Dave Jennings-Future Broadcaster?

[Wolverine1975]

Though he was only acting the part at the time, little did we know in 1978 that Dave Jennings would go on to be a broadcaster for Giants and Jets games.  This article appeared in the September 29, 1978 issue of The Bergen Record.  This one is for Kartanoman!

Giants' punter-broadcaster
'HI, THIS IS DAVE JENNINGS'

By Vinny DiTrani

     EAST RUTHERFORD---Dave Jennings, the Giants' punter, aspires to be a broadcaster when his kicking days end.  He's already done some radio work in New York and Connecticut, with a modicom of success (about 35 yards per boot, translated into the punter's terms).
     At the urging of a few reporters, Jennings decided to try his interviewing techniques on one of the players he most admires in the National Football League.  "He's the best," Jennings has often said about John James, his counterpart in Atlanta, where the Giants will meet the Falcons Sunday.
     After getting James on the phone and dispensing with the pleasantries, Jennings' session turned into two punters talking shop.  Here are a few of the highlights:
     Jennings: John, I always tell the writers up here that you are the best punter in the league, better than Ray Guy because of your ability to get the ball inside the 20.  Who do you think are the best punters in the league?
     James: I think there is a highly talented group of punters right now.  Guy certainly kicks them high and long, but Ray's not as accurate as he can be. 
     Jennings: That's right.  In the playoffs he kicked five into the end zone and when he did try to kick out of bounds, it went out on the 22.  The name of the game is field position, the ability to put the ball out of bounds inside the 10. 
     James: You and I have very similar views.  We consider ourselves as members of the team.  We could be selfish and kick through the end zone to help our averages, but that won't help the team make the playoffs.
     Jennings: That's right.  It's easy to kick the long ones; it's the short ones that are tough.  Who are some of the other good punters around the league?
     James: I think Tom Blanchard is a good punter.
     Jennings: Cough!
     James: You know Tom, don't you, from the time you were up there together?
     Jennings: Er, yes, he was the guy I beat out here the year of the strike (1974).  The writers still refer to that as the "Great Mistake."
     James: I think [Chicago's Bob] Parsons is another good punter, very effective.  And he's got a good man on the outside, Schuler [Steve Shubert] who gets down under those punts for him.  [Washington's Mike] Bragg is another fairly effective punter. 
     Jennings: That's right, Bragg is one of my favorites, too.  I see him twice each season. 
     James: There are a lot of young punters I really don't know too much about yet.  There's been a big turnover.
     Jennings: I think it's up to 11 now, with [Mitch] Hoppes back in Philadelphia.  What do you think about [Cincinnati's] Pat McInally?
     James: I've never kicked against him, but I admire his statistics.
     Jennings: Talking about statistics, let's see who's on top in the NFC this week [scans the punting averages].
     James: You are, aren't you?
     Jennings: In distance, yes, but not in net.  Says here a guy named James leads in net -- oops, no, it's [Tom] Sklandany in Detroit.  He's the guy making $400,00 a year.
     James: I can't pull for that guy.  But any time you average 35-36-37 yards in net, you're doing a good job, no matter what your total average is.
     Jennings: Up here they call me an actor because I've been roughed up 14 times in my career.  Do you think I'm an actor?
     James: You really want me to answer that?  Okay, I think every one of those calls was legitimate.
     Jennings: Did you see the one last Sunday against the 49ers?
     James: No, we'll see that film Friday.
     Jennings: Well, I got out of the hospital Monday, and the X-rays were negative.  Have you seen our place [Giants Stadium]?
     James: I punted there in an exhibition against the Jets this summer.  I liked it a lot.  I normally like to kick on grass, but the turf up there is nice and soft. 
     Jennings: It can get very windy up here, and that's one reason my average is so high.  The day before the opening game here we had a storm that knocked over one of the goalposts. 
     James: It's not that easy punting with the wind at your back.  You can't always get the ball to turn over.
     Jennings: That's right.  And sometimes it's hard just getting the snap.  Have you ever played golf?
     James: Since I was four years old [Note: he's a three-handicapper].  It's not easy getting a golf ball up on your approach to the green with the wind at your back.  Punting is a lot like playing golf. 
     Jennings: Well, John, thanks for your time.  Maybe we can get together Saturday night and have dinner.
   
     After the closing remarks, Jennings asked the assmebled group of reporters about his performance.  The consensus: Keep that right leg in shape, Dave.
   

[spiderblue43]

Great post, Wolverine. The Bob Parsons reference! Mitch Hoppes!! Wow. That's old school. BP was a TE for the Bears as well, I believe. I love your historical lookbacks. Don't stop. Punters are the last rung of the league in terms of respect but DJ was as good as anyone in his time. The Giants had him, Landeta (A USFL Philadephia Star castoff) and Feagles in my lifetime. Really outstanding group.

[NapoleonBlownapart]

Ray Guy gets no love from Dave or john James.

What an interesting interview including the 400K dig at Tom Skladany.  Thanks Wolverine wherever you may be in 2021!

[kartanoman]

Ray Guy gets no love from Dave or john James.

What an interesting interview including the 400K dig at Tom Skladany.  Thanks Wolverine wherever you may be in 2021!

This is great stuff, but would be eclipsed, the following year, with the saga of Russell Erxleben, the first-round punter/kicker for the Saints.

John James went on to have a long and generally successful career (1972-84) with the Falcons, Lions and Oilers. He was a three-time Pro Bowl selection (1975-77) and named an All-Pro in 1976 and 1977.

Our Dave Jennings, had a very successful career, spanning 14 seasons, between the Giants and Jets. He was a four-time Pro Bowl selection (1978-80, 1982), All-Pro five consecutive seasons (1978-82) and the one punter considered as close to peer status with Ray Guy for punters of that era.

Peace!