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<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Report scores and results to 425-339-3470 or 1-866-6-SCORES (Call after 4:30 p.m.) E-mail information including items for Tuesday's Communities Sports Roundup and Thursday's Outdoor Calendar, to sports@heraldnet.com Kevin Brown, Sports Editor kbrown@heraldnet.com   Published: Friday, August 15, 2008 Can Mare rediscover his kicking magic in Seattle? Hip injury hampered veteran NFL placekicker last season By Scott M. Johnson Herald Writer KIRKLAND -- It took nearly a decade for Olindo Mare to build his dream, and another year to build his dream home. Moving out took only a matter of months. The veteran who is battling to replace Josh Brown as the Seattle Seahawks kicker used to have the kind of stability that most NFL kickers envy. But after 10 years with the Miami Dolphins, and a mere six months after moving into his dream home, Mare saw his tenure end. Now he's living the life of an NFL vagabond. Instead of inhabiting a spacious home in South Florida, Mare is living in a small apartment on Seattle's Eastside. Later this month, his wife and three young children will join him. "It's a nice place, but it's not the same," Mare said. "We're a close family; we don't care. They're all in our bed anyway in the morning, so it doesn't matter. There are five of us in the bed every single morning. I could live in a one-bedroom apartment. It would be the same thing." These days, with about as much job security as a salesman for dial-up providers, Mare won't be building any dream homes. The 35-year old is mired in a battle with rookie Brandon Coutu for a single roster spot, so he's living life on a day-to-day basis. "They say you're only as good as your last kick," Mare said with a shrug. Through the first three weeks of training camp, Mare has made enough of an impression that the Seahawks like the full body of work. He and Coutu have been pretty consistent on field goals throughout the camp, but Mare might have an edge because of his experience and ability to kick off into touchbacks. That, Mare said, might be what has helped keep him in the league for 12 seasons. "If you put all of us out on the field, at the 30-yard line, 99 percent of the guys are going to make it," he said, referring to NFL kickers. "We're all that good. So you have to stand out on kickoffs." During his NFL career, Mare has 174 touchbacks on 774 kickoffs. His touchback percentage of 22.5 is nearly three times that of Brown, who had touchbacks on only 8.9 percent of his kickoffs with the Seahawks. Mare has also been consistent converting field goals, hitting at a clip just below 80 percent. But the Dolphins parted ways with him after the 2006 season, trading Mare to New Orleans for a sixth-round draft pick. The veteran spent just one year with the Saints. He says he asked to be released after a frustrating 2007 season that was plagued by a hip injury. Mare said his reasons for asking to be released were "private," but he added that his main objective was to get the hip fixed. "I wanted to have surgery," said Mare, who eventually did go under the knife. "I wanted to think of myself first. Not that they didn't want that, but I thought a fresh start would be good." And so Mare, once the poster child for longevity, was on the move again. "I figured that I'd spend another 10 or 12 years in New Orleans, but then you get hurt and you're moving again," he said. "We'll see how it works out here, but I feel like I'm kicking well." The Seahawks like Mare's experience and leg strength. Both have been on display during training camp. "He's been through it all," punter Ryan Plackemeier said. "He's been with a ton of different punters, a ton of different coaches, in a ton of different situations. "He's been a big help, especially with two rookies (Coutu and long snapper Tyler Schmitt) here. We all look up to him, we all respect him, and he's a great talent as well." Special teams coach Bruce DeHaven said it was an easy decision for the Seahawks to sign Mare, even after his release from the Saints. "He's an experienced veteran," DeHaven said. "He's been one of the best kickers in the league for the last 12 years." Admittedly, Mare struggled at times last season. He was 10 of 17 on field goals, playing in just 13 games because of the injury. Mare made just one of five attempts from beyond 50 yards. "I need to get better at making long field goals," he said. "Other than that, I think I did well. I felt strong last year." Mare feels even stronger now that he's had surgery. He's in a new town and in a smaller space, but Mare has no complaints. He is ready for a new challenge. "I was always told: 'Do your job, keep quiet, and you'll play a long time,'" he said. "So far, so good."

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