Columnist Bobby Gordon sits down with redshirt senior Justin
Medlock to talk about life as a kicker and all the challenges that
come with it.
Daily Bruin: I know you’re from the
Bay Area, are you a Giants or an A’s fan?
Justin Medlock: I’m actually a Yankees
fan. Not a California fan.
DB: OK, so Raiders or Niners?
JM: I’m a Lions fan.
DB: How’d that happen?
JM: Barry Sanders. Just very simple. He puts it
in the end zone, hands it to the ref, no celebration. That’s
all it is.
DB: Any pregame rituals or music you listen
to?
JM: Nah, I never try to listen to music. I
think I listened to music once in my career here at UCLA and missed
field goals. I don’t try to get too hyped up in the moment. I
just laugh, there’s a time to be serious and a time to goof
around.
DB: What do you do when a team tries to ice
you?
JM: Just go out there and kick it. You gotta go
out there and be confident but not cocky. Determined. I don’t
like those kickers that try and laugh (when they get iced) before a
kick. Because you still gotta go out there and take care of
something, and you won’t be laughing if you miss.
DB: Do you have an all-time favorite moment on
a football field?
JM: Probably my 50-yard field goal against
Oregon. I’m not a big Oregon fan so I’ve always wanted
after my freshman year, whenever we play them, to do well against
them.
DB: What do you do when you’re not
playing football?
JM: I play a lot of golf.
DB: Did you ever talk to Karl Dorrell about
golf?
JM: We were actually gonna try and play in the
offseason but it never came around. But I try to get out there and
play with the coaches, I guess a couple of them are all right, a
couple of them not so well, but we’ll (Dorrell and I)
probably try to play this offseason.
DB: Who’s a better golfer, you or
Dorrell?
JM: I’ve never played him, but I’ll
take the challenge.
DB: What is practice like for you ““ is
there a lot of down time?
JM: We just kind of joke around (on the side).
I always thought it would be funny if they had ESPN “The
Season” film us, it would just be funny. Because we’re
just kinda clowns over there.
DB: You’ve said you admire Adam
Vinatieri. What is it about him?
JM: He’s just clutch. He goes out there,
and you try to ice him and he comes through every time. It’s
funny though, he didn’t come through this last week. But
every (other) week he brings it.
DB: Being from the Bay Area, was it frustrating
to have an off game at Cal?
JM: I don’t know. I’m just
frustrated because I didn’t do well, not just because
I’m from the Bay Area. I mean, I kick in front of my family
(a lot). Everybody sees me (kick) all the time. I haven’t
really kicked well in the Bay Area (ever), I’m actually 2 for
6. The toughest place for me to kick is always the Bay Area. When
I’m at home in the offseason and I try to kick at Cal, I
always have a hard time.
DB: Does the holder make a difference to
you?
JM: It makes a big difference. Some people
grasp the kicking concept. Quarterbacks kinda don’t get it as
much, but Pat’s (Cowan) picked it up pretty well. He’s
doing an awesome job.
DB: Where do you want to head after UCLA
““ Detroit?
JM: Detroit would be cool, but I don’t
really care. I’d play anywhere if I get a chance to play (in
the NFL). It’s hard to make it in the league and you
can’t take it for granted.
DB: Do you think a kicker will ever win the
Heisman?
JM: Nah. Never. I think it’s kind of a
joke when people say that. I think it’s just funny that I was
reading stuff in the paper and it was like, “He choked away
his Heisman hopes.” And I was just like, I never had a
Heisman hope.
DB: Where and when do you practice your onside
kicks?
JM: You know what, I’m probably not a
great onside kicker. I tried to learn that in the offseason and I
need to practice it a little bit more.
DB: What’s your favorite thing to do in
Los Angeles?
JM: Probably go to the beach. I haven’t
been going as often. Go boogie boarding, it gets your mind off of
things.