Zendejas apologizes for gesture toward Oregon coach
Monday, November 29th, 2010
Alex Zendejas doesn't figure to do more finger-pointing any time soon. (ESPN3 screenshot)
Arizona Wildcats kicker Alex Zendejas was iced — twice — and he didn’t think that was so nice.
Oregon coach Chip Kelly called two timeouts at the end of the first half as Zendejas lined up to kick a 29-yard field goal last Friday night at Autzen Stadium.
It’s certainly not an out-of-line strategy. It’s something coaches do on a weekly basis all across the country, playing a little mind game with the kicker, making him wait, making him think about it.
After the delay, Zendejas booted the ball through the uprights for a 19-14 lead, but then he turned and pointed at Kelly on the Oregon sideline as he was leaving the field — an unusually brash move, especially for a kicker.
“It was kind of disrespectful,” Zendejas said after Sunday night’s practice, talking about his gesture.
“I wouldn’t do it again, to be honest with you. … I don’t think he is going to hear this, but I apologize for doing that, Coach.”
