As it turns out, Raiders kicker Sebastian Janikowski does like his local baseball team.
But he might not like Jaguars kicker Josh Scobee.
In discussing the difficulties of kicking off the dirt of baseball infields, Scobee told Vito Stellino of the Florida Times-Union that Janikowski hated it so much he hoped the Oakland Athletics didn’t make the playoffs, since that would mean sod would go down sooner.
But when word reached Janikowski, he was not pleased.
“I go to A’s games all the time and root for them,” Janikowski said, via Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle. “I was pissed off when I heard that.”
Janikowski also said he thought kicking off the dirt was an advantage for the Raiders, since so few teams have to worry about it (Scobee went to a nearby baseball field to practice, as many do).
While it’s hard to imagine Scobee’s motivation to lie, it’s just as easy to see why Janikowski wanted to get his side out there — he works in Oakland half the year.
If Janikowski really wants to prove his loyalty to the A’s, he’ll grow a big mustache, a la Rollie Fingers in the 1970s. If nothing else, it would serve as an homage to former Raiders defensive end Ben Davidson.
For a kicker who already has an intimidating look, it would be, in a word, awesome.