Blair Walsh's Back And Forth With His Former Team Is A Reminder Of How Unforgiving It Is To Be An NFL Kicker

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ESPN- Seattle Seahawks kicker Blair Walsh said his gestures toward the Minnesota Vikings' sideline Friday night were the result of his ex-teammates taunting him.

"I felt like it was nothing that was serious or meant to be hurtful, but I wanted to let them know that it just wasn't going to roll off," Walsh said. "I didn't say anything though. Just looked at them."

Walsh made a pair of 52-yard field goals in the second half, and after each one, he gestured toward the Vikings' sideline. Following the second kick, cornerback Richard Sherman raced onto the field to express his approval

Asked what the Vikings were saying to him, Walsh said, "Nothing I can repeat here. That's for sure."

Walsh played five seasons in Minnesota before the team released him in November. He signed with the Seahawks as a free agent this offseason.

"I simply was just responding to getting taunted," Walsh said. "I didn't say anything. When you've got guys who were your teammates for five years yelling at you when you're trying to kick, it's just odd. And I hope they were in jest. And I hope they didn't mean it because I didn't mean anything with mine, but it was definitely not out of nowhere."

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And there you have it, proof positive that it's impossible to miss a makable field goal in a huge spot and go down as a forgettable footnote in NFL history. I'm sure the ribbing of their former teammate - that was apparently harsh enough to get the smallest, least intimidating player on the field to pull out his proverbial penis after knocking down a couple 50+ yarders - was in jest given the fact that it occurred during a meaningless preseason game. However, at the root of every good joke lies at least a semblance of truth. The Minnesota Vikings may have forgiven Blair Walsh for botching the chip shot that pathetically prolonged the postseason for his new team, but they damn sure haven't forgotten.

I obviously don't know what was said, but something tells me the explicitness of those chirps can be linked directly to one particular painful memory of the people that voiced them. Simply put, having your trust in your kicker compromised when your championship hopes are at their most vulnerable is the athletic equivalent of being totally dependent on the love of your life....only to walk in on the love of your life getting the ride of hers. Reconciliation is definitely possible, but a slate that is completely clean of resentment is most certainly not.

Those Vikings players probably overstepped a line in busting on the guy that they have a harrowing history with, but that's a pretty common occurrence when you're trying to laugh away your pain at the expense of the person seemed responsible for it. Don't believe me? Try to make light of your flawed relationship with an ex without it sounding it like the sourest of grapes. Actually - better yet - bring up the name Scott Norwood next time you're in Buffalo and check the collective facial expression of those within earshot to see if the agony caused by "wide right" has truly been left behind.