Ram Notebook : Hatcher Itching to Get His Kicks

Dale Hatcher was once told he was too nice to be a punter in the National Football League. He was told this by the people who were laughing behind his back, always loud enough for him to hear.

Hatcher was a rookie, the Rams’ third-round draft in 1985, fighting with John Misko and Russell Erxleben for the punting job. Since punting jobs in the NFL are a pretty precious commodity, Misko and Erxleben did their best to rattle the rookie.

“I could hear them laughing at me when I punted,” Hatcher said.

When they weren’t laughing, they were telling him that a three-step punter, such as Hatcher, had no chance of making it in the NFL.

“They said I’d get everything blocked. They really messed with my mind.”

You might say that.

It didn’t work. Hatcher won the job and went on to the Pro Bowl that season, averaging 43.2 yards per punt.

After a mediocre second season (38.6 yards), he came back last year to average 41.3 yards per punt.

With no problems in sight, he entered this season’s training camp. Fifteen minutes into the first day, there was a problem. Hatcher tore cartilage in his left knee, re-injuring what he had originally hurt as a high school quarterback in Cheraw, S.C.

Hatcher had surgery two days later, July 23, and spent the last month at home, “getting depressed.”

He seemed in better spirits Monday at Rams Park as he punted for the first time since the mishap.

He hit 20 balls, “just nice and easy,” to Garrett Giemont, Ram strength coach.

Still, Hatcher is not the happiest guy around.

“It’s hard just to sit back and watch other guys try to take your job,” he said. “I can’t stand it.”

One of those who tried, Kevin Brown, a rookie from West Texas State, was one of 11 players cut Monday by the Rams. That left Scott Tabor as the only other punter on the team.

Tabor, a rookie from California, was recently waived by the Raiders. One of Hatcher’s practice duties was to time Tabor’s hang time.

“I don’t want anyone to take my job,” Hatcher said. “But I’m trying not to give anyone a hard time like I got. I don’t want to be a psycho-kicker.”

Hatcher’s fears seem one-sided. Ram Coach John Robinson made it clear Monday that as soon as Hatcher is healthy to punt, he will be the punter.

Originally it was thought Hatcher would not be ready until the second regular-season game. But Robinson said Giemont has told him he expects him to be ready for the season opener against Green Bay.

“If he were well (for Green Bay), we’d play him,” Robinson said.

Still, the knots tighten in Hatcher’s stomach.

“I can’t stand this,” he said. “Just hanging around. I hate it.”

Things have been so bad that he couldn’t stand to stand on the sideline during the Rams’ 20-17 overtime loss to the Houston Oilers Saturday. Instead, Hatcher sat in the stands.

“The worst thing that I do is think,” he said. “I wish I just could take my brain out of my head and not think about this stuff.”

The Rams cut 11 players Monday, paring down the team’s roster to 65 in preparation for today’s mandatory roster limit of 60.

Among those cut were Jeff Knapton, a sixth-round pick from Wyoming. With Knapton, a defensive end, gone, that leaves eight defensive linemen, an area in which the Rams seem less than strong.

On the other side of the depth chart, David Smith, a 10th-round selection from Northern Arizona, was a linebacker who had the misfortune of being drafted by a team rich in good linebackers. He also was cut.

Wide receiver Randy Tanner from USC was among the free agents let go.

Others cut were tight end Dean Athanasia (Yale), running back Jeff Beathard (Southern Oregon State), defensive end Pat Foster (Montana), quarterback Chris Mendonca (Utah), wide receiver Craig Richardson (Eastern Washington), linebacker Joe Terry (Texas-El Paso) and kicker Chris White (Illinois).

Four players were placed on injured reserve: wide receiver Rey Nicholas (knee), linebacker James Seawright (shoulder), center Navy Tuiasosopo (ankle) and tackle Jeff Walker (knee).

Among the injuries reported from Saturday’s 20-17 loss to the Houston Oilers was this item: Mike Schad (head contusion). The contusion amounts to a black-and-blue left eye, which he has had since the early days of camp. He suffered a gash over the left eye and his helmet has only irritated it.

The eye looks so nasty that Robinson recently likened Schad to the Elephant Man. Schad apparently reads the papers, because he has been talking about “changing his name for dating purposes.”