Over Time, Gramatica Brothers Love This Game

Hopefully, it was a sunny day in LaBelle, Fla., for Laura Gramatica’s sake.

“When I hear field goal [on TV], I run outside,” said Gramatica, mother of NFL kickers Martin and Bill, who play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Arizona Cardinals, respectively.

Laura probably did an awful lot of running--and pacing--Sunday when games her sons were involved in wound down to the final seconds.

But her boys didn’t let her down.

It what was probably a first in NFL history, the Gramatica brothers both kicked game-winning overtime field goals on the same day.

Martin’s 21-yarder after a Corey Dillon fumble lifted Tampa Bay to a 16-13 victory. Later in the afternoon, Bill’s 36-yarder at Oakland--his second overtime field goal in as many weeks--was the difference as the Cardinals stunned the Raiders, 34-31.

While Martin was a high-profile player at Kansas State, Bill took a less glamorous approach to the NFL, coming from Division I-AA South Florida.

Bill was the starter at Florida State in 1997 before a freshman from Poland named Sebastian Janikowski took his job midway through the season, which ultimately led to Gramatica’s transfer.

The Gramatica family, which also has another brother, Santiago, kicking at South Florida, never figured football would be this much a part of their lives.

At least not the American kind.

Soccer was the sport of choice for William Gramatica growing up in Argentina before he moved his young family to Florida in 1983.

Kicking a football never was a thought until Martin joined the LaBelle High team and realized he was good enough to earn a college scholarship.

Bill and Santiago soon followed.

The Gramaticas are fast becoming the most successful kicking family since the Zendejas quartet of brothers Luis, Max and Joaquin along with cousin Tony all played in the NFL.

Tony had the longest career, playing from 1985-95 with four teams, including the Los Angeles Rams.

William Gramatica has an idea why his sons are successful.

“You take care of your body, everything in moderation, no excess, you stay away from the discotheque at night ... this is how you succeed as a sportsman,” William, who was a soccer player in Argentina, told the Tampa Tribune. “There are many players with talent. The difference is discipline, perseverance.”

TD Key He’s Not

Before this season, only four wide receivers in NFL history had caught as many as 60 passes in a season without scoring a touchdown.

Tampa Bay’s Keyshawn Johnson not only joined Raymond Berry, Al Toon, Kelvin Martin and Michael Timpson on this list, he passed them.

Johnson had seven more receptions Sunday in the Buccaneers’ victory against the Bengals, giving him 83 for the season and no touchdowns.

Berry had the previous mark for futility (75 receptions), but Johnson took that from him last week against the Rams. The NFL record is held by Tampa Bay running back James Wilder, who caught 85 passes without a score in 1984.

“I think maybe I got to the one-foot line once, and somebody ran it in,” Berry told the Tampa Tribune recently. “Just one of those years.”

Truly a Bennett Fit

Guess it wasn’t such a stretch after all when Drew Bennett used to line up at wide receiver during Cade McNown’s days at UCLA.

But few would have predicted that Bennett would be the one who actually has the more promising NFL career.

After being McNown’s backup, Bennett has found his niche at wide receiver for the Tennessee Titans and Sunday he scored his first touchdown in a 31-15 victory against Cleveland.

“I didn’t expect it,” Bennett said not of the touchdown but of his new role. “You have to expect success or you’re never going to get it. But I didn’t expect it this fast or to be this blessed in such a good situation.

“I’m just happy to be here.”

Bennett, who is 6 feet 5, already has a fan in quarterback Steve McNair.

“He’s got the size, he’s got the hands,” McNair said. “At this point in time, Drew can only get better. If he continues to get better and continues to make good decisions and his route running, he’s going to become one of the favorite guys I go to.”

Star in the Making?

Growing up in Ruthton, Minn., it would make sense if Todd Bouman had been a lifelong Minnesota Vikings’ fan.

Not so.

“I was somewhat of a Vikings fan, although we were more Cowboys fans in our family,” Bouman told the Minneapolis Star Tribune shortly after he was signed as a rookie free agent in 1997.

But that isn’t so surprising when considering that Larry Cole, who played for Dallas from 1968-80, is a cousin of Bouman’s mother, Darlene.

What is surprising is that Bouman has hung around for four seasons with the Vikings after coming out of tiny Division II St. Cloud State.

Coming into Sunday’s game against Pittsburgh, Bouman had thrown two passes this season, completing one for four yards.

But he was pressed into crunch-time duty when starter Daunte Culpepper was sidelined with a sore left knee.

Bouman left an impression by completing 11 of 15 attempts for 200 yards and two touchdowns and nearly rallying the Vikings against the Steelers.

“Games are always going to be different than practice,” Bouman said earlier this season.

“When you get a chance to get into a game, you’ve got a feel for it and get comfortable. I’m very comfortable, but ... the more reps you get, the better you’re going to be.”

Sunday Bloody Sunday

What’s next, the World Series?

Irish rock band U2 will perform during halftime of the Super Bowl on Feb. 3 at the Superdome in New Orleans, the NFL said.

The band performed live during halftime of an NBA Finals game in June from one of its U.S tour stops.

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Compiled by Jim Barrero