silly punters

[Warwick5s]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/column...len&id=1634325

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- When rookie coach Jack Del Rio placed a stump of oak and an ax in the Jacksonville Jaguars' locker room a few weeks ago as a motivational technique -- symbolic of his theme to "keep choppin' wood" -- it was viewed as a sophomoric technique by some veterans.

Now the move is likely to be regarded as a huge mistake.



The Jaguars on Thursday lost Pro Bowl punter Chris Hanson for at least this Sunday's home game against the Miami Dolphins, when the fourth-year veteran was accidentally gashed by the ax. Hanson, 26, was taken to a local hospital for stitches to what Del Rio termed "a gash of some sort."

A star-crossed franchise in Del Rio's debut season, Jacksonville will sign veteran punter Mark Royals, who was released by the Miami Dolphins two weeks ago. Royals will definitely punt on Sunday against his former teammates and it remains to be seen how long he will be with the Jaguars after that.

It is still undetermined, at least publicly, exactly how Hanson sustained the gash to his right (kicking) leg. The accident apparently occurred during a team meeting at which the kickers were not mandated to be present. Hanson departed the team's training complex on crutches.

Neither the punter nor his agent returned messages.

Not surprisingly, the ax was removed from the locker room Thursday afternoon, and the tree stump will soon be gone as well.

It is somewhat surprising that franchise officials would permit the tree stump and the ax, given the potential for the kind of incident that transpired Thursday. The stump had garnered plenty of media attention.

Said Del Rio: "I'll find another slogan. The message was understood. The thing was on its way out soon, but not soon enough. It was symbolic more than anything else."