Martín Gramática Doesn’t Like The Bucs’ Kicking Competition
August 7th, 2022
Jose Borregales (left) and Ryan Succop.
An iconic Buccaneers kicker was talking like he thinks nearly 35-year-old Ryan Succop is being set up to fail.
Martín Gramática, the Bucs’ third-round pick in 1999 and their Super Bowl kicker for the magical 2002 season, currently is the Spanish color analyst on Tampa Bay’s game broadcasts in Spanish. Gramática has spent five years around the team in that capacity and is often seen at practice.
Today, Gramática joined the Buccaneers.com training camp show and was asked about his expertise: kicking.
Succop is in a full fledged competition with second-year man José Borregales. And it appears to be close. Both have kicked well to date.
Gramática doesn’t like it — at all.
From Gramática’s experience after leaving the Bucs (Cowboys, Saints and Colts), he says a true competition drains each kicker and wipes him out for long-term success through the upcoming season.
“Mentally and physically exhausted because you’re competing every day in practice” is how Gramática explained it.
The do-or-die nature of a kicker battle is different than at other positions, he said, and it’s tough on a veteran kicker.
“Instead of working on your craft like Ryan Succop should be doing if he was considered the starter for sure, now he’s got to compete with a kicker that has obviously a fresh leg, a young leg,” Gramática said.
Joe isn’t going to argue kicking with Gramática, and it certainly makes sense that Succop would be better off honing his craft versus battling head-to-head daily. But there’s certainly a way for Succop to do both while letting the seasoned Bucs coaching staff assess the kicker battle.
If Succop wins the job, maybe the Bucs can send him to Clearwater Beach for a week and mandate that he rest and clear his mind.
August 7th, 2022 at 11:53 am
Sounds like BS to me. Honing your “craft” is somehow incompatible with making your kicks in practice? I’m gonna need a little deeper explanation to make any sense out of that.
August 7th, 2022 at 11:59 am
So, are they just to supposed to roshambo the sh!t out of it Gramatica?
August 7th, 2022 at 12:06 pm
Why not ask the kicking coach, Chris Boniol?
August 7th, 2022 at 12:20 pm
It’s pro sports. It’s competition, and it’s called life. Where is your boss voice, Martin?
August 7th, 2022 at 12:24 pm
Not sure Martin’s thoughts make much (common) sense. I thought iron sharpened iron? But I have no experience kicking so what do I know?
August 7th, 2022 at 12:26 pm
So…..if it’s even…give Succop the job….if he takes a $3m pay cut to match Jose.
All’s fair……
August 7th, 2022 at 12:30 pm
there are MILLIONS of reasons why there is a kicking competition!
August 7th, 2022 at 12:31 pm
Martin we loved you when you were Automatica but in 2003 you lost several games for the Bucs who didn’t get competition for you in camp. So…..I’m sorry you don’t like it but I’m glad Jason Licht and company are calling the shots and not you, Gazoo.
August 7th, 2022 at 12:34 pm
Martin…wish your leg had been fresher in that game in 2000 against Green Bay in Green Bay. Were you in a kicking competition that year? It helped us lose that game. Destroyed home field playoff advantage for us. After that demoralization, and had to go to Philly. Got soundly beaten and helped cost HOF coach Dungy his job in Tampa. So I rather trust the kicking coaches assessment.
August 7th, 2022 at 12:35 pm
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
August 7th, 2022 at 12:50 pm
I found Gramatica’s comment interesting.
The Buc’s have had a lot of years with competition at training camp and then during the season has sucked. Could be something to his position.
Pretty sure the best few have had no competition. It then let’s them settle into a routine that works for them and isn’t that a huge key for kicking.
Always felt like the Koetter staff messed with the kicker’s subconscious.
August 7th, 2022 at 1:27 pm
Id go with Succop regardless of the competition.
Kicking competitions cant determine how a kicker will preform when the pressure is on in real gane situations.
Succop has proved time and time again that he can handle that stage…young kickers are often mentally frail (see Roberto Aguayo)
Dont fix what aint broken, Licht. Learn from your disasterous kicker history.
August 7th, 2022 at 1:27 pm
SHUT UP MARTIN! You were Never as Good as many here give you credit for. You singlehandedly lost that playoff game in Green Bay! You were/.are always OVERRATED.
August 7th, 2022 at 1:36 pm
I also have some expertise in this area.
Competition makes one’s mental approach stronger.
I don’t want a kicker who gets mentally exhausted with having to prove himself daily.
I suspect Gramatica is projecting his mental frailty on this competition.
While Succop stopped the kicking game bleeding, I’d like to see 7-10 yards more FG range to that position, and that is not Succop.
All things equal, every day in practice and through the PS, I’d go with the young guy. However, if the young guy is erratic, go with the wreaker-legged veteran.
August 7th, 2022 at 2:33 pm
Gramatica was the guy running his yap at other team’s players and then hiding behind Sapp.
August 7th, 2022 at 2:48 pm
The way we view things is obviously through our own perception based on how we conceive thought after our own experiences. Martin seems to not be a fan of competing for a job as he has apparently experienced what he perceived to be difficulty kicking after having to work to earn a job.
Hopefully one of, or both, Succup or Borregales kicks with ice water in their veins and loves competition. Just be good enough to win the job, even if the other guy is better, and you’ll be kicking in the NFL somewhere else soon.
August 7th, 2022 at 3:32 pm
That 2000 Packers game still gives me nightmares. But check yo sheet. Dungy had King kneel for minus three yards instead of running a QB draw or pounding the ATrain for a few more yards.
Martin missed the kick, but Dungy lost the game. The kick might have been good from 39.
August 7th, 2022 at 4:18 pm
Love Gramatica but sorry, I don’t buy that at all. Unless you’re a clear-cut veteran starting quarterback, there is nothing wrong with competition at every position. In fact, it should be required. You should never think you’re safe and the job is yours. Prove yourself constantly.
You can easily “hone your craft“ while competing.
August 7th, 2022 at 4:23 pm
If you can’t deal with the mental game in practice how will you hold up with the game on the line? Don’t think I agree with martins take on this one.
August 7th, 2022 at 4:54 pm
It is a legit competition to field the best kicker who is worth their $, not more than their $. Do you take Succop’s experience, consistency and higher cost over Borregales’ more powerful leg and still-needs-improvement accuracy?
It’s a draw in camp so far, but Borregales’ range is so far clearly better.
August 7th, 2022 at 5:19 pm
Reliability trumps distance. Can Camarda kick off? If so it’s a no-brainer.
August 7th, 2022 at 6:02 pm
some of you be careful what you wish for..dont come crying later if borrergales is a stud in preseason and chokes during the season. I think martin is saying if succop is still kicking decent dont fix whats not broken. Its one thing if one guy is clearly better but if its rather close competition, most often stick with the vet.
August 7th, 2022 at 6:40 pm
One word. Kickers.
Just saying. Lol.
August 7th, 2022 at 7:10 pm
This one is tough. I remember that an injury in 2003 seemed to affect Gramatica both physically and mentally. There appeared to be a “hitch” in his kicking motion that had not been there before, as if he was bracing for unwelcome contact on every kick, He started to miss kicks well in his range, and even a number of extra points back in the old days when they were short. A missed extra point cost us a game versus Carolina. I don’t know who is going to win the kicking job, but I hope they are mentally tougher than Gramatica was back then. In Succop’s defense, he came to us after an injury cost him his previous job. He does not seem to be the type to rattle easily.
August 7th, 2022 at 8:06 pm
2 words:
Matt Gay
—–
We cut him and since then, he’s 46-50 on FGs with a Pro Bowl and Superbowl.
August 8th, 2022 at 10:57 am
I don’t see how it could adversely effect for the season. Lots of guys competing for jobs, just look at our receivers. GOBUCS!
August 8th, 2022 at 2:16 pm
If they are both kicking well then we should go with the younger, stronger, cheaper leg. No disrespect to Succup but he’s not getting any younger and his range is already minimal. Eventually we are going to need a last second 55 yarder to win a game. That is out of Succup’s range. We need to consider a long term answer. If we let Borregales walk we will be regretting it for the next decade long after Succup has retired.