Two Catches

Put an eye patch on Sebastian Janikowski and you’re looking at the Raider logo.

Put a can of beer in his hand--if there isn’t one there already, and the tubby Florida State kicker with an attitude will be right at home tailgating with Violator and Skullman. He may even consider that his pregame warmup.

While the Browns, Redskins and everyone else picking early Saturday in the first round followed mock draft protocol, it was the Raiders who broke loose in a strange, wonderful--even brilliant--move designed to win more football games and at the same time improve business in the local taverns.

Taking Janikowski, the first kicker since Russell Erxleben in 1979 to be selected in the opening round of the draught, ah, draft, of course puts pressure on the Raiders to find a designated driver in later rounds.

But this is a team that lost seven games a year ago because of sober kickers who couldn’t drive the ball straight through the uprights.

This is a match made in hell, but a righteous combination of rascal and rebel organization so devilish in design that the rest of the NFL had to hoot out loud when the announcement came.

Janikowski has been preparing himself for some time to be a Raider. As former Florida State teammate Brad Cjeka told Sports Illustrated a while back, “When someone says, ‘Vodka,’ his eyes light up. But he can handle it.”

Now there have been three barroom incidents. . . .

“People miscount,” Janikowski said. “I’m not sure it’s that many.”

Two, three, whatever, it’s known he pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges that he failed to leave the premises when asked to in a Tallahassee, Fla., bar, and then five months later he took exception to a friend being arrested in a Tallahassee bar fight.

According to a Tallahassee police report, Janikowski began placing $100 bills on the windshield of the police car that held his friend captive, asking the officer, “What will it take?”

It took three $100 bills before the officer put him against the car and applied handcuffs. He now faces a May 3 hearing on third degree felony bribery charges, and while he’s in this country on a green card after immigrating from Poland in 1994, his agent disputes the previously published contention that the Raiders’ new kicker might be deported for breaking the law.

Janikowski, quoted in Florida newspapers a few years ago saying he loved living in America because “you can buy anything here,” later explained the bribery charge was the result of him not understanding how bail works in this country.

Like Robert Redford, you’d have to call Janikowski “The Natural.” This is a guy who was breaking curfews probably earlier than any other college player in football history who went on to become a Raider.

“It’s a big chance for a team taking someone like me,” said Janikowski, unless of course it’s the Raiders, who should really be playing their football games on Devil’s Island instead of at the Oakland Coliseum. They might even draw more fans, but that’s a story for another day.

On this day the Raiders deserve hearty congratulations. No other team in the league improved themselves with one pick more than the Raiders.

Beyond Janikowski, and Jacksonville using the 29th pick on USC receiver R. Jay Soward, there were no major surprises in the first round. The 49ers said they would not take a quarterback in the first round, and didn’t, taking Hofstra quarterback Giovanni Carmazzi in the third.

Marshall’s Chad Pennington was the only quarterback selected in the first round, moving on the 18th choice to the Jets, who had four picks in the opening round.

Wisconsin running back Ron Dayne, who won the Heisman Trophy as the best player in the land, waited for the names of 10 other players to be called before going to the New York Giants.

The Raiders had the chance to select Pennington, considered it, but then tried to trade back a few spots to pick up an additional pick and still take Janikowski. Oakland used 14:53 of its allotted 15 minutes before going with Janikowski, who once kicked an 82-yard field goal at a high school practice.

“We’re talking about a weapon here,” Raider Coach Jon Gruden said. “He can change strategy.”

Janikowski, a left-footed kicker who played on the Polish national 17-and-under soccer team, kicked off 83 times for Florida State last season. Fifty-seven of his kicks were so long that they were not returned, and of the 26 that were, only twice did they advance the ball beyond the 24-yard line.

It’s understood the Raiders don’t have special teams anywhere as good as Florida State, but Janikowski’s powerful leg also accounted for 33 field goals on 38 attempts the past two seasons.

“This guy will lead us in scoring for the next 10 years,” Gruden said. “The ball sounds like a Tiger Woods’ drive coming off his foot. I think he was 19-for-19 [at the NFL scouting combine] in Indianapolis. He just hammers it.”

And sometimes he gets hammered.

“I’m concerned about it based on what I have heard,” Gruden said. “We feel like we have an environment here with our veterans and coaching staff that is very positive.”

It goes without saying that the Raiders, much like a halfway house, have as much experience in these things as any organization.

“Listen, we checked him out extensively, and he’s a young guy who made a mistake,” Gruden said. “But he’s remorseful for what has happened and this chance to play football is important to him.”

Actually this is where this story takes a disturbing turn. After learning that he had been selected by the Raiders, Janikowski got on the phone with the media and promised to be different, to become a changed man. He repeated it over and over like he meant it.

“I want to be more mature,” he said, which could become a public relations nightmare for the Raiders.

What’s this world coming to when you can’t even count on a Raider acting like a Raider? If he keeps talking, he’s only going to be another kicker.

His agent, Paul Healy, told the San Jose Mercury News earlier this week, “He’s not the booze-hound he’s made out to be.”

And then his image took a further beating, as Janikowski cried. The newest bad boy in Silver and Black began sobbing on a telephone conference call with reporters, talking about his mother who lives in a small town in Poland and his desire to bring her to America, where she can tailgate with Raider fans.

“I’m not like some party guy,” said Janikowski, sounding more like a 49er than a Raider. “I’m changing. Everybody parties in college a little bit, but that passes.”

On further reflection, maybe the Raiders blew it. After all, who wants a party-pooper.

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