Tuesday, October 27, 1998

Record a real
kick for Elam

The former UH star is
flooded with calls after
his 63-yard field goal

By Pat Bigold
Star-Bulletin

There was no rest for Jason Elam in the next 24 hours after he tied the National Football League record for longest field goal.

"I'd say I have had about 100 calls, at least," said the kicker for the Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos.

Not bad for a guy normally overshadowed by the exploits of more visible teammates John Elway, Terrell Davis and Neil Smith.

"There have been times when my pager is going off, my cell phone is going off and my home phone are going off all at the same time. I had phone calls all through the night. My University of Hawaii roommate, Travis Sims, was calling me all through the night and he finally got through. It was a lot of fun though."

"Fun" was a gracious reaction by the former University of Hawaii kicker.

He and his wife, Tamy, lose enough free time taking care of their 20-month-old son, Jason Jr., at their home in Castle Rock, Colo.

But Elam was still looking forward to one more phone call last night.

That was the one he was supposed to make to 51-year-old Tom Dempsey, the club-footed former New Orleans Saints kicker whose 63-yard record Elam tied at Mile High Stadium in a game against Jacksonville.

"It will be interesting to talk to him," said Elam.

"I left him my phone numbers and I hope he calls because I would really like to congratulate him," said Dempsey, who set the record on Nov. 8, 1970 at Tulane Stadium on the final play to defeat Detroit, 19-17.

"When I broke Bert Rechichar's (Baltimore Colts) record (56 yards), he was very gracious to me."

Some wondered why Elam didn't just back up a yard and go for the record-breaker at 64 yards.

"Well, that gets kind of scary when you do that," said Elam with a laugh. "Everything is so precise with the snapper and holder. My snapper (David Diaz-Infante) is usually so good that he can snap to where (holder) Tom (Rouen) doesn't even have to move the laces at all. I never like to mess with that."

Elam said he is just happy to tie Dempsey, who kicked with a shoe specially fitted to his clubbed foot.

"I am perfectly happy with being in his company," said Elam, who set virtually every school and conference record at UH. He finished his college career one field goal shy of the NCAA record (80) held by Jeff Jaeger.

Elam said he knew his record kick would have the distance. It was just a matter of physics.

"I just tried to do all the fundamentals correctly and keep the ball going straight because I really did feel I could get the ball there," he said. "But those goal posts looked really skinny from where I was standing."

Elam said he gets back to Hawaii once a year if he can.

The last time he was back was last June when he attended the wedding of Sims on the Big Island.

The sixth-year NFL veteran was here in 1995 for the Pro Bowl and may be on his way toward making it again.

Elam is perfect in field goals (8-for-8) with two over 50 yards. He is also perfect in PATs (30-for-30).

Elam said he hasn't forgotten the UH program that launched him into the NFL.

And although he doesn't know any of the coaches currently with the Rainbows, "I still pull for them," he said. "I hope things turn around for them.

"We had gotten it to a point where we were so proud of the program in my senior year and the first year after I was gone, that I hate to see it going in this direction.

"Every now and then, I'll talk to Coach Wags (Bob Wagner) and every now and then I'll talk to Coach (Paul) Johnson. Those are pretty important people to me. They gave me the chance. Coming out of high school, they were the people who believed in me, so I have kind of a loyalty there."