gtrower
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- Aug 22, 2010
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https://theundefeated.com/features/in-football-its-harder-to-find-a-black-kicker-than-a-black-qb/
“Collins was selling a new mantra at Tech, hyping his program as a cutting-edge experience that gets players to the NFL. That’s also where Harvin wants to go, so he asked his new coach to come up with a plan to get him there. Collins was happy to oblige.
A week later, Harvin saw a PowerPoint presentation with details on every NFL punter, from speed numbers to hang times to net yardage — all the obvious stuff, but also what an NFL punter looked like. On average, Collins’ staff found, an NFL punter is 6 feet, 2 inches tall and weighs 213 pounds, with surprisingly few outliers. Harvin, checking in at 6 feet and 260 pounds, was shorter and heavier than every punter in the league.
Harvin, now a junior, took the information to heart. He started on a new fitness program, changed his diet and dropped about 30 pounds. When his career at Georgia Tech ends, he wants to fit the mold as closely as he can, and he’s willing to do whatever it takes to get there.
There’s one detail about Harvin, however, that won’t change, and that makes him utterly unique in the kicking game. Harvin is black.”
“Collins was selling a new mantra at Tech, hyping his program as a cutting-edge experience that gets players to the NFL. That’s also where Harvin wants to go, so he asked his new coach to come up with a plan to get him there. Collins was happy to oblige.
A week later, Harvin saw a PowerPoint presentation with details on every NFL punter, from speed numbers to hang times to net yardage — all the obvious stuff, but also what an NFL punter looked like. On average, Collins’ staff found, an NFL punter is 6 feet, 2 inches tall and weighs 213 pounds, with surprisingly few outliers. Harvin, checking in at 6 feet and 260 pounds, was shorter and heavier than every punter in the league.
Harvin, now a junior, took the information to heart. He started on a new fitness program, changed his diet and dropped about 30 pounds. When his career at Georgia Tech ends, he wants to fit the mold as closely as he can, and he’s willing to do whatever it takes to get there.
There’s one detail about Harvin, however, that won’t change, and that makes him utterly unique in the kicking game. Harvin is black.”
