in Indianapolis.

"It's different, I don't know what to do or where to go," he
said after arriving at training camp this week. "I feel like one
of the young guys."

Forget logistics, the Colts signed Vinatieri to a five-year, $12
million contract for one reason -- to put them in the Super Bowl.

Yes, adding the NFL's best clutch kicker to a team that plays in
a climate-controlled dome and scores as many points as the Colts
might look like an expensive luxury. But the Colts have learned the
value of consistency the tough way.

They spent the past two seasons searching for a kickoff
specialist before deciding Vinatieri could fill the void.

And despite Mike Vanderjagt's official title as the NFL's most
accurate kicker, what fans will always remember is his last kick in
a Colts uniform -- the shanked 46-yarder that knocked Indy out of
the playoffs in January.

So after eight seasons of dealing with Vanderjagt's emotional
outbursts, controversial comments and confident boasts, the Colts
were ready for a change, and the quieter Vinatieri seemed a perfect
replacement.

"Mike missed only one kick in the regular season last year and
he had one blocked," coach Tony Dungy said. "We think Adam can do
the same thing, and that's why we have him here."

Besides making those playoff kicks. He made two game-winning
kicks in the Super Bowl and had another memorable playoff moment
when he hit a 23-yarder to beat Oakland in the infamous "tuck
rule" game.

But Vinatieri had his own reasons for leaving a city that
revered him.

First, he liked what Indy had to offer. He thought there would
be more playing time, better weather and appreciated the Colts'
commitment to winning.

The $12 million offer that cost-conscious New England considered
too pricey, didn't hurt either.

Perhaps it was also time for a change after 10 seasons in
Foxborough, Mass. Vinatieri still carries fond memories of his days
in red, white and blue.

"I was part of a bunch of championships there and a lot of my
friends are still there," he said. "But it's business in this
league, and when I started weighing my options, I liked what
Indianapolis had."

It hasn't taken Vinatieri long to start his new chapter.

He says he won't be showcasing those Super Bowl rings for his
new teammates, and he rarely refers to the Patriots by name.
Instead, he usually calls them "my former team" or "my previous
team."

The reaction from passionate New England fans, Vinatieri said,
has been mostly sadness, and he believes some have already made the
1,025-mile trek from Boston to Terre Haute just to see Vinatieri
one more time.

At Tuesday morning's practice, a man showed up in a new
Vinatieri jersey and the woman next to him wore a hat from South
Dakota State, Vinatieri's alma mater.

Others around the Bay State believed Vinatieri should have given
the Pats a chance to match Indy's offer and may show their
displeasure when the Colts visit New England in November.

But Vinatieri insists he gave the Patriots a chance to keep him.

"They had all of last year and some of the offseason and some
of free agency, so I didn't feel right giving any team a right of
first refusal," he said.

The only question now is whether Vinatieri can continue his
success in Indy.

Colts president Bill Polian, Dungy and Indy players have few
doubts that Vinatieri will excel. Besides, Indianapolis has made
him feel young again.

"I've watched their offense and seen how much they've scored,
and it's going to be nice to be a part of it," Vinatieri said.
"Hopefully, we'll make some history."

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